Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

सत्यमेव व्रतं यस्मात्तस्मात्सत्यव्रतस्त्वहम् । सत्यं ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि मंतुमर्हसि तत्तथा

Transliteration

satyameva vrataṃ yasmāttasmātsatyavratastvaham | satyaṃ te saṃpravakṣyāmi maṃtumarhasi tattathā

Translation

സത്യമേ എന്റെ വ്രതമാകയാൽ ഞാൻ സത്യവ്രതൻ. ഞാൻ നിന്നോടു സത്യം പ്രസ്താവിക്കും; അതിനെ യഥാതഥമായി സ്വീകരിച്ച് ശരിയായി ഗ്രഹിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• यस्मात्: from which/because
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative, Singular)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative, Singular)

• सत्यव्रतः: one whose vow is truth (truth-vowed)
• सत्यव्रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (1st person pronoun, Nominative, Singular)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive/Dative, Singular)

• संप्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall fully tell
• संप्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + सम्-प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्/Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Future, 1st person, Singular)

• मन्तुम्: to think/consider
• मन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव (Infinitive)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present, 2nd person, Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm teacher-figure declares a solemn vow of truth to a listener, right hand raised in assurance; the setting suggests an āśrama or sabhā with minimal ornamentation to emphasize sincerity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya is presented as a vrata (sacred discipline); spiritual authority rests on unwavering truthfulness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is praised in this verse; it is a doctrinal declaration about satya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Satya-vrata (the vow of truth) is affirmed; no additional ritual steps are detailed.