Shloka 8
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
मिथ्यायां शपथे विप्र किमहं वच्मि सांप्रतम् । शतमन्वंतरं विप्र निरयं मिथ्यया किमु
mithyāyāṃ śapathe vipra kimahaṃ vacmi sāṃpratam | śatamanvaṃtaraṃ vipra nirayaṃ mithyayā kimu
O Brahmane, bei einem falschen Eid — was soll ich jetzt sagen? Für hundert Manvantaras, o Brahmane, was bringt die Unwahrheit anderes als die Hölle?
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue speaker reliably)
Concept: False oaths (mithyā-śapatha) inexorably lead to naraka for immense durations; speech is a sacred instrument and must not be weaponized by untruth.
Application: Avoid exaggeration and convenient lies; in legal/financial/relational commitments, speak only what you can uphold; cultivate daily satya-vrata (truth discipline).
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned brāhmaṇa stands at a crossroads of light and shadow, mouth half-open as if about to utter a lie; behind him, the shadow road descends into a cavern marked by Yama’s noose. In the sky, a luminous script of ‘satya’ glows like a protective mantra, while ‘mithyā’ appears as cracked, dark letters falling away.","primary_figures":["brāhmaṇa addressed as vipra","Yama (symbolic, distant)","personified Vāc (optional, as a radiant feminine form)"],"setting":"Symbolic crossroads near a ritual precinct, blending earthly path with metaphysical descent","lighting_mood":"high-contrast divine radiance vs. ominous shadow","color_palette":["ivory white","ink black","copper red","austerity gray","radiant gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central vipra figure with expressive face, gold leaf mantra ‘satya’ in the sky, darkened lower panel showing Yama’s realm with stylized noose; ornate borders, rich crimson and green, gem-like highlights on sacred syllables.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical crossroads landscape, delicate calligraphic ‘satya’ as glowing cloud-text, subtle Yama silhouette in a dark ravine; cool blues and grays with warm gold accents, refined emotional nuance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, symbolic typography-like motifs for satya/mithyā, Yama in dark tones with red accents, vipra in pale garments; temple mural geometry and patterned bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: didactic textile—central figure at crossroads, border of repeating mantra panels, lotus medallions framing ‘satya’; deep indigo field with gold and white detailing, narrative vignettes of truth vs falsehood."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["sharp bell strikes","conch punctuation","low drum pulse","sudden silence after 'nirayam'"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: किमहं → किम् अहम्; शतमन्वंतरं → शतम् अन्वन्तरम्; किमु → किम् उ
FAQs
It warns that taking a false oath (lying under oath) is a grave sin, leading to hellish consequences over vast cosmic time.
It is a hyperbolic, cosmological measure emphasizing the extreme duration and severity of the karmic consequence for false swearing.
Truthfulness—especially in testimony and vows—is central to dharma; violating it through false oaths is portrayed as among the most destructive moral failures.