Slander/ਨਿੰਦਾ

It is defined as a false and malicious statement or report about someone. It is defined in the dictionary as;

1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.

O, do not slander him, for he is kind. –Shakespeare

2. To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts.
Noun;

1. Law-Damaging defamation by spoken words, or by looks or gestures.

2. A false, malicious and damaging spoken statement about a person.Thesaurus: aspersion, libel, smears.

3. The making of such statements; calumny. Thesaurus: calumny, scandal, aspersion, backbiting, libel, misrepresentation, traducement.
Verb;

Slandered, slandering;

To speak about someone in such a way. Compare libel. Thesaurus: defame, malign, defile, disparage, revile, sully, traduce, besmirch, denigrate, vilify, and blacken; Antonym: praise, honor.-----Dic

Guru Tegh Bahadur in Raag Gauri calls slandering and praise both as attachments;

ਸੁਰਗ ਨਰਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਿਖੁ ਏ ਸਭ ਤਿਉ ਕੰਚਨ ਅਰੁ ਪੈਸਾ ॥ ਉਸਤਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਏ ਸਮ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਫੁਨਿ ਤੈਸਾ ॥

Surag narak amriṯ bikẖ e sabẖ ṯi▫o kancẖan ar paisā. Usṯaṯ ninḏā ė sam jā kai lobẖ moh fun ṯaisā.

Heaven or hell, ambrosial nectar or poison, gold or copper, praise or slander, greed or attachment; are all alike to the enlightened individuals.-----Guru Tegh Bahadur, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 220-6

It takes your enemy and your friend, working together to hurt you to the heart; the one to slander you and the other to get the news to you. Our ignorance of history causes us to slander. Truth is generally the best vindication against slander and other lower instincts as expressed by Guru Nanak in Siri Raag;

ਲਬੁ ਕੁਤਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਚੂਹੜਾ ਠਗਿ ਖਾਧਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ ॥ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਪਰ ਮਲੁ ਮੁਖ ਸੁਧੀ ਅਗਨਿ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਚੰਡਾਲੁ ॥

Lab kuṯā kūṛ cẖūhṛā ṯẖag kẖāḏẖā murḏār.Par ninḏā par mal mukẖ suḏẖī agan kroḏẖ cẖandāl.

Greed is a dog; falsehood is a filthy street-sweeper. Cheating is eating a rotting carcass. Slandering others is putting the filth of others into your own mouth. The fire of anger is the outcaste who burns dead bodies at the crematorium. -----Guru Nanak, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 15-9 & 10

While Kabir in Raag Gauri is very happy being slandered;

ਨਿੰਦਉ ਨਿੰਦਉ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਲੋਗੁ ਨਿੰਦਉ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਜਨ ਕਉ ਖਰੀ ਪਿਆਰੀ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਬਾਪੁ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਮਹਤਾਰੀ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਬੈਕੁੰਠਿ ਜਾਈਐ ॥ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਮਨਹਿ ਬਸਾਈਐ ॥ਰਿਦੈ ਸੁਧ ਜਉ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ਹਮਰੇ ਕਪਰੇ ਨਿੰਦਕੁ ਧੋਇ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰੈ ਸੁ ਹਮਰਾ ਮੀਤੁ ॥ਨਿੰਦਕ ਮਾਹਿ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਚੀਤੁ ॥ਨਿੰਦਕੁ ਸੋ ਜੋ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹੋਰੈ ॥ਹਮਰਾ ਜੀਵਨੁ ਨਿੰਦਕੁ ਲੋਰੈ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹਮਰੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹਮਰਾ ਕਰੈ ਉਧਾਰੁ ॥ਜਨ ਕਬੀਰ ਕਉ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਸਾਰੁ ॥ਨਿੰਦਕੁ ਡੂਬਾ ਹਮ ਉਤਰੇ ਪਾਰਿ ॥

Ninḏa¬o ninḏa¬o mo ka¬o log ninḏa¬o, Ninḏā jan ka¬o kẖarī pi¬ārī, Ninḏā bāp ninḏā mehṯārī, Ninḏā ho¬ė ṯa baikunṯẖ jā¬ī¬ai, Nām paḏārath maneh basā¬ī¬ai, Riḏai suḏẖ ja¬o ninḏā ho¬ė, Hamrė kaprė ninḏak ḏẖo¬ė, Ninḏā karai so hamrā mīṯ, Ninḏak māhi hamārā cẖīṯ, Ninḏak so jo ninḏā horai, Hamrā jīvan ninḏak lorai, Ninḏā hamrī parėm pi¬ār, Ninḏā hamrā karai uḏẖār, Jan Kabīr ka¬o ninḏā sār, Ninḏak dūbā ham uṯrė pār.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/spiritual-articles/24513-slander.html

Slander me, slander me - go ahead, people, and slander me. Slander is pleasing to God's humble servant. Slander is my father, slander is my mother. If I am slandered, I go to heaven; the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the God, abides within my mind. If my heart is pure, and I am slandered, then the slanderer washes my clothes. One who slanders me is my friend; the slanderer is in my thoughts. The slanderer is the one who prevents me from being slandered. The slanderer wishes me long life. I have love and affection for the slanderer. Slander is my salvation. Slander is the best thing for servant Kabir. The slanderer is drowned, while I am carried across. -----Kabir, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 339

Guru Tagh Bahadur in Raag Gauri advises to renounce both praise and slander to progress in spirituality;

ਉਸਤਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਦੋਊ ਤਿਆਗੈ ਖੋਜੈ ਪਦੁ ਨਿਰਬਾਨਾ ॥ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹੁ ਖੇਲੁ ਕਠਨੁ ਹੈ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਾਨਾ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=24513

Usṯaṯ ninḏā ḏo¬ū ṯi¬āgai kẖojai paḏ nirbānā. Jan Nānak ih kẖel kaṯẖan hai kinhūʼn gurmukẖ jānā.

Renounce both praise and slander; seek instead the 4rth state of liberation. Servant Nanak says, it is such a difficult game that only a few Guru willed can understand it!-----Guru Tagh Bahadur, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 219-3

Conclusion:

Slander is the revenge of a coward, and dissimulation his defense. Slander cannot destroy an honest man and when flood recedes rock is still there. The worthiest people are the most injured by slander, as is the best fruit which the birds have been picking at. One should get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Each individual has his/her own spiritual experiences of life as he/she under stands according to his/her understanding.

ਮੀਠੇ ਕਉ ਕਉੜਾ ਕਹੈ ਕੜੂਏ ਕਉ ਮੀਠਾ ॥ ਰਾਤੇ ਕੀ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਐਸਾ ਕਲਿ ਮਹਿ ਡੀਠਾ ॥

Mīṯẖe ka▫o ka▫uṛā kahai kaṛū▫e ka▫o mīṯẖā. Rāṯe kī ninḏā karahi aisā kal mėh dīṯẖā.

That which is sweet is said to be bitter, and the bitter is said to be sweet. One who is imbued with the Akal Purkh’s Love is slandered - I have seen it in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga says Nanak -----Guru Nanak, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 229-7

Virinder S. Grewal
Williamston, MI

 
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