Written by London Swaminathan 

Date: 31 DECEMBER 2017 

Time uploaded in London- 15-29

Post No. 4569

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It is said that ‘Speech is sliver and silence is golden’. But Chanakya goes one step further and says that one who eats in silence will have respect in heaven for ever.

Loot at the following sloka-9 in Chapter 11 0f Chanakya Niti:

One who has meals for a full year in silence gets respect in heaven for a thousand crore Yugas.

Yastu samvatsaram purnam nityam maunena bhunchati

yugakotisahasram tu svargaloke mahiyate.

A Swiss inscription says, “Sprehfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden’

These phrases are only a few centuries old. But Indian phrases are older than these.

There is some logic behind eating in silence and getting great benefits. Many of the times we don’t appreciate the good things in cooking done by wives or mothers. They do it well for 90 out of 100 days. But when it s not up to the mark in the ten out of 100 days we shout at them or at least we criticise them, saying this has no salt or this has too much salt, this is very spicy, this is very oily etc. If we eat in silence this would not happen. And both the cook and the person who took the food feel contented and happy.

In another sloka Chanakya says,

Silent Prayer

We all know the great saint of Tiruvannamalai Sri Ramana Maharishi cleared the doubts of thousands of devotees in silence. Even people like Paul Brunton (author of Search in Secret India) acknowledged that they got answers for their questions by simply in front of him, who most of the times maintained silence.

Chanakya says,

udyoge naasti darityam japato naasti patakam

maune cha kalaho naasti naasti jagarite bhayam

The meaning is.th exertion there is no poverty; one who offeres silent prayer incurs no sin. In silence there is no quarrel. For one who is wide awake there is no fear.

This advice is also very practical. If everyone maintains silence, the world will be a better place to live in. In silence there is no quarrel.

One who does prayer in silence, gets more benefit. In our own time we have seen Ramana Maharishi maintaining silence and helping the devotees. Many spiritual centres have meditation halls where silent prayer is encouraged.

Chinese philosopher Confucius said,