Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 51

 

 51) OṀ PRIYAM VAƊA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

             OṀ (AUM) - PRI-YAM- VA-DA- BHOO- MYAI- NA-- MA- HA

 

             (Priyam: means- desired, pleasing, truthful, satyam)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In Sanskrit, there are many meanings for the word 'Priyam' meaning pleasing and desiring. The same with the word 'satyam' which means 'not to lie.' It is pleasing to the other person when you are sincere and speaking the truth. When you speak the truth, it does not have to be rude and harsh rather soft, kind and non-hurtful but pleasing. Upanishads proclaim 'Satyam vada, dharmam chara' meaning 'speak truth and follow dharma'.  Satya or truth has been accorded the pride of place among the virtues recommended to be cultivated by man. The Hindu as well as Jain and Buddhist works wax eloquently over it. Its fundamental definition is 'that which is unaffected by time, place and causation'. This means that 'satya' stands for God, the Absolute. In fact, several sahasranāmas (thousand names of God) use this word to denote God. As an extension of this meaning, anything that helps a man's progress towards God is satya.

 

In a more practical sense, satya is speaking the truth, consonance of thought and word. One should avoid speaking falsehood, partial truths and unpleasant truths. Truth should be spoken in a sweet and pleasant way. Unpleasant truths, when spoken must be spoken, should be presented in a palatable and pleasing manner. Asatya stands for all that is opposed to satyam. It is what untrue, unreal, evil and crooked.

Every Hindu knows about Lord Sri Rāma who went to forests to uphold truth and is worshipped by everyone. There is no village in India which does not have a temple of Sri Rāma or any house without a picture or statue of Sri Rāma who is embodiment of satya and dharma. In the lineage of Sri Rāma, His ancestor Harischandra, who lost his kingdom, wife and his son in order to keep the word he gave and to keep satyam. Since then, he was revered as 'Satya Harischandra' and his names lives eternally as long as the Sun and moon shines on the earth. Upanishads declare that 'Satyam, Jnānam, Anantam, Iti Brahma' meaning 'Satyam is Brahman'. A person who always tries to speak the truth gets honored where ever he goes and his word is considered more than a promissory note and everyone trusts his words. He is respected among any group or society.

 

The land which conveys and teaches us to speak the truth in a pleasant and pleasing way without hurting the other is 'Priyam (Satyam) Vaḋa Bhūmi'.