Answer – Truth is that, which at all times and invariably leads to sacredness (purity) and joy.
That which might yield immense happiness but not purity cannot be the Truth.
That which may lead to sacredness and even happiness for the time being, but is likely to bring misery to others and not likely to bring joy to the Almighty, cannot be the Truth.
E.g.: A person, who has pledged to speak the truth, is sitting in the front yard of his house. Just then, a frightened young girl comes rushing up to him and pleads with him saying, “Please save me. There are ruffians chasing me.” The man tells her to hide in his house. The ruffians arrive just then and ask him, “Where is the girl who came running here?” What should be his reply? Should he reveal reality because of his oath to speak the truth? Should he say, “Yes, there she is in my house, meaning, there she is, go and rape her!” In that case, his word and deed may be in keeping with reality but not with the Truth. This kind of a response will not lead to sacredness or joy in the life of the man or that of the young girl or even that of the ruffians, for that matter.