Yoga through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith
Verse 17.15
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।।17.15।।
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ cha yat svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ chaiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa uchyate
Word Meanings
anudvega-karam—not causing distress; vākyam—words; satyam—truthful; priya- hitam—beneficial; cha—and; yat—which; svādhyāya-abhyasanam—recitation of the Vedic scriptures; cha eva—as well as; vāṅ-mayam—of speech; tapaḥ—austerity; uchyate—are declared as
Translation · English
Speech that causes no excitement, is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial; the practice of studying the Vedas is called austerity of speech.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Krishna defines the austerity of speech (vāng-maya tapa), which serves as a profound bridge between internal discipline and external action. In the Advaitic tradition, speech is not merely a tool for communication but a manifestation of the mind's purity. To speak words that are truthful, pleasing, and beneficial—while ensuring they cause no distress—requires the practitioner to constantly monitor their ego. It is a refinement of the intellect where one transcends the impulsive reaction to speak one's 'truth' if that truth lacks the sanctity of kindness or the foresight of utility. By including the study of scriptures (svādhyāya) as an austerity of speech, Krishna emphasizes that the words we speak should be rooted in the wisdom of the Vedas, rather than the transient, ego-driven chatter of the mundane world. This practice purifies the subtle body (sūkṣma śarīra), turning the tongue into an instrument of grace rather than an instrument of division. When we speak from this state of disciplined awareness, our words stop being mere vibrations and start becoming a form of meditation that aligns our individual will with the Divine order (Rta).
True austerity of speech is the art of aligning one's expression with truth, kindness, and sacred reflection, thereby transmuting verbal communication into a path of spiritual refinement.
Connected Verses
Complements this verse by detailing the austerity of the mind, which is the internal source from which the austerity of speech must arise.
Lists purity and non-violence as divine virtues, which are the foundational requirements for achieving the austerity of speech mentioned here.
This verse reinforces that every action, including speech, is an offering into the Brahman-fire when performed with realization.
Describes the sage who remains unperturbed in adversity and free from anxiety, providing the internal state necessary to fulfill the condition of not causing distress to others.
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