Actual truth

Expressions researched:
"Actual truth"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

Sometimes the impersonalists describe five kinds of gods that are worshipable, but because they think that the actual truth is impersonal Brahman, they dispose of all worshipable objects at the ultimate end.

BG 17.4, Purport: The impersonalists are supposed to be situated in the mode of goodness, and they worship five kinds of demigods. They worship the impersonal Viṣṇu form in the material world, which is known as philosophized Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu is the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the impersonalists, because they do not ultimately believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, imagine that the Viṣṇu form is just another aspect of the impersonal Brahman; similarly, they imagine that Lord Brahmā is the impersonal form in the material mode of passion. Thus they sometimes describe five kinds of gods that are worshipable, but because they think that the actual truth is impersonal Brahman, they dispose of all worshipable objects at the ultimate end. In conclusion, the different qualities of the material modes of nature can be purified through association with persons who are of transcendental nature.

Another feature of Bhagavad-gītā is that the actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

BG 18.78, Purport: Another feature of Bhagavad-gītā is that the actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features—impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth means perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then all the departments of knowledge are part and parcel of that understanding. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, for He is always situated in His eternal internal potency. The living entities are manifested of His energy and are divided into two classes, eternally conditioned and eternally liberated. Such living entities are innumerable, and they are considered fundamental parts of Kṛṣṇa. Material energy is manifested into twenty-four divisions. The creation is effected by eternal time, and it is created and dissolved by external energy. This manifestation of the cosmic world repeatedly becomes visible and invisible.

SB Canto 4

One should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to understand the actual truth, the purpose of life.

SB 4.25.7, Purport: Because animal sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas, there are animal sacrifices in almost all religious rituals. However, one should not be satisfied simply by killing animals according to the directions of the scriptures. One should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to understand the actual truth, the purpose of life. Nārada Muni wanted to instruct the King about the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of renunciation in his heart. Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jñāna-vairāgya) are the ultimate goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached from material enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment, one cannot make spiritual advancement.

CC Adi-lila

In this age, people are prepared to argue that they can understand that which is beyond their limited knowledge and perception through so-called scientific observations and experiments, not knowing that actual truth comes down to man from authorities.

CC Adi 7.74, Purport: The principles of the paramparā system were strictly honored in previous ages—Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga and Dvāpara-yuga—but in the present age, Kali-yuga, people neglect the importance of this system of śrauta-paramparā, or receiving knowledge by disciplic succession. In this age, people are prepared to argue that they can understand that which is beyond their limited knowledge and perception through so-called scientific observations and experiments, not knowing that actual truth comes down to man from authorities. This argumentative attitude is against the Vedic principles, and it is very difficult for one who adopts it to understand that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is as good as Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa and His holy name are identical, the holy name is eternally pure and beyond material contamination. It is the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a transcendental vibration.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

But still, they will go on plan-making, but they will never accept the actual truth.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968: You will be in danger. You are already in danger because the horses are unbridled. It is pulling you anywhere it likes. Similarly, our horses—the senses are called horses—it is being controlled. Viśatāṁ tamisram. It is going to the darkest region of hellish condition. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30]. And such persons are repeatedly chewing the chewed. One plan is made; that is frustrated. Another plan again made, again frustrated. Again plan made, again frustrated. But still, they will go on plan-making, but they will never accept the actual truth. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: [Bg. 7.15] "Their knowledge has been taken away by the energy of māyā." Māyā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why māyā is taking away? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because they have taken this principle, to deny God. That's it. Only for this reason, for this fault only, the māyā is acting so severely. Māyā will never allow such person to understand the real truth. They will go on making plan-making, it will be frustrated, again plan-making, again frustrated, again frustrated.

Satyam means you should speak the actual truth. You should not flatter. You should not flatter for sense gratification. Satyam.

Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967: In this process you can go on chanting. Nobody will disturb you. Because as soon as you take to spiritual life, there will be so many disturbances. Because it is a declaration of war with the illusory energy, so as soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the illusory energy sees, "Oh, this man is going out of my hand, out of my control. Oh, give him all impediments." Therefore you have to learn this tolerance. Therefore next two words after kṣamā, satyam. Satyaṁ yathā dṛṣṭy-artha-viṣayaṁ para-hita-bhāṣaṇam.(?) Satyam means you should speak the actual truth. You should not flatter. You should not flatter for sense gratification. Satyam.

Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the definition of truth, Absolute Truth, is given there. What is that? Janmādy asya yataḥ: [SB 1.1.1] "The Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates, the original source of all." That is Absolute Truth. So you should understand what is satyam, Absolute Truth, satyam. And para-hita-bhāṣaṇam. You should speak truth also.

What is that truth? That truth is "God is great, and we are subservient. So our duty is to abide by the orders of God," the simple truth. "God is great." You can say, "Why we should abide by the orders of God?" Because you are subservient.

Philosophy Discussions

We want the actual truth. That is quality. So that standard is mentioned in the Vedic literature, that those who are intelligent persons, those who are yogis... Yogi means perfect man.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill: Prabhupāda:Actually, on sex pleasure the whole material world is existing. But how long this sex pleasure can remain? A few minutes. So our philosophy is we don't want that few minutes' pleasure. We want pleasure which will continue perpetually. Nityānanda. Nitya. Nitya means eternal. Ānanda means bliss. Satyānanda, real pleasure. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1]. We want the actual truth. That is quality. So that standard is mentioned in the Vedic literature, that those who are intelligent persons, those who are yogis... Yogi means perfect man. So they want pleasure which is eternal, not transient. Transient pleasure is liked by fools and rascals. Because fools and rascals, they do not know what is their constitutional position. But one who is intelligent, one who is learned, he knows his constitutional position, that he is eternal, he is not this body. Therefore he must be seeking eternal pleasure.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

That they do not know how to behave, nāpi cācāraḥ. Na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate, neither they know what is the actual truth.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1975, Tokyo: Prabhupāda: And asura, they will say, "No, there is no God. It is taking automatically, it is going on," This is foolishness. The asura means foolish, first-class foolish, that's all. Why it has become so? That is explained here. That they do not know how to behave, nāpi cācāraḥ. Na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate, neither they know what is the actual truth. They are defective themself and they are explaining in the defective way that so many rascal chemists they say that the chemical evolution is the cause of life. What is this nonsense? Chemical evolution, you get the chemicals and make a experiment and produce life. Then your proposal is all right that by chemical evolution there is life. No, that is not possible. You have got all the chemicals.