Eight Ethical Qualities for a Successful Life

हरि सर्वोत्तम । वायु जीवोत्तम | श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः

अनसूया दया क्षान्तिः अनायासाश्च मंगलं अकार्पण्यम् तथा शौचं अस्पृहा च

Irrespective of birth, location, age, era, faith, community, social status or gender, this is the prescribed 8-fold path for aspirants to develop ethical qualities and lead a successful and happy life:

• अनसूया – freedom from envy, pride and malice
  • न गुणान् गुणिनो हन्ति नस्तौति आत्मगुणान् अपि । प्रहृष्यते नान्य दोषैः अनसूया प्रकीर्तिता ॥
  • Not being dismissive of other’s good qualities – and being happy when someone else is praised
  • Not praising one’s own good qualities
  • Not being happy when someone’s flaw is mentioned – and not mentioning it, even if true
• दया – compassion, kindness, mercy
  • अपारे बन्धुवर्गे वा मित्रे द्वेष्टिनिवस सदा । आत्मोद्वर्त्नं यस्यात् सा दया परिकीर्तिता ॥
  • Helping an unrelated person in difficulty just as you would a close relative
  • Taking care of even an enemy in dire straits just as you would take care of yourself
• क्षान्तिः – forbearance, endurance, patience
  • वाचामनसीकाये च मुखेन उत्पादितेन । न कुप्यति न च अप्रीतिः सा क्षान्तिः प्रकीर्तिता ॥
  • Even if verbally, mentally or physically hurt by someone, not getting angry and not showing hatred 
  • i.e. accepting whatever happens to us is due to our own Karma and Lord’s will – nothing is random, accidental or coincidental.
  • Instead of hating, pray for your assailant’s deliverance and your own improvement
• अनायासा – free from excessive exertion
  • शरीरं पीठ्यते येन शुभेन अपि च विकर्मण । अत्यन्तं तन्न कुर्वीत अनायसः स उच्यते ॥
  • Not abusing your body with excessive exertion with tasks beyond your capacity even if considered good actions otherwise
  • Keeping up your fitness and capability to do good karma – shaastra-s prescribe to live a productive life of a hundred years to do satkarma
• मन्गलं – auspiciousness
  • प्रशस्त आचरणं नित्यं अप्रशस्तं विवर्जनं । एतत् हि मंगलं प्रोक्तम् मुनिभिः ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥
  • Doing prescribed good actions (only) all the time and giving up proscribed acts – this is auspiciousness according to society, seers and scholars
• अकार्पण्यम् – generosity, lack of avarice
  • तोकादपिप्रदातव्यं अधीनेन अन्तरात्मना । अहन्यहनि यत्किंचित् अकार्पण्यं तद् उच्यते ॥
  • Even if you have only a little, giving to someone who has less than you – with happiness and without remorse of giving up, or for publicity and show
  • Giving as much as you can every day to society to share and live
• शौचं – purity
  • अभक्ष्य परिहारश्च संसर्गस्च्चापि अनिन्दितैः । आचर्ये च व्यवस्थानं शौचं इति अभिधीयते ॥
  • Eating only what you should – while science prescribes diets for physical well being, Shaastra-s also cover mental and spiritual stimulation with a saatvic diet
  • (Only) keeping company of those who think and do good
  • Taking tutelage under a learned Guru
• अस्पृहा – contentment, lack of desire and attachment
  • यथा लब्धेन सन्तुष्ठः स्वल्पेन अपि वस्तुना । अहिंसया परस्त्वेशु सा अस्पृहा परिकीर्तिता ॥
  • Being happy with whatever you get – even if little is all you have
  • Not looking at what others have – which will never make you happy
  • Not desiring others possessions or wealth
  • Not hurting others

But being so full of flaws how to follow *all* the above? And that too *all* the time, doing only satkarma?

Maybe if we first understand and acknowledge our deficiencies, and then sincerely try to overcome them, we could develop ourselves for a better life.

But then who would be our role model and guide, i.e. who has all these qualities for us to learn from!? 

Why, Jeevottama Vaayu of course!!! He, and *only* He (Lord Almighty being above and beyond all this), displays all the above 8 qualities –  completely and always.

So let us go back to each of Vaayu Deva’s avataara-s and recollect the glorious deeds of Hanuma, Bheema and Madhva with these अष्ठगुण-s in mind.

Reference: Guru Bannanje Acharya’s Lecture – must listen! (Refer to above)

/Raghunath Rao/ “Do your Best … and leave the Rest … “

(All mistakes mine – all credit to Gurus and Acharyas )

|| sarvaṁ śrī kṛṣṇārpanamastu ||