February 8th


Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
पारुष्यमनृतं चैव पैशुन्यं चापि सर्वशः ।
असम्बद्धप्रलापश्च वाङ्मयं स्याच्चतुर्विधम् ॥

- मनुस्मृति

Transliteration:
pāruṣyamanṛtaṃ caiva paiśunyaṃ cāpi sarvaśaḥ ।
asambaddhapralāpaśca vāṅmayaṃ syāccaturvidham ॥
- manusmṛti

Meaning of the subhAShita:
Perhaps reproachful words, lies, tattling (backbiting), and unnecessary gossip are the four issues always associated with speech.

Commentary:
Speech is a very powerful gift received from God. He bestowed this faculty to only one species - humans! (Other species communicate amongst each other, but there is hardly9 any other species with so many languages, dialects, scripts and scriptures!)

1. It is very easy to speak reproachful, insulting words to our fellow beings. Many times we do not think about what it does to the person on the receiving end. Harsh words are often forgotten by the afflictor but remain forever in the mind of the afflicted.

2. Telling lies to get out of a situation creates the worst damage. It not only damages the credibility of the person but also the faith in himself! One may escape a difficult situation, but the guilt within him is larger than he acknowledges! (Actually, lying is harder than telling the truth! One has to keep track of what lies he has told and to whom. In that case, why bother with lies?!)

3. Nobody benefits from defaming others, talking behind people's backs, and using treacherous/devious/slanderous speech. This action not only hurts the emotions of both parties, but also hinders the spiritual growth of everyone around. In short, it is not an honorable act.

4. Unconnected, unnecessary, unwanted gossip is the most wasteful kind of speech! What does one achieve by talking about somebody's something, or somewhere to somebody else? There is absolutely no productivity in this kind of conversation. It just kills time and resources.

The verse says that engaging in these 4 kinds of speech is the most harmful for our well-being. Every sound and syllable has innate energy in it and we must respect the 'śabdabrahma' (cosmic energy of sound). Every word pronounced has the strength to change lives, because 'spoken words and sped arrows can never be taken back'.

Let's speak nicely and vow to not inflict harm upon others or hinder our spiritual growth.

pada vigrahaH:
पारुष्यम् अनृतं च एव पैशुन्यं च अपि सर्वशः ।
pāruṣyam anṛtaṃ ca eva paiśunyaṃ ca api sarvaśaḥ ।

असम्बद्ध-प्रलापः च वाक्-मयं स्यात् चतुर्विधम् ॥
asambaddha-pralāpaḥ ca vāk-mayaṃ syāt caturvidham ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
paaruShyamanRutaM chaiva paishunyaM chaapi sarvashaH ।
asambaddhapralaapashcha vaa~nmayaM syaachchaturvidham ॥
- manusmRuti

paaruShyam anRutaM cha eva paishunyaM cha api sarvashaH ।
asambaddha-pralaapaH cha vaak-mayaM syaat chaturvidham ॥

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