Shloka 98
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
अतः सर्वेषु कार्येषु सत्यमेव विशिष्यते । अश्वमेधसहस्रं तु सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्
ataḥ sarveṣu kāryeṣu satyameva viśiṣyate | aśvamedhasahasraṃ tu satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam
اس لیے ہر کام میں سچ ہی سب سے برتر ہے۔ ہزار اشومیدھ یَجْن اور سچ کو ترازو میں رکھا گیا—سچ ان سب پر بھاری نکلا۔
Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within the Adhyaya context)
Concept: Truth surpasses even immense ritual merit; when weighed against a thousand Aśvamedhas, truth is heavier.
Application: Prioritize honesty over performative religiosity; let integrity be the ‘weight’ behind charity, worship, and public reputation; measure success by truthfulness, not by scale of achievements.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A celestial balance scale stands in midair, one pan piled with miniature golden horse-sacrifice emblems—altars, horses, ladles, and crowns—while the other pan holds a single radiant word ‘SATYAM’ glowing like a sun. The scale tips decisively toward truth, and devas look on in astonished reverence as light pours down like nectar.","primary_figures":["personified Dharma (optional)","devas as witnesses","symbolic Aśvamedha emblems","radiant ‘SATYAM’ glyph"],"setting":"celestial court or luminous sky-space with clouds, mandala patterns, and a floating tulā (balance)","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","pearl white","sunrise orange","lotus magenta"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: floating golden balance scale with embossed gold leaf; one pan crowded with ornate Aśvamedha symbols, the other with a blazing ‘SATYAM’ glyph radiating a halo; devas in traditional South Indian iconography, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, thick gold borders and arch frame.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: ethereal sky scene with delicate clouds and refined devas; a finely drawn tulā tipping toward a luminous ‘satya’ inscription; cool blues with warm gold highlights, lyrical composition, subtle astonishment on faces.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—large central tulā, stylized sacrificial icons on one side, radiant satya-disc on the other; mandala backdrop, red/yellow/green palette with strong blacks, temple-wall grandeur.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central balance scale surrounded by lotus motifs and intricate floral borders; deep blue field with gold and magenta accents; miniature sacrificial emblems rendered like decorative icons, while ‘SATYAM’ shines as a central devotional symbol, peacocks and cows in the border to evoke auspicious dharma."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"celebratory","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","temple bells","choral ‘satya’ refrain","gentle cymbals"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: satyam+eva→satyameva; aśvamedha+sahasram→aśvamedhasahasram (तत्पुरुष); tulayā dhṛtam—Ppp used predicatively.
FAQs
It teaches that truthfulness (satya) is superior to even the most grand ritual merits, symbolically outweighing a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices.
The Aśvamedha represents an extremely high and prestigious Vedic rite; the comparison emphasizes that moral integrity (truth) surpasses ritual grandeur.
In every duty or decision, prioritize honesty and fidelity to truth, treating it as the highest form of dharma.