If one’s foot slips, one can take it back and be rescued, but if one’s tongue slips, he cannot be rescued. So also, if one has taken the wrong path, no one can change his path and pull him out of such a situation. (SSB 1974, p. 82)

The tongue has the extra power to harm and hurt, so you must exercise control over it. Do not pain anyone through your words; spread Love; be full of Love. If you cannot love man, how can you hope to love God? (SSS Vol.8, p. 26)

Talking too much hurts one’s mind and destroys one’s memory. The first thing that you have to do is to reduce too much talk. Tell yourselves, ‘Oh tongue! You know good taste and you are a sacred organ of the human body. You should always utter good words like Govinda, Damodara and Madhava’. The eye only commits one sin, that is seeing bad things. The ear commits only one sin that is listening to bad things. However, the tongue commits four sins. It speaks untruths, blames others, carries tales about others and talks too much. The tongue thus commits four sins. In order to guard ourselves from the tongue committing these sins, we must be determined to talk less. This is most important for students. The energy that is present in you will diminish if you talk too much. It will also bring you disrepute. By talking too much, our friends will also call us a bore when we approach them.

Talking too much will weaken your nerves also. When your nerves become weak, you will be a nervous wreck and your tongue will also not be under control. It is because of this that our ancestors gave so much importance to silence. They observed silence over long periods of time. If the same tongue is used to talk about the Lord, it will also remain steady; that is the right thing to do, and using your tongue to talk about the Lord, it will also become sacred. (SSB 1978, pp. 143-144)

Take the name of Narayana on your tongue and become aware of its sweetness; you will find a new meaning in every act of yours. (SSS Vol.2, p. 51)

The main door leading to yoga, the union with God, is control of the tongue; this must be exercised both in the area of taste and in the area of speech. Gita has declared that without control of the tongue it is impossible to follow the path of devotion and enter the mansion of Yoga, which leads to God.

Each sense organ given to human beings has one particular use, but the tongue is endowed with a double power: it has both the power of speech and the power of taste. In the Gita, the Lord cautions you to be very careful in using your tongue. He praises the devotee who has attained complete control over the tongue, for such a one will soon develop a pure and steady heart and feel the constant presence of the Lord. To gain such control, devotees have been practising a number of special disciplines, such as observing silence, controlling their diet or maintaining a complete fast.

Truly speaking, it is not necessary to make such strenuous efforts to control the sense organs; if the tongue is properly controlled all the other sense organs will come in line by themselves. Because man has not been able to gain control over the tongue, he is afflicted with numerous doubts, emotional turmoils, contradictions and confusions. Control of the tongue refers not only to food but also to speech. You must recognise that there is nothing more powerful of words. For this reason, you must keep your talk under control.

According to the Gita, maintaining control over the tongue by taking in Sattvika food in limited quantities is absolutely essential for the devotee. The second aspect of the tongue is talking. As has already been mentioned, speech has its own tremendous power. It can cut the mind. It can break the heart. It can even kill you. It can also give life and encouragement and help to reach your goal. These are two opposite and contradictory results, both affected by the spoken word.

It has been said that tongue relishes sweet things; you can talk to it and say, ‘O tongue, you like sweet things so much, why don’t you linger on the sweet name of the Lord? O tongue, you know what true sacrifice means; you are the embodiment of sacrifice. Use yourself only for singing the name of the Lord. Sing the songs of Narayana, Govinda, Madhava and become sacred and holy thereby.’ (DBG, pp. 39-40, 42-43)

There is still another important feature of the tongue; it has extraordinary forbearance. Whatever are its difficulties and problems, and whatever troubles others give it, it remains focused within itself, never exceeding its own limits, and always observing forbearance. It lives in the midst of exceedingly harmful people, in the presence of very sharp and powerful teeth. With great deal of skill, it manages not to be bitten or hurt by these aggressive fellow-residents that share its tight quarters. With unusual skill and forbearance it has been existing very well with such dreadful people, without even once coming to any harm. In this way, the tongue can teach a number of very important lessons, which can be quite useful to you. For instance, it teaches you, that you can live in the midst of people who are very difficult to live with; with a lot of care, forbearance and skill, you should be able to enjoy a happy life despite such trying circumstances. But in today’s world there will be very few who follow such good examples. For most, once they come in touch with bad people they also tend to become bad. All good feelings, the good qualities, good thoughts, good behaviour, disappear in a moment, and they lose all their merit and virtues. In order that you do not suffer such bad consequences, it is necessary that you gain complete control over your tongue. (DBG, p. 44)

Bhakti Yoga , the path of devotion requires that you use the tongue properly, which means that you use food properly and use words properly. Especially, in this Kali Age, the tongue can get easily sanctified by repeating the holy name. Instead of wasting your precious divine energy and precious time in idle talk, let the tongue constantly sing the praises of God and repeat His name. Sing the name of the Lord! That is the proper way to spend your life, saturating your very existence with the glory and holiness of his presence. (DBG, p. 46)

There is a familiar saying ‘A slip of foot may not cause much harm, but a slip of tongue will land you in hell’. A reckless use of your tongue can grievously hurt others’ hearts. And no doctor on earth can heal the wound caused by a harsh word.

The tongue is prone to four types of lapses: (I) Uttering lies, (2) Carrying tales against others (3) Criticising or scandalising others, (4) Excessive talking. It is these four tendencies that deprive man of his peace of mind. One should speak the truth only. Of course, in some rare cases, it may be dangerous to speak the truth. Under such circumstances, you should be discreet enough to avoid speaking either truth or untruth. Only thus can you be a success in society. (ICS , pp. 57-59)

The best way to avoid these sins is to talk less and talk only when necessary. You should avoid harsh words and speak softly and sweetly. God id adored as ‘Mridu madhura bhashine Namah’. (SSSDK p.164)

With what ingenuity does the tongue

Manage to move about in the mouth

Without getting caught between the teeth!

Man also should behave likewise

To avoid the perils of life.

Forget not these good words, Oh man!

(SSS Vol.29, p. 168)

Jihvagre Vartate Lakshmi

Jihvagre mitra bandhavaha

Jihvagre bandhanam prapthi

Jihvagre maranam Dhruvam (SSB 2002, p. 75)

Laksmi resides on the tip of the tongue

By the tongue are determined friends and relatives.

The tongue can be the cause of the bondage.

The tongue can also lead to death.

(SSB 1995, p. 62)

The tongue must be sanctified by repetition of the Lord’s Name. It has also to use sweet expressions which will spread contentment and joy. Man’s biggest weapon of offence is his tongue. The wounds that his tongue inflicts can scarcely be healed; they fester in the heart for long. They are capable of more damage than even an atom bomb. (SSS Vol. 6, p. 5)

The tongue should be used for spelling the name of the Lord, not for hissing like a serpent, or growling or roaring with intention to strike terror. That is not the purpose for which the tongue is granted to man.

Speech indicates one’s character, reveals one’s personality, educates others, and communicates experience and information. So, be vigilant about words. Slip while talking; the injury is irreparable! (SSS Vol. 15, p. 250)

The tongue is the armour of the heart; it guards one s life. Loud talk, long talk, wild talk, talk full of anger and hate--- all these affect the health of man. They breed anger and hate in others; they wound, they excite, they enrage, they estrange. Why is silence said to be golden? The silent man has no enemies, though he may not have friends. He has the leisure and the chance to dive within himself and examine his own faults and failings. He has no more inclination to seek them in others. If your foot slips, you earn a fracture; if your tongue slips, you fracture some one s faith or joy. That fracture can never be set right; that wound will fester for ever. Therefore, use the tongue with great care. The softer you talk, the less you talk, the sweeter you talk, the better for you and the world. (SSS Vol.5, p. 58)

Vibhishana conducted himself with the utmost truthfulness, righteousness, and piety in Lanka. When Hanuman first landed in Lanka, he encountered Vibhishana at the latex’s palace. He said to Hanuman, ‘Oh Hanuman! I am conducting myself carefully amongst these demons like a tongue amidst the teeth. How long can I live like this? When will I earn Lord Rama’s Grace? When will I enjoy the proximity of the Lord?” Then Hanuman said to Vibhishana, “Oh Vibhishana, the good people in this world are harassed by the wicked demons, who are like the sharp teeth that surround a tongue. But mark one thing. The tongue was born along with you, while the teeth came in the middle and will fall away in the middle. But the tongue which was born with you will last until your death.’

The tongue is a sacred organ. It is virtuous too. It is an embodiment of sweetness and truth though surrounded by the vile, the vicious and the wicked. The teeth do not allow the tongue to come out but in times of necessity it comes out and helps. When the lips run dry, the tongue comes out and moistens the lips. (SSB 1996, pp. 94-95)

Rama held spiritual discussions with the Vanara warriors and imparted to them many great lessons. He told them to behave like the tongue surrounded by rapier-like teeth. Obstacles litter the way of an aspirant at every stage. The tongue outlasts the teeth. Wicked people will fall off like the teeth that surround the tongue. Wicked people will leave you as the teeth leave the tongue. God is your Protector. Protection by God is the talisman for you. God will do anything for you. (SSB 1996, pp. 94-95)

If your foot slips, you earn a fracture; if your tongue slips, you fracture some one s faith or joy. That fracture can never be set right; that wound will fester forever. Therefore, use the tongue with great care. The softer you talk, the less you talk, the sweeter you talk, the better for you and the world. (SSS Vol. 6, p. 205)