A MAN OF CHARACTER

   Subhashitham:012

What do we understand by saying some one as a man of good character?

Are there any hall marks for such people? How do we become one ourselves?

These are some of the questions asked by the ordinary and also very great thinkers.

The vedas enjoin as to do two things to achieve something in this pursuit!

·  Sathyam vada- Speak the truth,

·  Dharmam chara- Walk the  path of Dharma ( Do your duty )

Dharma is the most difficult word to understand and practice. However Manu gives us some 

clues about dharma:

धॄतिः क्षमा दमोऽस्तेयं शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः । धीर्विद्या सत्यमक्रोधो दशकं धर्मलक्षणम् ॥

Dhruti, kshama, dama, astheyam, saucham, indriya nigraha: I

Dhee: , vidya, satyam, akrodha:, daskam dharma lakshanam.

Resolve, forgiveness, controlled mind, never stealing, cleanliness, control over senses, 

intellect, education, honesty and never getting angry are the ten facets of Dharma 

(the code of righteous living).  Obviously,  if someone practices these ten qualities we can

confidently say “ He is a man of character “.

Also, we have the famous statement “AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMA:” which leads us to

 to-day’s Subhashitham.

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा  I  हिम्साविरामको धर्मो ह्यसिम्सा परमं सुखं  II

Karmana, manasa, vacha, sarvabutheshu sarvada I Himsaviramako dharmo hyasimsa 

paramam sukam.

By thought, word and deed and at all times one should desist from doing any harm to 

other beings. Ahimsa is the gate to supreme peace.

Bhagavad gita ch16-verses 1-3 describe 26 values for a man of godly nature:

BG 16.1-3: The Supreme Divine Personality said: O scion of Bharat, these are the saintly 

virtues of those endowed with a divine nature —1) fearlessness, 2) purity of mind, 

3) steadfastness in spiritual knowledge,  4) charity, 5)  control of the senses,

6) performance of sacrifice, 7) study of the sacred books, 8) austerity, and  

9) straightforwardness, 10) nonviolence, 11)truthfulness, 12) absence of anger, 

13) renunciation, 14) peacefulness, 15)restraint from fault-finding, 

16) compassion toward all living beings, 17) absence of covetousness, 18) gentleness, 

19) modesty, and 20)  lack of fickleness; 21)  vigour, 22)   forgiveness,  23) fortitude, 

24)  cleanliness, 25)  bearing enmity toward none, and  26)  absence of vanity.

           Sri krishnaya thubyam nama: