Silence is the Nature of the Muni

Muni is one who has controlled his mind. That which is the quality of a Muni is silence. That is the meaning of the word 'Mounam'. Since the general view is that the greatest of the qualities of a Muni is not talking, mounam has come to mean 'not talking'.

Even if it is the quality of one who has controlled his mind, that helps people like us too who have not controlled our mind to reach that stage.

The Upanishad says that the Muni who is also a Brahmajnani, gives up both the
states of remaining silent and not remaining silent. First, he learns, becomes a
pundit (scholar), debates a lot and gets to know the truth. Then he gives up
talk and his scholarship and goes into 'Nishta'.

Then when he becomes a Brahmajnani, he gives up mounam and absence of mounam also, says the Upanishad.If it is said like this, how is it possible? Either one should give up mounam and speak or should give up talking and observe mounam. How is it possible to give up both? We will know it only when we reach that jnani's state. He will not have something like the mind at all.

Therefore, he will have no thought or desire that either he should talk or should not talk. Even if he happens to talk by way of upadesam, he will not think he has spoken.

Even if Parasakti makes him sit in a more silent state like Dakshinamurti, he will not think he is observing mouna vratham. This is the state which is said to be one in which mounam (silence) and amounam (non-silence) have been given up.

That is a goal which is far distant for us. In practice, we should observe mouna
Upavasam for sometime.