Shloka 7
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
सत्येन शपथं कुर्याद्देवाग्निगुरुसन्निधौ । तावद्दहति वै गात्रं विष्णोर्वंशो न लुप्यते
satyena śapathaṃ kuryāddevāgnigurusannidhau | tāvaddahati vai gātraṃ viṣṇorvaṃśo na lupyate
Man soll den Eid nur in Wahrheit leisten, in Gegenwart der Devas, des heiligen Feuers und des Lehrers. Solange die Wahrheit gewahrt wird, wird der Leib nicht von der Sündenfolge verbrannt, und das Geschlecht Viṣṇus wird nicht abgeschnitten.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Brahma-khaṇḍa narrative)
Concept: Oaths must be grounded in satya and taken before sacred witnesses; truth protects the body from sin’s ‘burning’ and preserves the ‘Vishnu-lineage’ (Vaishnava dharmic continuity).
Application: Speak commitments only after reflection; keep accountability (mentor/guru, sacred reminders); treat truthfulness as daily worship that safeguards family culture and spiritual inheritance.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: temple
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene yajña hall: the guru sits on a kusa mat, the sacred fire rises in steady flames, and a devotee stands with folded hands, speaking a truthful oath. Above the altar, a subtle Vishnu-emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) appears in luminous mist, signifying that truth preserves the Vaishnava lineage.","primary_figures":["guru (ācārya)","oath-taker (householder or disciple)","Agni","subtle devas as light-forms","Vishnu symbolically (śaṅkha-cakra aura)"],"setting":"Vedic ritual hall with fire-altar, samidhs, ladles, and seated witnesses","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with calm fire-glow","color_palette":["saffron","ghee-gold","sandalwood beige","deep maroon","smoky blue"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Agni-kunda with gold leaf flames, guru with ornate seat and halo, devotee in añjali mudrā; śaṅkha-cakra motifs in the background, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments on the guru’s staff and ritual vessels, symmetrical South Indian composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined yajña scene with delicate brushwork, soft firelight, gentle facial expressions; cool background with warm flame accents, minimal architecture, lyrical smoke forming śaṅkha-cakra shapes.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, Agni in stylized red-yellow, guru and devotee with characteristic large eyes, patterned floor and pillars, Vishnu emblems as decorative aureole; natural pigment palette.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional didactic panel—fire-altar at center, border of repeating śaṅkha-cakra and lotus motifs, peacocks at corners; deep blue background with gold highlights, inscription band for satya-śapatha."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","steady fire crackle","low Vedic chanting undertone","conch at cadence end"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कुर्याद्देवाग्निगुरुसन्निधौ → कुर्यात् देव-अग्नि-गुरु-सन्निधौ; तावद्दहति → तावत् दहति; विष्णोर्वंशो → विष्णोः वंशः
FAQs
They represent sacred authority and moral accountability: the devas as cosmic witnesses, Agni as the ritual witness, and the guru as the living guide of dharma—making false oaths especially blameworthy.
Truthfulness is the foundation of dharma; one should not invoke sacred witnesses while speaking falsely, because untruth corrupts both personal integrity and social order.
It signals the preservation of a righteous, dharma-aligned family line devoted to Viṣṇu; truth supports continuity of virtue and spiritual heritage, whereas falsehood leads to decline and rupture.