ऋतं च सूनृता वाणी कविभिः परिकीर्तिता ।
ṛtaṁ ca sūnṛtā vāṇī kavibhiḥ parikīrtitā |
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.19.38)
“Ṛtam is praised by the kavis as sūnṛtā speech.”
Commentary
According to Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda, ṛtam is speech which is sūnṛtā, that is, truthful and pleasant. From ṛta and satya arises discrimination (viveka) (ṛtaṁ sūnṛtā satyā priyā ca vāk | evaṁ ca ṛta-satyayoḥ sphuṭa eva vivekaḥ |).
According to Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda, sūnṛtā [su-ut-ṛtā] speech is that speech which is true and pleasant, and not simply speech that is as per the object because in that case [i.e., in regard to factual speech in general] reiteration of the faults of those who possess faults would also apply [i.e., it would also be considered ṛtam], and therein nindā (defamation) occurs. Because that [i.e., nindā] is not pleasant to sādhus or listeners, it is devoid of being sūnṛta [i.e., truthful and pleasant] speech. The previous ācāryas, however, have defined satyam as appropriate conduct and ṛtam as appropriate speech (sūnṛtā vāṇī satyā priyā ca vāṇī saiva, na tu yathārtha-bhāṣaṇa-mātram | tathātve doṣavatāṁ doṣa-kīrtanam api prasajjet | tasmiṁś ca sati nindā syāt | sā ca satāṁ śrotṝṇām apriyeti tasyāḥ sūnṛta-vāṇītvābhāvaḥ syāt | pūrvācāryās tu satyaṁ yathārtha-caraṇaṁ, ṛtaṁ yathārtha-bhāṣaṇam ity anayor lakṣaṇaṁ cakruḥ |).