As a young boy, Nilambar (now, Pujyapad Puri Shankaracharyaji), was very good at kabaddi, wrestling and football. He managed to defeat friends who were four years older than him. This created big trouble.
The embarrassing situation agitated the older friends, and so they bullied Nilambar. One of them abused and slapped him.
Nilambar reached home crying and told his sister how he was slapped and abused.
His sister responded curtly, “If you repeat the abuse to them, which was told to you, I will also give you a slap.”
Nilambar broke down and howled on hearing her harsh words.
His sister, then, affectionately wiped his tears and explained, “Abuses are not supposed to be articulated. The mind deteriorates owing to containing the memory of abusive words. By articulating an abuse, speech becomes impure. The abuse was given to us all. You only have the right to say that you were abused by them. I will explain to the mothers of those children that they are getting spoilt and have learnt how to abuse.”
The above lesson given by his sister was applied by Nilambar all his life.
He took a vow:
In life, neither will I abuse anyone, nor will I articulate the abuse given by another.