Tongue Management - Part-III: Teachings of the Tongue

Bhagawan has spoken extensively about the role of sense organs and their control in a human being’s spiritual journey. However, among all sense organs, Bhagawan has stressed the most on the control of the tongue. It is not without reason that the tongue has been extolled so highly by Bhagawan. He says that the tongue is unique among all sense organs as it is the only sense organ that has been bestowed with two important roles. One is talking and the other is tasting. Control the tongue and you can succeed in controlling all other sense organs, says Bhagawan. Taming the senses and making them subservient to our command is a prerequisite for the spiritual journey of man. Unless the senses are drawn inwards and weaned away from the temptations of the external sensory objects, the mind cannot be directed inwards towards the Self. And unless the mind cannot be turned inwards, man cannot begin his spiritual journey. Therefore, one can understand in this context, the reason behind Bhagawan’s explicit focus on the tongue and its management.

For the purpose of easy reading and comprehension, the posting is presented in four parts, viz Glory of the Tongue (5 clips + 1 extract), Misuse of the Tongue (5 clips), Teachings of the Tongue (3 extracts) and Control of the Tongue (6 clips + 5 extracts). The verse by the poet Jayadeva that describes the glory of the tongue and appeals to the tongue to sing the name of the Lord, has been sung by Bhagawan any number of times. It gets repeated in many of the clips. It only goes to show how Divinely inspired Jayadeva must have been to bring forth this verse to the world.

This part of the posting focuses on the teachings of the tongue. The 3 extracts (without audio) for this part have been taken from the Discourse delivered by Bhagawan in the year 1987.

Teachings of the Tongue: In Extract-1 Bhagawan explains how the tongue has no desire to wander or roam about. Extract-2 talks about how the tongue smartly avoids dangers and accidents. In Extract-3 Bhagawan describes the selfless quality of the tongue. 

You may also wish to read the following three posts relating to the tongue and the power of speech posted earlier. 

Always Speak the Truth

Always Speak the Truth - Case Studies

Talk less – Work More - Observe Silence

Each audio clip has a name that adopts the following code: Serial number, Title appropriate to the key content, Duration of the clip, Year-Month-Date of the Clip. Below the title is the translation in English of the select excerpt of the Discourse, followed by the audio player. The post ends with a short quiz that would help you evaluate your assimilation of Bhagawan's Message from these extracts.  

Note: Those receiving this blog by email may see words bunched together due to a technical glitch. That is beyond my control. Please click on link at the top of the email to read the blog directly. Sorry about this. If anyone has a solution to this please help me out.

Teachings of the Tongue

01-The Tongue has no desire to wander and roam about-1987 May 06 (No Audio Clip)

Tongue has no desire to wander

I shall tell you something more about the tongue. You can learn much by watching the tongue. It stays in its own home and seldom comes out of its doorstep. It keeps quietly indoors; it knows its limits; it has no desire to wander or roam about. This is a lesson you should learn from it. Make yourself busy and useful at home; help your parents and brothers and sisters; do not run out into the street and move place to place, without aim or purpose. Do not rush into the homes of others and disturb them. The tongue never goes into another mouth; it remains inside its own home. It is not proper to leave one's home and waste time, standing or sitting idly, gazing at all those who pass by. You must earn a good name, at home and at school, by your strict mode of life.

02-The Tongue smartly avoids Dangers and Accidents-1987 May 06 (No Audio Clip)

Tongue managing amidst sharp teeth

Do you know of another lesson that the tongue is trying to teach you? Watch your tongue when you are reading aloud or talking to someone. It moves quickly from one side to another, it moves forward and back, in order that the breath can come out as different sounds. And, when you are eating your lunch or dinner, the tongue has to move about pretty quickly. Have you noticed that during all this time, the tongue has to be very careful not to come between the teeth?

03-The Tongue has no greed at all-It is absolutely selfless-1987 May 06 (No Audio Clip)

Tongue is absolutely selfless
Image Source

There are 32 of them, all around the tiny home, with sharp edges like swords, which may cut into the soft thick tongue and wound it, causing it to bleed. Yet, see how skilfully, how cleverly, the tongue moves inside the mouth, escaping the 16 pairs of merciless soldiers that are watching out to wound it! You must also watch all round you, so as to avoid dangers and accidents. Do not fall into bad company, do not be led into bad habits, do not bring a bad name to your parents or your school.

We can learn another lesson too, from the tongue. The tongue has no greed; it does not keep anything for itself. It does not store anything secretly, away from others' hand, so that it can have it all for itself. If a thing is good, the tongue sends it down the throat, to the stomach; if a thing is bad, bitter, or rotten, it sends it out, beyond the lips, as vomit! It has no urge to have anything for itself. It serves others; it puts its own needs last. It does not even keep a trace of the things that pass over it, on the way out or in. It may be oil or ghee, cream or jam; the tongue is as clean as before. It has no likes or dislikes; you must also give up greediness. Do not get too fond of anything. Do all your duties well; give full joy to your parents and teachers. Help all as much as you can. But, learn also to keep quiet for some time every day, and be calm when something happens in the way you do not like.

A Short Quiz

01-What are the three main lessons that Bhagawan drives home through the example of the tongue?

02-How does Bhagawan expect us to follow the message in these lessons in our day to day life?

To read the previous part, click here – Part II

To read the next part, click here – Part IV

You may also wish to read the following three posts relating to the tongue and the power of speech posted earlier.

Always Speak the Truth

Always Speak the Truth - Case Studies

Talk less – Work More - Observe Silence