Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

सत्यमेव प्रभाषेत स वक्ता नेतरो भुवि । मिथ्यावादाञ्छास्त्रजालसंभवान्यद्विहाय च

Transliteration

satyameva prabhāṣeta sa vaktā netaro bhuvi | mithyāvādāñchāstrajālasaṃbhavānyadvihāya ca

Translation

Nur wer die Wahrheit spricht, ist in dieser Welt wahrhaft ein „Sprecher“—kein anderer. Wirf die Unwahrheit ab, selbst jene, die aus einem Geflecht spitzfindiger, als „Śāstra“ ausgegebener Argumente ersonnen ist.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (object/adv. acc.)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रभाषेत: should speak forth
• प्रभाषेत: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √भाष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सः: he/that person
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• वक्ता: (true) speaker
• वक्ता: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-एकवचन

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

• इतरः: another (person)
• इतरः: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• भुवि: on earth/in the world
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-एकवचन (locative singular)

• मिथ्यावादान्: false statements/lying speeches
• मिथ्यावादान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथ्या + वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (मिथ्या वादाः)

• शास्त्रजालसंभवान्: arising from a net of (pseudo-)scriptures
• शास्त्रजालसंभवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास्त्र + जाल + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (शास्त्रजालात् सम्भवाः) विशेषणम् (मिथ्यावादानाम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative)

• विहाय: having abandoned/avoiding
• विहाय: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + √हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure of Truth (satya) stands firm like a pillar; webs of sophistry (śāstra-jāla) are cut away; a clear, straight path opens toward a Śiva-liṅga or radiant light, symbolizing purified doctrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness is the essence of righteous speech; clever argumentation cannot sanctify falsehood.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on satya as a universal dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied vow is satya (truthfulness); no other ritual act is specified here.