Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अविदस्तत्त्वतः सत्यं शपथेनाभिलंघयेत् । महर्षिभिश्च देवैश्च सत्यार्थाः शपथाः कृताः

Transliteration

avidastattvataḥ satyaṃ śapathenābhilaṃghayet | maharṣibhiśca devaiśca satyārthāḥ śapathāḥ kṛtāḥ

Translation

ผู้ที่ไม่รู้ความจริงโดยแท้ อาจอาศัยคำสาบานแล้วล่วงเลยจากสัจจะได้ เพราะฉะนั้นมหาฤษีและเหล่าเทวะจึงสถาปนาคำสาบานไว้เพื่อธำรงสัจจะเท่านั้น

Word by Word

• अविदः: an ignorant person
• अविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्त्वतः: in reality/truly
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from/according to truth)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शपथेन: by an oath
• शपथेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अभिलङ्घयेत्: should transgress/overstep
• अभिलङ्घयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• महर्षिभिः: by great sages
• महर्षिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवैः: by gods
• देवैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सत्यार्थाः: aimed at truth / for the sake of truth
• सत्यार्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (सत्यस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)

• शपथाः: oaths
• शपथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कृताः: were made/established
• कृताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त; past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic vision: ṛṣis and devas collectively ‘establish’ the institution of oath for truth—shown as a cosmic assembly handing down a dharma-scroll; below, a human figure tempted to misuse an oath is restrained by the teaching.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣis
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Oaths are meant to protect truth, not to cover ignorance or enable wrongdoing; dharma stands on truthful speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on universal purāṇic dharma regarding truth and oaths.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies the proper use of śapatha (oath) as a dharmic safeguard, not as a casual or deceptive practice.