Bhagavad Gita 17.15
Spoken by Krishna · Verse 15 of 28
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥
anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅ-mayaṃ tapa ucyate ||
Speech tapas: non-disturbing, true, agreeable, beneficial words — plus daily svādhyāya (sacred study).
Word by word (3)
- anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat
- — speech/words (vākyam) that do not cause excitement/distress (anudvega-karam = not-agitation-making), that are true (satyam), agreeable (priya) and beneficial (hitam) — the four-fold standard of sattvic speech
- svādhyāyābhyasanam ca eva
- — and also (ca eva) the regular practice (abhyasana) of svādhyāya — the study/recitation of one's own sacred texts (sva = own, adhyāya = study/lesson); daily sacred recitation as speech-tapas
- vāṅ-mayaṃ tapa ucyate
- — this is called (ucyate) the tapas of speech/words (vāṅ-maya = consisting of speech/vāk) — vāk (speech) as a domain of tapas parallel to śārīra (body) from V14
Speech that causes no distress, that is true, agreeable, and beneficial — and also the regular practice of sacred recitation (svādhyāya) — these are called the austerity of speech.
A modern analogy
Speech tapas means treating every word as a small offering. Before speaking, asking: Is this true? Will it disturb? Is it genuinely useful? Would it harm? And alongside this, the discipline of daily sacred recitation — keeping one's speech-instrument tuned to the sacred register through regular use in that direction.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
The speech which causes no excitement and is true, as also pleasant and beneficial, and also the practice of sacred recitation, are said to form the austerity of speech. [1]
Speech which causes no vexation, and is true, as also agreeable and beneficial, and regular study of the Vedas — these are said to form the austerity of speech. [4]
The recitation of texts, and speech which causes no annoyance, (which is) true, agreeable, and beneficial — are said to be the penance of speech. [9]
The speech which causes no agitation, which is true, which is agreeable and beneficial to study of one's own scripture, are said to be the penance of speech. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Duryodhana ends his briefing with one clear order: protect Bhishma above all else.
Many thoughts, moha-net covering them, addicted to kāma-enjoyments — they fall into impure naraka.
Tāmasic tapas: done with foolish delusion, self-torture, or to destroy another — declared tāmasic.
Who measures others' joy and pain by the standard of their own — seeing the same everywhere — is the supreme yogi.
This most secret śāstra spoken — knowing it, one becomes truly wise and kṛta-kṛtya: all duties fulfilled.
More daivī qualities: ahiṃsā, satya, akrodha, tyāga, śānti, apaiśuna, dayā, aloluptva, mārdava, hrī, acāpala.
Verse 15 of 28 · back to Chapter 17