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Bhagavad Gita 17.15

By Bhagavan Sri Krishna | Published 08/18/2005
Category: The Gita: Chapter 17
Article Viewed 2509 Times

Text 15

anudvega-karam vakyam
satyam priya-hitam ca yat
svadhyayabhyasanam caiva
van-mayam tapa ucyate

Translation

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

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada 

One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to those who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Anudvega karam means that in calling out to other persons who have done harm to oneself, one does not cause any disturbance to them.


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