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Shloka 3

पञ्चवर्णोत्पत्तिः — The Origin of the Five-Colored Fiery Being and Ritual-Disruptor Lineages

प्राणान्तिके विवाहे च वक्तव्यमनृतं भवेत्‌ | अनृतेन भवेत्‌ सत्यं सत्येनैवानृतं भवेत्‌,(वेदके अनुसार सत्य धर्म और असत्य अधर्म हैं, परंतु) यदि किसीके प्राणोंपर संकट आ जाय अथवा कन्या आदिका विवाह तै करना हो तो ऐसे अवसरोंपर प्राणरक्षा आदिके लिये झूठ बोलनेकी आवश्यकता पड़ जाय तो वहाँ असत्यसे ही सत्यका फल मिलता है। इसके विपरीत (यदि सत्यभाषणसे किसीके प्राणोंपर संकट आ गया, तो वहाँ) सत्यसे ही असत्यका फल प्राप्त होता है

prāṇāntike vivāhe ca vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet | anṛtena bhavet satyaṁ satyenaivānṛtaṁ bhavet ||

猎人说道:“在性命攸关之际,亦在筹办婚姻之时,有时不得不说不实之言。由不实而得真实之果——也就是说,它能护生、成就正当婚配,从而服务于法(dharma)。反之,若拘泥字面之真而使他人性命陷于危殆,则此‘真’反结不真之果,因为在伦理上它已成可责之行。”

प्राणान्तिकेin a life-threatening situation
प्राणान्तिके:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राणान्तिक
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
विवाहेin (a) marriage
विवाहे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविवाह
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
वक्तव्यम्to be spoken / should be said
वक्तव्यम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormGerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
अनृतम्untruth
अनृतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअनृत
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
भवेत्may be / would be
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular
अनृतेनby/through untruth
अनृतेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअनृत
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
भवेत्may become / may result
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular
सत्यम्truth (as result/benefit)
सत्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
सत्येनby/through truth
सत्येन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
एवindeed / just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
अनृतम्untruth (as result/benefit)
अनृतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअनृत
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
भवेत्may become / may result
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

व्याध उवाच

V
Vyādha (the hunter)

Educational Q&A

Truthfulness is a general dharma, but in exceptional situations (especially saving life or safeguarding a rightful marriage), the ethical value lies in the outcome aligned with dharma. A literal falsehood can become ‘truth’ if it protects life or prevents grave harm; likewise, literal truth becomes ethically ‘false’ if it causes unjust harm.

Vyādha is instructing on nuanced dharma: he explains that rigid adherence to literal truth is not always righteous, and that in emergencies one must weigh consequences—especially the protection of life—when deciding what to say.