It was the New Year's Eve. And, as I viewed the departing year in retrospect, there passed before me a whole procession of faults and failings, of things left undone which should have been done and of acts performed which were best left alone.
I spent the day in "remembrance" and "recollection". And when evening came and I took leave of the setting sun, a wondrous calm filled my heart. I little knew what lay in store for me.
I felt like asking a question. But before I opened my lips, I said to myself: "Surely, my question is not better than silence: so let me be silent!"
The Voice continued:
"If only we could collect the words each one of us speaks, what a huge mountain they would make! Himalayas of words have passed through these tiny lips. And all these words, as it seems to me, come under five categories:
1) Words inspired by love of God. These are the words we utter in adoration of the Eternal-the cry of the soul to the Oversoul, the songs sung in praise of the Most High, prayer, kirtan and jap of the Sacred Name.
2) Words inspired by love of fellow-men. These are the words of comfort and consolation we pass on to those who suffer and struggle and are in sorrow-words which cheer them on life's lonesome way.
3) Words which wound and hurt and kill. These are the words inspired by jealousy, envy, anger, malice or hatred.
4) Words inspired by self-love. These are the words prompted by egoism, by greed and sensuality.
5) Idle words. These are the words men utter without rhyme or reason, merely to while away their time.
And I said: "I have often noticed that in speaking the truth, I have to be unpleasant. In such cases, should I refrain from telling the truth for fear of hurting the feelings of another?"
And the Voice spake:
"Speak the truth, by all means: but let your truth not be bitter. Let the truth you speak be sweet as Truth ever is sweet. For love is truth and truth is love and the twain are one! Love alone has the eyes to see truth."
Above all, remember, that your words should be brief: for only brief words live long in human hearts.
Dada J P Vaswani is a humanitarian, philosopher, educator, acclaimed writer, powerful orator, messiah of ahimsa, and non-sectarian spiritual leader
