There is an interesting story in the Puranas (Hindu sacred scriptures) about Kumbhakarna, the brother of Ravana, the Rakshasa (Demon) King. Ravana and his brothers performed penance in the forest on one foot for a thousand years. But, the Creator of the Universe, God Brahma did not appear. He continued his penance along with others without eating any food for another thousand years. Even after that, Brahma did not appear. Ravana cut off his ten heads and made offerings of them to Brahama. Then Brahma appeared. Brahma restored his heads to Ravana and granted the boon that he would not be killed by anybody but a man. Kumbhakarna too got a boon. Kumbhakarna wanted NIRDEVATWAM (absence of all Gods or Deities). But by a slip of his tongue (caused by Saraswathi, the Goddess of Knowledge) what he asked for was NIDRAVATVAM (sleep).Brahma granted him sleep. He told him that he would sleep for six months and then wake up and be active for the other six months in a year.

Because of one wrong word, Kumbhakarnas lifestyle was changed completely. Like Kumbhakarna we too select wrong words at the right time with the result we change our lifestyle completely. Success will shy and move away from those persons who do not know to use the correct words at the right moment.

A word can make you or mar you. While others gamble with money, you may play with your beautiful words and get success. Be a monarch and merchant of words to make your life a successful one. Words are to be selected carefully. Words are to be arranged carefully in the order of its preference too.

Professor Ernest Brennecke of Columbia has constructed a sentence. If you change the place of the word only in that sentence you will get a different meaning!

I hit him in the eye yesterday.
Now you change the word only and see what happens!
Only I hit him in the eye yesterday.
I only hit him in the eye yesterday.
I hit only him in the eye yesterday.
I hit him only in the eye yesterday.
I hit him in the only eye yesterday.
I hit him in the eye only yesterday.
I hit him in the eye yesterday only.
You are now getting different meanings by simply altering one word, only.
The meanings are baffling.

Hence words are our capital. If we use properly we will be rewarded. Thousands of years of darkness in a room will be dispelled by lighting a lamp. Small sparks created by rubbing a stone with one another dispel thousands of years darkness in a moment. Similarly by rubbing suitable words with one another you can create joy, knowledge, wealth, health and what not.

Lord Krishna, in Bhagavat Gita has described the austerity of speech. Anudvegakara, satyam, priyam, hitam- these four are to be followed while uttering any word. The meanings of these Sanskrit words are given below. Words which cause no annoyance to others and are absolutely untainted by calumny and slander are called anudvegakara. Truthful words are called saytam.

Loving, sweet, artless and gentle words which are pleasing to hear and are altogether free from acerbity, pungency, coldness, sarcasm, insolence and other faults are known as priyam.

Words which are ultimately beneficial to all, which are altogether free from violence malice, jealousy and animosity, and are full of love, compassion and good wishes are called Hita. If we use the words correctly the world will be ours. Words bestow health, wealth and all round success.