Truth. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

Satyam nasti paro dharmah. There is no truth, which is different from Dharma. We should take Satya and divide it into ‘Sa’, ‘Ta’, ‘Ya’. We get the meaning that ‘Ya’ stands for discipline or controlled conduct, which is regulated life. ‘Ta’ stands for ‘tapas,’ and if we do tapas with a rigorous discipline, then we will release the ‘Sa’, which stands for ‘Satya’. To reach truth, discipline and regulated life and tapas are essential. (SSB 1974, p. 155)

Truth relates not only to what is factually correct, but what is true for all time. Moreover truthful speech must be both pleasing and beneficial to the person concerned. It should not excite passion or promote ill will. You should not indulge in falsehood to please others.

I am reminded now of past events, events in my previous body. Even then, I had Satya or truth as my support. A wrestler challenged Me then for a fight and he was defeated before a large gathering of villagers. Pained by the insult, he invited Baba for a second tussle the next day, so that he might win back his lost reputation. The man swore that if defeated again, he would wear a long rough kafni and move about with his head covered in cloth. He dared Baba too to swear likewise. Baba was in no mood to enter the arena again and he was quite prepared to concede the fellow the victory he craved. So he accepted defeat and himself donned the kafni and the kerchief. The wrestler felt great remorse and his insolence melted away. He appealed to Baba to resume his usual style of dress and release him from the obligation. But Baba stuck to his word. He was Satya Itself. He wore the new attire.  (CK, pp. 87-88)

If you analyse the word ‘Satya’ in the reverse order ‘ya’ represents ‘Yama’ meaning discipline and control of senses, ‘ta’ represents ‘Tapas’ or penance. You can do penance only when you control the senses. You can bring about the unification of thought, word and deed by Tapas. Then you will have the knowledge of sat. It is only through the control of senses and penance you will attain the wisdom of reality. (SEKH, p. 14)

God created the Cosmos out of Truth; The Cosmos is sustained by Truth; Without the glory of Truth what can flourish? This is the cardinal truth, behold all ye! Truth is valid for all times -past, present and future. This truth protects life and sustains it. The inner significance of Truth (Satyam) has to be properly understood. Sat+e+yam=Satyam. Sat means life. ‘E’ means food (Annam). ‘Yam’ means Surya (the Sun). Food is derived from the Sun. Food sustains life. For the preservation of life food is essential. ‘Bhiksannam deha raksartham, vastram sita nivaranam’. The Lord offers the gift of food to protect the body. When this basic truth is forgotten, food becomes scarce for the people. When food is scarce, life begins to decay. Hence, the entire survival of the world depends on the Sun.

The significance of the term Satya can be sought from another angle. ‘Sa’, ‘ta’, ‘ya’ are three syllables in it. When the word is read in the reverse order we have ‘ya’, ‘ta’, ‘sa’. This would mean that through the disciplines of  Yama ,  niyama  and others, when ‘tapas’ is performed, one can experience the manifestation of ‘Satya’ (the embodiment of truth). This means that by the control of the senses (Yama, niyama etc.) tapas (penance) has to be performed to realise Truth.

Tapas means the unity of the three gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas). The absence of harmony among the three qualities results in Tamas (the dullness of ignorance). The integral unity of feelings in the heart, the words spoken by the mouth and the actions done by the hands represents the unity of the three active principles in man. Feelings are related to thoughts. Only when the thoughts are good can the feelings be pure and sacred. Pure results are the outcome of pure thoughts. (SSS Vol.31)

The creation emerges from truth and merges into truth,

Is there a place where truth does not exist?

Visualise such pure and unsullied truth.

Satyam Bruyat, Priyam Bruyat, Na Bruyat Satyam apriyam (speak truth, speak pleasantly and do not speak unpalatable truth). Satyam vada, Dharmam chara (speak truth, practise righteousness). These are the profound teachings of the Vedas. For all living beings food is most indispensable. Without food, no being can survive. The Sun provides food, in the sense that it brings us rains, which in turn help the crops to grow. The Upanishads declare that food originated from Satyam (Truth). It consists of three syllables – Sat,  Ya, and  M. Sat is life, Ya represents food and M, and the Sun. Satyam does not merely to say out of things as they are seen by the naked eye. The Sun provides food, which sustains life. The Sun, food and life together constitute Satyam. This is what I mean when I say that creation emerges from truth and merges in to truth. It is Satyam that satisfies the hunger, gives strength to the body and in fact safeguards and sustains the whole world. This is the inner significance of the word Satyam.

Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma (Brahman is the embodiment of truth, wisdom and eternity). Truth is wisdom. Advaita darsanam Jnanam  (perception of non-duality is wisdom). There is only one principle in this world and that is Truth. Wisdom is infinite. It is not mere textual knowledge. It has neither a beginning nor an end. Only by following the path of truth one can experience wisdom. Truth is essence of the Vedas. In fact, Truth is the origin of the Vedas. In this manner if you enquire you will realise that Truth has a number of consistent interpretations.

Sages and saints of yore considered Truth as their very life-breath. All types of wealth and comforts are present in truth. Hence, truth is not an expression of worldly facts. In ancient times, saints and sages renounced everything and did severe penance to know the nature of truth. Truth is the very expression of Brahman A deep enquiry reveals that ‘Sat’ is fundamental basis of life. Without Sat, Cit (awareness) cannot exist. Sat is the positive power. Cit takes Sat as the basis for its functioning and hence it is not the fundamental principle. It is the complimentary negative in nature. When Sat, the positive, combines with Cit, what results is ananda (bliss). Sat can also be compared to sugar and Cit to water. When you add sugar to water, you get syrup. Likewise, Sat and Cit together give bliss. Where is God? In what form does He exist? Just as sugar is present in every drop of syrup, God pervades the entire creation. Sugar and syrup are inseparable. The same can be said of milk and butter. Similarly, God and the universe are inseparable. Our ancient sages realised this truth by performing intense penance for several years.

Once a congregation of sages was held to discuss the principle of Divinity. Some of them said that they could not have the vision of God in spite of performing intense penance and undertaking severe austerities. Then one of the sages by name Satyaswarupa came forward and declared, Vedahametam Purusham Mahantam | Adityavarnam Tamasas Parastat (I know the Supreme Being who shines with the effulgence of the sun and who is beyond primordial darkness). He said, Divinity cannot be explained in words. The sages questions him,’ Where did you see the Supreme Being? Did you see Him during the day or at night? Is it in waking state or in Turiya state or in meditation?’ They kept on questioning him in this manner. The Satyaswarupa replied, ‘Divinity transcends time and space, it is not limited to any form. It is ageless; it is beyond the duality of day and night. Further he said that the truth was perceived by him by a process of revelation. In the wakeful state we see with our physical eyes. Such physical eyes are not confined to human beings only. Most living things like animals and birds and even worms and insects possess this faculty. Physical eyes can see only physical objects. Seeing physical objects is not a big feat. The eyes of wisdom alone can reveal the subtle internal form. Therefore, Divinity can be seen irrespective of place, time or condition. Why wait, right now you can turn your attention inwards and concentrate on that Effulgent Being. Saying thus, Satya swarupa placed his thumb on their forehead and at once they had the vision of the Supreme Being. They also started chanting, Vedahametam Purusham Mahantam…. They asserted to the assembly of saints, scholars and common people that they also had the vision of that Effulgent Being, a being of the effulgence of the sun. Such a vision is not confined to special locations; it is available everywhere for the deserving person. That is why it is said, Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan (Brahman is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vastest) and is omnipresent.

Bliss is Truth. What is the nature of bliss? The brilliant whiteness of this effulgence is the awareness of bliss. The sages were taught in this manner by direct perception. After all this happened, the sages enquired from the Person as to who he was. Tamasas Parastat (the one beyond darkness), he replied. In this manner, Divinity pervades this physical universe and is aware of all that is, but it itself is not available for perception by anybody. This is the truth that we have to realise today. Today the world abounds with people with reputation of knowledge and academic excellence. If you go actually into the actual content of their knowledge, you will find nothing worthwhile. They are not aware of their own reality. They cannot even see their physical forms themselves except with help of a mirror and even the reflection that is seen on the mirror is not true. Everything that you see is actually such reflections only. That is why the Person said, ‘Adityavarnam Tamasas Parastat, That is, the brightness of the sun along with an enveloping darkness. It is not possible to conceive of light without darkness. This unity is to be understood. Good and evil are complimentary. One cannot appreciate goodness without the existence of evil and evil cannot be judged but against a background of goodness. Hence, it is not possible for you to comprehend my true form’. The sages were determined to comprehend the reality. Then the Person said, ‘All that you see is my form’.

sahasra shirsha purushaha, sahasrakshas sahasrapat (God has a thousand heads, eyes and feet). How can one visualise with ordinary eyes such a form, which has myriad heads, hands, eyes and feet! There is Chaitanya (consciousness) in each of these forms, but you are not able to see it. The chaitanya in all these forms is one and indivisible. It is rather difficult to understand such spiritual matters. To understand the principle of truth that is hidden in this objective world and visualise the blissful form of divinity is the true spirituality. But few are making any effort in this direction. People sit for meditation, close their eyes and start imagining a particular form. But these forms are only reflections and not reality. One should go beyond and visualise the reality. For example, now I am speaking to you. Where does the sound emanate from? You say, it is from the mouth. But in fact, the sound emanates from the navel. That is reality. Reflection, reaction and resound are concealing the reality. In order to visualise the reality, you should give up Dehabhimanam (body attachment) and develop Atmabhimanam (yearning for the Self).

Today people have no regard for truth. Many do not really mean what they speak. They have something in their mind but say just the opposite. They manipulate their words according to the person and situation. Truth is that which does not change with time. Truth is one, not two. The Upanishads extolled the principle of Truth in many ways. Truth cannot be described in words. Bliss is its form. When you close your eyes and start contemplating on Truth, you will experience inexpressible bliss. You will start smiling without your knowledge. When you are dual –minded, you cannot experience such bliss. Happiness is union with God and is eternal. Worldly happiness is transient. Such happiness is no happiness at all. You might have noticed, I am always blissful and ever smiling. Did you ever see Me putting on a sour face? Never. What is the source of My happiness? It comes from within. Some people are very moody. They are cheerful one moment and sorrowful the very next moment. One should always be cool and composed. Bliss is something that does not change. It cannot be acquired. It manifests from within when we understand the Upanishadic teachings and put them into practice. (DD 14.10.2002, p.2-5)