Hare Krishna Friends,
Lord Krishna talks in Bhagavad Gita about two important negative qualities that we should get rid of. They are apaishunam and paarushyam. Apaishunam
means fault-finding and paarushyam means harsh speech. Krishna refers to these qualities asdemoniac qualities. When we are filled with pride,
arrogance, conceit and anger then automatically our speech is also harsh. Paarushyam or harsh speech causes great pain to others.
means fault-finding and paarushyam means harsh speech. Krishna refers to these qualities asdemoniac qualities. When we are filled with pride,
arrogance, conceit and anger then automatically our speech is also harsh. Paarushyam or harsh speech causes great pain to others.
In the pastime of Dhruva Maharaj, we find that he innocently ran to his father and wanted to sit on his lap. But his step-mother Suruci, with great envy and pride spoke to him in a rude manner saying that he is not qualified to sit on the king's lap. When the king also remained silent and did not support him, Dhruva
Maharaj became all the more hurt. In the purport to verse 4.8.36, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada very nicely mentions how much harmful paarushyam is.
He says - "It is said that the heart or mind is just like an earthen pot; once broken, it cannot be repaired by any means."
Recently we came across a short story in this regard. Once there was a old man who kept speaking in harsh manner and spreading rumors about others.
Once he falsely accused that his neighbor was a thief and as a result the young man was arrested. After few days it was proved that he was innocent
and the young man was released. Hurt by the harsh and false speech of the old-man, the young man sued him. In the court the old man spoke to the judge
in an arrogant manner: "Well they were just comments. Doesn't harm anyone. Why cannot I speak whatever comes up in my mind? I have the freedom of
speech."
Maharaj became all the more hurt. In the purport to verse 4.8.36, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada very nicely mentions how much harmful paarushyam is.
He says - "It is said that the heart or mind is just like an earthen pot; once broken, it cannot be repaired by any means."
Recently we came across a short story in this regard. Once there was a old man who kept speaking in harsh manner and spreading rumors about others.
Once he falsely accused that his neighbor was a thief and as a result the young man was arrested. After few days it was proved that he was innocent
and the young man was released. Hurt by the harsh and false speech of the old-man, the young man sued him. In the court the old man spoke to the judge
in an arrogant manner: "Well they were just comments. Doesn't harm anyone. Why cannot I speak whatever comes up in my mind? I have the freedom of
speech."
The judge said, "Write all the comments that you said, in a piece of paper. Cut them up and throw the pieces of paper. Tomorrow, come back to hear the
sentence."
The next day the judge told the old-man, "Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out
yesterday."
sentence."
The next day the judge told the old-man, "Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out
yesterday."
The old man said, "I can't do that. The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them."
The judge then replied, "The same way, harsh and derogatory comments destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that we will not be able to fix it for
ever. If you can't speak well of someone, rather don't say anything."
Moral: Let's all be masters of our mouths, so that we won't be slaves of our words.
We pray at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudev and Srila Prabhupada so that we do not hurt others by harsh speech and use our mouths only for glorifying
Lord and His devotees.
Courtesy:
Kalacakra Krsna Das and Sudarshana Devi Dasi.
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