Shloka 43

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सत्यं वदेत् प्राज्ञो यत् परप्रीतिकारणम् सत्यं यत् परदुःखाय तत्र मौनपरो भवेत्

Transliteration

tasmāt satyaṃ vadet prājño yat paraprītikāraṇam satyaṃ yat paraduḥkhāya tatra maunaparo bhavet

Translation

Therefore the wise should speak that truth which brings another’s welfare and gladness. But if a ‘truth’ would only cause sorrow to others, then in that matter one should be devoted to silence.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Connector (कारण/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अपादानार्थे (ablatival sense) = therefore/from that

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

• वदेत्: should speak
• वदेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; विधिः—should speak

• प्राज्ञः: a wise person
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma/Predicate Link (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम; ‘that which’

• पर-प्रीति-कारणम्: a cause of another's pleasure
• पर-प्रीति-कारणम्: Karma/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परस्य प्रीतिः यस्य कारणम्); विधेय (predicate)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (ellipsis: ‘(न) वदेत्’ implied later)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma/Predicate Link (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• पर-दुःखाय: for another's suffering
• पर-दुःखाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परस्य दुःखम्); सम्प्रदान (dative: for causing)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (locative adverb)

• मौन-परः: devoted to silence
• मौन-परः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मौने परः = devoted to silence); विशेषणम्

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; should be

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in a dharma-instruction context)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ethics of speech: when to speak truth and when silence is dharma

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Truth-telling is governed by compassion: speak truth that benefits others, but if it only causes needless sorrow, choose disciplined silence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before speaking, test words by two filters—truth and benefit; if benefit is absent, pause and practice mauna or reframe kindly.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethics is relational: the jīva, as the Lord’s mode (prakāra), must act in ways that uphold harmony among His embodied selves, making non-harm a theological duty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of truth (satya) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Satya is upheld as dharma, but it is framed as truth that supports welfare; truth is not treated as a license to injure others through speech.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right use of speech here?

He teaches a discriminating ethic: speak truth that brings benefit and harmony; if speaking a fact would cause needless suffering, restraint and silence become the higher discipline.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse reflects Vaishnava dharma as alignment with cosmic order: conduct—especially speech—should preserve harmony and reduce suffering, consistent with living under Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty.