‘Maun’ in Sanskrit means silence. The
above is a Sanskrit proverb meaning everything can be achieved through silence.
It is a sign of control and tolerance. An underlying meaning of the proverb is
to exercise the wisdom to understand and comprehend when to speak and when to
be silent, given a particular situation.
When wisdom speaks, be silent. Do not
waste your candle when the sun is there – Anonymous
Mahatma Gandhi said silence has an effective
power to ignite the inner strength. According to him, the person who is on the
path of a continuous and effortful search for the truth follows the road-map of
silence. One of the basic and necessary foundations of Gandhiji’s principles of
Ahimsa could be silence.
Let silence be the art you practise
Many a time silence can speak volumes. A
well-known Hindi proverb Samajhnewale ko ishara kaafi hai has the
similar underlying interpretation – that a silent move can be more effective
than the spoken word. Silence has no limitations of communication. In the good
old days, movies used to be silent in the absence of technological advancement.
However, communication was complete and adequate.
The most important thing in communication
is what is not said – Peter Drucker
Silence is a form of meditation and
meditation without silence is almost impossible. Silence is more inner than
outer. It enables one to be calm and composed in the given situation. It has an
ability to increase one’s capacity to listen. It may not be a coincidence that
‘silent’ and ‘listen’ are spelt with the same letters! Silence can result in a
high level of concentration and high performance.
Work hard in silence; let your success
make the noise
In Hindu religion there is a concept of Maun
Vrat, meaning ‘Vow of Silence’. In the sixth month of the Hindu calendar,
viz. Bhadrapad, 16 days are set aside for those who wish to follow Maun
Vrat. Jain religion follows a particular day as Maun Ekadashi for
observing silence. It is a process of introspection and Maun Vrat could
have a scientific and medical justification too, so as to achieve conservation
of energy by remaining silent and its better utilisation. Exercising silence
enables one to hear the sounds of silence which are as healing as they are
enlightening.
If you want to make sense it has to come
from silence – Shri Shri Ravi Shankar
It is observed that in meetings and
discussions, the participants may speak when silence is expected and may remain
silent when speaking is necessary. It is said that smart people know what to
say, wise people know whether or not to say anything!
Be silent in two situations:
When you feel one can’t understand your
feelings from words, and
When one can understand without any words
In sports
activities such as tennis, silence is expected so that the players can
concentrate on the game. On the other hand, in cricket cheering the players and
creating a racket is usually expected! However, in a tense situation of winning
or losing, the spectators may observe silence on their own.
The quieter
you become, the more you can hear
In the context of the family scenario if the
members and life partners follow the proverb 
to its logical conclusion, the family life can become so peaceful.
The elders’ symbolic silence in place of harsh words in dealing with the
children in the family can many a time work wonders. Moreover, a legacy of
control and tolerance can be passed on its own and naturally to the next
generation.
Silence is one of the hardest arguments
to refute
However, the virtue of silence may have to
be set aside under the situation that one’s silence is interpreted as weakness
or ignorance. In case of a situation of injustice, one may have to make noise
or deal with it in protest with appropriate words. In above situations one’s
silence could be misjudged.
Fools multiply when wise men are silent
The Bhagavad Gita says: Contentment
of the mind, amiable temperament, silence, religious meditation and good
thoughts reflect austerity of the mind.
Let us follow the virtues of silence and
ignite the strength within. Let us strive for the maturity, wisdom and grace to
appreciate that silence can be far more powerful than having the last word.
Namaskaar!
