svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva

May speaking your words be my training,

Knowing their sounds are potent and purifying.

Let sacred recitation be my ladder,

Drawing my heart to you as its shelter.

(Bhagavad Gita 17.15, Part 3)

My dear Lord, help me understand that learning to tap the power of speech is not just a matter of my purposeful determination, but also of my overall purification. And that purification happens most potently when I use my power of speech to recite the words of wisdom that you have given—not just in terms of their meaning, but also in terms of their form.

O omnipotent Lord, the sacred forms of mantras, shlokas, and prayers are all meant not just for mechanical repetition, but for bringing about a magical transformation. Just as physical muscles can be prepared for various combat situations through a structured workout, similarly, my verbal muscles can be prepared for various challenging situations through a structured workout of sacred recitation. Whereas physical workouts cause muscles to exercise and grow, verbal workouts through sacred recitations connect me with your supreme purity and potency, thereby accelerating not only the training of my speech but also its transformation through the inner cleansing of my heart.

O beloved Lord, may these recitations act as ladders and elevators, with their sacred sounds helping my consciousness ascend toward you. And may my heart come closer to you not just while I recite, but eventually rise to reside in you as its default location.

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17.15 Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to others, and also in regularly reciting Vedic literature.