ṛtaṁ ca sūnṛtā vāṇī kavibhiḥ parikīrtitā
ṛtaṁ ca sūnṛtā vāṇī kavibhiḥ parikīrtitā |
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.19.38)
“Ṛtam is praised by the kavis as sūnṛtā speech.”
Truthfulness
prāṇātyaye vivāhe ca vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet
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 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
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).”
vṛtty-arthaṁ bhojanaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam
vṛtty-arthaṁ bhojanaṁ yeṣāṁ santānārthaṁ ca maithunam |
vāk satya-vacanārthāya durgāṇy api taranti te ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 92)
“Those who eat for the sake of upkeep, engage in intercourse for the sake of children, and speak for the sake of truthful speech certainly overcome adversities.”
asadbhiḥ śapathenoktaṁ jale likhitam akṣaram
asadbhiḥ śapathenoktaṁ jale likhitam akṣaram |
sadbhis tu līlayā proktaṁ śilā-likhitam akṣaram ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)
“The words [even] under oath of the wicked are like letters written on water [i.e., completely insubstantial]. The [even] playful words of sādhus, however, are like words written in stone [i.e., they certainly prove truthful].”
ātmā nadī saṁyama-puṇya-tīrthā
ātmā nadī saṁyama-puṇya-tīrthā
satyodakā śīla-taṭā dayormiḥ |
tatrābhiṣekaṁ kuru pāṇḍu-putra
na vāriṇā śuṣyati cāntarātmā ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 93)
“The self is a river: discipline is its auspicious bathing places, truth its water, character its banks, and compassion its waves. Bath there, O son of Pāṇḍu. The inner self is not purified by water.”
vibhūtiḥ tyāga-hīna iva satya-hīna iva bhārati
vibhūtiḥ tyāga-hīna iva satya-hīna iva bhārati |
vidyā praśama-hīna iva na bhāti strī patiṁ vinā ||
(Rāmāyaṇa Mañjarī: Ayodhyā)
“Like wealth without giving, speech without truth, and learning without tranquility, a lady does not shine without her husband.”
hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ satyaṁ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇam
hastasya bhūṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ satyaṁ kaṇṭhasya bhūṣaṇam |
śrotrasya bhūṣaṇaṁ śāstraṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ kiṁ prayojanam ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)
“Giving is the hand’s ornament, truth is the throat’s ornament, and śāstra is the ear’s ornament. So, what need is there of ornaments?”