Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9
Devanagari script
एवं तस्मादभिज्ञाय सत्यर्थशपथांश्चरेत् । वृथा हि शपथान्कुर्वन्प्रेत्य चेह विनश्यति
Transliteration
evaṃ tasmādabhijñāya satyarthaśapathāṃścaret | vṛthā hi śapathānkurvanpretya ceha vinaśyati
Translation
因此，既已明了此理，当只为真实而立誓；因为妄立誓言者，今生与死后皆将败亡。
Word by Word
एवंthus
एवं:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन
अभिज्ञायhaving understood
अभिज्ञाय:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअभि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)
सत्यार्थशपथान्oaths for a true purpose
सत्यार्थशपथान्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + शपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्यार्थाः शपथाः = सत्यार्थान् शपथान्)
चरेत्should perform
चरेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootचर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
वृथाin vain
वृथा:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवृथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in vain)
हिfor/indeed
हि:
Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात
शपथान्oaths
शपथान्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootशपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
कुर्वन्doing/making
कुर्वन्:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent; participial)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formशतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
प्रेत्यafter death
प्रेत्य:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्र-√इ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—मरणानन्तरम् (after dying)
चand
च:
Connector (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय
इहhere (in this world)
इह:
Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)
विनश्यतिperishes
विनश्यति:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-√नश् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A person stands at a crossroads: one path labeled ‘Satyārtha-śapatha’ leading to light, the other ‘Vṛthā-śapatha’ leading to decay in both worlds; a balance scale of Dharma weighs speech against truth.
Characters & Entities
D
Dharma (implicit)FAQs
Use solemn speech responsibly: an oath is sacred and should be invoked only to uphold truth.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the teaching is ethical and universal.
A behavioral prescription: avoid frivolous oaths; take śapatha only when it serves satya (truth).