Truth and Its Thirteen Forms

Verse 1 (12.160.1)

सत्यं धर्मं प्रशंसन्ति विप्रर्षिपितृदेवताः । सत्यमिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

satyaṃ dharmaṃ praśaṃsanti viprarṣipitṛdevatāḥ | satyamicchāmyahaṃ jñātuṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha

Seers, brahmins, ancestors and gods praise truth as dharma. I wish to know about truth; tell me of it, grandsire.

Verse 2 (12.160.2)

सत्यं किंलक्षणं राजन्कथं वा तदवाप्यते । सत्यं प्राप्य भवेत्किंच कथं चैव तदुच्यताम् ॥

satyaṃ kiṃlakṣaṇaṃ rājankathaṃ vā tadavāpyate | satyaṃ prāpya bhavetkiṃca kathaṃ caiva taducyatām

What is the mark of truth, O king, and how is it attained? What comes to one who has attained truth, and how? Please tell me.

Verse 3 (12.160.3)

चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माणां संकरो न प्रशस्यते । धर्मः साधारणः सत्यं सर्ववर्णेषु भारत ॥

cāturvarṇyasya dharmāṇāṃ saṃkaro na praśasyate | dharmaḥ sādhāraṇaḥ satyaṃ sarvavarṇeṣu bhārata

A mixing of the duties of the four classes is not approved. Truth is the dharma common to all, O Bharata, in every class.

Note on the text: Line 2 (धर्मः साधारणः सत्यं) differs from the CE, which reads avikāritamaṃ satyaṃ in the text (and a third reading, tasmāc chreṣṭhatamaṃ satyaṃ, as star passage 12.156.3d*0404_01); a recension variant, kept.

Verse 4 (12.160.4)

सत्यं सत्सु सदा धर्मः सत्यं धर्मः सनातनः । सत्यमेव नमस्येत सत्यं हि परमा गतिः ॥

satyaṃ satsu sadā dharmaḥ satyaṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | satyameva namasyeta satyaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ

Truth is always dharma among the good; truth is eternal dharma. One should bow to truth alone, for truth is the highest goal.

Verse 5 (12.160.5)

सत्यं धर्मस्तपोयोगः सत्यं ब्रह्म सनातनम् । सत्यं यज्ञः परः प्रोक्तः सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

satyaṃ dharmastapoyogaḥ satyaṃ brahma sanātanam | satyaṃ yajñaḥ paraḥ proktaḥ sarvaṃ satye pratiṣṭhitam

Truth is dharma, austerity and yoga; truth is eternal Brahman; truth is called the supreme sacrifice; everything rests on truth.

Verse 6 (12.160.6)

रूपं यदिह सत्यस्य यथावदनुपूर्वशः । लक्षणं च प्रवक्ष्यामि सत्यस्येह पराक्रमम् ॥

rūpaṃ yadiha satyasya yathāvadanupūrvaśaḥ | lakṣaṇaṃ ca pravakṣyāmi satyasyeha parākramam

I shall tell you, in due order and exactly, what form truth takes here, and its marks, and its power in this world.

Verse 7 (12.160.7)

प्राप्यते च यथा सत्यं तच्च वेत्तुमिहार्हसि । सत्यं त्रयोदशविधं सर्वलोकेषु भारत ॥

prāpyate ca yathā satyaṃ tacca vettumihārhasi | satyaṃ trayodaśavidhaṃ sarvalokeṣu bhārata

You should know too how truth is attained. Truth, O Bharata, is of thirteen kinds in all the worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected त्रयोदशावधं → त्रयोदशविधं (misprint in Wikisource; अव for वि, giving a non-word; CE 12.156.7 reads trayodaśavidhaṃ).

Verse 8 (12.160.8)

सत्यं च समता चैव दमश्चैव न संशयः । अमात्सर्यं क्षमा चैव ह्रीस्तितिक्षाऽनसूयता ॥

satyaṃ ca samatā caiva damaścaiva na saṃśayaḥ | amātsaryaṃ kṣamā caiva hrīstitikṣā'nasūyatā

Truth, evenness of mind and self-restraint, without doubt; freedom from envy, forbearance, modesty, endurance, freedom from fault-finding;

Verse 9 (12.160.9)

त्यागो ध्यानमथार्यत्वं धृतिश्च सततं दया । अहिंसा चैव राजेन्द्र सत्याकारास्त्रयोदश ॥

tyāgo dhyānamathāryatvaṃ dhṛtiśca satataṃ dayā | ahiṃsā caiva rājendra satyākārāstrayodaśa

renunciation, meditation, nobility, constant fortitude, compassion and non-violence, O king of kings: these are the thirteen forms of truth.

Verse 10 (12.160.10)

सत्यं नामाव्ययं नित्यमविकारि तथैव च । सर्वधर्माविरुद्धं च योगेनैतदवाप्यते ॥

satyaṃ nāmāvyayaṃ nityamavikāri tathaiva ca | sarvadharmāviruddhaṃ ca yogenaitadavāpyate

Truth is imperishable, constant and unchanging, and opposed to no dharma; it is attained through yoga.

Verse 11 (12.160.11)

आत्मनीष्टे तथाऽनिष्टे रिपौ च समता तथा । इच्छाद्वेषं क्षयं प्राप्य कामक्रोधक्षयं तथा ॥

ātmanīṣṭe tathā'niṣṭe ripau ca samatā tathā | icchādveṣaṃ kṣayaṃ prāpya kāmakrodhakṣayaṃ tathā

Evenness of mind toward what is welcome and unwelcome to oneself and toward a foe; the ending of liking and disliking, and likewise the ending of desire and anger;

Verse 12 (12.160.12)

दमी नान्यस्पृहा नित्यं गाम्भीर्यं धैर्यमेव च । अशाठ्यं क्रोधदमनं ज्ञानेनैतदवाप्यते ॥

damī nānyaspṛhā nityaṃ gāmbhīryaṃ dhairyameva ca | aśāṭhyaṃ krodhadamanaṃ jñānenaitadavāpyate

the self-controlled man is never covetous of what is another's; he has gravity and steadiness, is without deceit and has mastered his anger. This is attained through knowledge.

Verse 13 (12.160.13)

अमात्सर्यं बुधाः प्राहुर्दाने धर्मे च संयमः । अवस्थितेन नित्यं च सत्येनामत्सरी भवेत् ॥

amātsaryaṃ budhāḥ prāhurdāne dharme ca saṃyamaḥ | avasthitena nityaṃ ca satyenāmatsarī bhavet

The wise say that freedom from envy is restraint in giving and in dharma. By abiding always in truth one becomes free from envy.

Verse 14 (12.160.14)

अक्षमायाः क्षमायाश्च प्रियाणीहाप्रियाणि च । क्षमते सर्वतः साधुस्ततः प्राप्नोति सत्यताम् ॥

akṣamāyāḥ kṣamāyāśca priyāṇīhāpriyāṇi ca | kṣamate sarvataḥ sādhustataḥ prāpnoti satyatām

Pleasant and unpleasant things come here from the forbearing and the unforbearing alike; the good man bears them from every side, and from that he attains truthfulness.

Note on the text: Corrected स तः → सर्वतः (misprint in Wikisource; the word is garbled; CE 12.156.14 reads kṣamate sarvataḥ sādhuḥ).

Verse 15 (12.160.15)

कल्याणं कुरुते बाढं धीमान्न ग्लायते क्वचित् । प्रशान्तवाङ्मना नित्यं ह्रीस्तु धर्मादवाप्यते ॥

kalyāṇaṃ kurute bāḍhaṃ dhīmānna glāyate kvacit | praśāntavāṅmanā nityaṃ hrīstu dharmādavāpyate

The wise man does good wholeheartedly and never flags anywhere; with speech and mind always calm, he gains modesty from dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected रुते → कुरुते (misprint in Wikisource; the syllable कु is dropped; CE 12.156.15 reads kurute gāḍhaṃ) and प्रशान्तवाङ्भना → प्रशान्तवाङ्मना (भ for म; CE praśāntavāṅmanā). The variant धीमान्न ग्लायते क्वचित् (CE hrīmān na ślāghate kva cit) is kept.

Verse 16 (12.160.16)

धर्मार्थहेतोः क्षमते तितिक्षा धर्म उत्तमः । लोकसंग्रहणार्थं वै सा तु धैर्येण लभ्यते ॥

dharmārthahetoḥ kṣamate titikṣā dharma uttamaḥ | lokasaṃgrahaṇārthaṃ vai sā tu dhairyeṇa labhyate

For the sake of dharma and of worldly ends one forbears; endurance is the highest dharma. It exists for the support of the world, and it is gained through steadiness.

Verse 17 (12.160.17)

अनसूया तु गाम्भीर्यं दानेनैतदवाप्यते । त्यक्तस्नेहस्य यस्त्यागो विषयाणां तथैव च । रागद्वेषप्रहीणस्य त्यागो भवति नान्यथा ॥

anasūyā tu gāmbhīryaṃ dānenaitadavāpyate | tyaktasnehasya yastyāgo viṣayāṇāṃ tathaiva ca | rāgadveṣaprahīṇasya tyāgo bhavati nānyathā

Freedom from fault-finding is depth of character, and it is gained through giving. Renunciation is giving up attachment and likewise the objects of the senses; for one wholly free of passion and aversion renunciation comes, and in no other way.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and stray quote mark Wikisource prints around line 1 (and the extra daṇḍa after it). Three-line verse, as on the page (12-160-17a-c): line 1 = CE star passage 12.156.16d*0405_01; lines 2-3 = CE 12.156.17 (unmatched by the alignment).

Verse 18 (12.160.18)

ध्यानं चाशाठ्यमित्युक्तं मौनेनैतदवाप्यते । आर्यता नाम भूतानां यः करोति प्रयत्नतः । शुभं कर्म निराकारो वीतरागस्तथैव च ॥

dhyānaṃ cāśāṭhyamityuktaṃ maunenaitadavāpyate | āryatā nāma bhūtānāṃ yaḥ karoti prayatnataḥ | śubhaṃ karma nirākāro vītarāgastathaiva ca

Meditation and freedom from deceit are also named; these are attained through silence. Nobility is when a man diligently does good deeds for beings, without display and free of passion.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and stray quote mark Wikisource prints around line 1 (and the extra daṇḍa after it) and corrected ध्यानं च शाठ्यमित्युक्तं → ध्यानं चाशाठ्यमित्युक्तं (misprint in Wikisource; the initial अ is dropped, which reverses the sense — "deceit" for "freedom from deceit"; the CE star passage reads dhyānaṃ cāśāṭhyam ity uktaṃ). Three-line verse, as on the page (12-160-18a-c): line 1 = CE star passage 12.156.17d*0406_01; lines 2-3 = CE 12.156.18 (unmatched by the alignment).

Verse 19 (12.160.19)

धृतिर्नाम सुखे दुःखे यया नाप्नोति विक्रियाम् । तां भजेत सदा प्राज्ञो य इच्छेद्भूतिमात्मनः ॥

dhṛtirnāma sukhe duḥkhe yayā nāpnoti vikriyām | tāṃ bhajeta sadā prājño ya icchedbhūtimātmanaḥ

Fortitude is that by which one undergoes no change in pleasure and pain. The wise man who desires his own prosperity should always cultivate it.

Note on the text: Removed the stray ॥ Wikisource prints at the end of line 1 (the verse ends only after line 2).

Verse 20 (12.160.20)

सर्वथा क्षमिणा भाव्यं तथा सत्यपरेण च । वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो धृतिमाप्नोति पण्डितः ॥

sarvathā kṣamiṇā bhāvyaṃ tathā satyapareṇa ca | vītaharṣabhayakrodho dhṛtimāpnoti paṇḍitaḥ

One must be forbearing in every way, and devoted to truth. Free from joy, fear and anger, the wise man attains fortitude.

Verse 21 (12.160.21)

अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्मणा मनसा गिरा । अनुग्रहश्च दानं च सतां धर्मः सनातनः ॥

adrohaḥ sarvabhūteṣu karmaṇā manasā girā | anugrahaśca dānaṃ ca satāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

Harmlessness toward all beings in deed, thought and word, kindness and giving: this is the eternal dharma of the good.

Verse 22 (12.160.22)

एते त्रयोदशाकाराः पृथक्सत्यैकलक्षणाः । भजन्ते सत्यमेवेह बृंहयन्ते च भारत ॥

ete trayodaśākārāḥ pṛthaksatyaikalakṣaṇāḥ | bhajante satyameveha bṛṃhayante ca bhārata

These thirteen forms, each distinct, have truth as their one mark; they resort to truth alone and make it grow, O Bharata.

Verse 23 (12.160.23)

नान्तः शक्यो गुणानां च वक्तुं सत्यस्य पार्थिव । अतः सत्यं प्रशंसन्ति विप्राः सपितृदेवताः ॥

nāntaḥ śakyo guṇānāṃ ca vaktuṃ satyasya pārthiva | ataḥ satyaṃ praśaṃsanti viprāḥ sapitṛdevatāḥ

The limit of the virtues of truth cannot be told, O king; therefore brahmins, together with the ancestors and the gods, praise truth.

Verse 24 (12.160.24)

नास्ति सत्यात्परो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम् । स्थितिर्हि सत्यं धर्मस्य तस्मात्सत्यं न लोपयेत् ॥

nāsti satyātparo dharmo nānṛtātpātakaṃ param | sthitirhi satyaṃ dharmasya tasmātsatyaṃ na lopayet

There is no dharma higher than truth, and no sin worse than falsehood. Truth is the foundation of dharma; therefore one should never abandon truth.

Verse 25 (12.160.25)

उपैति सत्याद्दानं हि तथा यज्ञाः सदक्षिणाः । त्रेताग्निहोत्रं वेदाश्च ये चान्ये धर्मनिश्चयाः ॥

upaiti satyāddānaṃ hi tathā yajñāḥ sadakṣiṇāḥ | tretāgnihotraṃ vedāśca ye cānye dharmaniścayāḥ

From truth proceed giving and sacrifices with gifts, the three sacred fires, the agnihotra, the Vedas, and whatever other determinations of dharma there are.

Verse 26 (12.160.26)

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् । अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते ॥

aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam | aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyameva viśiṣyate

A thousand horse sacrifices and truth were weighed on a scale; truth outweighs a thousand horse sacrifices.

Note on the text: Corrected अश्वमेधसहस्त्रं → अश्वमेधसहस्रं (misprint in Wikisource; stray त; CE 12.156.26 reads sahasram).