Silence!

[Gummuluru Murthy]

Yes, silence, the most beautiful expression. Let me add one or two points
on silence.

Silence is the best way to teach. The greatest teacher of all is Shri
DakshiNamurti, the south-facing Lord Shiva, who teaches by silence. Shri
Shanakara's DakshiNAmurti stotra is a beautiful piece on reverence to
teacher and on the art of teaching by silence. Shri RamaNa used this technique
quite effectively to teach advaita to the devotees.

Lots of people follow mouna-vrata (the vow of silence) one day a week.
Personally, I feel silence is good as long as it is the mind that is
quieted. Keeping the mouth shut, but having the other sense organs working
overtime does not take us any where. My interpretation of mouna-vrata is
keep all the sense organs quiet so that they are inwardly directed and
explore the ear of the ear, the eye of the eye etc.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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mAyAshakti vilAsakalpita mahAvyAmoha samhAriNe
tasmaishrIgurumUrtaye nama idam ShridakshiNAmurtaye
                        Shri Shanakra in DakshiNAmurti stotra

I bow to Shri DakshiNamurti in the form of my guru:
to Him who dispels the mighty illusion evoked by mAyA's play
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