Are You Giving Unsolicited Advice to Others?

नापृष्टः कस्यचिद् ब्रूयान्न चान्यायेन पृच्छतः।
जानन्नपि हि मेधावी जडवल्लोक आचरेत्।।

न अपृष्टः कस्यचित् ब्रुयात्— Don’t give unsolicited opinion or advice to anyone.
Give opinion or advice only if you are specifically asked for.
If you give unsolicited opinion or advice, you will only end up in controversy, ridicule, or you will be disliked or even hated for it.
Unsolicited giving of opinion or advice, where you are not particularly asked for it, is not advisable.

If you are a medhavi — intelligent person — this is how you would conduct yourself.
Dumb people poke their nose into others’ matters and offer opinions and advice.
The intelligent person would act as if he is dumb. He will remain silent as if he doesn’t know anything — jadavat loke acharet.

See the contrast in the context of offering unsolicited opinion —
The dumb acts as if he is intelligent, a know-it-all.
And the intelligent remains silent as if he is dumb.
The dumb tries to show that he is intelligent, and the intelligent acts as if he is dumb.

न चान्यायेन पृच्छतः —
Even if asked, check whether the way the question is asked is proper.
Don’t answer a question if it is asked in the wrong manner.

See why the question is being asked, why you are being addressed with this question.
Does the person consider you knowledgeable in that particular field?
Or is he trying to show that he is greater than you?
Is it a genuine question?
Is the questioner truly seeking knowledge or information?
Or is he trying to prove that you don’t know anything?

Even the best of experts won’t have answers to all questions, at least not at all times.
So, asking the question with a genuine intent is nyaya. Otherwise, it is anyaya.
Don’t answer such questions.
Act as if you don’t know. Say you don’t know.

Our culture says the seeker should be polite.
Water can flow only from a higher place to a lower place.
Considering this, it is important for the seeker to place himself at a lower level and ask the question.
Then only knowledge flows.

If the seeker doesn’t understand this and doesn’t ask his question respectfully, don’t answer.
Controversy or ridicule will be the result.
If your answer is not in agreement with his idea or notion, he will go out and say, 'he doesn't know anything.'

So this is also important — why is the question being asked?
Is it a genuine search for knowledge, or simply a ratification of something right or wrong that the questioner already has in mind?
This should be thought about.

Knowledge is God, Chaitanya, and it is up to you to safeguard the respect for this knowledge or God within you.

The other kind of questions are in debates — where two or more people of comparable knowledge in a subject get together and present and argue their opinions.
This could be even peer evaluation.
Here also, one thing is important — the levels of the participants should be comparable.

So if you decide to be part of a discussion forum or group, make sure that the other participants are also of your level.
Otherwise, better stay away.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi