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

Seul celui qui profère la vérité est, en ce monde, un véritable orateur; nul autre. Rejette le mensonge, même celui que l’on fabrique par un réseau de sophismes se réclamant des « śāstra ».

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.