Shloka

अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् |
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ||१७-१५||

Transliteration

anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat .
svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ||17-15||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

17.15. The unoffending speech which is true, and which is pleasant and beneficial; and also the practice of regular recitation of the Vedas - all this is said to be an austerity by the speech-sense.

Shri Purohit Swami

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.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

17.15 See Comment under 17.16

Sri Ramanuja

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.

Sri Shankaracharya

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.

Swami Adidevananda

17.15 Speech that causes no shock (hurt and fear etc.) and which is true, pleasant and beneficial, and also the practice of recitation of the scriptures are called the austerity of speech.

Swami Gambirananda

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.

Swami Sivananda

17.15 Speech which causes no excitement, truthful, pleasant and beneficial, the practice of the study of the Vedas, are called austerity of speech.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

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.