Apamano Na Kartavyo Gururaam Cha Variyasaam |
Loke Pratischtitaanaam Cha Vidushaam Shastradhariraam ||35||
The Lord here forbids insulting (Apamaan) of five types of persons. The first - a Guru or Preceptor is a very sacred institution in Hinduism. Indeed great respect is given to a Guru such that they are considered the form of God. ‘Gu’ means ignorance or darkness and ‘ru’ means destroy, explains Sanskrut Kars, and so a Guru is one who destroys such ignorance and darkness, delivering knowledge and enlightenment. Deval Rishi explains ten people that should be accepted as one’s Guru: (1) Acharyaascha - an Acharya/spiritual leader (2) Pitaa - one’s father (3) Jyeshto Bhraataa - one’s elder brother (4) Chaiva Mahimatiha - a king (5) Matulaha - a maternal uncle (6) Shvashura - father-in-law (7) Shtrata - a learned Brahmin (8/9) Maataamaha-Pitaamahau - maternal and paternal grandfathers (10) Varnashreshtaha - the best or highest in a community and (11) Pitruvyascha - a paternal uncle.
Guru Mahima (the greatness of a Guru) has been sang highly of by saints and poets alike. All Sat-Shastras have markedly made an effort to glorify the great institution in Hinduism of Guru-Shisya relationship and Parampara. For such reason they are given pride of place at the heart of Hinduism. They are thus respected immensely and so should never be insulted or slandered in any way.
Secondly, Variyasam - a renowned great person who has good qualities should never be insulted. In Shrimad Bhagwat, Bhagwan Rishabhdeva explains, ‘Those who serve great men - Satpurusha, open themselves a doorway to the heavens. Those who associate with women or even associate with men who have a tendency to associate with women open themselves a doorway to hell.’
‘These men (Satpurusha) are distinguished. They are with level mind, devoid of anger and a friend to all. Such saintly men are indeed celebrated. Never should these saints who project compassion and other such great qualities as well as dignified persons of a community, a King, a King’s administrators, those great in a family or community with excellent discipline of behaviour, who are bestowed with great qualities, who are wealthy, those who are wise and learned with Vedantic knowledge of Puranas and Shastras; such Brahmins as well as those who are armed should never be insulted nor should they be disrespected or ridiculed. Those who do insult destroy themselves as all that they have is lost - Tatkaraya Hi Svasya Sarvasva Nashapateha.’
Yagnavalkya Smruti explains, ‘Brahmins and Kshatriyas should never be insulted. Also learned persons (educated highly), members of one’s family, the wealthy and renowned people should always be respected and never insulted. Even elderly Shudra caste members should be duly respected if they are educated.’
Shrimad Bhagwat says, ‘Those who insult great men who are elder, wealthy, famed or Dharmic (follow their duties or religious) fall to destruction and perish. Those who do not respect others who are eminent through their birth, penance, knowledge, behaviour and caste are considered to be dead. After death they suffer terrible pains in the hells, as they are repeatedly tortured.’ Skanda Purana explains, ‘By insulting a Satpurusha, even a righteous person is destroyed through the destruction of a long fruitful life and the eradication of all his righteous qualities.’
‘Apamaan’ - insults can be directed with the aim to demote another person. However insults can be indirect and committed without knowledge or intent. Mahabharat’s Anushaasan Parva explains, ‘Even in extreme circumstances he should never speak in ‘Tu-Kar’ with great men.’ Furthermore it explains: Tvamkaro Va Vadho Veti Vidvatsu Na Vishishyate - ‘To use Tu-Kar (Tvamkaro) with such people is indifferent to killing (Vadko) of such person.’ Finally the Parva explains: Tvamkaram Namadheyam Cha Jyestanam Parivarjyed - ‘One should refrain (Parivarjyed) from speaking in Tu-Kar and addressing by name (Namadheyam), such elders (Jyestanam).’ Thus this final statement suggests that calling elders by name is equivalent to calling them by the disrespectful and insulting Tu-Kar which ultimately is compared to the killing of that person.
For these reasons it is tradition in India for husbands and wives not to utter the name of their partners. Also, Satsangi Jivan explains that by doing so the Ayushya (duration of life) of their partner falls. Similarly it is unacceptable to call elders by name such as elder brother or sisters and other family members as well as elders in a community.
Anushaasan Parva explains, ‘Those who wish for a long life should never consider a Brahmin, Kshatriya and a serpent as powerless as all are poisonous.’ Therefore to insult any, can be the cause of one’s own death, such is the power of Brahmins and Kshatriyas.
Guru Gita then explains, ‘Students (Shishyas) with good manner should never speak egotistically with pride - Hu-Kar. Similarly they should never speak untruthfully with their Guru. Those Shishyas who disrespectfully use Hu-Kar and Tu-Kar with their Guru are born as demons in a land without water.’
Brihaspati explains, ‘Those who speak wrathfully with A Tapasvi, snake, armed person or Pativrata immediately invite death. Therefore one should never cause insult by speaking angrily with these people.’ Shatanand adds that these people should always be given the right of way.
Anushaasan Parva says, ‘Brahmins, cows, a king, the elderly (Vrudh), the tired, women and the weak should always be given the right of way.’ Vrudh here should be understood as Vayovrudh - elderly by age, Tapovrudh - elderly by penance, Vidhyavrudh - elderly through knowledge, Gunavrudh - elderly through good qualities and Dhanvrudh - elderly through wealth.
Yagnavalkya further says, ‘The Vrudh, those fatigued, kings, Brahmins, women, the ill, a Groom (Vara) and a person driving a carriage should always be given way.’ Mitakshara expands upon this saying that ‘Cha’ is used and therefore includes a drunk, a lunatic and a Sanyasi.
In this Shloka, Lord Swaminarayan points out the universality of the Shikshapatri. Shikshapatri isn’t just a means to a religious life. It is a means to a virtuous life. The essence of this Shloka isn’t difficult to grasp, it is something that all are in one way or another brought up to become and do. This Shloka is about human courtesy and respect for one another. It teaches that we accept and praise those superior to us as such mentality can bring only moral conduct and discipline.
Indeed, this is what living is all about. It is about respect for the elders and respect for one another. Those who slander and insult others have no place in society they have not yet understood the science of living and being. These mentioned people, who are to be bowed before (Vandaniya), to be respected and to be idolised should never be insulted as those who insult such great personage insult only themselves. They bring shame to themselves, their families and their being. Those who insult in this way are not human - they are inhuman comparable to beasts and therefore those who have no respect for others can never be worthy of respect to themselves. By serving and respecting these great people such as the elderly, saints and Brahmins, we are serving the Lord Himself. There is no doubt that for such acts, Lord Shree Swaminarayan will look upon us with kind heart and eternally shower his choicest and most sincere blessings. Respect for others breeds humility in oneself that brings kind-heartedness and sincerity, therefore it is very important to have such mentality that is becoming almost certainly deficient in this day and age.