Brahma Purana — Shiva on Dharma: Nonviolence, Truthful Speech, Mental Discipline, and the Karmic Causes of Heaven and Longevity, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

श्लक्ष्णां वाणीं स्वच्छवर्णां मधुरां पापवर्जिताम् स्वगतेनाभिभाषन्ते ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः //

Translation

This verse (no. 20) is regarded as sacred utterance within the Purāṇic tradition.

Word by Word

• ślakṣṇām: gentle, smooth
• ślakṣṇām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of vāṇīm

• vāṇīm: speech, voice
• vāṇīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; object of abhibhāṣante

• svaccha-varṇām: clear-toned / of clear sound
• svaccha-varṇām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaccha (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (karmadhāraya-like determinative) meaning 'svacchaḥ varṇaḥ yasyāḥ'; viśeṣaṇa of vāṇīm

• madhurām: sweet
• madhurām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of vāṇīm

• pāpa-varjitām: free from sin
• pāpa-varjitām: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + varjita (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; kta-participle (क्त) of √vṛj/√varj (वर्ज्/वृज्) 'to avoid', in tatpuruṣa: 'pāpena varjitā' (free from sin); viśeṣaṇa of vāṇīm

• sva-gatena: with one’s own proper intent/manner
• sva-gatena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental: 'with/through one’s own manner/intent'; adverbial instrument to abhibhāṣante

• abhibhāṣante: they speak (address)
• abhibhāṣante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (भाष्)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (लट्, present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (plural), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana; pronoun referring to narāḥ

• narāḥ: men, people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana

• svarga-gāminaḥ: heaven-going
• svarga-gāminaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa / Predicative (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: 'svargaṃ gacchanti' (going to heaven); predicate adjective of narāḥ

Speaker

• Śiva to Umā/Devī