to save a life, you can tell even a lie

उक्त्वानृतं भवेद्यत्र प्राणिनाम् प्राणरक्षणम्।

अनृतम् तत्र सत्यं स्यात्सत्यमप्यनृतं भवेत्॥

पद्मपुराणे सृष्टि खण्डे १८-३९२

uktvānṛtaṁ bhavedyatra prāṇinām prāṇarakṣaṇam|

anṛtam tatra satyaṁ syātsatyamapyanṛtaṁ bhavet||

padmapurāṇe sṛṣṭi khaṇḍe 18-392

A very profound yet utilitarian advise containd in Padmapuranam Srushti Khandam

Where protection of the lives of living beings are involved, if one utters lies in that process, such lies would have the status of truth

If that rule is ignore, then even truth can become untruth

After all ethics and morality are for the wholesome well being of the society and the people.. The rules of eithics provide for some shelter for such welfare.. If the players who have to occupy such shelter are facing extinction then that shelter is of not use at all

Of course, truth usually saves, truth usually keeps our lives in order, so the above quote is not a campaign against telling truth.

But there are people who will claim to be ruggedly honest and in that process would subject their own lives or the lives of others in great peril.. That is unnecessary..

यत्र where

अनृतं उक्त्वा by telling untruth..

प्राणिनां प्राणरक्षणम् भवेत् saving or protection of the lives of living beings happen

तत्र अनृतं सत्यं स्यात्. there even lies would become truth

अन्यथा सत्यं अपि अनृतं भवेत् if it does not happen so , even truth would become untruth or lie