Pranam
A. Sāmānya Dharmaha
के मूयाच्ण न बूऴमच्न्त ऩुरुऴं शाया न िन्रोज्जज्जलरा न स्नानं न वलरेऩनं न कु
वुभं नारङ्कृ ता भूधतजा् । लाण्मेका वभरङ्कयोचत ऩुरुऴं मा वंस्कृ ता धामतते
षीमन्तेखरुबूऴणाचन वततं लाग्बूऴणं बूऴणभ ्॥ १९ ॥
kēyūrāṇi na bhūṣayanti puruṣaṁ hārā na candrōjjvalā na snānaṁ na vilēpanaṁ
na kusumaṁ nālaṅkr̥tā mūrdhajāḥ | vāṇyēkā samalaṅkarōti puruṣaṁ yā
saṁskr̥tā dhāryatē kṣīyantē khalu bhūṣaṇāni satataṁ vāgbhūṣaṇaṁ bhūṣaṇam ||
19 ||
In this verse, Bhartruhari is emphasizing the importance of speech. We
always take the faculty of speech for granted and we loosely use this
faculty. Often, we abuse this faculty because it is free and there are no
taxes also. Therefore, its glory and power are not known. Generally, in our
culture, Vāk is given a high status. Here, Bhartruhari also brings out the
importance of speech. If you see this faculty, speech is a unique faculty
available only to the human beings. All the other living beings like,
plants and animals can make some sounds, but the unique power of speaking
in terms of language, makes human beings very much different from the other
animals.
If you take the words produced by human beings, the words have got
twofold status. When I am speaking these words, through your Shrōtra
Indriya, the organs of hearing (ears), you hear these words. From that
stand point, the words are objects or Pramēyam which are revealed through
the Pramānam called the Shrōtra Indriyam. So, from one angle, the speech or
sound is one of the objects of the world, one of the objects known or
experienced. But, if you know the language that I use and if your intellect
is trained enough, though these words are Pramēyam, they themselves are
capable of functioning as Pramānam, producing knowledge in your mind. From
that angle, the words themselves become Pramānam. Imagine that you are
listening to Chinese news in the radio. When you are listening to that, is
it Pramānam or Pramēyam? It is merely functioning as a Pramēyam, an object
of knowledge because you are able to hear the sound. For the Shrōtra
Pramānam, the Chinese news functions as Pramēyam. It is Pratyaksha
Pramēyam. The Chinese news is Pratyaksha Pramēyam, but if you know the
Chinese Language, the very same news becomes Pramānam. The very words
become Shabdha Pramānam. So, the words are the Pratyaksha Pramēyam and for
a trained intellect, the very same words become Shabdha Pramānam.
Therefore, the most unique greatness of human being is Shabdha
Pramānam. That is called Vāk. Once Shabdha Pramānam begins to function for
me, the amount of knowledge that I can gather through written and spoken
words is limitless Nothing can function because all of them are based on
Shabdha Pramānam only. So, if you remove Shabdha Pramānam, the world is
almost zero. In fact, we are able to preserve knowledge belonging to
generations because of Shabdha Pramānam. Therefore, we cannot take for
granted the faculty of speech. It is such a powerful instrument that
through that, I can change the intellect of a person. I can give him
knowledge, which can totally change the direction of his life. Words not
only affect the intellect of a person, and through that his entire life,
but they can affect the emotional mind of a person. They can produce any
emotion, positive or negative. Words can generate love, compassion, and
kindness. Words can generate Kāma, Krōdha, Lōbha, Mōha, Mada, and Mātsarya.
Words cannot only influence individuals, but they can influence even
communities and nations.
They say that in the last century, only three books revolutionized the
world. They are just books, thoughts condensed in words.
One book is the ‘Evolution of Species’ by Darwin, due to which the whole
Christianity was in trouble because their theory of creation is - Bhagawan
sat beyond the clouds and created one after the other. On the seventh day,
he created the Sun because it was all dark. Then, the Sun came and asked -
If he was created on the seventh day, how they found out the previous six
days without the Sun? Thus, there is theory of creation and that got
demolished because of Darwin’s Theory. All those who accepted evolution
theory became atheists, non-believers of God. Even now, evolution theory
influences many people. So, one changed the course or the direction of
humanity.
The second book is the ‘Das Capital’ of Karl Marx, because of which
communism came and countries and countries got converted, affecting
millions of people. Now, after 70-80 years, it is slowly changing. Even
now, the ex Soviet Union is struggling It is all because of book, words,
power of speech.
The third book that affected the course of history is the Hitler’s
biography ‘Mein Kampf’. That was another book which influenced and created
the entire Second World War and changed the course of history.
A book is nothing but just a group of words, but they can
revolutionize. Coming to our scriptural words, our Vēdās, the Upanishads
are nothing but the words. These words can ultimately release a person from
Samsāra. Therefore, never take words for granted.
रक्ष्मभीलतवचत च्जह्वारे च्जह्वारे चभत्र फान्धला च्जह्वारे फन्धनं प्राप्तं
च्जह्वारे भयणं ध्रलभ ् lakṣmīrvasati jihvāgrē jihvāgrē mitra bāndhavā
jihvāgrē bandhanaṁ prāptaṁ jihvāgrē maraṇaṁ dhravam
Prosperity is on the tip of the tongue - lakshmīh vasati jihvāgrē.
Therefore, Vāk is a powerful instrument. Bhartruhari says Vāk not only is a
powerful instrument, but it can serve as a beautiful, unfading ornament. There
are many other physical ornaments, but the problem is that they are all
subject to loss and fading. Whereas Vāk bhūshanam, the words can become
permanent ornament for a person.
That is the topic of this verse. Bhartruhari first talks about other
ornaments. What are they? Kēyūrāni. kēyūraha means bracelet, Kankanam. na
bhūshayanti purusham - they are not the real ornaments of people because
they can fade. Not only that, but even if they continue to be there, the
body which wears the ornament begins to fade. Therefore, kēyūrāni
purushamna bhūshayanti -they do not really decorate. Then, what about
necklaces? hārāh na chandrōjwalāh - even necklaces which shine like the
moon, also really do not decorate. chandravat ujwalāh chandrōjwalāh.
chandrōjwalāh hārāhpurushamna bhūshayanti - They do not really add
beauty. What about baths? There are different types of baths like steam
bath, etc. Then, na vilēpanam. vilēpanam means smearing all kinds of
powders and lotions. They do not really add to the beauty. In fact,
according to the medical science, they are harmful because they close the
pores of the skin which have to be open, because the sweat has to come out.
Sweating is God’s design to maintain the body temperature. The idea is -
love your skin and its natural complexion. If somebody else cannot see
that, it is their Prārabdham. Therefore, don’t bother about that. na
kusumam - Kusumam means decking with all types of flowers. na alankrutā
mūrdhajāh - all kinds of hair decorations or hair do’s, spending thousands
of rupees. Lady barbers are also there. We should not say barber. It is an
indecent word. We have to use some nice words, but the job is that
only. Somebody
said - now, we have a generation which gives so much importance what is
over the head rather than what is inside the head. Therefore, all these
things do not really add to the beauty. mūrdhajaha means hair on the head.
mūrdha means head. jaha means born. mūrdhajaha means born on the head -
mūrdhnahajātaha mūrdhajaha. If these are all not real ornaments, then what
is the ornament?
vāni ēkā samalamkarōti purusham -It is the speech that a person uses.
That is the real beauty of a person, decoration for a person. It is not one
of the ornaments. It is the only unfading ornament. samyak purusham
alankarōti. What type of speech? It is not any type of speech. yā samskrutā
dhāryatē - that speech which is refined, cultured, gentle, soft, polite.
That refined speech alone is the ornament of person. In fact, we can easily
weigh a person, measure a person just by listening to his words for a few
minutes. Now the question is - what do you mean by refined speech? What are
the parameters which determine the refinement of speech? If you ask that
question, we have to take the help of the Bhagavad Gīta where Krishna
mentions four factors which make the speech cultured and refined. In the
17th chapter, instead of using the word Samskrutā Vāni, there Krishna uses
the word Sātvikam Vākyamअनुद्वेगकयं लाक्मं वत्मं वप्रमदशतं ि मत्।
स्लाध्मामाभ्मवनं िैल लाङ्ममं तऩ उछमते॥ १७-१५॥ anudvēgakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ
priyahitaṁ
Krishna mentions four parameters. What are they? The first one is that
it should be Satyam. The first parameter of refined speech is that it is
truthful. In fact, each one is very important. Shankarāchārya says in his
commentary that all the four factors are equally important. That means to
maintain these four factors, is a lifelong project. It is such a tough,
difficult, and a time consuming job. So, the first one is Satyam. Whenever
we get into trouble or if there are conflicts or difficulties, the easiest
way out is lying. So, I should first know the importance. I know the
material advantage, the worldly advantage, the transactional advantage
because many problems can be solved by one lie. But, if I have to follow
truth, I should know is the loss that I have. Even though it has got
worldly, material advantage, I should repeatedly tell my mind that every
lie takes me farther from Mōksha. So, I have to constantly remind that,
every lie takes me farther from Mōksha, whether it is small or big, whether
it is casual or premeditated. So, that is one big project. Then, the second
parameter Krishna says is Anudvēgakaram. It should be non-hurting. It is
another big project because I have to know all the words which will hurt
human beings. For that, I have to watch for all the words which are hurting
me. There are certain universal words which will hurt anyone. Then, there
are certain words which will affect only a particular Nation. Those words
hurt in that nation or community. They affect a particular group or family
or a particular person
Therefore, Anudvēgakaram means I should know all the words which will
hurt different people. This is another big project. All these are with
regard to a single faculty called speech. Therefore, Anudvēgakaram, Ahimsa
Rūpam.
The next factor that has to be taken care of which Krishna mentions in
the Gīta is Priyam. That is, the words should indicate my love, my
compassion, my kindness for the other person. We should watch the tone, the
decibel, the type of words because my attitude is expressed through the
words. Therefore, the words should ooze the attitude of kindness or
compassion - Priyam. That is, it should indicate that I care for the person.
That is, I should not merely keep in mind my own personal benefit. I
should take into account the welfare of the other person also. That is
called Hitam. Shankarāchārya says all the four factors have to be taken
care of. If I take care of only one factor, then also it is unrefined
speech. There are some people who claim that they are very open-minded.
But here, Krishna says speaking everything in the heart cannot be
considered a virtue because before I speak what is in the heart, it should
fulfill three more other factors. It has to be filtered through three more
layers. What are they? They are Anudvēgakaram, Priyam, and Hitam. If the
words cannot come out through these three filters, even though it is in my
heart, I simply should not express. Then, what is his honesty? Isn’t it
hiding the feelings? Shouldn’t I be honest? We should know the definition
of honesty very clearly. What is Honesty? Whatever I speak, should be in
keeping with my feelings. Whatever I speak should be in keeping with my
thoughts. Honesty doesn’t mean speaking whatever is in my thoughts.
Therefore, this blind, uncontrolled, un-censored, openmindedness can become
Himsa. Then, even though it is Satyam, it also comes under Adharma. Satyam
can stand or enjoy the status of Dharma only if it also fulfills
Anudvēgakaram, Priyam, and Hitam. Then, the question comes - if I keep the
feelings inside don’t express them out thinking that they will hurt the
person then, who will convey that? Somebody has to convey certain ideas to
another person. Then, we say Satyam also can be conveyed, if it has to be
conveyed, in a very careful manner, at the right time, at the right place,
by proper padding, taking so many things into account. Even Satyam can be
conveyed without hurting a person ॐ ऩूणतभद् ऩूणतचभदं ऩूणातत्ऩूणतभुदछमते
ऩूणतस्म ऩूणतभादाम ऩूणतभेलालचळष्मते॥ ॐ ळाच्न्त् ळाच्न्त् ळाच्न्त् ॥
om̐pūrṇamadaḥ
pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate ||
om̐śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ || KR IRS 29522
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