One day, some sadhus came to the house of a Brahmin. The Brahmin was a devotee of the Lord. He said to his servant, “Go and bring a pitcherful of milk from so and so village.”
The servant went to that village and while he was coming back with the pitcher of milk, being tried because of having had to stay awake the previous night, he sat down beneath a tree and went off to sleep. A kite had caught a snake and came to that tree holding it in its beak. As it pecked at the snake, the poison from snake’s fangs fell into the pitcher. The servant was asleep, unaware of this. As he woke up from sleep, he picked up the pitcher and resumed him journey. The Brahmin got his cook prepare the Khir. After eating the Khir, a few sadhus vomited it and four of them, who had poor digestion due to deranged liver function, died.
The case of four homicides came before Yama, the god of death. Yama asked God almighty, “Lord! Whom should I hold responsible for these homicides? The Brahmin is not at fault nor is the servant. The kite too is not guilty for it was doing the legitimate act of satisfying its hunger. The snake too is not responsible for it didn’t willfully throw poison in the milk. None of the people involved – the Brahmin, the servant, the cook-was responsible. But four persons have died. To whose account will the sin go?”
The Lord said, “Charge the sin to those who malign others without any rhyme or reason.”
I request you with folded hands not to lend an ear to any slanderer speaking ill of anybody. If somebody speaks ill of another, tell him, “Brother! I don’t have room for this muck. I don’t take such things.”
The one being maligned is likely to be enjoying life in his own way or if he is an exalted soul, he would be engaged in sadhana and satsang or engrossed in though of the Lord. Why should we ruin ourselves by pouring scorn on somebody or listening to such silly things? We should save our minds from such things.
The servant went to that village and while he was coming back with the pitcher of milk, being tried because of having had to stay awake the previous night, he sat down beneath a tree and went off to sleep. A kite had caught a snake and came to that tree holding it in its beak. As it pecked at the snake, the poison from snake’s fangs fell into the pitcher. The servant was asleep, unaware of this. As he woke up from sleep, he picked up the pitcher and resumed him journey. The Brahmin got his cook prepare the Khir. After eating the Khir, a few sadhus vomited it and four of them, who had poor digestion due to deranged liver function, died.
The case of four homicides came before Yama, the god of death. Yama asked God almighty, “Lord! Whom should I hold responsible for these homicides? The Brahmin is not at fault nor is the servant. The kite too is not guilty for it was doing the legitimate act of satisfying its hunger. The snake too is not responsible for it didn’t willfully throw poison in the milk. None of the people involved – the Brahmin, the servant, the cook-was responsible. But four persons have died. To whose account will the sin go?”
The Lord said, “Charge the sin to those who malign others without any rhyme or reason.”
I request you with folded hands not to lend an ear to any slanderer speaking ill of anybody. If somebody speaks ill of another, tell him, “Brother! I don’t have room for this muck. I don’t take such things.”
The one being maligned is likely to be enjoying life in his own way or if he is an exalted soul, he would be engaged in sadhana and satsang or engrossed in though of the Lord. Why should we ruin ourselves by pouring scorn on somebody or listening to such silly things? We should save our minds from such things.
‘ One should always be engaged in remembering the Lord; let people quarrel with and kill one another and go to infernal regions as a consequence thereof.’
‘This fellow is not go; that one is nasty; this man has done this; that man has done that…’ if somebody would denigrate another before Lord Rama, He would deftly change the topic; or else he would leave that place. You too should do the same. This will fill your heart with Self-Bliss and with the Knowledge of Real Self. Why should one slander somebody or listen to such things?
‘There is no sin equaling criticism of others.’
A girl was married. She had been at the house of her in-law said in the course of a casual discussion, “Bhabhi! You are a newcomer to the house. I want to tell you that my brother has a different nature; he is very irritable.” The second one said, “He has a nasty temper.” The mother-in-law too joined in, “I have given birth to your husband. He is satanic from childhood itself. You are in for a tough time.”
The three of them criticized their brother/son but the newly wed listened all silently. Finally, the sister-in-law said, “Bhabhi! Why is it that you are not saying anything?”
“What should I say? You are a guest; you will go to your own home in a few days. Mother-in-law too is old and, may God give her a long life she is to leave us sooner rather than later. But I have to spend the whole life with my husband. Why should I speak ill of him? He is my husband, my God. The Lord abides in his heart. Why should I offer a willing ear to disparaging remarks about him?”
The sisters-in-law said, “In that case probably you will have a good time with your husband. We, on the other hand, have frequent squabbles in the family and fall out with our husbands.”
The newly wed bride said “When you entertain thoughts of each other’s faults, quarrels are inevitable but if you have your heart full of devotional love and respect for each other, your house will become a satsanga of Bapuji or some any other saint.”
‘Kibir says outright and most earnestly. Happy shall I be to be the dust of the lotus feet of one who is ever busy night and day in never-ceasing satsanga and in kirtan, of one for whom this is the foremost task. He is a saint, of that there is no doubt.’ Should we even become the dust of the holy feet of those saints who are ever engaged in satsang, kirtan, jap, meditation and silence, it is sufficient to emancipate us.
‘There is no sin equaling criticism of others.’
A girl was married. She had been at the house of her in-law said in the course of a casual discussion, “Bhabhi! You are a newcomer to the house. I want to tell you that my brother has a different nature; he is very irritable.” The second one said, “He has a nasty temper.” The mother-in-law too joined in, “I have given birth to your husband. He is satanic from childhood itself. You are in for a tough time.”
The three of them criticized their brother/son but the newly wed listened all silently. Finally, the sister-in-law said, “Bhabhi! Why is it that you are not saying anything?”
“What should I say? You are a guest; you will go to your own home in a few days. Mother-in-law too is old and, may God give her a long life she is to leave us sooner rather than later. But I have to spend the whole life with my husband. Why should I speak ill of him? He is my husband, my God. The Lord abides in his heart. Why should I offer a willing ear to disparaging remarks about him?”
The sisters-in-law said, “In that case probably you will have a good time with your husband. We, on the other hand, have frequent squabbles in the family and fall out with our husbands.”
The newly wed bride said “When you entertain thoughts of each other’s faults, quarrels are inevitable but if you have your heart full of devotional love and respect for each other, your house will become a satsanga of Bapuji or some any other saint.”
‘Kibir says outright and most earnestly. Happy shall I be to be the dust of the lotus feet of one who is ever busy night and day in never-ceasing satsanga and in kirtan, of one for whom this is the foremost task. He is a saint, of that there is no doubt.’ Should we even become the dust of the holy feet of those saints who are ever engaged in satsang, kirtan, jap, meditation and silence, it is sufficient to emancipate us.
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