Gossip and Gossiping

What is so bad about gossip? Is it not something that has existed, without intending to sound hyperbolic, since the dawn of creation? Or so claim those whom the world considers psychologists—individuals said to have studied the mind and its workings.

Putting their credentials aside, what should one make of "gossip"? Accepting the belief that it has existed since time immemorial, does its antiquity lend credence to the senseless notion that it is harmless? If so, then from Anaximenes to Archytas, Zhuang Zhou to Zhu Xi, and Swami Brahmananda to Swami Ramana, all are utterly mistaken. Clearly, there is a serious flaw in such reasoning.

Gossip refers to casual or unconstrained conversations or reports about others, typically involving unverified details. Such reports are passed from one person to another, often containing unkind or false remarks.

A person who engages in gossip is called a whisperer—one who whispers behind others' backs, secretly slanders them, and pours poison into others' ears with the intention of causing harm. In the horse-and-buggy days, gossip was spread by word of mouth.

Today, however, technology has made it far easier for tale-tellers to circulate their canards via emails, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. It takes but a few idle moments of the slanderers' lives to dash them off to eager recipients, who, weary of their Netflix and cable TV dramas, are ever ready for a fresh tale.

Thiruvalluvar, a celebrated Tamil poet and philospher, has dedicated an entire chapter --- Chapter 19 --- called புறங்கூறாமை (Not to indulge in backbiting) to "the evils of gossiping". His couplet 181 says, "Even if a person does not follow righteous way of life,
still, it is better for him that at least he does not talk ill of others behind their back". Reserving strong language for such mongers, the philosopher pronounces in couplet 183, "Better than a life of slandering a person behind his back is to die not doing so...". In couple 189, he wonders, "Does the earth support the backbiting person’s body weight,
because it thinks that, ‘bearing this person’s weight is my Dharma’?"

Another erudite Brahmana scholar who lived in the 8th century, Srikantha Nilakantha (the author of Uttaramacharita), who later came to be known as Bhavabhuti, dubs a gossip as a dangerous demon, who in terms of his viciousness and malice, is far worse than Ravana, who could only be vanquished by the Lord Himself.

But why has "gossip" been considered dangerous and even painfully virulent? What is it that it does to us that makes it all potently unwholesome? Swami Shivananda, the direct disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, declares: "...gossip and things of that nature are VERY bad. They DRAG the mind DOWN...," (pg. 75, For Seekers of God). Adding on to His dire warning, Mata Amritansndamayi, one of the greatest apostles of the 20th century warns: “If within the mind, some gossip and slander finds root, God leaves, Devil will rule the mind.” (https://www.amritapuri.org/12975/investment.aum).

That, indeed, is an excessively serious warning to anyone who values spiritual life or seeks to work with the mind to attain the purpose of his existence. Although most people may not have realised it, the time the world spends whispering about others far exceeds anything one might imagine. If we were to add up all the small pockets of time—between lunches, during telephone conversations, and on train rides—that we needlessly squander on gossiping, we might discern why we have neither materially nor spiritually succeeded in anything.

On this point, Swami Sivananda, the spiritual master who has given the world  countless mahatmas, says: "If you can give up IDLE TALKS and GOSSIPING and IDLE CURIOSITY to hear RUMOURS and news of OTHERS and if you do NOT meddle with the affairs of others, you WILL have ample time to do meditation." (pgs. 216-217, Concentration and Meditation). "Plod on in your sadhana", Swami Sivananda further says, "Give up idle talk, tall talk, gossip and backbiting. Save your time," Swami Sivananda (pg 169, Science of Yoga, Vol. 6)

Agreeing with the sage, Swami Yatiswarananda, the author of the celebrated spiritual work "Meditation and Spiritual Practice", cajoles us, "We must MINIMIZE all unnecessary waste of time in FUTILE thinking, GOSSIPING, aimless ACTIVITIES, wandering, etc. THEN, we will get PLENTY of time for our spiritual practice." (pg. 341, Meditation and Spiritual Practice by Swami Yatiswarananda)

The following serve only to further underscore the deleterious effects of gossip on our psyche and inner spirit:

"Refrain from gossip and the spreading if rumours. Give a lie a 24-hour start and sometimes it seems to become immortal," Paramahansa Yogananda (pg. 76 Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda)

"Do not WASTE your energy in IDLE TALKING and worldly gossiping," Swami Sivananda (pg. 83, Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda)

Swami Muktananda: "You should NOT talk AIMLESSLY among yourselves, spread false gossip, or indulge in self-willed behaviour..." (pg. 45, Play of Consciousness)

Swami Brahmananda, the direct disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, pronounces, "There is no enemy more harmful than idle gossip. It ruins one completely." (pg. 26, Spiritual Teachings of Swami Brahmananda).

It does not merely ruin one but utterly destroys one, leaving no modicum of hope for a second chance.