Soft and Sweet speech
Soft and sweet speech is the expression of genuine love
Story 1: Once a king summoned an astrologer, who had acquired some reputation. The astrologer felt proud that he had been invited by the king himself. Most of the astrologers are full of ego and conceit. The astrologer examined the king’s horoscope. Because of his conceit, he did not realize how he should speak on specific occasions. He told the king after examining his horoscope, that all his sons would die early. The king was very angry. He ordered the servants to take the astrologer to prison. The prediction was correct, but it should have been conveyed to the king in an appropriate manner that would not cause consternation. The king summoned another astrologer to verify whether the earlier astrologer’s prediction was correct.
This other astrologer was a man of humility. He examined the king’s horoscope and said: “Oh King! You have a very long life. Your sons may not live so long.” This manner of conveying the prediction was more satisfying to the king. The first astrologer, by predicting the premature deaths of the king’s sons, provoked his anger and displeasure. The second astrologer conveyed the same prediction in a less unpleasant way by predicting a long life for the king, though it would mean his outliving his sons. This means that even in conveying truth one should see that it is not conveyed in a harsh or unpleasant manner. Even an unpleasant truth should be conveyed in soft words. For instance, if you see a blind man, you should not ask him brusquely: “Oh you blind fellow Come near me.” It is bound to wound his feelings. How much better is it to go near him and say, “Oh Surdas! Please get up.”
Story 2: When Bheema went to bring the Saugandhika flower for his beloved, he saw Hanuman with his tail lying across the road. Bheema talked rudely to Hanuman, ordering him to remove the tail, for he thought it would mean to walk over someone else’s appendage. The rudeness made Hanuman refuse the demand, and so, Bheema was humiliated for he could not lift the tail and set it aside. He learned the need for politeness in conversation.
Learning Points:
Do not use harsh words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than arrows. Sweetness in speech lies in the words you use and the manner of speech… The words you use should be sweet and pleasing. For this, you should have love in your heart. Only the man who fosters love in his heart is a true human being. A man without love is a lifeless corpse. Make the words true and pleasing. But, for the sake of pleasing another, do not speak falsehood/exaggerate. Cynicism which leads you to speak about a thing in a carping manner and in order to bring it into disrepute is as bad as flattery which makes you exaggerate and cross the boundaries of truth.
References:
- Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 30, Ch. 8
- Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 4, Ch. 21
- Sai Inspires, 1st Aug. 2008
[Adopted from ‘Chinna Katha Volume 1 – P90’]