Devanagari
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् ।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
Verse text
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate
Synonyms
anudvega-karam
—
not agitating
;
vākyam
—
words
;
satyam
—
truthful
;
priya
—
dear
;
hitam
—
beneficial
;
ca
—
also
;
yat
—
which
;
svādhyāya
—
of Vedic study
;
abhyasanam
—
practice
;
ca
—
also
;
eva
—
certainly
;
vāk-mayam
—
of the voice
;
tapaḥ
—
austerity
;
ucyate
—
is said to be.
Translation
Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
15. Speech which does not disturb others, which is true, agreeable and beneficial, and as well, the recitation of the Vedas, is sattvic austerity of speech.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
15. Speech which does not disturb others, which is true, pleasing and beneficial, and as well the recitation of the Vedas, is austerity of speech.
Purport
One should not speak in such a way as to agitate the minds of others. Of course, when a teacher speaks, he can speak the truth for the instruction of his students, but such a teacher should not speak to those who are not his students if he will agitate their minds. This is penance as far as talking is concerned. Besides that, one should not talk nonsense. The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures. One should at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying. At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the ear. By such discussions, one may derive the highest benefit and elevate human society. There is a limitless stock of Vedic literature, and one should study this. This is called penance of speech.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Anudvega-karam means that in calling out to other persons who have done harm to oneself, one does not cause any disturbance to them.
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
The speech does not cause fear at all in anyone (anudvega karam). It is authoritative (satyam). It is pleasing to the hearer (priya), and at last beneficial for the hearer (hitam). Speech with these four qualities and as well recitation (abhyāsanam) of the Vedas (svādhyāya) is the austerity to be achieved by speech (vāṅ mayam).