Truth is self-evident; we need no light to prove there is light. – Shri Yogendraji.
Satya is the Sanskrit term for truth. It helps one experience all the beauty there is in the world. Satya is one of the five major ‘Yamas’ and their corresponding ‘Niyamas’ which represent a set of “right living” or ethical rules within Yoga. They form a list of social and personal aspects of ideal living. The earliest mention of the Yamas is found in the Rigveda and fifty other Indian scriptures discuss Yamas. Patanjali enumerates five major Yamas, namely:
- Satya – Truthfulness, being established in truth.
- Ahimsa – Non-violence
- Asteya – Non-stealing
- Brahmacharya – Chastity, walking path of the Divine
- Aparigraha – Non-possessiveness.
This blog is to help you understand Satya as a very crucial Yama in our daily lives; can you say that with utmost certainty that every word uttered from your mouth, during the day, is the truth and nothing but the truth? Let’s take a moment to introspect. Not possible right? We all indulge in speaking lies and also white lies, as per our convenience and we have our excuses too. Most of the times it is not even intended to hurt anybody rather only to get things done our way. But then again, is it needed?
However, if the truth is such a rare phenomenon, then how do you include it in your daily life? According to Dr. Jayadeva, a person who is on the path of truth, speaks less. Satya is “to speak of, write about and believe in a thing as it really is”
In order to see and perceive things as they are, one has to have a balanced state of mind.
This state of mind should be balanced even while communicating these perceptions and it should be made sure that the person at the receiving end is in a listening mood.
3 Gatekeepers
The Upanishads say, “The face of truth has been covered by a thin golden veil, the golden veil of materialism. We have to tear it aside to see the truth behind”. The best way of abstaining from lies is speaking only when you are asked and communicating things exactly as they are.
And not disguising them with your opinions, likes, dislikes and emotions. In actual life, one should first establish reality, then accept and believe it and thereafter, practice it in thoughts, words and action. Telling the truth is always difficult at first, however, everything sorts itself later. Whereas, when you indulge in lying, everything seems very easy in the beginning, but in the long run, it is a lot more trouble than you can imagine.
As Shri Yogendraji rightly said, “It is easier to speak the truth than to fabricate a lie”. So, istead of taking the easy but risky shortcut let us all vow to take the tougher but truer, “road less travelled by”.