subhashithani-quotable quotes

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24. paraparivaadhe mookaH paradhaaranireekshaNeshu

jaathanDaaH

 

ye parrahasyabaDhiraaH the purushaaH

dhevathaasadhrSaah

 

 

Those men who are dumb regarding slander of others, born blind when looking at the wives of others and deaf in hearing the secret of others are like devas.

 

Here reference to men includes women also! The real meaning of this sloka is that

1. one should never speak ill of others

2. one should not look at the married women with desire

3. one should not hear the secret of others and even when some one tells he should turn deaf ear.

 

To denote that it is very difficult to follow the advice, it is said that those who do this are like devas, divine beings. Even if we cannot become like devas, we could try to become better than we are.

 

Of the three the second is the easiest for all except to those who are filled with lust But the first and the third are not easy because it is the human tendency to listen to gossip. We keep hearing and seeing nothing but that through the media nowadays. The media people are professional gossips. But even if we cannot help hearing slanderous reports about others we should always remember that whatever is said is not true. In Tamil we have saying, kaNNaal kaaNbadhum poy kaadhaalmkEtpadhumpoy theera viSaaritthu aRivadhe mey.

This means, what you see or hear is false. Only that which is examined well and understood is true. We will find that 90% of what we hare about others turns out to be false. Even if it is true s we have no business to talk about it. Slander seems to be the only entertainment that comes cheap and it is very cheap.

 

Similarly we should turn a deaf ear to the secrets of others. Usually nothing seems to be more interesting than the secret of others! It is circulated with the comment "Don't tell anyone "and you can be sure that the person who hears it will repeat it to the next one he meets with the same comment, "Don't tell anyone." That is why it is said that you should be like the deaf , that is even if you hear it t you must behave as though you never heard it.

 

To follow this advice becomes easy if you remember that one who tells a gossip or a secret about someone else will do the same in respect to you also. Not only that but when you casually make a chance remark it will be repeated to the person concerned an sometimes even what you have nor said. Best thing is to curtail your curiosity and shun such talk.