Mudra vakyam: Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara

"Vedamanuchyaachaaryo antevaasinamanusaasti, Satyam Vada, Dharmam Chara". The learned teacher worthy of the same reverence as God, addresses his students as a final instruction when they have completed their education, graduated from their discipleship and are ready to embark on to the next stage of their life's journey.

Satyam vada: Speak the truth, but a caution may be added not to speak unpleasant truth. (Satyam Bruyat, Priyam Bruyat na Bruyat Asatyam Apriyam) All that you speak must be truth but you do not have to say all that is true.

Dharmam chara: Practice righteousness -- act according to your Dharma. Now Dharma is a very complex word with many meanings. So the teacher says, do your duty.

The ultimate aim of this idiom is to realize the truth in its wholeness.  The aim is to get rid of all attachments and ego that creates illusions or false perceptions and keep us away from realizing the absolute truth. The words Satyam and Dharma are of course of paramount importance. That which is not bound by time, space and causation, which never changes is the truth, Satyam. That is the absolute truth.

Similar to Satyam, any deed, which takes one closer to one's pure self, is dharma. Contrary to popular interpretation, the word dharma is not a translation or the word 'religion'. Rather the true interpretation of dharma is that which binds people or society together. The path of dharma is the path of righteousness. To be dharmic is to steadfastly walk the path of purity, taking care every action is done with the discrimination of right and wrong, of just and unjust and is born out of love and compassion towards all beings.

These two injunctions, to speak the truth and follow the path of righteousness comprise the formula of nobility and purity in individual as well as a nation's life. For ages, people of India have been following this ideal knowingly or unknowingly, and whenever they have failed to do so, true to his words, the Lord has taken birth in some form or another to establish dharma and protect the noble people. Whenever any nation has followed these principles, it has been prosperous, victorious and content in all respects. Whenever these principles have not been respected, slavery, poverty, anarchy and natural disasters have struck people. Today, more than anything, India needs her sons and daughters to follow the words of the ancient sages. Without sectarianism, without division, without a trace of jealousy, but with universal love, with universal brotherhood and with infinite compassion, we all need to follow the path of dharma, with satya in our mind.

May the Lord give us strength and purity to follow righteous path,

May He lead us on the tough road of life to morality,

May he inspire us to be worthy children of our beloved Mother India.

Hari om Tat Sat