FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.20.4

न ह्यसत्यात् परोऽधर्म इति होवाच भूरियम् । सर्वं सोढुमलं मन्ये ऋतेऽलीकपरं नरम् ॥ ४ ॥
na hy asatyāt paro ’dharma
[na hy asatyaat paro ’dharma]
iti hovāca bhūr iyam
[iti hovaacha bhoor iyam]
sarvaṁ soḍhum alaṁ manye
[sarvam sodhum alam manye]
ṛte ’līka-paraṁ naram
[rite ’leeka-param naram]
Word-for-word
na — not hi — indeed asatyāt — than compulsion to untruthfulness paraḥ — more adharmaḥ — irreligion iti — thus ha uvāca — indeed had spoken bhūḥ — mother earth iyam — this sarvam — everything soḍhum — to bear alam — I am able manye — although I think ṛte — except alīka-param — the most heinous liar naram — a human being.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na hy asatyāt paro ’dharma
na
not
hi
indeed
asatyāt
than compulsion to untruthfulness
paraḥ
more
adharmaḥ
irreligion
iti hovāca bhūr iyam
iti
thus
ha uvāca
indeed had spoken
bhūḥ
mother earth
iyam
this
sarvaṁ soḍhum alaṁ manye
sarvam
everything
soḍhum
to bear
alam
I am able
manye
although I think
ṛte ’līka-paraṁ naram
ṛte
except
alīka-param
the most heinous liar
naram
a human being.
There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of this, mother earth once said, “I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar.”
Purport

On the surface of the earth there are many great mountains and oceans that are very heavy, and mother earth has no difficulty carrying them. But she feels very much overburdened when she carries even one person who is a liar. It is said that in Kali-yuga lying is a common affair: māyaiva vyāvahārike ( Bhāg. 12.2.3 ). Even in the most common dealings, people are accustomed to speaking so many lies. No one is free from the sinful reactions of speaking lies. Under the circumstances, one can just imagine how this has overburdened the earth, and indeed the entire universe.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The earth said, “There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness.” I think I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar.
Related values & verses
Related verses
SB 12.2.3
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Nothing is more sinful than untruthfulness; mother earth said she can bear any weight except a liar. In an age of casual lying, the seemingly small sin actually overburdens the earth itself. Truth is structural.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'small' lies have I told this week that, scripture says, are heavier than oceans?
  • Where am I overburdening the very earth by living in unreliability?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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