Certainly, one can make a mistake due to a slip of the tongue or weakness of the heart. But conscious derogatory slander about one’s parents’ intimate moment in a public place, disguised as humor, is not only uncalled for but utterly disgraceful.
In the Nāṭya Śāstra, humor is glorified, and even sarcasm within humor is appreciated. Insults within humor are not deemed punishable. However, when humor crosses into outright derogation and takes on an incestuous tone, it becomes unimaginable and demands a firm stance.
Even the most liberal nation or the most secluded forest-dwelling community would disapprove of such conduct, even in private. What, then, can be said of a public utterance made with full awareness of its ramifications?
At times, the question arises: Is there truly a great demand for such content among the youth, prompting platforms to provide it? In reality, this interest is manufactured through repeated narratives that condition the younger generation. If someone is not part of it or unaware of such content, it is made to feel like a taboo.
If viewed purely from the lens of material benefit, such content contributes nothing to the growth of the younger generation in any aspect of life. Renowned psychologists have demonstrated that conservative values regarding speech, information consumption, and human interactions are not only beneficial but also align with fundamental human well-being.
Turning lewd jokes into an entertainment industry is not just a degradation of society but a devaluation of relationships that were once respected and valued. Therefore, comedy was once the forte of the refined —meant for the responsible— allowing them to ease their anxieties with light humor, at their own cost too.
Kings and great royalties often had jesters who would occasionally ridicule them—be it Tenali Ramakrishna or Gopal Bhan. These jesters were even paid by the kings to mock them. However, they were strictly forbidden from crossing the line or striking below the belt, even against royalty. If the humor became excessively offensive and tested the patience of the royalty beyond limits, they could face severe punishment, including the death penalty.
𝘉𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘥 𝘎𝘪𝘵𝘢, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝟭𝟳.𝟭𝟱 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴:
“anudvega-karaṁ vākyaṁ
satyaṁ priya-hitaṁ ca yat
svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva
vāṅ-mayaṁ tapa ucyate”
𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.
The worst part is that when depraved narratives like incest are propagated, they become normalized—just as Hitler normalized the massacre of Jews, with his nation supporting him. When such obnoxiousness is psychologically normalized, human existence itself loses value, leading to rape, violence, murder, and shamelessness. Yet, when liberals question the perverse behavior of the younger generation, they often refuse to acknowledge the connection between the entertainment industry and the resulting moral decay in society.
If good values are promoted, they bring positive consequences. Likewise, glorifying depravity inevitably deepens societal corruption. People are shaped by what they associate with. It is the responsibility of sensible families and citizens to take a stand—protest, and put an end to such harmful entertainment once and for all.
– Govinda Das (ISKCON Member)
