Acharya Prashant addresses a questioner who feels he is unable to speak much and prefers to remain silent, wondering if this is a form of spiritual practice. Acharya Prashant observes that the questioner spoke immediately when asked, suggesting that the perception of being 'unable to speak' is a self-created illness or a false mental concept. He explains that nature does not demand uniformity; just as a small pond and a large lake both contain water, and trees of different shapes coexist without feeling inferior, humans also have different temperaments based on the three qualities of nature. The problem is not whether one speaks too much or too little, but whether one speaks or remains silent at the right time. This is a matter of right action and discernment. He emphasizes that the focus should be on the 'doer' rather than the action itself. If the doer is driven by feelings of inferiority, superiority, or fear, then both speaking and silence will be incorrect. A person might speak a lot to hide their inferiority, or stay silent for the same reason. Therefore, one should not worry about the quantity of speech but rather the center from which the words arise. If the center is fear or the ego, the action is wrong. If one becomes a 'slave to the Master' or the Truth, then one speaks when commanded and remains silent when commanded, without personal anxiety. He concludes by telling the questioner, whose name is Pankaj (meaning 'born from mud' or 'lotus'), to focus on the 'lotus' of consciousness rather than the 'mud' of his personality traits.
