Shloka 383

Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)

Devanagari script

सत्यं तथा व्याहरतां नानृते रमते मन: । ब्राह्मणके लिये जो हितकर कर्म हो, उसीका उनके सामने वर्णन करना चाहिये। सत्य बोलनेवाले लोगोंका मन कभी असत्यमें नहीं लगता

Transliteration

satyaṁ tathā vyāharatāṁ nānṛte ramate manaḥ | brāhmaṇake liye yo hitakara karma ho, usī kā unke sāmane varṇana karnā cāhiye | satya bolanevāle logoṁ kā mana kabhī asatyam̐ meṁ nahīṁ lagtā |

Translation

സംസാരിക്കുന്നവർ സത്യം തന്നെ പറയട്ടെ; മനസ്സ് അസത്യത്തിൽ രമിക്കുകയില്ല. ബ്രാഹ്മണനു ഹിതകരവും ശ്രേയസ്കരവും ആയ കര്‍മ്മം ഏതാണോ, അതേ അവന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ പ്രസ്താവിക്കണം. സത്യവാദികളുടെ മനസ്സ് ഒരിക്കലും അസത്യത്തിൽ ആസക്തമാകുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

सत्यम्truth

तथाthus, in that manner

व्याहरताम्let them utter/speak

नnot

अनृतेin falsehood, in untruth

रमतेdelights, takes pleasure

मनःmind

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)

म

मनस् (mind)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness is presented as a defining ethical discipline: a truthful person’s mind naturally refuses to delight in falsehood. Speech should be guided by dharma—one should communicate what is genuinely beneficial (hita) and appropriate, especially when advising or addressing a Brahmin committed to righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin speaker delivers a moral instruction about right speech and counsel: speak truth, avoid falsehood, and describe or recommend only those actions that are truly beneficial and fitting for the person addressed. The emphasis is on ethical guidance rather than plot action.