Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16, Verse 2
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् । दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्
ahiṃsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam | dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam
Translation
Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, serenity, absence of calumny, compassion to creatures, uncovetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness;
— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri
Word meanings
- ahiṃsā
- harmlessness
- satyam
- truth
- akrodhaḥ
- absence of anger
- tyāgaḥ
- renunciation
- śāntiḥ
- peace
- apaiśunam
- absence of guile
- dayā
- compassion
- bhūteṣu
- among beings
- aloluptvam
- uncovetousness
- mārdavam
- mildness
- hrīḥ
- modesty
- acāpalam
- absence of fickleness
Śaṅkarācārya's commentary
Harmlessness: abstaining from injury to sentient beings. Truth: speaking of things as they are, without giving utterance to what is unpleasant or what is false. Absence of anger: suppression of anger arising when beaten or reviled. Renunciation (tyāga, lit. "giving up"): so explained since 'alms-giving' has already been mentioned. Serenity: tranquillity of mind (antaḥ-karaṇa). Compassion to creatures: to those in suffering. Uncovetousness: unaffectedness of the senses when in contact with their objects. Absence of fickleness: not to speak or move hands and legs in vain.