Chapter 51

Do not Pay Attention to Slanderous Talk of the Critics

Somepeopleareinthe habitofutteringslanderaboutothers.Thisdis-
tastefulbehaviour createsenmity amongfriendsand relativesandcan
breakfamilies.Ithasevenbeen responsibleformurder.Therearevari-
ous reasons for sucha behaviour, likejealousy, anger,vengeance and
hostility.

Somepeopleresorttodefamatorywordsinordertosatisfytheirown
ego,toattractothers' attentiontowardsthemselves,ortopretendtobe
sympathetic with someone else. Butit is rarelya case that slanderous
statements are based on goodintentions. Therefore,a wise andclever
manshouldignoresuchstatements.Hemust always analysethe state-
mentsofthespeakerinordernottobedeceivedorinfluencedbyhisevil
insinuations.

Oneofthepointsformentorememberisthatgenerallytheirmothers,
sisters and brothers, despite their apparent friendship, do not enjoya
goodrelationshipwiththeirwives.Thereasonisthataman,beforemar-
riage,spendsyearswithhisparentswherehedoesnothavemuchinde-
pendence.Hisparents whohaveworked hardto bringhimup, expect
him to be helpful to them in their old age.

Evenaftertheymarrytheirsonoffandapparentlygivehimindepend-
ence,theyexpecthimtoconformtotheirownwillandwishes.Theylike
theirsontopaymoreattentiontothemthantohiswife.Buttherealityis
thatwhenamanstartsamaritallife,hemakesagreatdealofeffortfor
hisnewfamily,wife,andindependence.Hedirectshislovetowardshis
wifeandworkshardinthisconnection.Themorehestepsinthisdirec-
tion, the farther he goes away from his parents.