If you should speak, your words should be like pearls strung on a thread!

If you should speak, your words should be like the luster shed by a ruby!
If you should speak, your words should be like a crystal's flash that cleaves the blue!
If you should speak, the Lord must say "yes, yes, that is true"!
But, if your deeds do not reflect your words, how can Lord Kudala Sangama accept you?

Commentary:
Shiva Sharanas chose to express their deep feelings and profound thoughts in ordinary spoken
Kannada language (instead of scholarly Sanskrit vocabulary) to facilitate understanding by common
people. As such, they had to pay special attention to the clarity and simplicity while keeping Vachanas
to the point. In this Vachana, in addition to stressing the importance of righteous speech, Basvanna
adds the dimension of right action to go with the right speech.
The purpose of the speech is to convey well formed thoughts in a subtle way so the listener is made
comfortable in receiving the thoughts conveyed by the speaker. Spoken words either make us or
break us. Spoken words cannot be taken back, just as a broken pearl cannot be glued back! The
powers and proper use of the speech have helped mankind achieve great things while their misuse
has destroyed man and his environment.
The first line of the Vachana states that we should speak with such intensity and clarity that our words
must be as beautiful and attractive as well strung pearls. Pearl is a precious gem that produces a
subdued yet gentle brilliance resembling a circle of light (aura) around it. While each pearl's brilliance
is gentle and subdued, when they are strung into a necklace, the combined effect is breathtaking.
Each word of our speech should be meaningful and subtle, while the assembly of these words should
result in a high intensity and clarity to make an impact on the listener.
The second line states that the speech should be as illuminative as the bright luster shed by a ruby.
Unlike a pearl, the luster of a ruby spreads far beyond its periphery. Thus, our speech should be such
that its impact is extended beyond the immediate.
The third line states that the speech should be as sharp and to the point as possible. It should be like
the effulgence flashing from a crystal, piercing through whatever it encounters. That is, its influence
should be inestimable and invaluable. It should be well thought off and should have the transparent
clarity of a crystal i.e. it must be crystal clear.
The fourth line provides the ultimate characteristic of the speech. It must be so well formed and reflect
our total sincerity and intensity of thought, that even if the God hears it, He should nod his head in
approval. Since each individual soul is considered a spark from the super soul (the ‘God’), the God
nodding his head in approval may actually imply the approval from those around us.
The last line stresses that the total sincerity of our speech must be associated with fitting conduct. Our
speech must match our deeds and vice versa. If either our words betray our deeds or deeds betray
our words, Lord Kudala Sangama will not approve of it!
While the first four lines appear to characterize ‘speech’, they each seem to be connected to the last
line addressing the right ‘conduct’. While the pearls are our words, the conduct is the string tying them
together. When our conduct and speech match, and both are transparent to our fellow beings, we can
bring about a tremendous effect on everyone around us. Our speech and conduct should be such that
they are appreciated by everyone around us, and should not hurt anyone. This is possible only when
we have deep love for our fellow beings. Such love is though inherent to humans, it seem to be lost
due to the influence of our surroundings and events. Kindling such love back and cultivating a
transparent speech-conduct pattern must be our goal.