केयूरा न विभूषयंति पुरुषं हारा न चन्द्रोज्वला
न स्नानं न विलेपनं न कुसुमं नालंकृता मूर्धजा।
वाण्येका समलंकरोति पुरुषं या संस्कृता धार्यति
क्षीयन्ते खलु भूषणानि सततं वाक्भूषणं भूषणं॥

కేయూరా న విభూషయంతి పురుషం హారా న చన్ద్రోజ్వలా
న స్నానం న విలేపనం న కుసుమం నాలంకృతా మూర్ధజా|
వాణ్యేకా సమలంకరోతి పురుషం యా సంస్కృతా ధార్యతి
క్షీయన్తే ఖలు భూషణాని సతతం వాక్భూషణం భూషణం||

“Bracelets do not adorn a person, nor do the pearl necklaces which shine like the full moon, nor a cleansing bath, nor anointment of the body, nor flowers, nor the decoration of the hair. It is cultured speech alone that embellishes a man. All other ornaments lose their glitter. Only a jewel of a speech remains as the jewel of jewels” ( Vedanta vani July 2010, a Chinmaya publication)

That is an old saying!

But that has a value even today.

Lots of times cultured speech avoids the traps of ego. Cultured speech delivers what is to be said without traversing that domain of unsaid barbs, or hinted hurts or down right insults.

Some times when we are angry, we have that urge to go have that one defining argument with that boss or with that pesky little engineer or the Resident working with us. A cultured speech alone is likely to get you over that moment moving the issue into the possibility of reasonable discussion.

It is not that the cultured speech solves the problems. A cultured speech is more likely to pave the way for the other one to hear your point. Ultimately winning the argument depends on the merit of the case. Cultured speech gives you only an opening.

In any case an uncultured slog at the boss is unlikely to get you anywhere. And bosses, who use one too many uncultured slogs, will certainly find themselves where they deserve to be, with no loyal following!!

This may sound like a soft speech philosophy that is not good for establishing authority and discipline at home or office. There may be fear of ending up as a soft guy not capable of decisive actions! Ultimately it is the Knowledge that gives strength not the decibels or the power of position. There is nothing like cultured speech backed by deep knowledge.

Of course one breeds the other!