Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.26.28
Ūti· What drives us to actBe Truthful in Testimony and Transactions
“A person who in this life bears false witness or lies while transacting business or giving charity is severely punished after death by the agents of Yamarāja. Such a sinful man is taken to the top of a mountain eight hundred miles high and thrown headfirst into the hell known as Avīcimat. This hell has no shelter and is made of strong stone resembling the waves of water. There is no water there, however, and thus it is called Avīcimat [waterless]. Although the sinful man is repeatedly thrown from the mountain and his body broken to tiny pieces, he still does not die but continuously suffers chastisement.”
What the purport teaches
- The verse warns against bearing false witness. What one says as a witness carries serious responsibility.
- Truthfulness also matters in business and in giving charity. Neither financial dealings nor charitable acts justify lying.
- The verse describes repeated punishment in Avīcimat for such dishonesty. Its severe description emphasizes that falsehood has consequences beyond this life.
Try this today
Check one statement you make in a transaction or donation today and ensure it is accurate.
Ask yourself
Where might I be tempted to distort the truth for an advantage?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.