FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.19.38

अत्रापि बह्वृचैर्गीतं श‍ृणु मेऽसुरसत्तम । सत्यमोमिति यत् प्रोक्तं यन्नेत्याहानृतं हि तत् ॥ ३८ ॥
atrāpi bahvṛcair gītaṁ
[atraapi bahvrichair geetam]
śṛṇu me ’sura-sattama
[shrinu me ’sura-sattama]
satyam om iti yat proktaṁ
[satyam om iti yat proktam]
yan nety āhānṛtaṁ hi tat
[yan nety aahaanritam hi tat]
Word-for-word
atra api — in this regard also (in deciding what is truth and what is not truth) bahu-ṛcaiḥ — by the śruti-mantras known as Bahvṛca-śruti, which are evidence from the Vedas gītam — what has been spoken śṛṇu — just hear me — from me asura-sattama — O best of the asuras satyam — the truth is om iti — preceded by the word om yat — that which proktam — has been spoken yat — that which is na — not preceded by om iti — thus āha — it is said anṛtam — untruth hi — indeed tat — that.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
atrāpi bahvṛcair gītaṁ
atra api
in this regard also (in deciding what is truth and what is not truth)
bahu-ṛcaiḥ
by the śruti-mantras known as Bahvṛca-śruti, which are evidence from the Vedas
gītam
what has been spoken
śṛṇu me ’sura-sattama
śṛṇu
just hear
me
from me
asura-sattama
O best of the asuras
satyam
the truth is
satyam om iti yat proktaṁ
om iti
preceded by the word om
yat
that which
proktam
has been spoken
yan nety āhānṛtaṁ hi tat
yat
that which is
na
not preceded by om
iti
thus
āha
it is said
anṛtam
untruth
hi
indeed
tat
that.
One might argue that since you have already promised, how can you refuse? O best of the demons, just take from me the evidence of the Bahvṛca-śruti, which says that a promise is truthful preceded by the word om and untruthful if not.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O best of the demons! Hear from me the evidence of the Bahvṛca-śruti in this regard. A promise is truthful preceded by the word oṁ and untruthful if not. “If I have something to give, and I say I have nothing, how can I avoid the sin of lying?” This is explained in six verses and a half. In regards to truth and untruth, what is preceded by oṁ is true. What is not preceded by oṁ is untrue. Śruti says oṁ iti satyaṁ nety anṛtam: oṁ indicates truth and lack of it indicates untruth.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
You have promised — but Bahvṛca-śruti says a promise is true only if preceded by om. Use this technicality to escape. The guru offers a legal loophole. Letter-of-the-law sometimes contradicts the spirit.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I tempted to use technical exemptions to evade a deeper obligation?
  • What promise am I about to invalidate on technical grounds that conscience knows I should keep?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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