Defamation of Love: Today even the word love has become tarnished, but why? Do you truly trust the person you love? Maybe yes or maybe not. But when a country is founded on the idea of love, how is so much filth growing in the name of love and relationships? You must have heard the term “toxic relationship”—this is the term that is increasing divorce rates in India and pushing Western culture onto us. How this is happening and why, that’s what we will talk about today.
Before that, do you know whether the divorce rate in India has increased or decreased after the rise of social media? You’ll be shocked when you find out. Today 70 to 80 percent of content creators in India (videos, articles, etc.) are spreading wrong information just to increase their reach and even many psychologists and several doctors are doing the same.
Today all the social media platforms we use whether it’s Instagram, Facebook or even YouTube; none of their algorithms promote Indian culture quickly but Western culture spreads very fast. In this age of Kalyug, money has been made into a god, so people are obviously ready to do anything to get it. Let’s understand a few things in detail:
Table of Contents
What does love truly mean?
According to the world’s oldest religious scriptures meaning and according to Hinduism the real meaning of love is selfless, free from expectations, filled with devotion, a bond that lasts across lifetimes and a union of souls. All the other meanings of “love” that people talk about today will disappear with the end of Kalyug but this meaning of love has existed for ages and will continue to exist forever.
Why is the word love now considered “tainted”?
To understand this, we must first know when and why anything gets a bad name. Something becomes tarnished when the wrong side of it is seen more often, and today the meaning of love has changed. Everyone defines love based on their own benefits, losses and personal thinking.
The true meaning of love is selfless, free from expectations, a bond of devotion and unity of the soul. But today love has been reduced only to the body. People call it love when they simply satisfy physical desires, which is actually not love at all; it is considered one of the immoral acts. Physical intimacy is only a very small part of love; doing it before marriage has been described as irreligious and demonic.
It is also said, “Walking on the path of dharma is never easy but walking on the path of adharma is the easiest of all.”
What is a toxic relationship? And what is its solution?
What does a toxic relationship mean?
A toxic relationship may look like love from the outside but in reality, it hides control, psychological manipulation and emotional pain. In such a relationship, one partner takes away the other’s freedom in the name of love and decides what they should wear, who they can meet, where they can go and claim authority over everything. Slowly, this control and emotional manipulation make a person doubt themselves, turning love into a mental burden.
Emotional exhaustion is very common in these relationships. A person gives everything yet feels empty — with no peace and no real sense of belonging. Over time, they lose their dreams, confidence and even their identity. Any relationship that steals your smile and your freedom is not love; it is a cage that traps your soul in the name of “care.”
The reality of toxic relationships in India
A toxic relationship means being forced to do things against your will or having decisions made for you without your consent. In reality, toxic relationships are more common in Western countries because their culture encourages things like having girlfriends and boyfriends. Even today, if we exclude girlfriend–boyfriend relationships in India, toxic relationships are almost nonexistent.
India is the most populated country in the world, and naturally not everyone is the same. Even in the Ramayana era, Mother Sita was abducted by Ravana and in today’s time, who is Ravana and who is Ram, only Ram knows. Toxic relationships are found where demonic tendencies exist. Pre-marital sex and toxic relationships clearly show a person’s demonic nature. Those who willingly engage in such things are people with a demonic mindset.
What is the solution to a toxic relationship?
According to Western thinking, the simplest solution to any toxic relationship is to walk away. But the Indian tradition and spiritual perspective go much deeper. Here, relationships are not seen merely as emotional or social bonds — they are considered sacred ties of duty and karma. That is why Hindu philosophy teaches that even if a relationship becomes toxic, we must first remain on the path of dharma, devotion and patience, and make every sincere effort to correct what is wrong, express ourselves clearly and stand firmly yet peacefully for our rights. As the Gita says: “Swadharme nidhanam shreyah, paradharmo bhayavahah” (Chapter 3, Verse 35) — meaning staying true to your own dharma and duty is the highest path.
In Indian culture, marriage is not just a union of two people; it is a sacred bond between two souls and two families. Responsibility, sacrifice and self-discipline form its foundation. The Bhagavad Gita inspires us to maintain balance and fulfill our duties in every relationship. Lord Krishna says: “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana” (Chapter 2, Verse 47) — we must focus on doing our duty with full sincerity, without clinging to the outcome. The same principle applies to marriage: efforts, communication and the intention to improve should never be abandoned. Because nothing in this world is perfect — everything and everyone has flaws.
Indian philosophy also accepts that Earth is a karmabhoomi — a place where every person reaps the results of their actions. Good actions bring good results and bad actions bring bad results, if not today then surely tomorrow. Therefore, even while struggling in a toxic relationship, one should never abandon the path of devotion, morality and self-respect. And if, after all efforts, the relationship still cannot be healed, then the final decision should be based on dharma and wisdom — because struggle is a part of life but without dharma, struggle turns into darkness.
For Indians: A Matter of Shame
Today you easily believe others, adopt other cultures, and keep suppressing your own country’s culture. If you are falling this low now and leaving your own traditions behind, think about how low your future generations will fall. Don’t walk so far down the path of irreligion that returning becomes impossible.
Even if you earn wealth, money, status and power — what is the point if you gained it all by straying from the path of dharma? You may satisfy your mind, but you will never satisfy your soul. According to the scriptures, a soul gets the chance to be born as a human only after thousands of years. Don’t waste that chance. Walk the path of dharma. That will be the greatest victory of your life.
What is the defamation of love and the moral decay of society? And what is the solution?
Today, the word love has become tarnished (Defamation of Love) because people have forgotten its true meaning. In ancient Hindu scriptures, love is described as selfless, pure, free from expectations and a union of souls. But modern society has reduced it to attraction, desire and physical relationships. When people start defining love according to their convenience, its true essence fades and trust in love begins to disappear.
The rise of social media and Western influence has made this problem even worse. Algorithms now promote content that encourages Western thinking, casual relationships and temporary attraction. Because of this, the younger generation sees relationships as experiments, where values like sacrifice, devotion, patience and culture are left behind. When relationships are built on selfishness, control, jealousy and expectations, love starts to feel dirty, and people begin to lose faith in it.
In India, a land rooted in love, sacrifice and dharma; the distortion of love is deeply concerning. In the social media era, wrong and misleading relationship advice has increased distrust, doubt and toxic relationships. The real problem is that people are consuming love rather than understanding it. When love loses sacrifice, dharma and spiritual purity, confusion, immorality and broken relationships take their place.
Therefore, to save love, we must return to its true meaning — Indian values, spiritual purity and the ancient understanding of love that binds souls, not just bodies.