Bhagavad Gita · 16.2 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures·2 of 24
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥
ahinsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śhāntir apaiśhunam
dayā bhūteṣhv aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr achāpalam
Sanskrit recitation
Divine qualities to grow · 16.1–16.5 · Teaching
Translation
Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of fickleness.
Meaning
Ahimsa Noninjury in thought, word and deed. By refraining from injuring living creatures the outgoing forces of Rajas are curbed. Ahimsa is divided into physical, verbal and mental.Satyam Truth Speaking of things as they are, without uttering unpleasant words or lies. This includes selfrestraint, absence of jealousy, forgiveness, patience, endurance and kindness.Akrodhah Absence of anger when insulted, ruked or beaten, i.e., even under the gravest provocation.Tyagah Renunciation -- literally, giving up giving up of Vasanas, egoism and the fruits of action. Charity is also Tyaga. This has already been mentioned in the previous verse.Santih Serenity of the mind.Apaisunam Absence of narrowmindedness.Daya Compassion to those who are in distress. A man of compassion has a tender heart. He lives only for the benefit of the world. Compassion indicates realisation of unity or oneness with other creatures.Aloluptvam Noncovetousness
After Swami Sivananda
Divine qualities to grow· 16.1–16.5→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 16.1The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness.
16.2Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of fickleness.
- 16.3Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born for a divine state, O Arjuna.
- 16.4Hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these belong to one who is born for a demoniacal state, O Partha.
- 16.5The divine nature is deemed conducive to liberation, and the demonic to bondage. Grieve not, O Arjuna, for you are born with divine endowments.
Word-by-word→
- dayā
- compassion
- satyam
- truthfulness
- ahinsā
- non-violence
- hrīḥ
- modesty
- mārdavam
- gentleness
- tyāgaḥ
- renunciation
- achāpalam
- lack of fickleness
- akrodhaḥ
- absence of anger
- aloluptvam
- absence of covetousness
- apaiśhunam
- restraint from fault-finding
- bhūteṣhu
- toward all living beings
- śhāntiḥ
- peacefulness
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