subhashitatruthspeechdharma

Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat

Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning during reflection, or any time before an important conversation·📜 Manusmriti (Subhashita)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat is a celebrated Subhashita from the Manusmriti that lays down the golden rule of righteous speech. It teaches the careful balance of truth and kindness: one should always speak what is true and pleasant, never wound with harsh truths, and never deceive with sweet lies. Calling this the sanatana dharma — the eternal law — the verse remains a timeless guide to wise and harmonious communication.

Origin & Story

Manusmriti (Subhashita) · Attributed to Manu (Manava Dharmashastra) · Ancient Sanskrit Dharmashastra literature

The Manusmriti, one of the principal texts of Hindu law and ethics, sets out codes of conduct for individuals and society. Among its many teachings on right living, this verse on speech became one of the most quoted, distilling the entire discipline of truthful and compassionate communication into a single line called the eternal dharma.

✦ As told in scripture

It is said in the tradition that one who masters this fourfold rule of speech earns the trust of all and never repents their words; sages count truthful yet gentle speech among the surest forms of tapas, purifying both speaker and listener.

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The Mantra

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satyaṁ brūyāt priyaṁ brūyāt na brūyāt satyam apriyam। priyaṁ ca nānṛtaṁ brūyāt eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ॥

Meaning:Speak the truth, speak what is pleasant; do not speak truth that is unpleasant, and do not speak a pleasant falsehood — this is the eternal law of righteousness. The verse counsels that speech should be both truthful and kind, never cruel even when true, and never untrue even when sweet.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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satyam🔊the truth

brūyāt🔊one should speak

priyam🔊what is pleasant, agreeable, kind

na brūyāt🔊one should not speak

satyam apriyam🔊truth that is unpleasant or hurtful

priyam ca🔊and (even) what is pleasant

na anṛtam🔊not a falsehood, not an untruth

brūyāt🔊one should speak

eṣaḥ🔊this (is)

dharmaḥ🔊the law, the righteous code of conduct

sanātanaḥ🔊eternal, everlasting

Benefits of Chanting Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat

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Teaches the timeless ethic of speaking truthfully yet kindly

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Helps cultivate mindful, harmonious speech in daily life and relationships

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Guards against both harshness in truth and dishonesty in flattery

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A concise moral compass for resolving how to speak in difficult situations

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Embodies the principle of sanatana dharma — eternal righteous conduct

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Ideal for daily reflection to refine one's words and intentions

How to Chant Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat

Repetitions3times

Best TimeMorning during reflection, or any time before an important conversation

Recite the verse thoughtfully and let it set the tone for how you will speak through the day. Before a difficult conversation, recall its fourfold guidance — be truthful, be kind, avoid hurtful truths, and avoid pleasing lies. Used regularly, it becomes a gentle inner check that refines one's speech.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Satyam Bruyat Priyam Bruyat written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is a well-known shloka from the Manusmriti (the classical Dharmashastra), and is widely quoted across Subhashita and niti literature as the ideal rule of speech.

Speech should be both true and pleasant. One must not speak an unpleasant truth that needlessly wounds, nor a pleasant lie that deceives. Balancing truth with kindness is described as the eternal dharma.

No. It does not ask us to abandon truth, but to convey it with tact and compassion. Falsehood is never sanctioned; the verse simply urges that truth be spoken in a kind and considerate manner.