SATYA MEVA JAYATHE
Dr. G. Lakshmipathi
Our country
has adopted as the official seal of the Government the Ashoka Chakra with the
three lions as the logo with the words “SATYAMEVA JAYATHE” (Truth only
triumphs) underneath.
When we find
falsehood prospering, dishonesty and corruption ruling every walk of life and
every sphere or human activity, it sounds odd to proclaim Satyameva Jayathe - Truth
only triumphs.
If we think and analyse, we realise that
what triumphs is truth and not falsehood. Everybody wants and appreciates
truth, wants to be called truthful, prides himself and proclaims that he is a
truthful person. Even the person involved and indicted in the Hawala cases, or
the scams or even on a murder charge cries hoarse that he is truthful, innocent
and honest. “I am speaking the truth. Please believe me,” he wails. He knows
that only truth is accepted, respected, has a value.
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.”