Truth is the supremest virtue

 

 

Great is the glory of truth. It shines like the star Tishtrya. Truth is the queen of virtues. Truth is the good Mazda-worshipping religion.

Truth is truth always and ever to the day of doom. Truth is omnipotent and immortal. Truth is one and thou art Truth, Ahura Mazda.

Simple and straightforward is the language that truth speaks. It needs not rhetorical embellishment. It shines in its innate simplicity. Never crooked and never zigzag, with no by-ways in which a traveler may lose himself, straight is the path of truth.

Truth knows no racial or geographical boundaries. Truth is ever the same for all. Truth blinds Druj, the demon of falsehood, as light blinds the owl. To be truthful is to be courageous, for falsehood is cowardice.

Truth walks with halting steps and falsehood flies on swiftest wings. Truth builds and creates, falsehood breaks and destroys. Man of truth is trusted and honored by all. The liar needs must invent two more lies to uphold his one and, from deep to deeper in the slough of falsehood, he sinks. Zarathushtra concentrates Angra Mainyu's evil in falsehood. He, the Evil Spirit, is falsehood himself.

Truth may be stifled and smothered for a time, but not for all time. Truth to falsehood is like oil to water. Forced under the stinking water of falsehood, like oil, on the surface, it will swim, while down like water will falsehood drop.

United by the bond of truth, flourishes society. Falsehood strikes at the root of mutual trust and hastens its fall. Noted for their probity, the ancient Persians, our illustrious ancestors, taught their youths the rigid adherence to truth as the first and foremost lesson of life.

My God, give me a passionate longing for truth and give me a feeling of repulsion from falsehood. Give me courage to be true. Guide me to think the truth and speak the truth and act the truth. Put me on the right track when my steps do swerve and stray from Rashnu's straight path. Incline me to walk steadfast on Mithra's shining path of truth. Strengthen me to fight falsehood with the weapons of truth. Let me love truth for truth's sake. Let all I speak and what I speak and when I speak be wholly true. Let my mouth speak only that which my heart feels. Let me be true to myself and let me be true to thee and thine, O Lord of truth.

 

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This page was last updated on Friday, February 11, 2005.