EIGHT ATMA GUNAS- अष्टौ गुणाः

SUBHASHITHAM : 079

अष्टौ गुणाः पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्वदमौ श्रुतं च ।

पराक्रमश्चाबहुभाषिता च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च ॥ Vidura niti

Ashtau gunah purusham deepayanti pragyaa sushilatva damau shrutam cha I Paraakramascha abahubhaashitaa cha daanam yatha sakti krutagyataa cha II

Eight qualities adorn a person: Intellect, good disposition, self-control, knowledge, valour, not talking too much, being charitable as per his (financial) strength and gratitude.

शुश्रुषा श्रवणं चैव ग्रहणं धारणं तथा ।

ऊहापोहार्थविज्ञानं तत्वज्ञानं च धीगुणाः॥ Ramayanam

Shusrushaa shravanam chaiva grahanam dhaaranam tathaI Oohapohaa arthavigyaanam tatvagyaanam cha dhee gunaah II

Desire to listen and to listen carefully, to take and to follow, to speak in favour and to speak  against, knowledge of meanings and knowledge of elements are eight qualities of mind.

अथाष्टावात्मगुणाः ॥   दया सर्वभूतेषु क्षान्तिरनसूयता  

शौचं अनायासोमङ्गलं   अकार्पण्यं अस्प्रुहेति  ॥ Gautama Dharma Sutra

1.दया  - sarva bhoota dayaa - Compassion for all living creatures

2.अनसूयता anasooyata - lack of   jealousy; a shared love and respect for divine qualities that are expressed by others. 

3 शुचित्व  – shuchitva - cleanliness;  not just physical cleanliness but also mental cleanliness

4.अनायास – anaayaasa - effortlessness;  which is reflected not just in a capability to handle work efficiently but also in distinguishing what work is useful, what is unavoidable and what is detrimental. 

5.अकार्पन्य  – akaarpanya – lack of weakness - lack of mental poverty or inferiority – a lack of unnatural self- deprecation. 

6.अस्पृहा  – aspruhaa - untouched;  untouched by even desire for acquisitions, position and fame. 

7 क्षान्तिः  – kshaanti - an infinite forgiveness and patience – the endless patience and forgiveness of the earth and the infinite absorptive capacity of the oceans

8. मंगल  – mangala - auspiciousness; body, mind and heart being absorbed in the present moment results in mangala, shubha and kalyaana.

अहिंसा प्रथमं पुष्पं पुष्पमिन्द्रिय निग्रहः  सर्वभूतदया पुष्पं क्षमा पुष्पं विशेषतः ।

ज्ञानं पुष्पं तपः पुष्पं शान्तिः पुष्पं तथैव च  सत्यमष्टविधं पुष्पं विष्णोः प्रीतिकरं भवेत् ॥

ahiṃsā prathamaṃ puṣpaṃ puṣpamindriya nigrahaḥ sarvabhūtadayā puṣpaṃ kṣamā puṣpaṃ viśeṣataḥ । jñānaṃ puṣpaṃ tapaḥ puṣpaṃ śāntiḥ puṣpaṃ tathaiva ca  satyamaṣṭavidhaṃ puṣpaṃ viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṃ bhavet ॥

This sloka refers metaphorically to eight flowers which  delight Vishnu:

   1. ahimsa - non-violence (love) first and foremost (prathamam)

   2. indriya-nigraha: - control of the senses

   3. sarva-bhUta-dayA - showing compassion to all living beings

   4. kshamA - tolerance/patience

   5. jnAnam - knowledge

   6. tapas - austerity

   7. dhyAnam - contemplative meditation

   8. satyam – truth

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH