5: Respect, the Basis of Civilisation
Respect and the modes of nature
Transcendental Goodness: It is everyone's duty to offer respect to the Deity - Goodness: Offering respect in the proper way in the right time, place, and circumstance.
- Passion: Working to gain respect
- Ignorance: Without respect (arrogant)
What happens if you disrespect?
Examples from the Bhagavatam
- Disrespect is an offense - Indra and Brhaspati (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.7)
- Astavakra (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.20 purport)
- Daksa and Siva (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.3.21)
- Sati deserved respectful treatment from her father (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.4.7, 4.4.29)
- Jaya and Vijaya (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.15.30-36)
- When Draupadi, a woman, was disrespected, it caused the ruination of the Kuru dynasty. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.5, 1.15.10 purport)
What about receiving respect?
- Sometimes we are in a position where others offer us respect or are supposed to.
- Are you attached to respect?
- Think about some time you were respected and disrespected.
- What happened?
- How did you feel?
- How should you react if others honour or dishonour you?
- Don't demand respect, deserve it.
Discussion Points
- What do you respect in a person?
- Can a superior respect an inferior?
- Think of someone who commands your respect and someone who doesn't.
- How do you feel toward someone who demands respect?
- Respect is subtle—a person will notice if you are just making a show.
- Not properly respecting devotees is a symptom of a kanistha-adhikari.
- A woman's shyness commands respect; it makes her respectable because it gives the impression of chastity
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