Friday, April 7, 2017

Speak or Not to Speak - DuCheez TeerahAql दूचीज़ तीरा अक़्लअस्त

 अगरचे पेश ख़िरदमन्द ख़ामोशी अदब अस्त 
  बवक़्त मसलेहत अन बै कि दर सुख़न कोशी 
दू चीज़ तीरह अक़्ल अस्त - दम फ़रो बस्तन 
बवक़्त गुफ्तन - ऊ गुफ्तन बवक़्ते ख़ामोशी    
(शेख़ सादी )
اگر چه پیش خردمند خاموشی ادب است 
به وقت مصلحت آن به که در سخن کوشی 
دو چیز طیره عقل است - دم فرو بستن 
به وقت گفتن و  گفتن به وقت خاموشی    
      Agarche pesh khiradmand khamoshi adabast
Bavqt maslehat an be ki dar sukhan koshi 
Du cheez teerah aqal ast - dam faro bastan
 Bavaqt guftan, ou guftan bavaqt khamoshi  
                                                       (Sheikh Sa’di)
Translation
Though it's a virtue for the wise to stay quiet (not talk too much) 
It is also virtuous to give advice when required (at the right time)
Two things are imprudent – (unwise choices)
To keep quiet when one should speak
And to speak when it’s time to keep silence.   (Sheikh Sa’di)

One of the greatest abilities that humans have, is the ability to judge – to evaluate and modify or adapt their behavioral patterns according to the situation. Effective Speaking is an art – a talent, a skill, which may require some learning and practice.
Silence is also one of the great skills which also requires a lot of patience and practice. 
‘Wisdom’ is to know when to speak and when not to speak - the ability to evaluate the situation; when it’s time to offer advice and when it’s important to stay quiet. 
However, just as ‘keep on talking’ and giving ‘un asked for’ - unwanted advice is not useful, Silence may also not be always positive and useful. 
It is up to us to assess the situation and decide when and where we must be silent and be a quiet listener, and when and where we should not be silent. 
If our silence is in the wrong place, at the wrong time, it can damage personal and social relationships and even bring down the family, business and social establishments. Many great organizations and empires have collapsed just because the right people did not (or were not allowed to) speak up at the right time. 
In the classic epic of Mahabharat - when Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas was being insulted and unrobed in the court - the eminent scholars and stalwarts of ethics and morality such as Bheeshm and Dronachaarya did not speak up against such a malicious, immoral action of their lords, the Kauravs. They had a dilemma - to choose between ‘Rules and Ethics – between ‘loyalty and morality’. Apparently, they made a wrong, unwise decision of choosing ‘Rules* and Loyalty’ instead of ethics, principles and morality – and the history never forgave them for that. 
  
Right decision at the right time is very important.
Speech or Silence?  Speak or not to speak? 
It all depends on the situation.
          Choose wisely.

                               ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

*Pandavs lost Draupadi in the game of chess to Kauravs. According to the rules laid down before the game, winners had the ‘right’ to do anything they wished to. Though, Bheeshm and other ministers and scholars present in the court believed it was unethical and immoral what Kauravs were going to do, they still kept quiet in order to support the law– the rules of the game. They thought law and rules, (and loyalty to their lords) were above ethics and principles.



4 comments:

  1. Excellent advice. May Almighty Guru Nirankar bless us with enough wisdom and strength so that we follow this advice AND choose wisely.

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  2. very useful and practical in day today life ... Life guided by wisdom is balanced life.. Great thoughts

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  3. sometimes we know we need to speak out; however we feel that doing so may compromise my position and in so doing I am choosing to keep the peace and forego creating waves....it's a very delicate balance indeed. In our scriptures it is said to only speak the Truth if it does not hurt the other person...Having said that, the overall message is on point and I would add that learning to listen is also a skill that needs to be nurtured and practiced as much as is the art of speaking....The old aphorism - "Seek first to Understand before Being Understood" is a good principle that will solve a lot of communication issues...

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  4. Very Nice. It really helps us in life.
    Regards.

    ReplyDelete

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