TRUTH ABOUT TRUTH

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Truth about Truth:

Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 

Yudhishthira said:

 

Brahmanas and Rishis and Pitris and the gods all applaud the duty of

truth. I desire to hear of truth. Discourse to me upon it, O

grandsire! What are the indications, O king, of truth? How may it be

acquired? What is gained by practising truth, and how? Tell me all

this.

 

Bhishma said:

 

A confusion of the duties of the four orders is never applauded. That

which is called Truth always exists in a pure and unmingled state in

every one of those four orders. With those that are good, Truth is

always a duty. Indeed, Truth is an eternal duty. One should

reverentially bow unto Truth. Truth is the highest refuge (of all).

Truth is duty; Truth is penance; Truth is Yoga; and Truth is the

eternal Brahman. Truth has been said to be Sacrifice of a higher

order. Everything rests upon Truth. I shall now tell thee the forms

of Truths one after another, and its indications also in due order.

It behoveth thee to hear also as to how Truth may be acquired.

 

Truth, O Bharata, as it exists in all the world, is of thirteen

kinds. The forms that Truth assumes are impartiality, self-control,

forgiveness, modesty, endurance, goodness, renunciation,

contemplation, dignity, fortitude, compassion, and abstention from

injury.

 

These, O great monarch, are the thirteen forms of Truth. Truth is

immutable, eternal, and unchangeable. It may be acquired through

practices which do not militate against any of the other virtues. It

may also be acquired through Yoga. When desire and aversion, as also

lust and wrath, are destroyed, that attribute in consequence of which

one is able to look upon one's own self and one's foe, upon one's

good and one's evil, with an unchanging eye, is called impartiality.

 

Self control consists in never wishing for another man's possessions,

in gravity and patience and capacity to allay the fears of others in

respect of one's own self, and immunity from disease. It may be

acquired through knowledge. Devotion to the practice of liberality

and the observance of all duties are regarded by the wise as

constituting goodwill. One comes to acquire universal goodwill by

constant devotion to Truth.

As regards non-forgiveness and forgiveness, it should be stated that

the attribute through which an esteemed and good man endures both

what is agreeable and disagreeable, is said to be forgiveness. This

virtue may well be acquired through the practice of truthfulness.

 

That virtue, in consequence of which an intelligent man, contented in

mind and speech, achieves many good deeds and never incurs the

censure of others, is called modesty. It is acquired through the aid

of righteousness. That virtue which forgives for the sake of virtue

and profit is called endurance. It is a form of forgiveness. It is

acquired through patience, and its purpose is to attach people to

one's self. The casting off of affection as also of all earthly

possessions, is called renunciation. Renunciation can never be

acquired except by one who is divested of anger and malice.

 

That virtue in consequence of which one does good, with watchfulness

and care, to all creatures is called goodness. It has no particular

shape and consists in the divestment of all selfish attachments. That

virtue owing to which one remains unchanged in happiness and misery

is called fortitude. That wise man who desires his own good always

practises this virtue. One should always practise forgiveness and

devotedness to truth. That man of wisdom who succeeds in casting off

joy and fear and wrath, succeeds in acquiring fortitude. Abstention

from injury as regards all creatures in thought, word and deed,

kindness and gift, are the eternal duties of those who are good.

 

These thirteen attributes, though apparently distinct from one

another, have but one and the same form, viz., Truth. All these, O

Bharata, support Truth and strengthen it. It is impossible, O

monarch, to exhaust the merits of Truth. It is for these reasons that

the Brahmanas, the Pitris, and the gods, applaud Truth. There is no

duty that is higher than Truth, and no sin more heinous than untruth.

Indeed, Truth is the very foundation of righteousness. For this

reason, one should never destroy Truth. From Truth proceeds gifts,

and sacrifice with presents, as well as the threefold Agnihotras

(sacred fire ceremony), the Vedas, and everything else that leads to

righteousness. Once upon a time a thousand horse-sacrifices and Truth

were weighed against each other in the balance. Truth weighed heavier

than a thousand horse-sacrifices.

 

(Source: The Mahabharata - Santi Parva, Section CLXII)

Shri Vasuki Mahal Shirdi Saibaba Trust, Coimbatore, India