Advice to the Indian Aristocracy/Chapter 3
TRUTH.
This, like the Presence of God, is another most difficult subject to discuss. The views of philosophers as to the limits of Truth vary greatly. I, therefore, hesitate much to take up this subject for one of my simple lectures. I must, however, try my best to deal with it. We may consider Truth under three aspects, namely: —
1. Truth in Mind,
2. Truth in Word,
3. Truth in Deed.
I shall first explain the first and the third and leave the second to the last as it is the most difficult of the three.
I. TRUTH IN MIND.
You must have a firm belief in God, and in the certainty that He will punish you if you do wrong. There is a common saying 'one who knows truth will certainly know God,' because He is the Truth. And you must also keep in mind that you should not do anything that is deceitful and injurious to others. If you keep these things in mind, you may be considered to have Truth in Mind.
3. TRUTH IN DEED.
If you perform honestly and righteously the duties particularized in the lecture on Duty, you may be considered to have Truth in Deed. Besides the doing of duty, you must observe truth in every action that concerns friendship, society, sports, and household affairs. Your every action in all these relations must be strictly truthful, and there must be not the least deception of others. The fulfilment of a promise also is a case of Truth in Deed.
2. TRUTH IN WORD.
As I said before, this is the most difficult branch of the subject. In the Vedas, in the Koran, and in the Bible, it is clearly stated that one should not speak untruth. But let us see how it works in practice. I will here quote what Sri Krishna said on the subject in the Mahabharata. A certain hermit, who made a vow that he would never tell a lie, lived in a wood. For his great vow he was much respected by the people of that neighbourhood. Once a travelling party, chased by robbers, entered this wood and hid themselves in the bushes near the hermit's abode. The hermit, on being asked by the robbers in what direction the party had gone, said for the sake of his vow that they were hidden in those bushes. Thereupon the robbers captured them, took all their valuable property and went away. Consequently this hermit, when he died, was doomed to everlasting punishment in Hell for speaking the truth in such circumstances. Therefore under certain circumstances a lie is permissible. Sri Krishna said that there is no sin—
- 1. In an untruth spoken to save a life,
- 2. In an untruth spoken to a wife,
- 3. In an untruth spoken at marriages,
- 4. In an untruth spoken to save one's entire property from the risk of destruction, or
- 5. In an untruth spoken for rescuing a Brahmin.
Hindus, especially Brahmins, have taken advantage of these five occasions to speak untruth, but they have done so in such a way as to be sinful to themselves and hurtful to others. Therefore I now explain the great restriction that should be observed on those five occasions.
- 1. Saving a life means saving the life of an innocent man.
- 2. The conversation between husband and wife, or between an engaged couple must be pleasant and charming. It must therefore be witty and full of fun. If there is any untruth in it, it simply adds to the pleasure and happiness, and it does
not deceive either of the two persons.
3. If there happens an untoward event that would stop the wedding just at the last moment, there is no sin then in an untruth that prevents the postponement of the wedding. Otherwise it would be most expensive to both the bridal parties, and a great inconvenience to the guests.
4. There is no sin in speaking an untruth when there is risk of destruction to one's entire property. Otherwise an innocent man would be a great loser and the wicked would be benefited just as in the case of the travelling party and the robbers in the above example.
5. If, by some accidental or inevitable event, a guiltless Brahmin would lose his caste, an untruth may be spoken to save the Brahmin. If other than Brahmins lose their caste, they become members of classes just lower than their own. But it was considered, especially in those ancient days, that if a Brahmin lost his caste he became a Panchama or Chandala. Therefore when any accidental and unavoidable occurrences happen, it is not considered a sin to tell an untruth to save such innocent Brahmins from becoming Panchamas.
Sri Krishna further said that there must be some signs to distinguish virtue from sin. Reason may enable one to observe such signs. If any of the prescribed moral rules does not accord with reason, one should not act according to such rule, and therefore it seems that there is no untruth in violating the prescription. One should not, therefore, have the least touch with a man who is presumptuous enough to think that the adoption of principles which are not in harmony with reason either adds to his respectability as a man of moral principles or increases his importance in society.
Therefore when occasions arise under such restrictions as are stated by Sri Krishna, there may be a deviation from the strict truth.
One should therefore also judge well, when such similar occasions happen, whether the sin that is committed by uttering an untruth is greater or smaller than the sin that is committed by speaking a truth, the consequence of which is injury to the innocent. If it is greater, speak the truth; if it is smaller, speak untruth. If you keep this principle in your mind, you may be said to be "True in Word."
Bhishma, on being asked to explain hat is truth by Yudhishthira, classed the Truths in Mind and in Deed under thirteen heads, namely: —
1. Impartiality,
2. Self-control,
3. Forgiveness,
4. Modesty,
5. Freedom from Envy,
6. Endurance,
7. Goodness,
8. Renunciation,
9. Contemplation,
10. Dignity,
11. Fortitude,
12. Compassion
and
13. Abstention from Injury.
This division of truth includes only truths in mind and in deed. It clearly appears from Bhishma's explanation of truth that one should strictly observe the principles of truth even in observing these thirteen virtues.
I am afraid that strict truth does not prevail in general mercantile business. This absence of truth is a sin, because it causes loss to other people. In practice people sometimes speak untruths to children and sick persons only for their sake, in the one case to check pruriency, in the other to give hope. In society it is considered polite to say 'not at home' even when a lady or a gentleman is at home, but this is always clearly understood to mean that the lady or gentleman cannot see the visitor, though at home when he calls.
Therefore one who keeps the above principles in mind, in deed, and in word is called a truthful person and he will be beloved by the Almighty.