Satyameva jayate. Truth alone triumphs. The phrase opens verse 3.1.6 of the Mundaka Upanishad. It is the national motto of India, inscribed in Devanagari below the Lion Capital of Ashoka in the State Emblem.
Truthful Like Harishchandra
As a schoolboy, Mohandas Gandhi saw a play about King Harishchandra. In his autobiography he wrote: “This play – Harishchandra – captured my heart.” He added: “‘Why should not all be truthful like Harishchandra?’ was the question I asked myself day and night.”
The Boy Who Did Not Know His Father
In the Chandogya Upanishad, the boy Satyakama asks his mother about his lineage. She tells him: “I was very busy serving many people when I was young, and I had you.” She says that she knows nothing about his lineage.
He goes to the teacher Gautama and repeats her words to him. Gautama answers: “No non-brahmin could speak like this.” He accepts Satyakama as a student, “as you have not deviated from truth.”
When a Lie Counts as Truth
Poimaiyum vaaimai idaththa puraitheerndha nanmai payakkum enin. “Even a lie would take the place of truth, If it brings blameless benefit.” This is couplet 292 of the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil book of ethics. It stands in the chapter on truthfulness.
The exception is written into the praise of truth itself.
Where Knowledge Is Free
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,” begins poem 35 of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali, in his own English version. The poem goes on: “Where knowledge is free” and “Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls.” Then: “Where words come out from the depth of truth.”
When in Doubt, Disclose
N.R. Narayana Murthy, a founder of Infosys, explained the company’s approach to investors at an analyst meeting in 2005. “That’s why we use this adage at Infosys and that is ‘when in doubt, disclose’.”
Pending Appeals
The Right to Information Act of 2005 opens with the statement that “democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information.” Citizens who are refused information can appeal to information commissions.
In October 2025 a report by the citizens’ group Satark Nagrik Sangathan found that “4,13,972 appeals and complaints were pending as on June 30 in the 29 information commissions.” In some commissions, an appeal may take decades to come up for hearing.
The Law Not in Force
In 2014 India passed the Whistle Blowers Protection Act. According to Wikipedia, “the Act has not yet come into force.” Amendments on disclosures related to national security still had to be added.
An amendment bill passed the Lok Sabha on May 13, 2015, but did not become law. The government later claimed that the Act was adequate even without the amendments.
The Elephant
In the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas cannot defeat their teacher Drona. Bhima kills an elephant named Ashwatthama, which is also the name of Drona’s son, and shouts that Ashwatthama is dead. Urged by Krishna and Bhima, Yudhishthira, who never lies, confirms it.
In Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation, Yudhishthira “distinctly said that Aswatthaman was dead,” and said the word “elephant” indistinctly. Drona lost the will to fight and was killed.
The popular form of the line, Ashwatthama hatah, naro va kunjaro va, “Ashwatthama is dead, man or elephant,” is a later compression. It does not appear in the Sanskrit verses that tell the scene.
Speak the Pleasant Truth
Satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, na bruyat satyam apriyam. Priyam cha nanritam bruyat, esha dharmah sanatanah. Speak the truth. Speak what is pleasant. Do not speak an unpleasant truth. Do not speak a pleasant untruth. This is the eternal law.
The verse is from the Manusmriti, the ancient law book, chapter 4, verse 138.