Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
Truth is the oldest of all the virtues; it antedated man, it lived before there was man to perceive it or to accept it. Truthfulness is the greatest and most important of all human virtues. Truthfulness means to speak the truth habitually. Truth is the rock foundation of every great character. It is loyalty to the right as we see it; it is courageous living of our lives in harmony with our ideals; it is always—power.
We all know that ancient Indians were noted for their truthfulness. We know the examples of Judhisthira and Harishchandra. Harishchandra sacrificed everything for the sake of truth. Truthfulness is the greatest and most important of all human virtues. Truthfulness means to speak the truth habitually. A truthful man will never tell a lie. He always says what he means. He acts as he says. He does not tell a lie even in jest. A truthful man will never tell a lie. He always says what he means. I have experienced that in speech, the man who makes Truth his watchword is careful in his words, he seeks to be accurate, neither understating nor over-coloring.
A man who tells a lie is like a thief who has stolen something. And the thing which a liar steels is, above everything else, the truth. A liar is hated by all. Nobody believes him. He may gain success for a short time but in the long run he is bound to suffer.
Telling yourself the truth can be the best habit you can develop, and asking questions and talking things through with yourself can be the easiest and quickest way to establish this habit.
Of all the moral principles, Gandhi placed truth as the first and foremost. He called it “the sovereign principle”, which included numerous other principles. It did not merely imply truthfulness in speech, but in thought also “and not only the relative truth of our conception, but the absolute truth, the eternal principle, that is God”. He equated God with truth, as he says, “I worship God as truth only. A truthful person like Mahatma Gandhi is never disturbed by fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety enter the mind of a liar, not a truthful man. His life and character become an example for others. He inspires others to be truthful.
The greatest power of truth is that it provides long lasting happiness, contentment, peace of mind and helps one to remain so amidst all the day to day problems. We tell ourselves lies, half-truths, and anything but the pure truth every day. No one likes to tell lie but we feel being dishonest with others and ourselves is sometimes easier than telling the truth. In life, learning to be honest and eliminating the need for lies can help to clean up your conscience and your relationships.
In Sanskrit, Truth is known as “Sathya” and it is originated from “Sat” or “Essence.” By essence what is meant is the “life force energy” that keeps us alive inside us without which body cannot “sustain” and hence “Sat” is truth. Sometimes we feel that our confidence lives with us and it is permanent part of who we are but with enough lies we keep the greatest force of confidence silent.
Truthfulness has proven to be a more successful life strategy than lying. A truthful man has strength of mind. He is not afraid of any body. He is never ready to suffer by speaking the truth. An honest man is fearless and courageous. He does not bow his head before others. He can face any situation in life with courage and confidence. Thus honesty is the best policy.
(The author is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected])
