According to Gurbani, Ninda i.e. false accusations or false slandering of anyone is not good but in particular, Ninda of Guru Sahib, Gursikhs (Sants) brings about a huge retribution (punishment) from Waheguru. The reason for this is that Satguru jee is all good qualities and possesses not a single bad quality and Ninda means finding faults in someone. How can someone find faults in Satguru jee?
So Ninda of Guru Sahib is worst of all. Ninda of Gursikhs is also a very negative Karma because Gursikhs are dear to Vaheguru jee and Vaheguru jee does not like slandering of His beloved ones. For this reason, Ninda of Gursikhs brings about a huge negative Karma for the offender.
Finding faults in any individual is not a good idea because it brings Haume in one. One thinks that one is better than the person being slandered. It’s often seen that the kind of Ninda one does of someone, similar kind of Ninda eventually happens of one. As an example, if one unnecessarily starts slandering another Gursikh for not getting up at Amritvela, it produces a kind of Haume in one and this results in one losing Amritvela.
Gurmat tradition preaches us to ignore the faults of others:
ਦੇਖ ਕੇ ਅਣਡਿਠ ਕਰਨਾ
But when a transgression or a sin or a fault of others affects the Rehit Maryada, then there is no need to be quiet. As an example, if a person who has committed a Kurehit is doing Sewa in Langar or Kirtan etc. such person should be asked to desist from doing Sewa until he gets pardoned but if the offender is defiant, then there is nothing wrong in bringing it to attention of other Gursikhs. A prime example of this is when Bhai Sahib stopped Kirtanis who had committed a Kurehit, from doing Kirtan.
Having said that, one should make a habit to not look at faults of others and concentrate on earning the true Laaha of life by engaging in Naam and Gurbani. Ninda i.e. expressing false or untrue faults of others should be avoided at all costs and even expressing true faults of others should be avoided, when there is no need to. An effort should be made to put Purdah on faults of others, so long as doing so does not affect Gurmat Maryada. We all are full of faults and expect Guru Sahib to keep our Purdah in this world and the next world. Likewise, we too should be magnanimous at heart and ignore the shortcomings of others and embrace them with love, despite their shortcomings.
Presented below are some selected Gurbani Pankitis that talk about Ninda and Chugli:
ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਤਜਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਹਉਮੈ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
(O my mind, eschew doing Ninda, Haume-Ahankaar.
ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਬਹੁ ਭਾਰੁ ਉਠਾਵੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਮਜੂਰੀ ਭਾਰੁ ਪਹੁਚਾਵਣਿਆ ॥4॥
(By doing Ninda, the Nindaks carry great burden (of other’s sins) and they carry this load of sins of others without any reward.
ਕਰਨ ਨ ਸੁਨੈ ਕਾਹੂ ਕੀ ਨਿੰਦਾ ॥ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਜਾਨੈ ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਮੰਦਾ ॥
(The ears should not hear anyone’s Ninda and one should consider oneself as lowest of all).
ਉਸਤਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਗੁਰਿ ਸਮ ਜਾਣਾਈ ਇਸੁ ਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਲਾਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਇ ॥1॥
(Guru Sahib has explained that praise and Ninda is of same status (false status) and the only profit in this world is to chant Vaheguru).
ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਚੁਗਲੀ ਚੁਗਲੋ ਵਜੈ ਕੀਤਾ ਕਰਤਿਆ ਓਸ ਦਾ ਸਭੁ ਗਇਆ ॥
(Ones who do Chugli, they are known and Chugals and all their good Karma is lost).
ਚੁਗਲੀ ਕਰ ਜੋ ਕਾਜ ਬਿਗਾਰੈ ਧ੍ਰਿਗ ਤਿਸ ਜਨਮ ਜੁ ਧਰਮ ਬਿਸਾਰੈ ॥
(One who spoils someone’s work by doing Chugli, and one who forgets Dharma, his life is damned).
Some Gurmat principles that can be derived from the above Gurbani Pankitis are:
1. Ninda should be avoided at all costs.
2. By doing someone’s Ninda, one carries the burden of sins of the person whose Ninda is done.
3. Doing Ninda and Chugli results in one losing one`s virtues.
4. If one does Ninda, then one`s Ninda too would be done, such is the law of Karma.
5. For the most part, one should not find faults in others but if someone`s faults result in breaking Gurmat Maryada, then there is nothing wrong in expressing faults of the sinner because keeping quiet in the face of violation of Gurmat is a sin.
May Guru Sahib save us from Ninda and Chugli.<?p>