Swami Shivapadananda on absolute truthfulness

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.

Day 449

 
 

The Mundaka Upanishad proclaims that truth alone triumphs: "Satyam eva jayate." Truth always triumphs. Although untruth gives you a little sense pleasure for a time in the end that untruth will perish.

The divine path, the life of spiritual striving, is paved with truth – Mandukya Upanishad [Similar name but different Upanishad] 3.1.6. The same Upanishad again says: "Satyena labhayat." The Atman can be realised only through truth and tapasya [austerity, self-denial].

In the Puranas we hear beautiful stories illustrating the greatness of truth. The exemplary characters of the Puranas are those who have given up everything for the sake of truth. Take King Harishchandra for instance. He gives up his wife and only child and he himself becomes the servant of a chandala in order to keep his word.

Mahabali is another hero who lost everything for the sake of truth. He even disobeyed his guru to keep the word he had given to Vamana. Thereby he received the blessings of Lord Vishnu who came as Vamana. He tested Mahabali in many ways. In spite of all the humiliations he had to undergo Mahabali did not give up his truthfulness. By adherence to truth he conquered maya, so the Lord blessed him with the highest – something which is not even attained by the gods.

In the Ramayana we see Sri Rama [pictured], the very embodiment of truth, saying "Satyam evesh varo loke." Truth is the Lord of the world. Prosperity depends on truth. All originates from truth; everything. There is nothing greater than the truth. Again he says, "Satya loka pratishtita." The whole world is established in truth.

Righteousness and truth are the greatest pillars on which the universe rests. Mahabali was given the highest truth, the highest goal, and that was Self-realisation.