Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नासत्यं जायते वाक्यं नागराणां कथंचन । ब्रह्मशालास्थितानां च शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्

Transliteration

nāsatyaṃ jāyate vākyaṃ nāgarāṇāṃ kathaṃcana | brahmaśālāsthitānāṃ ca śubhaṃ vā yadi vā'śubham

Translation

നാഗരന്മാരുടെ വാക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും അസത്യമാകുന്നില്ല; പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ബ്രഹ്മശാലയിൽ ഇരിക്കുന്നവരുടെ— കാര്യം ശുഭമായാലും അശുഭമായാലും.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-निपात)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (negative particle)

• असत्यम्: falsehood, untruth
• असत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जायते: arises, is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नागराणाम्: of the citizens/people of Nāgara
• नागराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् + चन (अव्यय-द्वय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), 'कथम्' + 'चन' = कदाचित्/कथंचित्-भावः

• ब्रह्मशालास्थितानाम्: of those residing in the Brahmaśālā
• ब्रह्मशालास्थितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मशाला + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मशालायां स्थिताः), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (समुच्चय-निपात)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• शुभम्: auspicious (thing/result)
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अशुभम्: inauspicious (thing/result)
• अशुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmaśālā (Nāgara-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside Brahmaśālā, brāhmaṇas seated; a subtle aura of sanctity; words spoken appear as luminous syllables, symbolizing truth that cannot fail.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgarāḥ
• Brahmaśālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech rooted in sacred assembly and dharma is to be guarded as truthful; satya is the foundation of tīrtha-based religious life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Brahmaśālā (a sanctified hall/seat of deliberation) is praised as a dharmic institution within the tīrtha context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse establishes the doctrinal authority and truth-status of pronouncements made in the Brahmaśālā.