Item 11 in Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities
Truthfulness
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.
- Position
- 11
- Form
- Mixed formulation
- Obligation
- Context-dependent
- Wording status
- Translation
- Intended audience
- Readers and practitioners cultivating disciplined and liberating character
- Last reviewed
- 28 June 2027
Names and terminology
Canonical name: Satya
Original term: Satya
Transliteration: Satya
Source wording
<p>Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>
Literal meaning
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.
Broader interpretation
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.
Historical context
This principle belongs to Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities and must be read within that framework's setting.
Practical meaning
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.
Ethical purpose
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality.
Exceptions and disputes
Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.
Variations across schools or traditions
Translations divide and render several Sanskrit terms differently; this catalogue follows the standard twenty-six-term enumeration.
Modern application
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.
Criticism and difficult cases
Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.
Truth By Reason analysis
Speak and act truthfully while considering safety and confidentiality. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.
Ethical themes
Sources
- Bhagavad Gita 16:1–3 — Divine Qualities Primary source