refuse to speak or hear scandals

न वाच्यः परिवादोऽयं न श्रोतव्यः कथंचन।

कर्णवथ पिधातव्य प्रस्थेयं चान्यतो भवेत्॥

महाभारते शान्तिपर्वे १३२-१२

na vācyaḥ parivādo'yaṁ na śrotavyaḥ kathaṁcana|

karṇavatha pidhātavyaū prastheyaṁ cānyato bhavet||

mahābhārate śāntiparve 132-12

An absolutely practical and sane advice contained in Shanti Parva of Mahabharatham.

One should never talk scandalously about others.

One should never lend his ears to such scandals

If one is in a situation where scandals about others are likely to be hear, then he should close both his ears so that the words would not be heard

And one should just move away from places where such scandals are being spread..

We cannot expect anything more than this from a gentleman..

The advice looks like a platitude.. but if we make earnest attempt to follow it even to a limited extent the quality of our lives and the lives of all around would surely take a better turn

word analysis.

अयं this

परिवादः scandal

न वाच्यं. should not be spoken

न कथंचन never once

परिवादः scandals

श्रोतव्यं. should be listened to

अथ then

यदि if

श्रुतिपथे परिवादः भवति scandal comes within earshot

तर्हि then

कर्णौ the two ears

पिधातव्यं should be closed forcibly

अन्यतो somewhere else

प्रस्थेयं set out

च भवेत् should be done.