Satyameva Jayate

It may be true that sometimes we acquiesced with false hood, not because we wanted it, but because we thought it is the truth and got decieved. We accepted “truth” only but it turned out to be untruth later on. If only we knew it was untruth at that time we would not have fallen for it. The moment we recognised its true nature as falsehood, we realised we were decieved, rejected it outright and got out or its influence. Because untruth cannot survive in its own garb it wears the colour and coat of truth and presents itself in borrowed feathers. It masquerades as truth imitating its walk, talk, poise and features so that people fall for it mistaking it to be truth.

Only truth can keep people together. Truth unites, untruth divides. Untruth creates a chasm between individuals be it in a family or in an association. Society stays united when all the dealings are based on truth. Even among smugglers and criminal gangs, the members are bound by truth between themselves and even a little suspicion of falsehood or betrayal leads to breaking the connection and even death.

What is truth? It is an abstract entity, but is very concrete in life's dealings. It has no weight, but gives weight to all activities. It is not influenced by time and place; it is eternal and unchanging. “Satyam Sastramanaswaram” says the scripture. It has no colour or contour, but it appears in a variety of forms. It manifests in life’s dealings as honesty, integrity, righteousness, straight forwardness, dependability, reliability and so on. The inner form is truth, the outer appearance is Dharmam, right conduct. Dharmam is Satyam in action. Satyam is the light, which shows the correct path, and Dharmam is treading on that path. When the inner thoughts are truly reflected in speech, it is Integrity. Hence the Vedic aphorism, “EKAM SAT, VIPRA BAHUDHA VADANTHI” Truth is one, Wise men call it by different names, because it has many expressions.
Man is attracted by Truth. Truth is dearer than untruth “because Truth is God. God is Truth. “TASYA HA. WA ETASYA BRAHMANO NAMA SATYA” says Chandogya Upanishad. “Really, the name of God is Truth” Man is addressed as “AMRUTASYA PUTRAH” - as child of God. Gandhiji said, “I do not consider God as a person. God is truth, Truth is God.” His life is “Experiments with Truth,” sadhana to be with God, life is search of God. To be truthful is to be with God, Being with God means to be always truthful.

During the great American civil war, Abraham Lincoln was advised by his God-fearing and well-meaning friends, “Pray to God. Request Him to be on your side. You will win. Pray to Him” His reply, a devout man as he was, “My whole endeavour, effort, yearning is not that God should be on my side, but that I should be on God's side.” There is plenty of difference between the two statements, “What all I say should be taken as truth” and “I make an effort to be always truthful.”

How to know what is truth? Our perception of anything varies from person to person and from time to time. What appears as truth to one may not so appear to another, and what appears as truth now to one may not appear so to the same person in a changed situation and with altered mental attitude. So to proclaim “This is truth” may be acceptable if that is truth but to declare “This only is truth” or “This is the only truth” smacks of unreasonableness, fanatacism and bigotry. To accept “This alone is not the entire truth” is the proper way to appreciate the multiple facets of truth. In any particular situation a disciplined conscience seasoned with Godly attitude and love is the lexicon for reference for truth.
Love of truth implies, not only being truthful when things are comfortable and favourable, but even when everything is against and inconvenient, truth is not given a go-by. Many people think it is pragmatism not to mind a little deviation when circumstances warrant and truth pertends a dangerous outcome. Even if everything is going be lost by adhering to truth a true lover of truth will not deviate from the right path.

Again, a truthful person not only sticks to truth himself, but also he1ps others to remain truthful, even if it is against his own interests. In the Ramayana story, Sri Rama goes to spend fourteen years in the forest not because he wanted to be a truthful person but because he desired to make his father remain true to his promise. The acid test for love of truth is, while remaining truthful oneself, one is prepared to go to any extent arid make any sacrifice to help others remain truthful.
God is truth. He should be worshipped as Truth. By worshipping God as Truth, our love of truth increases, we become more and more truthful; we feel untruth is alien to us. We do not hesitate to accept truth wherever it is, even from a child or an enemy. We feel truth is our birth-right and privi1ege.
The difference between Krutha Yuga and Kali Yuga, as the scriptures tell us, is in the percentage of people who are truthful and practise Dharma. As more peop1e veered towards falsehood and its manifestation, Adharma, Krutha Yuga slided down to Kali Yuga through Tretha and Dwapara Yugas. This is the message of the scriptures. We can reverse this sliding and make the world a better place to live for our posterity by creating a greater awareness and love for the value of truth in truth, by adhering to truth ourse1ves and by he1ping others to remain truthful.
This is the message of India to the world. All the ills of the present day are due to our deviating from the path of truth and not rea1ising the value of the Vedic teaching, “SATYA MEVA JAYATHE.”