Pratiyogita Darpan English Edition - May 2018

Speech is a worldly activity, but silence is a spiritual one. We get what we want in this material world
through the power of our speech, but we get to know God only through silence. Speech is not bad, for it is
through speech that we undertake our various activities in life. But silence is an uplifting factor; it elevates us to a higher plane. Silence is a potent weapon in the armoury of the wise to vanquish a recalcitrant adversary. If speech is silver, silence is golden. Too much babbling and prattling undermines one’s personality and may lead to the erosion of something very valuable in life—wisdom, conviction, faith and above all, a balanced approach to life. One who maintains a judicious balance between speech and silence turns the corner of success in life and may rise to the highest pedestal of humanity. It was not in vain that our great rishis advocated observance of silence. Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave observed silence for days together before embarking on world-shaking movements. Try practicing meditation and silence before undertaking important tasks and you will see a world of achievements and accomplishments unfolding itself before you. It is therefore always advisable to learn the virtue of silence if you want to be a stuff of worth and value, a person of essence and substance, and an aspirant to an ennobling existence.