Beautiful language is not necessarily a sign of religiousness or spirituality
Theologians, philosophers, priests, pundits and intellectuals use beautiful languages, at times poetic, at times philosophic, and at others rational and scientific. Yet these are not signs that the individuals have undergone any transformation. Most of them wear nice masks in public, whereas in their private lives they portray a completely different image. People of meagre intelligence are easily influenced by their rhetoric. Similarly, good-mannered or well-behaved people are not necessarily spiritual or religious. Very often, they are like beautiful machines, therefore uncreative and inhuman. They fit well in society but have not flourished and have not tasted their soul.
Most of such people are like computers: they have input knowledge but they themselves know nearly nothing and have no personal experience. Amongst them, you will have some who even hold PhDs in religious studies, in philosophy and other branches of knowledge. I don't understand what a PhD has to do with religion and the scriptures, which are guides to the inner journey. Enlightened beings alone can interpret, explain and reveal the secrets of religion or spirituality. An ounce of experience is better than a PhD when it comes to religious matters.
Kabir, the 15th century mystic, was illiterate, yet he had realised and experienced Rama. Has the individual who holds a PhD in Ramayana had even a glimpse of his soul? Many such people pose as teachers to gain name and fame. They wear the garb of saintliness and humility while they are very much arrogant and ignorant.
I have heard people saying that so and so is an authority on the Bible or the Quran and so on. But unless you have experienced Godliness, how can you be an authority and why be the authority of borrowed knowledge? Jesus was asked, "On what authority do you do and say all those things?" Man's authority is his own experience; whose else can it be? Krishna was the authority for the Gita, and so was Mohammed for the Quran.
Beware of sweet languages. A genuine religious person speaks frankly and directly and of course, that is not sweet to many people. And many a time, the tone may appear to be bitter and this is so because each truth cannot be stated in the same manner. To escape and cover up, people say, "He is a sage or a swami, yet he spoke harshly and in anger." The problem is that people are selfish and egoistic; they are diplomatic towards each other only because they have vested interests. Also, they are pampered since childhood. Therefore when they come across those who have no vested interest, they find those people rude, while in reality the latter are simply being truthful and straightforward.
Truth seems bitter only because the ego is dealt with a severe blow by it. And for the ego, truth is bitter because it represents its death. Those who have not reached a high level in spirituality or who are not spiritual usually use sweet language to attract people, thus they have many followers. The genuine spiritual guides are usually hard on their followers to test their sincerity. They also watch you very closely and do not spare you every time you waver on the path.
The master is not a scholar, therefore he may not know how to use beautiful language, but you are sure to be in the best of hands. Kabir's language was a 'hotch-potch'. In Hindi, it is called khichri bhasha, that is, a real medley. Yet he was the most revolutionary master of his time. Jesus, Mohammed and Ramakrishna were uneducated but that did not prevent them from being divine souls.
Those who are on the path of truth understand a master. Their focus is much more on the truth that is uttered than on the way it is uttered. For those who have a very strong ego and who have been spoilt by parents and society, it is the contrary. The Vedas say, "Satyam vad, pryam vad" - "Speak truth, speak sweetly." Absolutely true. Any truth can be uttered in a sweet manner, but this depends on the situation and the individual. Some people need to be shocked, especially the arrogant, stupid and unconscious ones. The greater the sleep, the more bitter and shock-giving should the truth be.
In the Mahabharata, Vidur said, "For a bitter truth, a bitter tone is necessary." But mind it, not everyone who speaks bitter truths is a sage. Many do so to hurt others purposely. Very few do so to enlighten others. The intelligent person should be able to discern between those types of people.
A beautiful language coupled with an intelligent mind and a loving heart is the best, but that is a rare combination indeed! The bitter language of the sage is like a bitter medicine which will cure. The sweet tongues of the hypocrite are like sugar-coated poison pills; they do you more harm than good. So better beware of them!
The bitter language of the sage is like a bitter medicine which will cure.
