satyam bruyat priyam bruyat
na bruyat satyam apriyam
priyam ca nanrutam bruyat
esha dharmah sanatanah
-Manusmriti
Speak the truth, speak pleasantly,
do not speak the truth in an unpleasant manner
Even if pleasant, do not speak untruth,
this is the path of eternal righteousness.
thank you for this knowledge
Namaskar
Great teaching -truly our scriptures teach us to be Truthful and also Not hurt any one- in speech or action.
Taittriya Upanishad-“Satyam Vadaa Dharmam Chara”.
This Manusmriti sloka gives us a way and path to speech that will not hurt. This teaching was a subject in our Satsangh many years ago-
Thank you
Rgds TR
Speak truth in such a way that it should be pleasing to others.
I have a concern regarding “na bruyat satyam apriyam”. If the truth is unpleasant, but that is unfortunately true, and we don’t do anything about it, will justice have been served? Example: If someone has been unfairly treated by an individual in authority whom most people like or fear. Can’t the person who’s been treated unfairly not say it and raise awareness or seek remediation? Did what he experienced become false?
One should tell truth and hold back truth for the greater good of the world……but should not hurt people individually….let your neighbours, family and
friends happy…..
It is not correct to say that unplessnt truth should not be told. It should be told but not in a unplessnt manner, need to be told by reducing the unplessntness. e.g. how krishna tells about death of Abhimanyu during Kurukshetrs
“Na Bruyat Satyam Apriyam” is translated as ‘Do not speak the truth in an unpleasant manner’. It does not say ‘do not speak the truth if unpleasant’. Rather, the sloka’s basic essence is:
Always speak in a beautiful manner, but never lie.
The truth (whether pleasant or unpleasant) must be spoken – only beautifully, at the same time do not make the truth a lie.
There would be situations in life that demand speaking out bitter truth..hurtful truth. In the interest of society, if it is required not to follow tanvient wisdom, one cannot find fault.his