Shloka 38
The Glory of Truthful Oaths and Keeping One’s Promise
Satya & Pratijñā
वचनं लंघयेद्यस्तु यस्तु वा दक्षिणं करम् । सकुलो निरयं याति सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
vacanaṃ laṃghayedyastu yastu vā dakṣiṇaṃ karam | sakulo nirayaṃ yāti satyaṃ satyaṃ vadāmyaham
Sesiapa yang melanggar janji yang telah diucapkan, atau mengkhianati ikrar tangan kanan, dia akan pergi ke neraka bersama seluruh keturunannya. Ini benar, benar—aku menyatakannya.
Unspecified (narratorial/authoritative voice within the chapter context)
Concept: Breaking a promise—especially a pledged hand—invites severe karmic consequence affecting one’s lineage; satya is non-negotiable.
Application: Make fewer promises but keep them; treat commitments (marriage, debts, service, vows) as sacred; if unable, seek restitution and transparent confession rather than concealment.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stern sage raises his right hand in oath, while behind him a shadow-vision shows a forked path: one luminous road of truth and one dark descent into Naraka. The imagery emphasizes the ‘pledged hand’ as a sacred seal—broken, it cracks like dry earth, releasing smoke and sorrow that engulfs a fading family line.","primary_figures":["a stern sage/narrator figure","symbolic family silhouettes","person breaking an oath (symbolic)","Yama’s messengers (subtle, in the shadow-vision)"],"setting":"A moral-vision tableau: foreground in a hermitage or court of dharma; background as a symbolic underworld vista.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["charcoal black","ash gray","blood red","cold indigo","pale silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-teacher figure with raised right hand, gold-leaf border framing a contrasting inset of Naraka—dark reds and blacks with stylized flames, Yama-dūtas in iconographic form, cracked oath-hand motif, ornate but severe composition with metallic highlights emphasizing moral gravity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a didactic scene with a sage warning a listener, delicate but intense expressions, a small vignette of dark underworld in the corner, cool indigo night palette, fine linework showing the right-hand pledge and a broken seal, restrained yet powerful symbolism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined warning figure, dramatic underworld panel with rhythmic flames and attendants of Yama, strong red/black contrasts, stylized hand gesture as central icon, temple-wall narrative clarity and moral emphasis.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition with a central oath-hand motif framed by floral borders turned thorny, contrasting panels—truth path with lotuses vs. Naraka path with dark flames, deep indigo cloth base with gold detailing, intricate patterning used to encode moral duality."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum (warning beat)","distant thunder","silence after 'satyam satyam'","temple bell (single strike)","wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: लंघयेद्यस्तु → लङ्घयेत् यः तु (त् + य); वदाम्यहम् → वदामि अहम् (इ + अ) ।
FAQs
It teaches that breaking one’s promise or oath is a grave adharma with severe karmic consequences.
It points to the right hand as a traditional sign of pledge—an oath, handshake, or solemn commitment—so violating it means violating a sworn undertaking.
Integrity: one must honor spoken commitments and oaths, treating truthfulness (satya) as a foundational dharma.