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DISCOURSE 43
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shocked. Then they publish a clarification "We never said this. This was not at all our intention when we said those things".
DO MUNIS ALSO SPEAK THUS ?
Some spiritual heads who always keep delivering discourses may unconsciously utter irrelevant things and expound untrue doctrines. Some days ago a certain gentleman said to me, "I went to Bombay. There a Muniraj was delivering discourses. I went to hear him. He was speaking vehemently shouting out his words. He said, "Now-a-days, the atmosphere has become so polluted with luxury that not a single woman can be pure and chaste !" Is this a correct statement? I was stupefied when I heard about it. How thoughtless a statement ! In the view of that Muniraj, not even a single woman is pure and chaste. When he said that, "all women" are thus, does it not include his mother and sisters ?
The language used by noble people and their utterances are never irrelevant. Those who speak irrelevantly are not noble. But who is concerned about nobility and ignobility ? Some ignoble actions are covered with a garment of nobility. Some indecencies are veiled with a mask of decency. Many perversities and aberrations are given the label of "Culture". In this age of propaganda and publicity, this has become an accepted norm, "Speak more; keep speaking to give publicity to your views". Today, silence is not valued in society. Reticence in speech is being made fun of. Those who speak excessively are regarded as great men. It is not easy to practise the principle of reticence in this world. Yet it is not impossible.
From the Audience : Now-a-days, a man of reticence, will have to be tolerated, even in his house.
Maharajashri : In fact, a talkative man is more unbearable than a reticent man. The day is coming when talkative men will go out of existence. Have confidence in reticence. That will not cause any loss to you. On the contrary, it may bring some benefit to you.
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