Truth Makes You Fly

By Staff

Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:26

A lie, however skillfully dressed up cosmetically, is not the truth. We distort facts to make them appear as the truth and we state facts with many connotations. A small story: In the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, during the 18-day war, General Drona was causing havoc in the Pandava army.

Krishna knew that Drona could not be removed as long as he concentrated well on the war. The only way to disturb his concentration was to talk disturbingly about his son, Aswattama. Drona was not attached to anything or anyone except his son.

Krishna had a simple strategy. On the battlefield, Krishna wanted someone to tell Drona that his son was dead. Krishna was aware that Drona would not easily believe that his son was dead. So he decided that Yudhishtra, the eldest Pandava prince, known never to speak a lie, would be the best person to announce Aswattama's death. Yudhishtra was truthful and known as the King of Righteousness; he had never uttered a lie. Krishna asked Yudhishtra to lie to Drona. Yudhishtra said 'No! Aswattama is alive. I cannot lie.' Krishna said, 'Your brother Bheema will kill an elephant named Aswattama. You tell Drona that Aswattama, the elephant, died. As you utter the words, 'the elephant', I shall blow my conch and drown your words. You won't be lying, and the job will be done.'

Yudhishtra agreed hesitatingly. He did as Krishna told him to. The conch was blown exactly at the right moment and Drona fell prey to the plan. He laid down his arms and was killed by the Pandava warriors.

It is said that Yudhishtra used to walk above the earth, free from its bondage, because of his truthful nature. Even the chariot he rode did not tread the ground. Now, this is not to be taken literally. When we are in ecstasy, in bliss, we feel weightless, as if we were flying.

Physically, Yudhishtra walked on the ground but he felt so light, as if he was flying because of his virtuous nature. It is a feeling of total consciousness, of being beyond boundaries. The moment Yudhishtra uttered the fact about Aswattama's death, it is said that his feet touched the earth. His chariot, which had flown above the ground until then, touched the ground. Yudhishtra lost the state of being beyond boundaries and steeped in consciousness, when he touched the ground. His honesty and truth were lost.

In this story, Krishna, the Lord and Master, was the master planner and so whatever happened can never be condemned. What is illustrated through this story is the power of speaking the Truth; the state of Yudhishtra as the one who never spoke a lie. This is what is illustrated through this. Speak the truth without dressing it up. Say it gently, softly, and in a manner that it does not hurt the other person. Speak the truth every time. It is profound. When you do this without wavering from it, you will be rewarded in the ultimate possible way in your life.

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