Stories from the Hitopadesa: Good Advice 

You must have heard the old adage, which advises you to always speak the truth, but cautions you against speaking unpleasant truths. In general, for a harmonious life, it is better to stick to this adage. However, there are situations when you must speak the truth, even if it is unpleasant. These situations often arise when you are advising a close friend as a well-wisher. In the Hitopadesa, Vishnu Sarma casts the ministers in a king’s courts into these roles. Kings make mistakes too. It is the ministers’ role to advise, whether the king likes it or not. Here we look at two such episodes.