Words: Seeds or Swords
When Words Heal, When Words Harm
Words.
They’re not just sounds.
They’re seeds — capable of blooming into gardens, or exploding like firecrackers in a dry forest.
What comes from your mouth does not vanish — it echoes, it shapes, it blesses, or it breaks.
Your words carry prana — they either uplift, or they infect. There’s no in-between.
The Two-Edged Sword of Speech
Words can build temples.
Words can destroy dynasties.
A single sentence, spoken at the right time, has ended wars.
Another, said with a twisted tongue, has ripped hearts apart.
A harsh truth becomes a whip in the wrong tone.
A sweet lie becomes poison in golden wrapping.
A joke born in ego can crush a soul that was barely holding on.
This is the danger:
Once spoken, your words do not belong to you anymore.
They fly into the world — to nourish, to tear, or to haunt.
When to Speak: The Four Sacred Filters
Before a word leaves your lips, it must pass through four gates:
- Is it true? — Not what you think. Not what you assume. Is it truly, factually, unquestionably true?
- Is it kind? — Will it hurt unnecessarily? Can the same message be said with softness?
- Is it needed? — Even if it’s true and kind — does it serve a purpose right now?
- Is it the right moment? — Truth spoken at the wrong time is still violence.
If any one gate is closed, silence is wiser.
When Not to Speak: The Strength of Silence
Do not speak...
- To win an argument that doesn’t uplift anyone.
- To feed your ego with cleverness or sarcasm.
- To vent your poison when your heart is overheated.
- To fill the silence, because you’re uncomfortable with stillness.
Remember this:Silence never needs apology.
But many words will beg for forgiveness long after they’ve escaped.
Tapas of the Tongue: Austerity in Speech
Speech can be a sadhana. A true form of tapasya.
In the Gita, Krishna says: Speech that doesn’t cause agitation, that is truthful, loving, and beneficial — that is tapas of speech.
Talk less. Mean more.
Speak like a flute — not noise, but music.
Speak like a mantra — brief, deep, and transformative.
How to Decide: Should I Speak Now?
Ask yourself:
Will this word bring peace or provoke fire?
Am I speaking for dharma, or for drama?
Is this about serving the other, or serving my ego?
If your heart is cloudy, wait.
If your mind is trembling, pause.
Let your words rise from still waters — not from stirred mud.
Speak knowing that the world is listening — because it is.
Somewhere, someone’s life might change by what you say. Or get wounded beyond repair.
So speak with tapas.
Speak with light.
And when in doubt — let silence do the talking.
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