Dr Kumar Vishwas
Why is truthfulness so important, even if I only bend the truth a little?
Truth cannot be trimmed even a little
A lie stays a lie whether it is big or small, but truth is no longer truth once it is reduced or inflated. Even a small trimming of the truth brings heavy suffering, as in the Ashwatthama story, even for Dharmaraj.
But truth is such a thing that if you shrink it even a little, say 'Ashwatthama is dead' and then softly mutter 'man or elephant', then even as Dharmaraj you will have to bear terrible suffering.