Why No Response is the Best Response – Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita
Riya Kumari | Mar 18, 2025, 23:49 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau, Timeslife )
You ever find yourself in one of those situations where someone is just begging for a reaction? Maybe it's an ex who suddenly remembers you exist, a coworker with a PhD in passive-aggressiveness, or that one friend who only texts when they need something. Every fiber of your being is screaming to fire off a snarky reply or deliver a speech so devastatingly eloquent that it should be preserved in the Smithsonian.
There’s a moment—just a few seconds—between impulse and action. It’s the space where wars are either started or avoided, relationships are either broken or strengthened, and peace is either preserved or lost. Most people never master this space. We live in a world that rewards reaction. Someone insults you? Defend yourself. Someone disrespects you? Show them who they’re messing with. Someone spreads lies? Set the record straight. It feels instinctive—if you don’t respond, aren’t you letting them win? But the Bhagavad Gita offers an unsettlingly different perspective. It tells us: Strength is not in the reaction. Strength is in restraint. Not because you’re weak. Not because you don’t care. But because you understand something most people don’t—silence is not absence. Silence is power.
1. The Bhagavad Gita and the Art of Holding Your Ground
One of the most profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is detachment—not in a way that makes you indifferent to life, but in a way that makes you free from unnecessary suffering. Krishna tells Arjuna: “That person is truly wise who is not affected by praise or criticism, who remains steady in both pain and pleasure.”
In today’s world, we are conditioned to be reactive. Someone provokes you, and suddenly, their words dictate your emotions. They say something, and you have to respond. But do you? Or is that just an illusion of control? Not every insult needs a counterattack. Not every argument needs your participation. Not every fool needs a teacher. When you stop responding to negativity, you don’t lose power—you take it back.
2. Not Every Battle is Worth Fighting
The Gita is, at its core, a conversation on war. But Krishna doesn’t tell Arjuna to fight every battle—only the ones that truly matter. The same applies to life. Imagine this: You’re walking through a marketplace, and someone yells an insult at you from a distance. You stop. You turn. You argue. Suddenly, a random stranger has stolen your time, your peace, and your energy.
Now imagine walking past without a glance. Who really has the power? Some people provoke you because they need your energy. They feed off your reaction. If you stay silent, they’re left to wrestle with their own bitterness, while you move forward untouched. The greatest victories are often won by simply not engaging.
3. People Reveal Who They Are When You Stop Talking
Here’s something interesting—silence forces truth to surface. When you don’t react, you let people reveal themselves. A sincere person will seek clarity. A manipulative person will grow frustrated. A toxic person will lash out even louder, exposing exactly who they are.
Krishna teaches that wisdom lies in observing without attachment. He tells Arjuna, “A person who is not disturbed by the ever-changing world is truly free.” When you refuse to react impulsively, you gain the rare ability to see people as they are, not as they pretend to be. This is why silence is not just absence of words—it is a mirror.
4. Your Peace is More Important Than Their Opinion
There is a moment in life when you realize that not every criticism needs a response. Not every misunderstanding needs a defense. Not every lie needs correction. Because the truth is, no matter how well you explain yourself, people will only hear what they want to hear. Some arguments exist not to resolve, but to exhaust.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that external noise can never disrupt inner stillness—unless you let it. Krishna tells Arjuna: "The mind is restless, turbulent, and strong, but it can be controlled with practice and detachment." Real peace doesn’t come from winning arguments. It comes from knowing that you don’t need to.
The Strength to Stay Silent is Rarer Than the Strength to Speak
It takes discipline to not react. It takes wisdom to know when words will serve a purpose and when they will simply be wasted breath. And it takes true inner strength to let people misunderstand you while you continue to live in peace. The next time you are tempted to react, pause. Ask yourself: Will this response change anything meaningful? Is this a battle that truly needs to be fought? Or is silence the louder answer?
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can say… is nothing at all. And that silence? That’s not weakness. That’s mastery.
1. The Bhagavad Gita and the Art of Holding Your Ground
Strength
( Image credit : Pexels )
One of the most profound teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is detachment—not in a way that makes you indifferent to life, but in a way that makes you free from unnecessary suffering. Krishna tells Arjuna: “That person is truly wise who is not affected by praise or criticism, who remains steady in both pain and pleasure.”
In today’s world, we are conditioned to be reactive. Someone provokes you, and suddenly, their words dictate your emotions. They say something, and you have to respond. But do you? Or is that just an illusion of control? Not every insult needs a counterattack. Not every argument needs your participation. Not every fool needs a teacher. When you stop responding to negativity, you don’t lose power—you take it back.
2. Not Every Battle is Worth Fighting
Walk away
( Image credit : Pexels )
The Gita is, at its core, a conversation on war. But Krishna doesn’t tell Arjuna to fight every battle—only the ones that truly matter. The same applies to life. Imagine this: You’re walking through a marketplace, and someone yells an insult at you from a distance. You stop. You turn. You argue. Suddenly, a random stranger has stolen your time, your peace, and your energy.
Now imagine walking past without a glance. Who really has the power? Some people provoke you because they need your energy. They feed off your reaction. If you stay silent, they’re left to wrestle with their own bitterness, while you move forward untouched. The greatest victories are often won by simply not engaging.
3. People Reveal Who They Are When You Stop Talking
Silence
( Image credit : Pexels )
Here’s something interesting—silence forces truth to surface. When you don’t react, you let people reveal themselves. A sincere person will seek clarity. A manipulative person will grow frustrated. A toxic person will lash out even louder, exposing exactly who they are.
Krishna teaches that wisdom lies in observing without attachment. He tells Arjuna, “A person who is not disturbed by the ever-changing world is truly free.” When you refuse to react impulsively, you gain the rare ability to see people as they are, not as they pretend to be. This is why silence is not just absence of words—it is a mirror.
4. Your Peace is More Important Than Their Opinion
Criticism
( Image credit : Pexels )
There is a moment in life when you realize that not every criticism needs a response. Not every misunderstanding needs a defense. Not every lie needs correction. Because the truth is, no matter how well you explain yourself, people will only hear what they want to hear. Some arguments exist not to resolve, but to exhaust.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that external noise can never disrupt inner stillness—unless you let it. Krishna tells Arjuna: "The mind is restless, turbulent, and strong, but it can be controlled with practice and detachment." Real peace doesn’t come from winning arguments. It comes from knowing that you don’t need to.
The Strength to Stay Silent is Rarer Than the Strength to Speak
Because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can say… is nothing at all. And that silence? That’s not weakness. That’s mastery.