Posted by Bansi Pandit on February 06, 1998 at 12:44:29:
In Reply to: Upanishads and Slander posted by Prabir das on January 29, 1998 at 23:43:43:
: What Upanishad says about slander. Give examples and the penalties
Response:
The Upanishads do not govern human conduct; Dharmshastras do. The Upanishads only provide knowledge about Brahman (the Universal Spirit or the Ultimate Reality) and how to realize Him. Dharmshastras, especially Manusmiriti, lay down rules for human conduct. One of the great doctrines of the Hindu religious tradition is Ahimsa, which means that one should not hurt anyone by word, deed, or thought. Manusmriti also states that if absolute harmlessness is not possible in a given situation, injury by word, deed, or thought should be minimized. Refer to Manusmriti for details relative to punishment.