Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

एवं तस्मादभिज्ञाय सत्यर्थशपथांश्चरेत् । वृथा हि शपथान्कुर्वन्प्रेत्य चेह विनश्यति

Transliteration

evaṃ tasmādabhijñāya satyarthaśapathāṃścaret | vṛthā hi śapathānkurvanpretya ceha vinaśyati

Translation

Therefore, knowing this, one should take oaths only for the sake of truth. For one who makes oaths in vain perishes both here and after death.

Word by Word

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अभिज्ञाय: having understood
• अभिज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)

• सत्यार्थशपथान्: oaths for a true purpose
• सत्यार्थशपथान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्यार्थाः शपथाः = सत्यार्थान् शपथान्)

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in vain)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• शपथान्: oaths
• शपथान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुर्वन्: doing/making
• कुर्वन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रेत्य: after death
• प्रेत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—मरणानन्तरम् (after dying)

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

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• विनश्यति: perishes
• विनश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person stands at a crossroads: one path labeled ‘Satyārtha-śapatha’ leading to light, the other ‘Vṛthā-śapatha’ leading to decay in both worlds; a balance scale of Dharma weighs speech against truth.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Use solemn speech responsibly: an oath is sacred and should be invoked only to uphold truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the teaching is ethical and universal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral prescription: avoid frivolous oaths; take śapatha only when it serves satya (truth).