युधिष्ठिर उवाच सत्यं धर्मं प्रशंसन्ति विप्रर्षिपितृदेवताः। सत्यमिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Brahmanas, Rishis, Pitris and the gods all speak highly of the duty of truth. I wish to hear of truth. Describe it to me, O grandfather.
सत्यं किंलक्षणं राजन् कथं वा तदवाप्यते। सत्यं प्राप्य भवेत् किं च कथं चैव तदुच्यताम्॥
What are the marks, O king of truth? How may it be acquired? What is acquired by practising truth, and how? Tell me all this.
भीष्म उवाच चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माणां संकरो न प्रशस्यते। अविकारितमं सत्यं सर्ववर्णेषु भारत॥
Bhishma said A confusion of the duties of the four castes is never highly spoken of. What is called Truth always exists in a pure and unmixed state in every one of those four castes.
सत्यं सत्सु सदा धर्मः सत्यं धर्मः सनातनः। सत्यमेव नमस्येत सत्यं हि परमा गतिः॥
Truth is always a duty with the good. Indeed, Truth is eternal duty. One should respectfully bow to Truth. Truth is the greatest refuge (of all).
सत्यं धर्मस्तपो योगः सत्यं ब्रह्म सनातनम्। सत्यं यज्ञः परः प्रोक्तः सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Truth is duty; Truth is penance; Truth is Yoga; and Truth is the eternal Brahma. Truth has been said to be a great sacrifice. Everything depends upon Truth.
आचारानिह सत्यस्य यथावदनुपूर्वशः। लक्षणं च प्रवक्ष्यामि सत्यस्येह यथाक्रमम्॥
I shall now tell you the forms of Truth one after another, and its characteristic marks also in due order.
प्राप्यते च यथा सत्यं तच्च श्रोतुमिहार्हसि। सत्यं त्रयोदशविधं सर्वलोकेषु भारत॥
You should hear also as to how Truth may be won. Truth, O Bharata, as it exists in all the world, is of thirteen sorts.
सत्यं च समता चैव दमश्चैव न संशयः। अमात्सर्यं क्षमा चैव ह्रीस्तितिक्षानसूयता॥ त्यागो ध्यानमथार्यत्वं धृतिश्च सततं स्थिरा। अहिंसा चैव राजेन्द्र सत्याकारास्त्रयोदश॥
The various forms of Truth are impartiality, self-control, forgiveness, modesty, endurance, goodness, renunciation, meditation, dignity, fortitute, compassion, and abstention from injury. These, O great king, are the thirteen forms of Truth'.
सत्यं नामाव्ययं नित्यमविकारि तथैव च। सर्वधर्माविरुद्धेन योगेनैतदवाप्यते॥
Truth is immutable, eternal, and unchangeable. It may be won through practices which do not oppose any of the other virtues. It may also be won through Yoga.
आत्मनीष्टे तथानिष्टे रिपौ च समता तथा। इच्छाद्वेषक्षयं प्राप्य कामक्रोधक्षयं तथा॥
When desire and hatred, as also lust and anger, are destroyed, that quality by virtue of which one is able to look impartially upon one's own self and one's enemy, upon one's good and one's evil, is called impartiality.
दमो नान्यस्पृहा नित्यं गाम्भीर्यं धैर्यमेव च। अभयं रोगशमनं ज्ञानेनैतदवाप्यते॥
Self-control consists in never wishing for another man's property, in gravity and patience and power to remove the fears of others regarding one's own self, and freedom from disease. It may be won through knowledge.
अमात्सर्यं बुधाः प्राहुर्दाने धर्मे च संयमः। अवस्थितेन नित्यं च सत्येनामत्सरी भवेत्॥
Devoted to liberality and the performance of all duties are considered by the wise as forming good-will. One gains universal good will by continued devotion to Truth.
अक्षमायाः क्षमायाश्च प्रियाणीहाप्रियाणि च। क्षमते सम्मतः साधुः साध्वाप्नोति च सत्यवाक्॥
Regarding unforgiveness and forgiveness, it should be said that the quality by which an esteemed and good man puts up with both what is agreeable and disagreeable, is said to be forgiveness. This virtue may be acquired by the practice of truthfulness.
कल्याणं कुरुते बाढं धीमान् न ग्लायते क्वचित्। प्रशान्तवाङ्मना नित्यं ह्रीस्तु धर्मादवाप्यते॥
That virtue by which an intelligent man contended in mind and words performs mnany good deeds and is never blamed by others, is called modesty. It is acquired by the help of righteousness.
धर्मार्थहेतोः क्षमते तितिक्षा क्षान्तिरुच्यते। लोकसंग्रहणार्थं वै सा तु धैर्येण लभ्यते॥
That virtue which forgives for the sake of virtue and religious profit is called endurance. It is one of the form of forgiveness. It is gained through patience, and its object is to attach people to one's self.
त्यागः स्नेहस्य यत् त्यागो विषयाणां तथैव च। रागद्वेषप्रहीणस्य त्यागो भवति नान्यथा॥
The casting off of worldly desires as also of all earthly possessions, is designated renunciation. Renunciation can never be gained except by one who is shorn of anger and malice.
आर्यता नाम भूतानां यः करोति प्रयत्नतः। शुभं कर्म निराकारो वीतरागस्तथैव च॥
That virtue under the influence of which one does good, with diligence and care, to all creatures is designated goodness. It has no particular form and consists in the casting off of all selfish attachments.
धृतिर्नाम सुखे दुःखे यथा नाप्नोति विक्रियाम्। तां भजेत सदा प्राज्ञो य इच्छेद् भूतिमात्मनः॥
That virtue by which remains unchanged in weal and woe is called fortitude. That wise man who seeks his own well-being always practises this virtue.
सर्वथा क्षमिणा भाव्यं तथा सत्यपरेण च। वीतहर्षभयक्रोधो धृतिमाप्नोति पण्डितः॥
One should always practise forgiveness and be devoted to truth. The wise man who can renounce joy, fear and anger, can gain fortitude.
अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्मणा मनसा गिरा। अनुग्रहश्च दानं च सतां धर्मः सनातनः॥
Abstention froin injury to all creatures in thought, word, and deed, and kindness, and gift, are the permanent duties of the good. one
एते त्रयोदशाकाराः पृथक् सत्यैकलक्षणाः। भजन्ते सत्यमेवेह बृंहयन्ते च भारत॥
These thirteen qualities, though seemingly different, have but one and the same shape, namely Truth. All these, O Bharata, hold up truth and strengthen it.
नान्तः शक्यो गुणानां च वक्तुं सत्यस्य पार्थिव। अतः सत्यं प्रशंसन्ति विप्राः सपितृदेवताः॥
It is impossible, o king, to exhaust the merits of Truth. For these reasons the Brahman as, the Pitris and the gods speak highly of truth.
नास्ति सत्यात् परो धर्मो नानृतात् पातकं परम्। स्थितिर्हि सत्यं धर्मस्य तस्मात्सत्यं न लोपयेत्॥
There is no duty which is higher than Truth, and no sin more dreadful than untruth. Indeed, Truth is the very root of righteousness. Therefore one should never destroy Truth.
उपैति सत्याद् दानं हि तथा यज्ञाः सदक्षिणाः। त्रेताग्निहोत्रं वेदाश्च ये चान्ये धर्मनिश्चयाः॥
From Truth originate gifts, and sacrifice with presents as well the threefold Agnihotras the Vedas and everything else which leads to righteousness.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्। अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते॥
On one occasion a thousand Horsesacrifices and Truth were weighed against each other and in the balance. Truth proved heavier than a thousand Horse-sacrifices. as