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‘What is Truth’ has been a question that has fascinated mankind through ages. In answering the question, the Spiritual Guru Granth is our guide. Lets us recognize, firstly, that there exists a wide variety of societies and people who need to be guided. This variety exists in man’s intellectual as well as emotional make-up. A Guru, or Scripture, has to satisfy a cross-section of followers, whether a saint, a house-holder, or an abject sinner consequently there is a wide variety of advice offered. This point needs to be assimilated while interpreting Gurubani. Even when we examine the lives of Sikh Gurus, we notice this variety. For example, Guru Nanak gave different sermons to ‘Sajjan Thug’, or the tycoon Dunnichand, and the Siddhas in Siddh gosht.

Take another example: a child asks his father, ‘How does the TV work?’ The father will explain at the child’s elementary level. However, if the father is an electronic engineer and his customer asks the same question, obviously, the answer will be different. In the third instance, if this engineer is also a college professor and his students ask the question, again the answer will be different. In each of the cases, the source of knowledge and the actual event is the same. But the answer changes, depending on the maturity of the audience.

So the answer to the question – ‘Who/What is True’ depends on the audience.

The following answer is for the most mature audience

The question arises whether this world is True?

In Gurbani we find lines explaining both stands

What is the hidden logic?

Implying that, other than a [true] Guru/God; every person is liable to be erroneous

On the other hand, a saint has annihilated His ego. He is always in touch with God/ Soul/ Truth. Due to this every act performed by Him is True. Also, He always knows the Truth. This makes every act of His as holy. Due to this reason, we do not consider it as unholy, when Sri Guru Gobind Singhji fought many wars.

Truth is unique. There is only one Truth. Truth is changeless. But if we consider our experiences, we find them to be varying/changing.

Example: Consider, two persons describe an accident. Unwillingly, there will be some difference in their explanations. This difference occurs due to the presence of their mind. It is this difference which gives rise to controversies/debates. "Two fools/unenlightened persons will never agree. But a hundred wise/enlightened persons will always agree’’

Example: A person standing on a seashore observes a moving ship. Since he is stationary, he can accurately judge the ship’s position. But, for a sailor on the ship, the person on the seashore appears to be moving. Further, if the sailor observes another moving boat, he cannot correctly measure the boat’s position, because he himself is moving. We can equate the person standing on the seashore as being God/[true] Saint, who is grounded/embedded in Truth, which is eternal/unchanging/perfect.

Conversely, the mind of an unenlightened person is always fluctuating. We can equate him with a sailor on the moving ship. All observations of such a person are false/ unreal. For him, even the stationary seashore appears moving. For an unenlightened person, Truth/God is invisible, therefore unreal.

Further, just as the sailor on the ship cannot correctly know the speed of another moving boat, an unenlightened person cannot correctly judge/measure another unenlightened person.

There is another problem. An unenlightened person can never be sure when he is right and when he is wrong. This complicates his judgement and interaction with other who may also be ignorant of truth.

As the speed of the ship reduces, the extent of error/false-hood reduces. When the ship (mind) stops, then the observations of the sailor become correct/true. This refers to the state of enlightenment. A [true] saint can correctly interpret God. A [true] saint can correctly judge an unenlightened person.