Page:Advice to the Indian Aristocracy.djvu/52

14 his caste, an untruth may be spoken to save the Brahmin. If other than Brahmins lose their caste, they become members of classes just lower than their own. But it was considered, especially in those ancient days, that if a Brahmin lost his caste he became a Panchama or Chandala. Therefore when any accidental and unavoidable occurrences happen, it is not considered a sin to tell an untruth to save such innocent Brahmins from becoming Panchamas.

Sri Krishna further said that there must be some signs to distinguish virtue from sin. Reason may enable one to observe such signs. If any of the prescribed moral rules does not accord with reason, one should not act according to such rule, and therefore it seems that there is no untruth in violating the prescription. One should not, therefore, have the least touch with a man who is presumptuous enough to think that the adoption of