Sunday, March 13, 2011

TRUTH

Truth has a very import role to play in our day to day life. It is a fundamental value and its adherence is considered the common duty for al mankind, all through life. It is said that god is truth and truth in philosophy is god in religion it is the very foundation for a good life. Following the principles of truth makes us strong from within, gives us credibility and respect for others, an integrated personality, peace of mind, confidence and fearlessness. It spreads goodness and integrates society. A truly honest man has the strength to make mighty powers bow before him. When Sita entered the fire to prove her purity, even the fire changed its nature and became cold.

From early childhood we are told to speak the truth. Religion, too, advises us to do the same so difficult to follow. Why? To state facts as they are without exaggeration or hiding is to be honest. Half –truths or exaggerated facts fall in the realm of untruths. When facts show us in a bad light or deny us some material benefit or lead us to discomfort, we generally resort to untruth. If I told someone I do not pay taxes, I would be known as a cheat. So I lie. If I lie about my caste, I would be eligible for admission in a good college, even without getting good grades. So I lie. If I confess I have stolen, I would be jailed. So I lie. Popular opinion holds that, “honest people suffer. The dishonest become rich, succeed, come to power and are respected.

Therefore, dishonesty pays.” Is this true? Superficially dishonesty seems to win but, on a closer look, we realise that this has disastrous consequences. When we lie, there is a doer-knower split within us. This causes agitation, tension, fear of discovery, more lies, low self-esteem, disintegrated personality, lack of confidence, no will- power, etc. erroneously, we believe that dishonesty pays and continue to harm ourselves through untruths. Even when a person lies, he swears that he is speaking the truth. The lie succeeds only when it is considered to be the truth. Criminal activities also survive because of truth. Untruth has no face to show. It comes in the garb to truth alone.

It is a strange phenomenon that though we may lie, we want others to speak the truth. The lawyer expects his client to tell him the truth, even though he may lay order to prove him innocent. We want others to be truthful and this by itself shows the value we have for truth.

Man has to pull himself up and over come his mean motives, humiliating weakness, dilatory tactics, and running away from duty. The Bhagvat Gita’s clarion call is to imbibe a certain faith in moral values and religious truths, execute them with a vigorous will and translate them into action.

Devotion, the Gita says, is not sentimental worship or an expression of excited emotions. It is carrying out God’s bidding. To love and adore God is to live aright. It is in a sense looking for the Lord in fellow-beings.

Tradition in India affirms that the song –celestial or the sermon on the battlefield was delivered by Lord Krishna (The Gita). The grief-stricken companion of God-incarnate and representative of human weakness Arjuna suddenly excused himself from waging the righteous war, under the mask of false compassion in the context of duty. This classic message where the Lord clarifies several doubts which a man usually harbors is enshrined in the Mahabharata, an encyclopedia of Hindu ethics, Law, Politics and sociology, sublime in its contexts.

Unlike common man, they are never self-centered and their thoughts will always be directed to wards God and they will only speak of the traits of God and will be engaged in spreading old message of love. They will show affection even to the all.

Commandments Like “Speak the Truth” “Render Justice” should never be disrespected God. Incarnating as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna have demonstrated how by observing the various moral codes, man can certainly brave any of the smiling face of Lord Krishna reminds how should meet the challenges with fortitude.

In this context the study of the holy texts from the younger days helps a person to get his mind conditioned. By listening to the glorious deeds of God in the world, man will develop devotion and get him equipped with the power to resist attempts to lure him. When desires are rooted out, problems will vanish indeed such a desire less person will have no cause to get upset or dejected.

Every man has to possess spiritual and worldly wisdom. A proper Guide imparts person with spiritual wisdom and worldly wisdom is received through a teacher. But enlightened person can in addition keep his eyes wide open and draw lessons from various creations of God. The elements of nature, the birds, animals, and other human beings all have certain special characteristics, which can serve an example for mankind to follow. Persons enclosed with the capacity to investigate can derive inspiration from these representatives of God.

By observation and inference we can understand what the ultimate “Truth” is Lord Krishna points out in Bhagawat Gita how man can analyze the reactions of each one of the objects which are caused to appear in the world. By such a deep study he can get himself reformed and develop distaste for worldly activities. From whom he could receive lessons. They include the Earth, Air, and the Sky, Water the Python, the Bee a libertine, spider and the Moon.

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