Satya is one of the five yamas (abstinences) – non-violence, truth, non-stealing, sensual restraint and not to hoard things. These constitute the basic steps of the eight-fold Yoga (Yoga Sutra 2/30).
Truthfulness involves giving up the lie by every possible means – manasa vacha karmana i.e., by mind, speech and action. Not only this, but this abstaining from the triple means of lie should apply to all the three types of lie, viz., krita, karita, and anumodita.
- One should not lie himself
- Should not get that done by somebody else
- Should not support or command, openly or otherwise, anybody’s lie
Deviation from truth is possible due to three causes
- Lobha (greed)
- Krodha (anger)
- Moha (fascination)
To be truthful, one should abstain from these three vices, keeping in mind the unending cycle of severe consequences of indulgence in lie (Yoga Sutra 2/34).
Adopted full, without exception, un-deviated and unobstructed by the limitations of birth, place, age and time, satya becomes a universal great vow or great mission (sarvabhauma mahavrata – Yoga Sutra 2/31). If one is truthful in life, in and out, he achieves such a will power that whatever he thinks or speaks gets actualized automatically, that means his word is made true by Nature (Satyapratisthayam kriyaphalasrayatvam – Yoga Sutra 2/36) also Rsinam Punaradyanam vacamarthonudhavati (Bhavabhuti) Uttararamacaritam.