In the previous episode we were able to understand the significance of maintaining a uniform speed of talking during a corporate presentation. We were also able to simultaneously recognize the importance of certain key elements like the tone (Dhwani) of the speech, pronunciations and maintaining a “Pleasant face” while talking. Today we shall see four important factors that are essential for an appealing speech.
Here, I’m adding an extended explanation to the sloka (verse) stated in the previous episode. The ancient scriptures (Shaastra) lists down four subtle but very important aspects to be taken care of while delivering a lecture or an address. They are “Eethi”, “Sheegri”, “Shirahkampi” and “Likitha paatakaha”. I shall give an explanation about each of the above with the modern day’s relevance.
Eethi – While delivering a lecture, the orator should neither sing in between the talk, nor talk in a way that is musical in nature. The only exception where this rule is not applicable is “Harikatha” (a popular style of discourse that is in praise of Lord Vishnu). The focus should only be on the content of the talk and directly to the point, rather than employing other means like singing to while away the time. This is a way to be precise in what we talk and thus this assumes lot of significance.
Sheegri – The talking should not be way too fast, that the audience wouldn’t be able to understand even a word out of the entire lecture!
Shirahkhampi – While talking, the speaker should not move his head too much. This might distract the audience and the focus on the subject might be lost. The head position is to be maintained still as much as possible throughout the entire talk, and it is also to be ensured that proper eye-contact is maintained with the audience at all times. This is extremely important because the audience might lose focus and feel disconnected when the speaker doesn’t adequately look at them.
Likitha Paatakaha – This means that the speaker should avoid looking into the paper/book/notes while delivering a speech. It should be ensured that the talk happens only with the audience in focus, and not anything else in between. There are two serious repercussions if the speaker goes against this rule. Firstly, the flow of words while talking gets affected if there’s a constant referring to the notes during the lecture. This affects the concentration of the speaker to a great extent and there would be pauses and fillers while talking, which is not a good sign. Secondly, if the person refers too much into the text while talking, it can be understood that he/she is not confident about what is being delivered and hence, the speaker might be in danger of losing respect among the audience. Hence, adequate care is required in this important aspect of delivering a lecture/speech.
Rama says that Hanuman is an expert in all these four aspects, and thus he’s able to deliver such an excellent and a flawless oration.
In the next episode, we shall see the importance of “Diction” and “Reinforcement” during a corporate speech!! Stay tuned!!
The Indian Dharma 