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THE WAY OF LIFE
dreary and dull; bleak and blighted, they cannot take delight in spiritual austerities and activities.
Not only this; they will be incapable of even carrying out their duties as householders. They will not carry out their respective duties. Such parents exercise a corrupting influence on their children. When children often witness quarrels between their parents; when they hear harsh and heartless words exchanged between their parents and when they see their parents indulging in ignoble and ignominious activities, their innocent, tender and impressionable minds become sullied. What a dreadful effect those things can have on the minds of children? Have you ever thought of this?
Do you know why I have been dwelling at such great length on the dress and decorations of the husband and the wife? This point has to be given due importance, if quarrels and misunderstandings regarding those things between husband and wife are to be avoided. There should be no quarrels and misunderstandings in respect of dress and decorations. Just as dissensions should not arise on account of the disparities in lineages and family traditions; in food habits; in financial status; there should not arise any misunderstandings or dissensions on account of the disparity in the preferences relating to dress and decorations.
THE PARITY OF LANGUAGE
The parity of language between the husband and the wife is an absolute necessity. The disparity of languages can bring about serious misunderstandings. Supposing, you are a Gujarathi and your son is marrying a Punjabi girl. The girl will speak the Punjabi language or Hindi and the boy ought to possess a knowledge of those languages and the girl ought to possess a thorough knowledge of the Gujarathi language. Even if the boy knows Hindi and Punjabi, if the other members in the family, his father and mother; his brothers and sisters do not know those languages the daughter-in-law will find it difficult to converse with them. Even the father-in-law and mother-in-law cannot converse with her. When their son and
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