Chapter 16 · Verse 2

Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्

ahinsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śhāntir apaiśhunam dayā bhūteṣhv aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr achāpalam

Word Meanings

ahinsā — non-violence; satyam — truthfulness; akrodhaḥ — absence of anger; tyāgaḥ — renunciation; śhāntiḥ — peacefulness; apaiśhunam — restraint from fault-finding; dayā — compassion; bhūteṣhu — toward all living beings; aloluptvam — absence of covetousness; mārdavam — gentleness; hrīḥ — modesty; achāpalam — lack of fickleness

Language:

Translation

Non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, peacefulness, aversion to fault-finding, compassion toward all living beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, and steadiness;

Commentary

अहिंसा harmlessness? सत्यम् truth? अक्रोधः absence of anger? त्यागः renunciation? शान्तिः peacefulness? अपैशुनम् absence of crookedness? दया compassion? भूतेषु in beings? अलोलुप्त्वम् noncovetousness? मार्दवम् gentleness? ह्रीः modesty? अचापलम् absence of fickleness.Commentary 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. The senses are not affected or excited when they come in contact with their respective objects the senses are withdrawn from the objects of the senses? just as the limbs of the tortoise are withdrawn by it into its own shell.Hrih It is shame felt in the performance of actions contrary to the rules of the Vedas or of society.Achapalam Not to speak or move the hands and legs in vain avoidance of useless action.Straightforwardness? noninjury? absence of anger? etc.? are special alities of the Brahmanas. They are the Sattvic virtues which belong to them.Moreover --