Truth and Untruth

Hislop: We do not perceive life with absolute clarity, and yet we are acting all the time, and unclear action makes for a confused life. We are unhappy about that confusion, and in an effort to remove it we accumulate ideas of truth, God, reality. But those imaginings do not remove the confusion. Life is still confused. So the question is: what is the big factor that prevents us from seeing the truth of life clearly?

Sai: You say that truth, God, reality are imagination. Why do you think they are imagination? They are not. Time, work, reason, and experience; these four in harmony together, that is truth. When the four are found not to be in harmony, then you feel it is untruth. An example: Yesterday you came to Banga­lore, and from there to Puttaparthi, by car. Travel is work. It took you four hours to come from Bangalore. That is time. You came to see Swami. That is the reason. Having seen Him, you got happiness. That is the result. On the other hand, last night you dreamed that you were in America and were shopping. In this, the four factors were not involved. There was no work, there was no time expended, and where is the result? This is untruth. That experience was imagination, only mind work. This is the difference between truth and imagination.

Hislop: But truth, that is in terms of work, time, reason, and result—you look around the world and you see those things in operation, and the world is in a mess. So there must be more to it than that?

Sai: When you don’t have absolute faith in the result, then doubt arises. An example: Now it is daylight and the objects in the room are seen very clearly, and there is no doubt regarding them. At night when it is fully dark and you must grope around and do not see any of the objects, there is no doubt about that situation. But at dusk, when it is half-light and half-dark, doubt can arise, and you may see a rope and imagine it to be a snake and be afraid. Light is not full, and vision is not clear. Full light is wisdom, and full dark is ignorance. Doubt arises when there is half-dark and half-light. The half-light is wisdom, and the half-dark is ignorance. Ignorance and wisdom, when there is half and half, there is doubt. Now you are in the middle stage where you have this little bit of wisdom and some ignorance [they] are mixed. You are not fully experienced.

When you have proper exper­ience, the doubt will vanish. Because you are not experienced, you are having this doubt. A small example: While suffering from malaria, you have eaten a sweet but feel it has a bitter taste. It was not that the sweet was bitter, but in your experience it was bitter. It is not the fault of the sweet. Ignorance is also a disease like malaria. And the cure for this disease of ignorance is sadhana (spiritual practice). Man has doubt only while he does not know the truth. Once you experience the truth, doubt will vanish. Truth is one, and for all time truth is truth. Whatever changes, know that as untruth. Once you were small and you grew bigger. That is also untruth. Where is the body of the ten-year-old? All has merged into the present body. First, untruth, then when we have the experience we know the truth. Dark and light are not different, they are one only. A small example: Last night you ate fruit. In the morning it becomes stool, and you pass it out. It was fruit yesterday, but the bad and the good are the same, only one. In one form, it was fruit, in the other form it was stool.

A Visitor: The explanation is good.

Sai: It is the same with light and dark. When the light comes, the darkness goes. But really, the darkness does not go anyplace, and the light does not go anyplace. When one comes, the other is unknown; it does not go anywhere.

Hislop: This mixture of light and darkness, of ignorance and wisdom, that creates unhappiness, that creates trouble—Swami says that the mixture fades away with the right exper­ience. The question is, what is the basic factor that prevents us from having that right experience?

Sai: We don’t have the intensity that is required. Even to study books, how much is needed to come to the stage when we can read difficult books. How many years, how many hours of toil we put into it. If you have the same intensity in spiritual practice, you will surely know the truth. But we are not as intense as we should be on the spiritual path. We do not apply concentration and one-pointedness. Full concentration is needed, even in the world, in walking, talking, reading. Without concentration you cannot do anything. Even in little things of thsri-sathya-sai-e world we use concentration. But when we try to think of God, then we get restless, and the mind is unstable.

Why do we do the things of the world with full concentration? Why? Because we are fully interested in it. And with God we have these doubts. In whatever work you love deeply, you have full concentration. In whatever you don’t love deeply, then concentration is not full. A small example: You are driving a car. And at the same time, you are talking to your passengers. The road becomes narrow and dangerous. You say, ‘Please let us not talk now, I must give full concentration to the driving.’ Why do you say this? It is because you deeply love your life, and you must concentrate deeply to avoid an accident. Because you have this love for body, you concentrate on its safety. When you have deep love for God, then concentration on Him will come automatically.

Hislop: But that is the point, there is the whole point.

Sai: In all these experiences, we must hold to the truth, to life. You love life. Because of life we have all these exper­iences. So we cling to that sort of pillar that is life, for we know that without life we don’t have experiences. Life gives so many things externally, but life does not change. Life is the same. That life is truth and that is God. The unchangeable is truth.

Hislop: Since we are that truth, we would like to have love in our hearts and flow naturally with life and not according to our arbitrary wishes. Yet we don’t. Swami says we do not because we lack the intensity. So we say to ourselves, ‘Well, I must get that intensity.’ So we strive toward that goal, and striving toward that goal makes the thing stronger and that prevents the desired intensity.

Source: Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Truth and Untruth

In every age, human life has been guided by the silent struggle between Truth and Untruth. This inner battle shapes thoughts, actions, relationships, and spiritual progress. A person who walks on the path of honesty experiences peace within, while one who follows illusion and falsehood often faces confusion and suffering. The wisdom of saints and scriptures repeatedly reminds humanity that truth is eternal, while untruth fades with time. Through spiritual understanding, people can learn to recognize the difference between what is real and what is temporary.

The journey of Truth and Untruth begins in the human mind. Truth inspires purity, compassion, patience, and selflessness. Untruth creates fear, greed, anger, and selfish desires. When individuals ignore their conscience and choose falsehood for temporary gain, inner harmony disappears. However, those who live with sincerity and moral strength develop confidence and peace. Spiritual traditions teach that truth is not merely speaking honestly; it is living in harmony with righteousness and divine values.

Many spiritual seekers spend years understanding the deeper meaning of Truth and Untruth. External appearances can often deceive the human mind. Wealth, power, and pride may appear attractive, yet they are temporary and unstable. Truth remains constant even when circumstances change. Ancient teachings explain that the soul is eternal, while worldly attachments are temporary shadows. A person who realizes this becomes calm, humble, and spiritually awakened.

The teachings shared through Devotional India inspire people to choose wisdom over illusion. Spiritual stories, sacred teachings, and reflections help readers understand how truth transforms life. A truthful heart naturally develops kindness and faith. Falsehood, on the other hand, weakens character and creates restlessness. The company of noble people and spiritual study can guide individuals away from negativity and toward inner clarity.

Understanding Truth and Untruth also helps in daily relationships. Families and friendships become stronger when built on trust and honesty. Even difficult situations can be handled peacefully through truthful communication. Lies may provide temporary comfort, but eventually they create distance and misunderstanding. Truth may sometimes appear difficult in the beginning, yet it ultimately protects dignity and peace of mind.

The spiritual path described by Devotional India encourages self-examination and inner discipline. Meditation, prayer, and devotion help people remove confusion from the mind. When the heart becomes pure, truth shines naturally within. A person no longer seeks happiness in temporary pleasures but discovers lasting joy through spiritual awareness. Such realization brings balance and strength during both success and hardship.

The eternal conflict of Truth and Untruth can also be seen in society. Communities flourish when justice, honesty, and compassion are valued. Corruption and deception weaken social harmony and create suffering. Therefore, every individual carries the responsibility of choosing truth in thoughts, words, and actions. Even a small act of honesty contributes to a better and more peaceful world.

According to the spiritual wisdom shared on Devotional India, truth is closely connected with divine consciousness. Saints and enlightened masters have always emphasized that truth leads humanity toward liberation and inner freedom. Falsehood may appear powerful for a short time, but it can never overcome eternal truth. The light of truth eventually removes the darkness of ignorance.

In the end, the lesson of Truth and Untruth is simple yet profound. Truth brings courage, purity, and spiritual growth, while untruth leads to fear and sorrow. Every moment of life offers a choice between these two paths. By choosing truth with sincerity and faith, human beings move closer to peace, wisdom, and divine realization. The teachings preserved through Devotional India continue to inspire seekers to walk the timeless path of truth with devotion and humility.

-Vidya