"Yudhishthira said, 'Brahmanas and Rishis and Pitris and the gods all
applaud the duty of truth. I desire to hear of truth. Discourse to me
upon it, O grandsire! What are the indications, O king, of truth? How may
it be acquired? What is gained by practising truth, and how? Tell me all
this.'
"Bhishma said, 'A confusion of the duties of the four orders is never
applauded. That which is called Truth always exists in a pure and
unmingled state in every one of those four orders. With those that are
good, Truth is always a duty. Indeed, Truth is an eternal duty. One
should reverentially bow unto Truth. Truth is the highest refuge (of
all). Truth is duty; Truth is penance; Truth is Yoga; and Truth is the
eternal Brahma. Truth has been said to be Sacrifice of a high order.
Everything rests upon Truth. I shall now tell thee the forms of Truths
one after another, and its indications also in due order. It behoveth
thee to hear also as to how Truth may be acquired. Truth, O Bharata, as
it exists in all the world, is of thirteen kinds. The forms that Truth
assumes are impartiality, self control, forgiveness, modesty, endurance,
goodness, renunciation, contemplation, dignity, fortitude, compassion,
and abstention from injury. These, O great monarch, are the thirteen
forms of Truth. Truth is immutable, eternal, and unchangeable. It may be
acquired through practices which do not militate against any of the other
virtues. It may also be acquired through Yoga. When desire and aversion,
as also lust and wrath, are destroyed, that attribute in consequence of
which one is able to look upon one's own self and one's foe, upon one's
good and one's evil, with an unchanging eye, is called impartiality.
Self-control consists in never wishing for another man's possessions, in
gravity and patience and capacity to allay the fears of others in respect
to one's own self, and immunity from disease. It may be acquired through
knowledge. Devotion to the practice of liberality and the observance of
all duties are regarded by the wise as constituting goodwill. One comes
to acquire universal goodwill by constant devotion to truth. As regards
non-forgiveness and forgiveness, it should be stated that the attribute
through which an esteemed and good man endures both what is agreeable and
disagreeable, is said to be forgiveness. This virtue may well be acquired
through the practice of truthfulness. That virtue in consequence of which
an intelligent man, contented in mind and speech, achieves many good
deeds and never incurs the censure of others, is called modesty. It is
acquired through the aid of righteousness. That virtue which forgives for
the sake of virtue and profit is called endurance. It is a form of
forgiveness. It is acquired through patience, and its purpose is to
attach people to one's self. The casting off of affection as also of all
earthly possessions, is called renunciation. Renunciation can never be
acquired except by one who is divested of anger and malice. That virtue
in consequence of which one does good, with watchfulness and care, to all
creatures is called goodness. It hath no particular shape and consists in
the divestment of all selfish attachments. That virtue owing to which one
remains unchanged in happiness and misery is called fortitude. That wise
man who desires his own good always practises this virtue. One should
always practise forgiveness and devotedness to truth. That man of wisdom
who succeeds in casting off joy and fear and wrath, succeeds in acquiring
fortitude. Abstention from injury as regards all creatures in thought,
word, and deed, kindness, and gift, are the eternal duties of those who
are good. These thirteen attributes, though apparently distinct from one
another, have but one and the same form, viz., Truth. All these, O
Bharata, support Truth and strengthen it. It is impossible, O monarch, to
exhaust the merits of Truth. It is for these reasons that the Brahmanas,
the Pitris, and the gods, applaud Truth. There is no duty which is higher
than Truth, and no sin more heinous than untruth. Indeed, Truth is the
very foundation of righteousness. For this reason, one should never
destroy Truth. From Truth proceed gifts, and sacrifice with presents, as
well as the threefold Agnihotras, the Vedas, and everything else that
leads to righteousness. Once on a time a thousand horse-sacrifices and
Truth were weighed against each other in the balance. Truth weighed
heavier than a thousand horse-sacrifices."'
