Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

एवं तस्मादभिज्ञाय सत्यर्थशपथांश्चरेत् । वृथा हि शपथान्कुर्वन्प्रेत्य चेह विनश्यति

Transliteration

evaṃ tasmādabhijñāya satyarthaśapathāṃścaret | vṛthā hi śapathānkurvanpretya ceha vinaśyati

Translation

Portanto, sabendo isto, deve-se jurar apenas em favor da verdade. Pois quem faz juramentos em vão perece aqui e também após a morte.

Word by Word

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अभिज्ञाय: having understood
• अभिज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)

• सत्यार्थशपथान्: oaths for a true purpose
• सत्यार्थशपथान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्यार्थाः शपथाः = सत्यार्थान् शपथान्)

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in vain)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• शपथान्: oaths
• शपथान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुर्वन्: doing/making
• कुर्वन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रेत्य: after death
• प्रेत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—मरणानन्तरम् (after dying)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• विनश्यति: perishes
• विनश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person stands at a crossroads: one path labeled ‘Satyārtha-śapatha’ leading to light, the other ‘Vṛthā-śapatha’ leading to decay in both worlds; a balance scale of Dharma weighs speech against truth.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Use solemn speech responsibly: an oath is sacred and should be invoked only to uphold truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the teaching is ethical and universal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral prescription: avoid frivolous oaths; take śapatha only when it serves satya (truth).