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Summary of Question:	The Truth
Category:	Gurbani
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 5/19/1999 1:03 AM MDT

I apologize for sounding ignorant but.... In all the translations of Gurbani that I have read, there is constant repetion of the term "Truth". What exactly is "Truth"? Is God Truth? Is Truth the awareness of God? How do we know what is Truth and what is not? Also, does this have any correlation to the phrase "Satyam Shivam Sundrum" (i.e. Truth Beauty God) of Hinduism?

Thank you for your reply.

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REPLY
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In Guru Granth Sahib, the word "Truth" has been used several times, to mean two different things, depending upon the context of the whole line of the Shabad.

In one case, it is "lie" as opposed to "truth".

In the other, more abstract case, it is the difference between 'True' and 'Maya'. What is 'Maya'? This whole creation. It began, it grows, it decays, and then it dies. Death is 'True' - it will happen. But the rest of it, is Maya. Truth is constant and unchanging. If it changes then it wasn't true to begin with. God is True. Was. Is. Will remain.

As regards correlation with other philosophies about the Truth of God's being - the more one studies other religions, the more one is convinced of the underlying similar beliefs of many. Many years ago, I went to a Synagogue for a person's religious services and I was amazed at the similarities of their service that day and our own Mool Mantr. There is only One God. And we are ALL His children.

Humbly

Jasjit