How wicked is the evil word

Durrukta (harshly spoken) is a word opposite to Sukta in the maxim. Sukta (well-spoken) is beneficent, inspiring; durukta is evil, instigator of heart burn, quarrel.

As we dislike evil speech, i.e. criticism or abuse, so also others do not like the same; hence, we should not use bad words for any one. What is a bad word? Wise men have told us its three specialties -

1. Evil speech is difficult to be remedied. It is easy to take out an arrow from a body, but to remove a prickly word from the heart is very difficult. A body’s wound may slowly- slowly heal, but the wound inflicted by spoken words is very difficult to heal.

2. Evil speech creates enmity. Slandering or ill speaking about others makes others our worst foe.

3. Evil speech generates great fear. The man against whom evil words have been used can put us into a problem anytime.

- Dasavaikalika Sutra 6/3/7