Sri Ramanujacharya had several disciples. There was one disciple who would sit silently in class without uttering a single word. His classmates thought that this silent boy was stupid and dim witted. While all the other disciples moved on to the next classes, the silent disciple remained in the same class three to four times.
Once Ramanujacharya wanted to test his students and asked them a question. None of the disciples could answer. The silent disciple spoke and said that he could answer the question. All the other disciples ridiculed him and mockingly wondered how this student who was listening to the lessons like a wall could provide the answer.
The silent disciple asked the Acharya,
“Sir, You have explained the text to four batches, I have heard them all, which explanation should I give?”
Acharya said, “Repeat all that you have heard in the four batches.”
The silent disciple repeated systematically all the lessons he had heard from batch 1 to 4. Other disciples were speech-less like silent walls.
Hence if someone is silent we should not judge him to be stupid. Words are valuable. They should be used sparingly and wisely. If speech is silver, silence is gold.
Translated by : Dr Sharada Jayagovind
