Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

कपिलोवाच । प्राणिनां प्राण रक्षार्थं वदाम्येवानृतं वचः । नात्मार्थमुपयुञ्जामि स्वल्पमप्यनृतं क्वचित्

Transliteration

kapilovāca | prāṇināṃ prāṇa rakṣārthaṃ vadāmyevānṛtaṃ vacaḥ | nātmārthamupayuñjāmi svalpamapyanṛtaṃ kvacit

Translation

কপিলা কহিল—“প্রাণীদের প্রাণরক্ষার জন্যই আমি কেবল অসত্য বাক্য বলিতে পারি। নিজের স্বার্থে আমি কখনও সামান্যও অসত্য ব্যবহার করি না।”

Word by Word

• कपिलः: Kapila
• कपिलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्राण: life-breath
• प्राण: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (छन्दसि/सम्बोधनवत् प्रयोगः)

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• वदामि: I speak
• वदामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• अनृतम्: untruth
• अनृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वचः: speech/word
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• आत्मार्थम्: for my own benefit
• आत्मार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for one’s own sake)

• उपयुञ्जामि: I employ/use
• उपयुञ्जामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्वल्पम्: a little
• स्वल्पम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of अनृतम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• अनृतम्: untruth
• अनृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• क्वचित्: ever/anywhere
• क्वचित्: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: at any time/anywhere)

Speaker

Kapilā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kapilā speaks with calm firmness, right hand raised in a vow-like gesture; her face is serene, conveying moral clarity amid crisis.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth is the norm; only life-protection may justify deviation, never personal gain.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a dharma teaching within the Arbuda Khaṇḍa story-world.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it defines an ethical rule regarding satya and necessity.