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
سچ بولو، اور خوشگوار بات بولو؛ مگر ایسا سچ نہ کہو جو دل آزاری کرے۔ اور خوشگوار جھوٹ بھی نہ بولو—یہی مقررہ دھرم ہے۔
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.