Delivering bad news is sometimes necessary to prevent the bad news from becoming worse. When something bad happens and we get the information about it – we may think that; should I tell this to others? Is it not good to spare them of the pain? While that is certainly a good intention: we also need to evaluate what will be the impact on that person when they eventually come to know the bad news; especially if they come to know that we withheld that news from them. If that is going to harm them more and even harm our relationship with them – then as the Bhagavad Gita 17.15 states; it is important to tell this truth. We can tell it sensitively, but we still need to tell the truth.

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17.15 Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.