Five Speech Disciplines You Need Now: The Power of Words
Five body disciplines as per Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita sloka 17.14 are:
Giving Respect (to God, Learned and Elders), Cleanliness, Simplicity, Control on sensual pleasure & Non-violence.
Five mind disciplines as per Bhagavad Gita 17.16 are:
Cheerfulness, Gracefulness (avoiding negative thoughts), Silence (introspection), Self-restraint & Purity of intent.
We missed one sloka in between, 17.15, and that is going to be the discussion topic for this blog i.e. Five speech disciplines.
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Speech Disciplines
Disciplined speech is also important like conditioning the body and the mind because undisciplined speech can destabilize the body as well as the mind. Kaya (Body), Vacha (Speech), Manasa (Mind) and Indriyas (sense organs) are the four basic essential behavioural components of our atma.
"anudvega-karam vakyam" | "satyam priya-hitam ca yat" | "svadhyayabhyasanam caiva" | "van-mayam tapa ucvyate" - Bhagavad Gitia 17.15
Austerity of speech is in speaking words that are not harmful to others, truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and also in regularly reciting our scriptures.
Not harmful to others is kept first in the order because at times speaking the truth could harm others and, in those instances, it is better not to speak the truth than harming others.
"satyaṁ brūyāt priyaṁ brūyān na brūyāt satyam apriyam, priyaṁ cha nānṛitaṁ brūyād eṣha dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ" - Manu Smṛiti 4.138 (v4)
Speak the truth in such a way that it is pleasing to others. Do not speak the truth in a manner injurious to others. Never speak untruth, though it may be pleasant.
Whatever we speak should be beneficial to others or to us, otherwise better not to speak and waste the energy. This is included as a hint against wasting time indulging in rumours, nonsense and useless blabbers. Reference to reciting the scriptures can be taken as indulging in positive talk.
This is a little different from what Thiruvalluvar said in his thirukkural “Untruth will also become truth if it would be beneficial to others”.
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Bhagavad Gita and Zend Avasta and Dhammapada
I read an interesting research article written by London Swaminathan (swami_48@yahoo.com) on the similarities in the messages between Bhagavad Gita and Zend Avasta.
There are some similarities between the messages in Bhagavad Gita and Zend Avasta and this is one such message. The basic teachings of Zoroastra are also Good Thought, Good Word and Good Deed.
“Your good thoughts, good words and good deeds alone will be your intercessors. Nothing more will be wanted. They alone will serve you as a safe pilot to the harbour of Heaven, as a safe guide to the gates of paradise.” — Zoroaster
Dhammapada is the Veda for the Buddhists & Buddha says in Dhammapada:
"He who hurts not with his THOUGHTS or WORDS or DEEDS who keeps these THREE under control – him I call a BRAHMIN" (verse 391)
Buddha says in another verse:
"There are men steady and wise whose BODY, WORDS and MIND are self-controlled. They are the men of supreme self-control" (verse 234)
Bible has many quotes on good speech. All religions say the same thing, positive life, to live positively and purposefully.
It is story time.
Power of Truth
Once a man came to a Saint and offered “I have many bad habits and taken a resolution today in front of you to give up one of them. Which one of them should I give up first?”
The Saint said, “Give up telling lies.” The man promised to do so and went home.
Same night, the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he thought for a moment about the promise he made to the Saint. “What would I tell the saint if he asks what was I doing? Can I tell him that I went out for stealing? I cannot afford to say that. But nor can I lie. If I tell the truth, everyone will start hating me and call me a thief”.
So the man decided not to steal that night, and gave up the habit of stealing.
Next day, he felt like drinking wine. When he was about to do so, he said to himself, “What shall I say to the Saint if he asks me. I cannot tell a lie, and if I speak the truth people will hate me.” Thus he gave up the idea of drinking wine.
In this way, he gave up all his negative habits for the fear of telling the truth and became a good person.
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