Since one's life is shaped by his mind, what he thinks, that he becomes. As the mind is nothing but thoughts-stuff (Phurne), whatever is in one's mind will reflect in his words (or speech). In turn, words manifest as actions ("Karnee"); actions form habits; and habits solidify in character. Thus, thoughts processed in one's head ultimately become manifest in his face, speech, body and overall attitude. Simply put, what we consistently cultivate in our minds determines our character-formation, and our destiny. Therefore, if one wants to change the character-formation in him, he can do so by consistently changing his thoughts. Thus goes the proverbial expression: "Man is the architect of his destiny".

No wonder the sweet speech is acknowledged as "magic Mantra" in the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS). There is also an another popular proverbial expression: "As you think, so you become." Because our tongue utters and our body acts as is our thinking, mentality or awareness. To link with God, the Gurbani asks us to wear these "three robes" — sweet speech, humility and forgiveness. Sweet speech also entails truthful speech.

• kvxu su AKru kvxu guxu kvxu su mxIAw mMqu ]kvxu su vyso hau krI ijqu vis AwvY kMqu ]126]invxu su AKru Kvxu guxu ijhbw mxIAw mMqu ]ey qRY BYxy vys kir qW vis AwvI kMq: Kavan su akhar kavan gun kavan su maneeaa ma(n)t. Kavan su veso haou karee jit vas aavai ka(n)t. Niwan su akhar khavan gun jihba maneeaa mant. Ye trai bhaine ves kar taa vas aavee kant: What is that word, what is that virtue, and what is that magic Mantra? What are those clothes, which I can wear to captivate my Husband Lord? Humility is the word, forgiveness is the virtue, and sweet speech is the magic mantra. Wear these three robes, O sister, and you will captivate your Husband God (sggs 1384).
• jYsw syvY qYso hoie: Jaisaa sevai taiso hoi: As you think, so you become (sggs 224).
• jyhI suriq qyhw iqn rwhu: Jehee surit tehaa tin raah: As is your awareness, so is your way (sggs 25).
• jyhI mnsw kir lwgY qyhw Plu pwey: Jehee mansaa kar laagai tehaa phal paae: As is the mentality, so is the meed (sggs 116).
• kwdI kUVu boil mlu Kwie]bRwhmxu nwvY jIAw Gwie ]jogI jugiq n jwxY AMDu] qIny EjwVy kw bMDu: Kaadi koor bol mal khae. Brahamin naavai jeea ghai. Jogi jugat na jaanai andh. Teeno ujarai ka bandh. Teene oujaarrae kaa ba(n)dhh: The Qazi tells lies and eats filth; the Brahmin kills and then takes cleansing baths. The Yogi is blind, and does not know the Way. The three of them devise their own destruction (sggs 662).
• squ sMqoKu sdw scu plY scu bolY ipr Bwey: Satu santokh sadaa sach palai sach bolai pir bhaae: I (Soul- bride) ever gather truthfulness and contentment in my lap, and my Beloved Lord is pleased with my truthful speech (sggs 763).
  

The Gurbani groups all human beings in two categories — Gurmukhs and Manmukhs. The Gurmukhs are the Spiritual Beings (Self-realized or enlightened beings), The Manmukhs on the other hand are unenlightened, materialistic or ego beings who follow their deluded minds (Haume). The Gurmukhs are sweet spoken, whilst the Manmukhs are bitter. Either each one of us is a Manmukh or a Gurmukh. In the Gurbani, Maya is also identified with bitter speech. It implies that the Manmukhs are Mayadhaaree. In the love of Maya, Manmukh's reading, speaking, thinking and acting are false. The external mind (Haume) absorbed in wrong speech, wrong thought and wrong action becomes insanity.

• nwnk mnmuiK bolxu vwau: Nanak Manamukh bolan vaaou: O Nanak, the speech of the self-willed manmukh is just wind (sggs 151).
• mnmuK buiD kwcI mnUAw folY AkQu n kQY khwnI: Manmukh budhi kaachee manooaa dolai akath na kathai kahaanee: The intellect of the Manmukh is false; his mind wavers and wobbles, and he cannot speak the Unspoken Speech (sggs 1233).
• mwQY iqRkutI idRsit krUir ]bolY kauVw ijhbw kI PUiV ]sdw BUKI ipru jwnY dUir ]1]AYsI iesqRI iek rwim aupweI ]auin sBu jgu KwieAw hm guir rwKy myry BweI: Maathai trikuttee drisatt karoor. Bolai kourraa jihabaa kee foorr. Sadaa bhookhee pir jaanai door. ||1|| Aisee isatree ik raam oupaaee. Oun sabh jag khaaiaa ham gur raakhe merae bhaaee: A frown creases her forehead, and her look is evil. Her speech is bitter, and her tongue is rude. She is always hungry, and she believes her Husband to be far away. ||1|| Such is Maya, the woman, which the One Lord has created. She is devouring the whole world, but the Guru has saved me, O my Siblings of Destiny (sggs 394).
• gurmuiK sdw sohwgxI ipru rwiKAw aur Dwir ]imTw bolih iniv clih syjY rvY Bqwru]soBwvMqI sohwgxI ijn gur kw hyqu Apwru: Gurmukh sadaa sohaaganee pir raakhiaa our dhaar. Mithaa bolahi niv chalahi sejai ravai bhataar. Sobhaava(n)tee sohaaganee jin gur kaa het apaar: The Gurmukh is the happy and pure soul-bride forever. She keeps her Husband Lord enshrined within her heart. Her speech is sweet, and her way of life is humble. She enjoys the Bed of her Husband Lord. That happy and pure soul-bride is noble and she has infinite love for the Guru (sggs 31).
• horu kUVu pVxw kUVu bolxw mwieAw nwil ipAwru: Hor koorr parranaa koorr bolanaa Maya naal piaar: False is other reading and speaking in the love of Maya (sggs 84).

As indicated in the Gurbani, man's True Nature (Pure Consciousness or Awareness, Joti-Svaroopa, etc.) also includes sweet speech. But it has been lost on account of the rise of Haume (ego) within — lust, anger, greed, attachment, self-conceit, enviousness, stubborn mindedness, selfishness, unrighteousness and so on. Without conquering these negative tendencies of the deluded mind, one's speech will not turn sweet and sublime. To this end, the Gurbani urges us not to do those deeds that will attach our minds to this mental "filth".

• so ikCu kir ijqu mYlu n lwgY: So kish kar jit mail na laagai: Make only those efforts by which mental "filth" — lust, anger, greed, bondage, pride, jealousy, stubborn mindedness, etc. — may not attach to you (sggs 199).
• shij sMqoiK sIgwrIAw imTw bolxI: Sahaj santhokh seegaareeaa mithaa bolanee: We are adorned with intuitive ease, contentment and sweet words (sggs 17).
• mn qUM joiq srUpu hY Apxw mUlu pCwxu: Mann toon joti saroop hai apnaa mool pashaan: O my mind, you are That — the true image of the Divine Light — know your Reality (sggs 441).
• jIiq ley Eie mhw ibKwdI shj suhylI bwxI: Jeeth laye oui mahaa bikhaadee sahaj suhelee bani: I have now conquered those terrible evil-doers, and my speech is now sweet and sublime (sggs 206).

Why is it the Gurbani emphasizes so much on sweet speech? Because, in the Gurbani, sweet speech is recognized as Godhood. In other words, to experience within God's sublime Presence, one's speech has to be equally sweet and sublime. Speaking without due consideration and discrimination causes intellectual and psychic upheavals. Both to speak and to think go hand in hand — both are to create. Therefore, the control of speech and the mind is of the greatest importance in one's inner transformation.

• imT bolVw jI hir sjxu suAwmI morw ]hau sMmil QkI jI Ehu kdy n bolY kaurw ]kauVw boil n jwnY pUrn BgvwnY Aaugxu ko n icqwry: Mith bolarraa jee har sajan suaamee moraa. Haou sa(n)mal thakee jee ouhu kade na bolai kouraa. Kourraa bol naa jaanai pooran bhagavaanai aougan ko na chitaare: My Dear God, my Friend, speaks so sweetly. I have grown weary of testing Him, but still, He never speaks harshly to me. He does not know any bitter words; the Perfect Lord does not even consider my faults and demerits (sggs 784).
• shj kQw pRB kI Aiq mITI kQI AkQ khwxI: Sahaj kathaa prabh kee ati meethee kathee akath kahaanee: God's Sermon is so very sweet. It brings celestial peace. It is to speak the Unspoken Speech (sggs 781).
• dyiK dmodr rhsu min aupijE nwnk ipRA AMimRq bwnI: Dekh damodar rahas man oupajiou Nanak pria amrit bani: Seeing my Lord, joy has welled up in my mind; O Nanak, the speech of my Beloved is so sweet! (sggs 1119).
• myrY min imst lgy ipRA bolw: Maerai mani misat lage pria bolaa: The Speech of my Beloved seems so sweet to my mind (sggs 1211).
• kvl nYn mDur bYn koit sYn sMg soB khq mw jsod ijsih dhI Bwqu Kwih jIau: Kaval nain madhur bain koti sain sa(n)g sobh kahat maa jasod jisahi dahee bhaat khaahi jeeou: You are lotus-eyed, with sweet speech, exalted and embellished with millions of companions. Mother Yashoda invited You as Krishna to eat the sweet rice (sggs 1402).
• gur rwmdws drsnu pris kih mQurw AMimRq bXx: Gur raamadaas darasan paras kahi mathuraa amrit bayan: So speaks Mat'huraa: gazing upon the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of Guru Raam Daas, His speech became as sweet as nectar (sggs 1408).
• koml bwxI sB kau sMqoKY: Komal bani sabh ko santhokhai: The Sweet Words of His Bani soothe everyone (sggs 299).
• ibnvMiq nwnku dwsu hir kw qyrI cwl suhwvI mDurwVI bwxI: Binava(n)t Nanak daas har kaa teree chaal suhaavee madhuraarree bani: Prays Nanak, I am Your slave, O Lord; Your walk is so graceful, and Your speech is so sweet (sggs 567).
• mDur bwnI iprih mwnI iQru sohwgu qw kw bxw: Madhur bani pirahi maanee thir sohaag taa kaa banaa: (That soul-bride who has the Lord as her Husband) Her speech is so sweet; she obeys her Beloved Lord; her marriage is permanent and everlasting (sggs 457).
• ry mn gihly bwvly mwxih ikAw rlIAW: Re man gahilae baavale maanahi kiaa raleeaaan: O my thoughtless and insane mind, why are you indulging in pleasures (of the senses)? (sggs 1380).

To cultivate this essential quality, the Gurbani asks us to follow the Guru's Teachings, abide in the Divine Name; become the true spiritual beings (Gurmukhs); renounce negativity; listen to the the words of the Holy; constantly remember God; practice devotion; live out Love for there is a direct link between love and sweet speech etc.

• gMFu prIqI imTy bol: Ga(n)dh pareetee mithe bol: There is a bond between love and words of sweetness (sggs 143).
• gurmiq hir hir mITw lwgw guru mITy bcn kFwvYgo: Guramat har har meethaa laagaa gur meethae bachan kadhaavaigo: Following the Guru's Teachings, the Lord seems sweet to them; the Guru inspires them to speak sweet words (sggs 1308).
• Awpu iqAwig srxI pvW muiK bolI imTVy vYx: Aap tiaag saranee pavaan mukh bolee mithrre vain: Renouncing selfishness and conceit, I seek His Sanctuary, and speak sweet words to Him (sggs 136).
• mITw boly AMimRq bwxI Anidnu hir gux gwau: Meethaa bole amrit bani anadin har gun gaaou: (Within whose mind the Immaculate Name of the Lord abides deep) His speech is sweet, and his words are nectar; night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord (sggs 853).
• PrIdw kMin muslw sUPu gil idil kwqI guVu vwiq: Fareedaa kann musalaa soof gal dil kaatee gurr vaat: Fareed, you wear your prayer shawl on your shoulders and the robes of a Sufi; your words are sweet, but there is a dagger in your heart (sggs 1380).
• nwnk auDrY swD suin rsY: Nanak oudharai saadh sun rasai: O Nanak, listening to the sweet words of the Holy, one is saved (sggs 272).
• muKhu Bgiq aucrY Amru guru iequ rMig rwqau: Mukhahu bhagati oucharai amar gur it ra(n)g raatou: Guru Amar Daas utters the words of devotion, imbued with the Love of the Lord (sggs 1394).
• muhO ik bolxu bolIAY ijqu suix Dry ipAwru ]AMimRq vylw scu nwau vifAweI vIcwru: Muha ki bolan boleeai jit sun dharae piaar. Amrit velaa sach naaou vaddiaaee veechaar: What words can we speak to evoke His Love? In the Amrit Velaa chant the True Name, and contemplate His Glorious Greatness (sggs 2).

In the final analysis, what it comes down to is that the man of Viveka-Budhi (discriminating intellect) ought to merge his sense organs into the mind (including tongue); then merge that mind into the wise self; then merge that wise self into the Soul (Aatmaan); and lastly merge the Soul into the Supreme Soul (Parmaatmaan). in other words, just as the water in the mirage is eliminated upon knowledge of the real nature of the mirage, similarly, upon knowledge of one's True Nature, one transcends all mirage-like projections of his ignorance and becomes established in Parmaatmaan.

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:39 PM (PST)

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