Verse 17.15
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् | स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ||१५||
Transliteration (IAST)
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate ||15||
Word-by-Word Meanings
anudvega-karam-not causing agitation
vākyam-speech/words
satyam-truthful
priya-hitam-pleasant and beneficial
svādhyāya-study of scriptures
abhyasanam-practice/recitation
vāṅ-mayam-of speech
tapaḥ-austerity
Translation
Speech that causes no agitation, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, as well as the practice of scriptural study - this is called austerity of speech.
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains that speech must satisfy four conditions simultaneously: it should not disturb others, be truthful, be agreeable, and be beneficial. If truth would cause harm, one should remain silent. Ramanuja adds that svādhyāya (scriptural recitation) is included because sacred sound purifies the faculty of speech itself.
Themes
dharmayoga