vivāha-kāle rati-saṁprayoge prāṇātyaye sarva-dhanāpahāre |
viprasya cārthe hy anṛtaṁ vadeta pañcānṛtāny āhur apātakāni ||
(Mahābhārata: 8.49.29)
“Speaking an untruth at the time of marriage, amid romantic union, when one’s life is at stake, when all of one’s wealth may be lost, and for the sake of a brāhmaṇa—these five untruths are said to be sinless.”
anṛtaṁ jīvitasyārthe vadan na spṛśyate’nṛtaiḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 7.164.99)
“One is not touched by untruth by speaking an untruth for the sake of [saving someone’s] life.”
satyasya vacanaṁ śreyaḥ satyād api hitaṁ vadet |
yad bhūta-hitam atyantam etat satyaṁ mataṁ mama ||
(Mahābhārata: Śānti-parva, 316.13)
[Sanāt Kumāra:] “Speaking the truth is best. Speaking that which is beneficial is even better than [speaking] truth. That which is supremely beneficial to living beings is truth. This is my opinion.”
akrodhena jayet krodham asādhuṁ sādhunā jayet |
jayet kadaryam dānena jayet satyena cānṛtam ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.39.58)
“Conquer anger [i.e., the anger of others] with the absence of anger. Conquer dishonesty with honesty. Conquer miserliness with charity. Conquer falsity with truthfulness.”
prāṇātyaye vivāhe ca vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet |
anṛtaṁ ca bhavet satyaṁ satyaṁ caivānṛtaṁ bhavet ||
yad bhūta-hitam atyantaṁ tat satyam iti dhāraṇā |
viparyaya-kṛto’dharmaḥ paśya dharmasya sūkṣmatām ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.200.3–4)
“When one’s life is at stake and in regard to marriage, an untruth can be spoken. [In these cases,] Untruth becomes truth, and truth becomes untruth. That [action or speech] which is of the greater benefit to living beings is truth. This is the conclusion. Doing the opposite is adharma. See the subtlety of dharma.”
na sā sabhā yatra na santi vṛddhā
na te vṛddhā ye na vadanti dharmam |
nāsau dharmo yatra na satyam asti
na tat satyaṁ yac chalenābhyupetam ||
(Mahābhārata: Udyoga-parva)
“That wherein there are no wise persons is not an assembly [of any substance]. Those who do not speak of dharma are not wise persons. That wherein there is no truth is not dharma. And that which has been infiltrated by deceit is not truth.”
satye pratiṣṭhitaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ satyam atra pratiṣṭhitam |
satyāt satyaṁ ca govindas tasmāt satyo hi nāmataḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.70.12; cited in Bhagavat Sandarbha: 58; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 82)
“Kṛṣṇa is fixed in truth, and truth is fixed in him. Govinda is the truth beyond truth [alt., beyond Satyaloka], and thus by name he is [known as] Satya (Truth).”
śamārthaṁ sarva-śāstrāṇi vihitāni manīṣibhiḥ |
sa eva sarva-śāstra-jñaḥ yasya śāntaṁ manaḥ sadā ||
(Mahābhārata)
“All the śāstras have been compiled by the wise for the purpose of equanimity. One whose mind is always peaceful is truly learned in all the śāstras.”
udaye savitā rakto raktaś cāstamaye tathā |
sampattau ca vipattau ca mahatām eka-rūpatā ||
(Mahābhārata)
“The sun is red while rising, and red while setting as well. In both good fortune and misfortune [alt., prosperity or adversity], the great are uniform [i.e., consistent, unwavering, and steadfast].”
vṛttaṁ yatnena saṁrakṣed vittam eti ca yāti ca |
akṣīṇo vittataḥ kṣīṇo vṛttatas tu hato hataḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.36.30)
“Carefully safeguard your conduct (vṛtta). Wealth (vitta) comes and goes. A loss of wealth is no loss, but ruination of [one’s] conduct is [utter] ruination.”
