fter my vision of the Divine Mother, I prayed to Her, taking a flower in my hands: ‘Mother, here is Thy knowledge and here is Thy ignorance. Take them both, and give me only pure love. Here is Thy holiness and here is Thy unholiness. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy good and here is Thy evil. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love. Here is Thy righteousness, and here is Thy unrighteousness. Take them both, Mother, and give me pure love.’ I mentioned all these, but I could not say: ‘Mother, here is Thy truth and here is Thy falsehood. Take them both.’ I gave up everything at Her feet but could not bring myself to give up truth.
It is said that truthfulness alone constitutes the spiritual discipline of the Kaliyuga. If a man clings tenaciously to truth he ultimately realizes God. Without this regard for truth, one gradually loses everything. If by chance I say that I will go to the pine-grove, I must go there even if there is no further need of it, lest I lose my attachment to truth. Once I went to Ram’s house in Calcutta. I happened to say, ‘I shall not take any luchi.’ When I sat down for the meal I felt hungry. But I had said I would not eat the luchi; so I had to fill my stomach with sweets. (All laugh.) One who has devotion to truthfulness, realizes the God of truth. Mother prevents his words from turning untrue. Even those engaged in worldly activities, such as office work or business, should hold to the truth. Truthfulness alone is the spiritual discipline in the Kaliyuga. If a man leads a householder’s life he must have unflagging devotion to truth. God can be realized through truth alone.
Truthfulness in speech is the tapasya of the Kaliyuga. It is difficult to practise other austerities in this cycle. By adhering to truth one attains God. Tulsidas said: “Truthfulness, obedience to God, and the regarding of others’ wives as one’s mother, are the greatest virtues. If one does not realize God by practising them, then Tulsi is a liar.” The Marwari devotees generally brought offerings of fruit, candy, and other sweets for the Master. But Sri Ramakrishna could hardly eat them. He would say: “They earn their money by falsehood. I can’t eat their offerings.” He said to the Marwaris: “You see, one can’t strictly adhere to truth in business. There are ups and downs in business. Nanak once said, ‘I was about to eat the food of unholy people, when I found it stained with blood.’ A man should offer only pure things to holy men. He shouldn’t give them food earned by dishonest means. God is realized by following the path of truth.” —Sri Ramakrishna
July 2020
A
Truthfulness
9 The Vedanta Kesari
PA G E S P O N S O R : A D E V O T E E , H O U S T O N , U S A
Yugavani
