The Practice Of Truth

Swami Sivananda

Scriptures emphatically declare, 'Speak the truth. Truth alone triumphs, falsehood never.' God is Truth and Truth must be realised by speaking truth. A truthful man is absolutely free from worries and anxieties. He has a calm mind. If one observes speaking truth for 12 years, one will get 'Perfection of Speech'. Then, whatever one speaks will come to pass. There will be power in the speech of such a person.

Your thoughts should agree with your words, and the words should agree with your actions. In the world, people think of one thing, say another thing, and do another thing. This is nothing but crookedness. You must watch your thoughts, words, actions. The little gain that you get by telling lies is no gain at all. You pollute your conscience and infect your subconscious mind....


Meditate on truth. Derive inspiration from the lives of those who have sacrificed their all for the sake of truth. Punish yourself by fasting if you tell a lie and record the lies in a diary. Gradually the number of lies will decrease and you will become a truthful man. Have ceaseless devotion to truth. Be ready to sacrifice your all for it. You will develop a strong will. You will become fearless. You will draw immense strength and courage from the Atman, or the Supreme Self, within. You will attain Self-realisation.