Taittiriya Upanishad Lecture 107 Ch3.9-10 on 03 June 2026 Q&A

Q&A: On the Alignment of Thought, Speech, and Action

Devotee: Last class, you had mentioned about thought, speech and action – all three in one, and one and three influence each other.

Swami: Yeah.

Devotee: So, how did – and it is a fact that only perfect people have all these three aligned. When a sādhaka tries to improve all these three, the first question is: how did all these three even become incoherent when they are influencing each other?

The Starting Point of Spiritual Practice

Swami: You see, the very first step in spiritual practice, as revered Swami Yatheshwaran Maharaj used to tell, is to be observing our own thoughts. So we have to practice it simply. Like a blind bull crashing into any house or anywhere – that is not the way. So I have to be careful. I have to determine that I will not think evil thoughts. Am I thinking evil thoughts? Because of our unwholesome samskāras, they will come, but if we keep an eye: "That is an evil thought; that should not be thought."

Observing and Controlling Thought and Speech

So when thoughts are somewhat controlled, speech also we have to observe: what type of words are coming. Words have tremendous influence upon our thoughts. Again, for example, if somebody is calling the food as "grub", he will really get only grub. Even the mother is called something very old girl, like that. These are all very, very bad – what is called uncultured type of words.

The Taittirīya Upaniṣad on Purity of Speech

That is why in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, what is the very first section in the Śikṣā Valī? What is the very first training that is given? The purity of how we speak, right. And in the earlier days, they used to teach us in classes – what is called high literature, classical literature, non‑detail – they are all trainings in how to use beautiful language. You see, that is what we have lost nowadays, especially if you watch movies, etcetera. What type of horrendous words are being used, and the people who watch also are likely to imbibe them and do it, isn't it?

Devotee: Yes.

The Way Out: Watchfulness

Swami: So what is the way out? Keep a watch on our thoughts, keep a watch on what we are thinking, what we are speaking, and keep a watch on what we are doing, especially the motivations. If we can slowly increase this watchfulness, then slowly, slowly – it will take time – but things will definitely come under control.