Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19
वसिष्ठ उवाच । अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे स्वैरेष्वपि हि जिह्वया । तस्मान्नास्ति मखः कश्चित्सत्यं त्वं यष्टुमिच्छसि
vasiṣṭha uvāca | anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me svaireṣvapi hi jihvayā | tasmānnāsti makhaḥ kaścitsatyaṃ tvaṃ yaṣṭumicchasi
Vasiṣṭha berkata: Lidahku tidak pernah mengucap dusta sebelum ini, bahkan ketika aku bebas bertindak. Maka tiadalah korban suci seperti yang engkau kehendaki; sesungguhnya engkau ingin melakukan suatu upacara yang tidak dapat ditegakkan sebagai wajar dan benar.
Vasiṣṭha
Listener: Triśaṅku
Scene: Vasiṣṭha, serene and austere, addresses King Triśaṅku in a royal-sacrificial hall; sages sit in rows, fire-altars present but unlit, emphasizing refusal grounded in truth.
FAQs
Truthfulness (satya) is foundational to dharma; a rite that conflicts with truth and propriety is rejected even by a powerful sage.
No tīrtha is named in this verse; it is ethical instruction within a Māhātmya narrative frame.
It negates the possibility of a certain ‘makha’ (sacrifice) being performable under the demanded conditions.