Personality Development through Gita 3 Be Truthful

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Personality Development through Gita 3

3. Be Truthful

 

Madduri Rajya Sri

      `A thing of beauty is a joy forever' said Keats.  He also

said, `Truth beauty, beauty is truth'.  When truth is so beautiful,

when it gives joy to the speaker why do we speak lies, for simple

things too ?

      Observe the following conversation, for instance, between a

mother and a son.

      `Why are you late today ?'

      `I had a special class in English'.

      `But I saw your friend Venu-'

      `Oh! he's lazy.   He didn't attend it.'

      `He said that your English madam was on leave.'

      `Yes, but other English madam took the class..'

      `You said there was only one English madam in your college.'

      `Oh! come on ma! don't you trust me. The other English madam

from our neighbouring college came.'

      For one small lie, he had to build up a wall of lies.  He

could have simply spoken the truth' My friend took me out with him. 

I had no time to tell you.  Sorry ma!' After all he had not

committed a great sin.  But that's how people keep speaking lies.

      Truth is God.  God should be worshipped as the embodiment of

truth.

      Satya Vachanaaya namah -

      Satya Priyaayanamah

      Satya Swaroopaya namah -

      Salutations to the one whose speech is truth, who is a lover

of truth and who is an embodiment of truth.

      Krishna, an embodiment of truth himself highlighted the

glory of truth in Bhagvad Gita in these lines.     

anudvega-karam vakyam

  satyam priya-hitam ca yat

   svadhyayabhyasanam caiva

van-mayam tapa ucyate               

           

                                                                

Bhagavadgita 17-15

Synonyms

   anudvega-karam—not agitating; vakyam—words; satyam—truthful;

priya—dear;  

     hitam—beneficial; ca—also; yat—which; svadhyaya—of Vedic study;

abhyasanam—practice; ca—also; eva—certainly; vak-mayam—of the voice;

tapah—austerity;

     ucyate—is said to be.

Translation

      Speaking truthfully, pleasingly, politely, beneficially,

without agitating others and reciting Vedic literature regularly is

known as austerity of speech.  (vachika Tapasu)

 

      Just as physical training is attained by the exercise of the

body, literary training is attained by exercise of the mind,

spiritual training is attained by exercise of the spirit.  It means

we have to practice speaking truth everyday of our life. Initially

we may find it difficult but `practice makes a man perfect.'  Gandhi

was not born great, but he achieved greatness by realizing the value

of truth.  He wondered why everyone could not be as truthful as

Harischandra.  He tried to change all those he came into contact

with.

      Being inspired by Gandhi's truthfulness, a boy named Madhu

decided to speak only the truth one day.  It so happened that his

mother tried out a new sweet that morning and sought his opinion. 

He blurted out, `It's so insipid!  can you ever call it a sweet ?

Why do  you trouble us with such experiments ?' Mother was taken

aback.  He could not help it.  On his way to college, his friend

asked him excitedly `Madhu', how do I look in this new dress ? Madhu

said frankly `It is so gaudy and dazzling.  Whatever made you select

such a crazy one.'  His friend was angry.  That afternoon, his

lecturer called him aside anxiously, `Madhu, you know that I am

preparing a guide.  Read these pages and give me your valuable

suggestion.  I chose you because you are a brilliant boy.'  Madhu

read accordingly.  He did not like a work of it.  He said, `Sir,

what made you write such answers ? They don't seem to be penned down

by a learned man like you.' The lecturer was offended.

      Madhu's enthusiasm to speak the truth has died down by the

evening, since he has hurt the feelings of three people close to

him.  He walked into a park, to get out of his depression.  He

bought ground-nuts, ate them and was about to throw out the paper

when he came across a joke there.  He read it out.

      A woman, `Look here, photographer. When you took my photo

ten years ago, it was so good.  I looked so beautiful in it.  But

see this latest photo. I look horrible. You have lost your mastery

over your profession.'

      The photographer smilingly replied. `Yes, ma'm. I do agree

with your comment. I am losing perfection.  It is because I have

grown ten years older than before.'

      Madhu understood his mistake. How subtly the photographer

had told the woman that she was no more beautiful.

      This story takes us to the truth in Manu Sruti.

      Satyam bruyaat

      Priyam bruyaat

      Na bruyaat Satyamapriyam

      Priyancha naanrutham bruyat

      Esha dharma Sanaathanah.

      Speak truth, speak pleasingly.  Do not speak unpleasingly

though it is truth. Do not speak falsehood, though it is pleasing.

      From this sloka and from Madhu's experience, we learn how to

speak the truth -  speaking truth alone does not count.  Speaking

truth politely is what counts.  We have no right to hurt the

feelings of others.  For instance Madhu could have told his

mother, `You are good at savouries', to his friend `light colours

suit you better' to his lecturer this is a better guide for dull

students'. By speaking thus, he could have won their affection on

one hand and he would not have had the guilty feeling of offending

the others.

      We continue to speak truth, we cleanse our hearts of evil

thoughts, we win the confidence of our kith and kin.  We have no

stress or tension since we need not build a lie upon a lie and

remember the lies.  We will be looked upon as a truthful person. 

Finally we attain austerity of speech - Vaaksuddi. Whatever we speak

comes true.  My daughter raised a genuine doubt - `Won't people

misuse their Vaaksuddi to curse others ?' Then I explained to her

that such people will be devoid of such petty jealousies.

      In Bhagavatha, Bhudevi, the Goddess of the earth, lamented

in one context, `Oh Lord, I can bear the burden of any number of

sinners. But I cannot bear to carry those who have betrayed truth.'

      We belong to the family of Satya Harischandra  who was

praised byViswamitra. `The whole world can be held in the palm of

one's hand.  The entire ocean can be drunk at one gulp.  The earth

and the sky can be rolled into one.  But it is impossible to make

Harischandra ulter a lie'.

      Such an embodiment of truth should be our ideal saint.

      `Satyameva jayathe'

      `Satyaanasthi Paro dharma'

 

Note: This compilation is an emotional outcome of electrifying

inspiration derived from the works of Swami Vivekananda and Gita

Makarandam. This is meant for personality development. Memorizing

the above Sloka along with meaning and understanding the essence and

implementing it in daily life is highly recommended (especially

children). I stand corrected for any misinterpretation of the

subject. Your valuable suggestions and comments are highly

appreciated – Madduri Rajya Sri

www.telugubhakti.com

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