Sathya

Baba has said that Sathya is, “the fulfilment of the quest (the search) of the intellect in Truth and Being.” This is, of course, the Paramarthic or the Spiritual or Higher import and meaning of Sathya. In the ethical sense, it implies truthfulness of speech and harmony between our thought, word and deed. “Manasyekam, Vachasyekam, Karmanyekam” as Baba puts it.

Truth is perfect accord with Reality. It is the spiritual aspect of Being which does not change. It is the true nature of every being. It is the divine aspect within each one of us. The awareness or the realisation of our true-being dawns more and more as more and more perfection, which is already in us, manifests itself. The process of the revelation of truth begins with the quest of the intellect into intuition. When the mind rids itself of all earthly and sensuous desires and becomes one-pointed on the contemplation upon Truth, it rises to a higher level of consciousness and intuitive perception, and will apprehend the Truth – The Trikala Sathya, the unchanging and eternal Reality, remaining the same in the Past, the Present and the Future, the Self, the God, the Spirit, and the Supreme Consciousness.

Truthfulness in speech is an indispensable ethical discipline for purification of the mind. It is also a social obligation and necessity. Untruthfulness corrupts the mind and destroys its tranquillity, and pollutes the environment and harms the society.

Truthfulness is the primary as well as the foremost tenet – Sathyam Naasti Paro Dharmah, acclaim the scriptures. So truthfulness is the basic value in life.

You should restrict your talk to the barest minimum. When you talk too
much, you may stray away from Truth. That is why the ancients practised
“less talk, more work”. Love is the most essential undercurrent of your talk
and work. Speaking with love is Truth and doing work with love is
Righteousness. It will give you Peace. (SSS 30.16: July 18, 1997)

Swami said in a discourse in Kerala on the 20th December 1967, “If you want to know the way in which you have to observe Sathya or truth in speech, look into the Bhagavad Gita (‘The Celestial Song’ from the Indian epic ‘Mahabharata’). It tells you that the best form of speech is ‘anudvegakaram vaakyam’ (speech that does not create pain, anger or grief to others). The Shasthras (ancient scriptures) also say, ‘Sathyam brooyaath, priyam brooyaath na brooyaath Sathyam apriyam’ (Speak the truth; speak the truth pleasingly; never speak truth which is unpalatable). Simply because a statement will please the listener, don’t speak it out to win the person’s approval; if speaking truth will cause grief or pain, then maintain silence.” This is the vow of truth in ordinary daily life.