Impact of Words in Relationship : Avoid Hurtful Words

1. Words must be sweet or else they should not be spoken.
2. As long as your speech does not hurt anyone, there is nothing wrong in talking.
3. People have the right to criticize you. You do not have the right to criticize anyone.
4. Words are like money. Give them as you give money, by counting each one.
5. If you want to say something, make sure it is positive.
6. Correct speech is only that which is accepted by the other person. It is speech that suits the other person. You should speak in such a way that the other person will accept your speech. 
7. When parents speak recklessly, children will behave recklessly.
8. Children are like mirrors. From them we can see the extent of our mistakes.
9. That is why I tell people that after the age of sixteen they should treat their child like a friend.
10. The world will always improve with love. There is no other solution for it.

1. A person who hears you call him 'worthless' is bound to be hurt, but also the resulting consequences and its different phases will bring you a lot of unhappiness. When you say something positive about another person, you will feel peace within you and your spoken words will give peace to the other person also.
2. If I decide that, 'I want to speak words that will hurt no living being, no religion and the foundation of any religion', such intentions will produce syaadvaad speech (speech that hurts no one).
3. Whenever you caution someone, he is bound to feel hurt, but if you keep doing pratikraman, in a short time, perhaps even within a year, your speech will be more pleasant and acceptable to him.
4. Words can soothe or aggravate a person. Therefore, they are all effective. All effective things are inanimate. The Self is beyond effects. Anything that is temporary is effective.

1)  When I was about twenty-five years old a relative had come to visit. I did not have this Gnan at the time and I did not know that speech is a record. This relative said some very unpleasant and hurtful things to me but I could not afford to quarrel with any relatives so I told him, "Have a seat please. I may have made a mistake." I served tea and snacks to him and calmed him down. As he was leaving, I said, "Please take the 'bag' (harsh words) back with you. I have not 'tasted' its contents. You had given it without weighing and measuring it properly. I do not accept anything that has not been measured. I only have use for goods that are correctly measured, so please take your bag back with you." He was pacified when he heard this.

2) Even at the age of seventy-three, Hiraba (Dada's wife) would ask me to come home early. In return I would tell her that I too, did not like being away from her. I played my role to the fullest and how happy it made her feel! She would declare her feelings to me and I too, would speak accordingly. Whatever you say should be beneficial to others. What good is it if you say things that are not beneficial to others.