Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, Verse 15

Chapter 17 – Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥

Transliteration

anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat .
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ॥

Meaning

Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, together with the regular practice of sacred recitation: this is called austerity of speech.

Word meanings

अनुद्वेगकरम् – causing no distress or agitation
वाक्यम् – speech, words
सत्यम् – truthful
प्रियहितम् – pleasant and beneficial
च – and
यत् – which
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनम् – regular practice of sacred study and recitation
च एव – and also
वाङ्मयम् – of speech
तपः – austerity
उच्यते – is called

Anvaya (word order)

यत् वाक्यम् अनुद्वेगकरं सत्यं प्रियहितं च, स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं च एव — (तत्) वाङ्मयं तपः उच्यते ।

Explanation

After the body, Krishna describes austerity of speech. Speech is one of our most powerful faculties; a single word can make someone's day or leave a lifelong wound. Disciplining speech is therefore a very important austerity. This verse gives four tests for speech and one practice.

The first test is anudvega-karam: the words should not cause agitation, fear, anger or distress in anyone's mind. The second is satyam: they should be true, saying what one has actually seen, heard and understood. The third is priyam: they should be pleasant to hear. The fourth is hitam: they should be beneficial to the listener.

Shankara makes an important point: all these qualities must be present together. Words that are true but harsh and upsetting are not austerity of speech; words that are pleasant but false are not either. This matches the well-known rule of the Manusmriti: speak the truth, speak what is pleasant; do not speak an unpleasant truth, nor a pleasant falsehood. This does not mean a hard truth may never be spoken, but that even truth should be spoken with compassion, at the right time and for the listener's good, as a good physician gives even bitter medicine with kindness.

Finally the practice: svadhyayabhyasanam chaiva, the regular practice of svadhyaya. This means reciting the Vedas, the Gita and other scriptures, chanting the Lord's name and singing hymns. When the voice regularly utters sacred words, it naturally becomes purified. The essence is to turn speech away from idle talk, slander and gossip and towards what is good.

Today, when we not only speak but also write, send messages and comment on social media, the verse is more relevant than ever. Before every word, four questions form a practical test of the austerity of speech: Is it true? Will it hurt anyone? Is it pleasant? Is it beneficial?

Context

The previous verse described austerity of the body; this verse describes austerity of speech. The next verse describes austerity of the mind, the subtlest of the three.

Life lesson

Before you speak or write, ask four questions: Is it true? Will it disturb anyone? Is it pleasant? Is it beneficial? This is the simplest and greatest austerity of speech.

Key terms

Vangmaya tapas: Austerity of speech — words that are true, pleasant, beneficial and cause no distress
Anudvega-kara: Causing no agitation or fear in anyone
Svadhyaya: Recitation of scripture, chanting of the divine name and self-study