Chanakya was the greatest, wiliest philosopher of ancient India. His words are as relevant today, revealing that every situation does not require a verbal response. Silence can often be the most powerful reply to out-of-hand situations:
उद्योगे नास्ति दारिद्र्यं जपतो नास्ति पातकम्।
मौने च कलहो नास्ति नास्ति जागरिते भयम्॥ (3.11, Chanakyaniti)
(Diligence averts poverty, chanting hymns wards off sin
Silence prevents quarrels, and vigilance eliminates fear.)
As we celebrate Mauni Amavasya, the power of silence resonates in my mind. Sometimes, silence does speak much louder than words.
Public perception about me would be that of an outgoing and talkative being, but in reality, I truly embrace the ideology of silence. However, my life and career graph have been defined by the lack of silence. As a lawyer, my livelihood depended upon the power of speech. As a parent, I was great at lecturing my offspring and all those who would listen. As a spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party, I gave good replies to the Opposition’s comments and could never be shamed into silence. As a politician and Member of Parliament, I ran miles from silence. Even today, the cacophony of my daily life takes me from one podium to another. But in between these duties and necessities, I do practice a lot of silence.
People often complain that a lawyer spoke only for a minute or two and was paid a hefty fee. My answer to all these critics is that lawyers are paid not only for how much they talk in the court but for the long hours they spend in quiet reading, thinking, listening, writing, and thus mastering the subject before making an argument.
But why do I believe in the power of silence, and why am I observing maunvrat (vow of silence) on Mauni Amavasya?
Western philosophy
In his 1833 novel, Sartor Resartus, Thomas Carlyle immortalised a German proverb: Sprechen ist Silber, Schweigen ist Gold (Speech is silver, silence is golden).
“Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of Life,” Carlyle added.
The philosophy is rooted in the idea that restraint is a virtue and that profound thought often occurs without words. It is about listening more, understanding deeper, and avoiding the folly of excessive chatter. Growing up, we also cut our teeth on the famous song by Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence”, which rocked all charts.
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The Gita
In verse 16.17 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna extols the virtues of the sound of silence, urging individuals to elevate themselves by controlling the power of the mind through silence and self-control and not allowing it to become a weapon of destruction:
मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते।। (16.17, Bhagavad Gita)
(Serenity of thought, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of purpose—all these are declared as austerity of the mind.)
The mind can be likened to a garden that requires special care by a gardener who cultivates the garden through silence, restraint and austerity.
Silence in Indian foreign policy
The world is currently negotiating a period of great turmoil. The Middle East is burning. Iranians are protesting, Afghanistan is in conflict with Pakistan, and Israel remains in battle with Hamas. The Russia-Ukraine war is approaching its fourth year.
Closer to home, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal have seen not only youth uprisings but also chaotic regime change operations in the recent past. China is dangling the proverbial sword over Taiwan. US President Donald Trump’s verbiage, accompanied with actions in Venezuela, has taken conflict straight into South America. And now, the threat of Greenland invasion has the entire world on tenterhooks. Will all this lead to World War 3, or will humanity solve its problems through conversations, dialogue, and diplomacy?
In this atmosphere of global cacophony, India’s symbolic maunvrat is the most effective instrument of diplomacy. It preserves India’s strategic ambiguity as the world order remains fluid and the shifting sands of regional and international peacekeeping settle into a stable global perspective. India’s silence reflects its age-old philosophy of dharma and restraint as we seek not to escalate situations that are not in our control. A case in point is the way India has remained impassive in the face of the multiple tariffs imposed by Trump on various pretexts—import of Russian oil, engagement with Iran, or merely using India as a whipping board against China.
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PM Modi’s silence in the face of detractors
PM Modi has been unfazed even as his political detractors allege that he has remained silent in the face of contentious issues. Sonia Gandhi has referred to his silence on Palestine as an ‘abdication of humanity, morality’. Congress has accused him of evading the topic of American intervention in the India-Pakistan conflict. PM Modi’s perceived avoidance of statements on youth unemployment, farmers’ protests, and Manipur violence has also led to clamour on TV news channels, political discourse, and even walkouts in the exalted halls of Parliament. He has continued to hold his tongue in view of the grave allegations of ‘vote chori’ and tampering of EVMs, as well as the Election Commission’s much–needed SIR exercise. In this context, actions and decisions have spoken louder than words. More importantly, they were timely actions followed by statements by the executive, legislature, and courts seized of the matter.
The latest accusation was that the US-India trade deal was prolonged because “PM Modi didn’t call” Trump. But does the prime minister’s reluctance to offer instant commentary on every contentious issue show avoidance, or a more conscious attempt to incorporate Chanakyaniti into contemporary political discourse?
The Arthashastra states that restraint of speech is not weakness, rather an example of cunning statecraft: words once released are like arrows that can’t return to the quiver. PM Modi has largely chosen institutionalised responses rather than direct performative assurance, allowing ministries, constitutional bodies, and state governments to be their own mouthpieces. This is effective governance, not engineered for optics. In an age of instant judgement and perpetual outrage, PM Modi’s ability to stand stoic and unbiased in the face of crisis is sheer Chanakya–based politics.
Bharat is faced with a multiplicity of challenges and needs to work quietly but firmly on economic, energy, cyber and data security. The leadership of the ‘Global South’ is looking at Bharat for solutions. Thus, playing the role destiny has bestowed upon us, it is best to retain goodwill and keep working quietly with tenacity.
Meenakashi Lekhi is a BJP leader, lawyer and social activist. Her X handle is @M_Lekhi. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)