Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 88
सत्यं ब्रूयात्प्रियं बूयान्न ब्रूयात्सत्यमप्रियम् । प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयादेष धर्मो विधीयते
satyaṃ brūyātpriyaṃ būyānna brūyātsatyamapriyam | priyaṃ ca nānṛtaṃ brūyādeṣa dharmo vidhīyate
सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात्; न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्। प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयाद्—एष धर्मो विधीयते॥
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Scene: A forest hermitage (āraṇya) where a teacher instructs a disciple on dharma of speech; calm sages, palm-leaf manuscripts, gentle hand-gesture of instruction (upadeśa-mudrā).
FAQs
Dharma refines speech: truth should be joined with compassion, and pleasantness must never be purchased with falsehood.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches universal dharma of vāṇī (ethical speech).
It prescribes a discipline of speech—truthful, beneficial, and non-harmful communication.