Shloka 78
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
सत्यं त्यक्त्वानृतं किंचित्प्राणांते समुपस्थिते । नोक्तं नरवरश्रेष्ठस्तेनधर्मतुलाधरः
satyaṃ tyaktvānṛtaṃ kiṃcitprāṇāṃte samupasthite | noktaṃ naravaraśreṣṭhastenadharmatulādharaḥ
Даже когда смерть приблизилась, лучший из людей не оставил истины, чтобы произнести хоть малую ложь; потому он стал носителем весов Дхармы, хранителем праведности.
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Satya is non-negotiable; even at the approach of death, one should not utter falsehood—this is true dharma-bearing.
Application: Commit to truth in small matters so that in crises integrity remains unbroken; avoid ‘convenient lies’ that erode character.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Tulādhāra stands beside a merchant’s scale that subtly transforms into a cosmic balance: one pan holds worldly gain, the other holds the luminous word ‘satya’. Behind him, the shadow of death approaches, yet his face remains unwavering, as if truth itself is his refuge.","primary_figures":["Tulādhāra","personification of Dharma (subtle)","personification of Death (Yama’s shadow, optional)"],"setting":"Marketplace edge rendered as a moral stage; a scale in the foreground, crowds blurred to emphasize inner resolve.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["smoky charcoal","radiant gold","white jasmine","deep indigo","vermilion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Tulādhāra with calm, resolute gaze; a large ornate scale with gold-leaf detailing, one pan glowing with ‘satya’ motif; faint dark silhouette of death at the margin; rich reds/greens, gem-studded accents, heavy gold leaf on halo and scale, temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: poetic contrast of light and shadow—Tulādhāra illuminated, death suggested as a soft dark wash; delicate scale and weights; refined facial features, subdued yet intense palette, lyrical moral symbolism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic juxtaposition of bright satya-glow and dark approaching figure; stylized scale as emblem; temple-wall narrative clarity with red/yellow/green dominance and black contouring.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical composition with ornate floral borders; central scale motif repeated in patterns; deep blue background with gold highlights; peacocks at corners, lotus medallions framing the satya emblem."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["single temple bell strike","deep silence","low drone (tanpura)","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्यक्त्वानृतं → त्यक्त्वा + अनृतम्; किंचित्प्राणांते → किञ्चित् + प्राणान्ते; नोक्तं → न + उक्तम्; नरवरश्रेष्ठस्तेन → नरवरश्रेष्ठः + तेन; तेनधर्मतुलाधरः → तेन + धर्मतुलाधरः.
FAQs
It teaches unwavering commitment to truth (satya), even under extreme pressure such as the fear of death, as a defining mark of Dharma.
It portrays him as one who upholds and exemplifies the true measure of righteousness—his conduct becomes the standard by which Dharma is “weighed.”
Although located in the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, the verse functions primarily as moral instruction, highlighting satya as a core pillar of righteous life.