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Bhagavad-gītā 17.15

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्‍मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
[anudvega-karam vaakyam]
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
[satyam priya-hitam cha yat]
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
[svaadhyaayaabhyasanam chaiva]
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate
[vaan-mayam tapa uchyate]
Word-for-word
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 .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
anudvega - karam
not agitating
vākyam
words
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
satyam
truthful
priya
dear
hitam
beneficial
ca
also
yat
which
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
svādhyāya
of Vedic study
abhyasanam
practice
ca
also
eva
certainly
vāk - mayam
of the voice
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate
tapaḥ
austerity
ucyate
is said to be .
Important Words
  • anudvega - karam — not agitating
    Compound: an- (not) + udvega (agitation, distress) + kara (causing). The first criterion of speech-austerity is negative: speech that does not throw the hearer into agitation. Truthful speech that needlessly disturbs fails this test.
  • satyam — truthful
    From √as — to be. Satya is not merely 'accurate' but 'rooted in being.' Speech corresponds to what is, not to what one wishes were. The second criterion: anudvega without satya becomes flattery.
  • priya — dear, pleasing
    From √prī — to please. The third criterion: speech delivered in a register that does not abrade. The four criteria together form a tight grid: anudvega and priya govern the manner; satya and hita govern the substance.
  • hitam — beneficial
    From √dhā — placed (well-placed for the hearer). The fourth criterion: speech must aim at the listener's actual welfare. Truth said for one's own satisfaction at another's expense fails this test.
  • svādhyāya — of Vedic study
    Compound: sva (one's own) + adhyāya (recitation, study). 'One's own daily recitation' — the specific term for the brāhmaṇical practice of reciting one's portion of the Veda. The verse closes with the affirmative half of speech-tapas: the tongue not only restrains but recites. Speech-austerity is half restraint, half recitation.
  • abhyasanam — practice
    From abhi + √as — to throw oneself toward, to practise repeatedly. Critical word: the verse does not say svādhyāya alone but svādhyāya-abhyasanam — habitual, daily, repeated study. Not one reading but the discipline of returning.
Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Speech-tapas has four criteria — non-agitating, true, pleasing, beneficial — plus daily Vedic study. The four criteria must hold together: a truth that wounds, or a sweet untruth, both fail. Speech as discipline restrains tongue precisely where it has most power to cause harm.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The fourfold filter (anudvega-kara, satya, priya, hita) is much cited in dharma-śāstra and anticipates Manu 4.138 (satyaṁ brūyāt priyaṁ brūyāt). Note that svādhyāya — recitation of one's own śākhā — is here called a vocal-tapas, foregrounding the disciplined sonic body. Contrast Kṛṣṇa's choice of vocal practice (svādhyāya) with the demonic mode of vocal abuse implied in 16.4 (paruṣya).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
अनुद्वेग-करं सत्यं प्रिय-हितं च यत् वाक्यं, स्वाध्याय-अभ्यसनं च एव — एतत् वाङ्-मयं तपः उच्यते ।
anudvega-karaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat vākyaṃ, svādhyāya-abhyasanaṃ ca eva — etat vāṅ-mayaṃ tapaḥ ucyate |
Speech that does not agitate, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and the practice of personal Vedic recitation — this is called austerity of speech.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
अनुद्वेग-करं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रिय-हितं च यत् । स्वाध्याय-अभ्यसनं च एव वाङ्-मयं तपः उच्यते ॥
anudvega-karaṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priya-hitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāya-abhyasanaṃ ca eva vāṅ-mayaṃ tapaḥ ucyate ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
अनुद्वेग-करम् anudvega-karam अनुद्वेग (m.) + कर (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., upapada-tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) not producing agitation
वाक्यम् vākyam वाक्य (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) utterance
सत्यम् satyam सत्य (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. truthful
प्रिय-हितम् priya-hitam प्रिय (adj.) + हित (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., dvandva/karmadhāraya pleasing and beneficial
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
यत् yat यद् (rel. pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. which
स्वाध्याय-अभ्यसनम् svādhyāya-abhyasanam स्वाध्याय (m.) + अभ्यसन (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) practice of personal recitation of Veda
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
वाङ्-मयम् vāṅ-mayam वाच् (f.) + मय (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. made of speech, vocal
तपः tapaḥ तपस् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) austerity
उच्यते ucyate √वच् pass. (passive) pres. (present) 3sg. is said
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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
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.
Commentary

Anudvega-karam means that in calling out to other persons who have done harm to oneself, one does not cause any disturbance to them.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
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.
Commentary

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).

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Austerity of speech (5 points)

Speaking truthful words
Process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say something upheld by the scriptures
Pleasing
Beneficial
Not agitating to others
e.g. Teacher can correct only his students (even if it is agitating) but not others who are not his students
Also regularly reciting Vedic literatures
One should study the limitless stock of Vedic literatures available
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
17.15 Yat, that; vakyam, speech; anudvegakaram, which causes no pain, which is not hurtful to creatures which is satyam, true; priya-hitam, agreeable and beneficial with regard to facts seen or unseen-. 'Speech' is alified by characteristics such as being not hurtful, etc. The ca (and) is used for grouping together the alifying characteristics. When a sentence is used in order to make another understand, if it happens to be avoid of one or two or three among the alities-truthfulness, agreeability, beneficialness, and non-hurtfulness-, then it is not austerity of speech. As in the case of a truthful utterance there would occur a want of austerity of speech if it be lacking in one or two or three of the others, so also in the case of an agreeable utterance there would be no austerity of speech were it ot be without one or two or three of the others; and similarly, there would be no austerity of speech even in a beneficial utterance which is without one or two or three of the others. What, again, is that austerity (of speech)? That utterance which is true as also not hurtful, and is agreeable and beneficial, is the highest austerity of speech: As for example, the utterance, 'Be calm, my boy. Practise study and yoga. Thery you will gain the highest.' Svadhyaya-abhyasanam, the practice of the study of scriptures, as is enjoined; ca eva, as well; ucyate, in said to be; tapah, austerity; vanmayam, of speech.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
17.15 Verbal austerity consists in using words that do not hurt others, are true, are pleasing and are beneficial. It also involves studying scriptural texts.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
17.15 See Comment under 17.16
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
17.15 Speech which causes no excitement, truthful, pleasant and beneficial, the practice of the study of the Vedas, are called austerity of speech.
Commentary

17.15 अनुद्वेगकरम् causing no excitement? वाक्यम् speech? सत्यम् truthful? प्रियहितम् pleasant and beneficial? च and? यत् which? स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनम् the practice of the study of the Vedas? च and? एव also? वाङ्मयम् of speech? तपः austerity? उच्यते is called.Commentary The words of the man who practises the austerity of speech cannot cause pain to others. His words will bring cheer and solace to others. His words prove beneficial to all. The organ of speech causes great distraction of mind. Control of speech is a difficult discipline but you will have to practise it if you want to attain supreme peace. Nothing is impossible for a man who has a firm determination? sincerity of purpose? iron will? patience and perseverance.It is said in Manu Smritiसत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्।प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयात् एष धर्मः सनातनः।।One should speak what is true one should speak what is pleasant. One should not speak what is true if it is not pleasant nor what is pleasant if it is false. This is the ancient Dharma.Excitement Pain to living beings.Speech? to be an austerity? must form an invariable combination of all the four attributes mentioned in this verse? viz.? nonexciting or nonpainful? truthful? pleasant and beneficial if it is wanting in one or the other of these attributes? it cannot form the austerity of speech. Speech may be pleasant but it it is lacking in the other three attributes? it will no longer be an austerity of speech.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
17.15 That speech which causes no pain, which is true, agreeable and beneficial; as well as the practice of study of the scriptures,-is said to be austerity of speech.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
17.15 Speech that hurts no one, that is true, is pleasant to listen to and beneficial, and the constant study of the scriptures - this is austerity in speech.
Related values & verses
Primary values
Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Apaishunam (Non-slander)
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 10.15 BG 9.14 BG 12.19 SB 1.5.22 SB 3.13.50 SB 11.19.36 CC Antya 20.21 CC Ādi 9.41 CC Madhya 7.128 Taittirīya Upaniṣad 1.9BRS 1.2.75
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Austerity of speech — words that cause no agitation, truthful, pleasant, beneficial; regular study of Vedic scripture.
Practical Applications
  • Audit your speech for the four qualities.
  • Address one specific failing.
  • Add regular scripture study.
Reflection Questions
  • What speech-quality failing of mine is most evident?
  • What study schedule would I commit to?
Analogy

Speech austerity is like a river that has learned not to flood. The water still flows abundantly — but inside its banks, where it nourishes rather than drowns. Truthful, pleasing, beneficial, non-agitating — these are the banks. Vedic study is the spring that keeps the river fed.

Stories
Vidura's counsel to Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Throughout the Mahābhārata, Vidura speaks to his blind half-brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra with the four qualities Kṛṣṇa lists here: anudvega-karam (never agitating beyond what truth required), satyam (truthful even when Dhṛtarāṣṭra wished otherwise), priyam (offered with affection), hitam (always for the king's actual welfare).

The Vidura-nīti — his long counsel in the Udyoga-parva — is the canonical example of vāk-mayam tapas: speech turned into a discipline of dharma. He spoke at length and yet every sentence was tapas, not chatter.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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