Swami Shivapadananda on Truth and Righteousness

SWAMI SHIVAPADANANDA

DAILY READINGS

Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.

Day 450

 
 

There is a close connection between righteousness (dharma) and truth (satyam). The moral instructions of our ancient Upanishadic teachings begin with: Satyam vada dharmam chara. The definition of dharma is yatah avudhayuni. That which helps us to attain worldly prosperity and salvation is truth. Not only worldly prosperity but worldly prosperity plus emancipation.
You can obtain worldly prosperity by robbing your own brother, your own sister, your own friend, your own guru, but you cannot get spiritual prosperity. Burning is that man who robs. The fire of Lanka will burn him to ashes. Truth is something that cannot be burned. Untruth is such a dangerous thing – even the gods cannot handle it. Mark my words.

In the Upanishads it is said that truth and righteousness are one and the same. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says: What is righteousness is indeed truth. Hence people say of one speaking that which is true, that he speaks that which is righteous. And of one speaking that which is righteous that he speaks that which is true. Both of them are but righteousness.

In the Bhagavata 9.19.39 it is stated that, "Truth is the flower and fruit of the tree that is the living body." Satyam pushpa phala.

Truth is the virtue to be realised if one wants to reach final liberation.

What is meant by truth? That which remains for ever is truth. Thus the whole world is untrue because it will not remain for ever. When the universe ceases to exist during the Final Dissolution, God alone exists. He is beginningless and endless. So God is the only truth. The way to reach God is also known as truth. God is unchanging.

1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's
words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave
was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.