[ 20 ] Awareness When Words are Flowing in Speech … 355
Say Cautionary Words Without the Hurt to Others
Questioner : If someone is doing something wrong in worldly interactions and I have to caution and warn him , what do I do if this speech hurts him ?
Dadashri : You may be faced with the need to caution him , but because the ego becomes associated with it , you have to do pratikraman .
Questioner : If I do not caution and warn him , will he not get out of control ?
Dadashri : You have to caution him , but you must know how to do so . If you do not know how to caution ( takor ), if you do not deal with that properly , then that caution becomes associated with the ego . Therefore , you must do pratikraman . When you caution him , he will indeed feel hurt , but if you keep doing pratikraman , within a few months your speech will begin to become pleasant to him . During current times , tested speech is needed . No one has the right to speak untested speech . If you do pratikraman in this way , it will all straighten out no matter what it is like .
Questioner : Many times we have to tell people for their own good , or stop them from doing harm . What about the hurt they feel at that time ?
Dadashri : Yes , if it is something that is likely to hurt others , then You have to say , ‘ Chandulal , do pratikraman . Why did you do atikraman ? Say you will not say that again and that you are repenting for what you said .’ Do you understand ? That is all the pratikraman you need . ( 338 )
You have a right to speak , but you should know how to say it . Generally , the moment one sees the other person , he pounces on him saying , ‘ You are like this and you are like that !’