Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

सत्येन तिष्ठत्युदधिर्वायुः सत्येन वाति हि । सत्येन पच्यते सस्यं गावः क्षीरं स्रवन्ति च

Transliteration

satyena tiṣṭhatyudadhirvāyuḥ satyena vāti hi | satyena pacyate sasyaṃ gāvaḥ kṣīraṃ sravanti ca

Translation

Par la vérité l’océan demeure à sa place ; par la vérité le vent souffle vraiment. Par la vérité mûrissent les moissons, et par la vérité les vaches laissent couler leur lait.

Word by Word

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तिष्ठति: stands / remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उदधिः: the ocean
• उदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वायुः: the wind
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाति: blows
• वाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पच्यते: is cooked / ripens
• पच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• सस्यम्: crop / grain
• सस्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्रवन्ति: flow / yield
• स्रवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

Speaker

Narratorial voice within the Revā Khaṇḍa (speaker not explicit in the verse excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic panorama: the ocean held at its shore, wind moving through fields, golden crops ripening, cows calmly giving milk—overlaid with the idea of satya as the invisible pillar.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth (satya) is portrayed as the sustaining power behind both the cosmos and daily life; living truthfully aligns one with dharma and stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Revā (Narmadā) sacred landscape in the Revā Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself is a universal praise of satya rather than a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it provides a dharmic principle—truthfulness—as the basis for merit and auspiciousness.