Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अविदस्तत्त्वतः सत्यं शपथेनाभिलंघयेत् । महर्षिभिश्च देवैश्च सत्यार्थाः शपथाः कृताः

Transliteration

avidastattvataḥ satyaṃ śapathenābhilaṃghayet | maharṣibhiśca devaiśca satyārthāḥ śapathāḥ kṛtāḥ

Translation

Wer die Tatsachen nicht wirklich kennt, kann durch den Rückgriff auf einen Eid die Wahrheit überschreiten und verfehlen. Darum haben die großen Rishis und die Götter Eide einzig zur Wahrung der Wahrheit eingesetzt.

Word by Word

• अविदः: an ignorant person
• अविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्त्वतः: in reality/truly
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from/according to truth)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शपथेन: by an oath
• शपथेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अभिलङ्घयेत्: should transgress/overstep
• अभिलङ्घयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महर्षिभिः: by great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवैः: by gods
• देवैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यार्थाः: aimed at truth / for the sake of truth
• सत्यार्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (सत्यस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)

• शपथाः: oaths
• शपथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कृताः: were made/established
• कृताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त; past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic vision: ṛṣis and devas collectively ‘establish’ the institution of oath for truth—shown as a cosmic assembly handing down a dharma-scroll; below, a human figure tempted to misuse an oath is restrained by the teaching.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣis
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Oaths are meant to protect truth, not to cover ignorance or enable wrongdoing; dharma stands on truthful speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on universal purāṇic dharma regarding truth and oaths.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies the proper use of śapatha (oath) as a dharmic safeguard, not as a casual or deceptive practice.