Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama @ Belgaum

You have put a highly philosophical question. I do not know to what extent I can clarify your doubt through this mail.

The very ‘existence’ is ‘Truth’. Truth does not need a proof. It is a proof by itself. In the higher realm, discrimination between the real and the unreal is the method. Real is Truth. That which stands in all the 3 times (past, present, and future) is truth.

In the day to day life (Vyavaharika) Truth refers to certain statement of facts to our best of knowledge. Supposing a glass of milk is placed before you mixed with poison. I openly tell you about the fact and request you to drink the milk. Will you not use your discrimination and reject it because it is harmful and dangerous to your health and life? Sticking to the Truth gives us moral strength to face the life as it comes, though at times the results may not be encouraging in the beginning. But the end is ‘strength’ and ‘Joy’.

Though it is not advisable to tell even a ‘fib’, the unpleasant truth should be avoided. These is a Sanskrit Shloka which says: Satyam bruyat priyam bruyat,  Na bruyat satayampriyam

Vedanta does not refer to any book. It is the sumum bonum of the teachings enshrined in Vedas. Vedas are the truths realized by ancient Rishis. The mass of knowledge was classified by Vedavyasa into 4 Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva.

You can read the book “Spiritual Heritage of India” by ‘Swami Prabhavananda’ or any book on Indian Philosophy. 

Please don?t loose faith in God. Doubts will come like clouds. Pray intensely to the Lord for guidance. Keep on praying and practice meditation. Remember him as many times as possible, if not constantly. Be strong and don?t yield to doubts and despair. These are like tests. We should come out successfully. I am sure your faith in God will become stronger and stronger day-by-day.

Your question is very interesting, but unfortunately we cannot do business with God. No doubt destiny can be changed to certain extent by sincere prayer but don’t expect every prayer to be answered immediately. As we have done many good deeds in the past, we also have done bad deeds. We are getting the rewards for the good deeds, in the same way should we go unpunished for the bad deeds?
Since prayer and patience are the only solution for our problems, don’t loose faith, but continue with your effort.

It is an age-old question. The answers are many. The one answer given by Vedanta is that the world itself is an illusion and when we realise our real nature, the illusoriness becomes clear. But, so long we are in illusion, the illusoriness can not be realised. Just as so long we are in dream, we are not aware that we are in dream.
The law of Karma is true, but, the Creation is like a circle, which has no beginning. We have come from God, and go back to God ultimately, when the play is over. We don’t realise that we have come from our God - this is our ignorance.