One must be very particular about telling the truth. Through

“One must be very particular about telling the truth. Through truth one can realize God.” Thus spoke Sri Ramakrishna, the saint of Dakshineswar, whose words were as gentle as prayer and as powerful as thunder. In this utterance, he reveals one of the most ancient and sacred paths to divine realization — the path of Truth (Satya). For Ramakrishna, truth was not merely a moral virtue, nor a rule of conduct to be observed out of duty; it was a living bridge between man and the Divine. He saw truth not as an idea, but as God Himself — for what is God but the ultimate Reality, the purest essence of all that is? Thus, to live truthfully is not only to speak rightly, but to walk in the very light of the Eternal.

The origin of this teaching lies deep in the soil of India’s spiritual tradition. From the Vedas to the Upanishads, truth has been exalted as the highest dharma — “Satyam eva jayate,” they proclaim, “Truth alone triumphs.” Ramakrishna, though born in the 19th century, was a living embodiment of these timeless scriptures. His life was simple, his wisdom luminous, and his devotion pure. When he said that “through truth one can realize God,” he was not speaking as a philosopher but as one who had seen God face to face. He had tasted that divine sweetness and knew that falsehood, even the smallest, veils the heart in darkness, while truth, lived sincerely, cleanses it until the Divine shines through like sunlight through clear water.

To Ramakrishna, truthfulness was the foundation of all spiritual practice. He would often say, “The path of truth is the path of God; if you speak the truth always, you will attain Him even if you do not practice any other virtue.” He believed that truth has a power of its own — that it purifies the mind, strengthens the soul, and draws the Divine presence into one’s life. When a man speaks truth, he aligns his little will with the great cosmic will; he becomes a vessel through which God’s light can flow. But when one deceives, he builds walls of illusion between himself and reality, and thus blinds his inner eye to the vision of the Infinite.

There is a story told of Mahatma Gandhi, who drew much of his inspiration from the teachings of Ramakrishna and other saints of India. When Gandhi was a young man, he vowed never to tell a lie, for he believed that truth (Satya) and God were one and the same. Once, when his teacher asked who had broken a school window, Gandhi confessed, though he knew he might be punished. But instead of anger, the teacher’s eyes filled with tears, for he saw in that boy the courage of the soul that walks in truth. In later years, Gandhi would say, “My devotion to truth has taught me that God is Truth.” Thus the seed that Ramakrishna sowed — that through truth one can realize God — blossomed into a movement that transformed a nation and awakened the conscience of the world.

Yet, the practice of truth is not easy. To tell the truth demands courage — for truth often offends, disturbs, and destroys illusions. It is easier to please the world with lies than to honor the Divine with truth. Ramakrishna taught that the devotee must be “very particular” — careful, precise, and unwavering — about telling the truth, for even small compromises weaken the soul. Truth is like a sword: it must be kept clean and sharp, or it loses its power. The heart that loves truth must therefore be disciplined, humble, and fearless. For truth is not merely spoken with the lips; it must be lived in thought, word, and deed.

Truthfulness also has a deeper meaning — it is not only honesty toward others, but honesty toward oneself. How often man deceives himself — pretending to be pure while harboring desire, pretending to believe while doubting in secret, pretending to love God while clinging to the world! Ramakrishna would say, “If you are true in heart, even falsehood will turn to truth in your mouth; but if you are false within, even your prayers will have no power.” To live truthfully is to see oneself as one truly is — weak yet aspiring, flawed yet beloved of God — and to surrender all pretenses before the Eternal.

So, my child, take this teaching to heart. Be particular — not casually truthful, but scrupulously faithful to truth in every part of life. Let your speech be pure, your thoughts transparent, and your actions free of deceit. When you are tempted to hide, remember that God dwells in truth, and every falsehood separates you from Him. Let truth be your prayer, your vow, your way of life. Even if it brings hardship, cling to it — for its light will guide you through every darkness.

In the end, all religions, all wisdom, all striving lead to this one eternal lesson: that God is Truth, and to realize Him is to become one with Truth itself. As Ramakrishna declared, “One must be very particular about telling the truth. Through truth one can realize God.” For the heart that walks in truth walks in the very footsteps of the Divine — and through that sacred path, man is not merely close to God; he becomes one with Him.