10.5 ahimsA samathA thushtis

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 10

<< Chapter 10 verse 4

SlOkam – Original

ahimsA samathA thushtis thapO dhAnam yaSO’yaSa: |
bhavanthi bhAvA bhUthAnAm maththa Eva pruthagvidhA: ||

word-by-word meaning

ahimsA – not being the cause for others’ sorrow
samathA – with balanced mind (in the matters of income/expenses with regard to self and others)
thushti – being joyful (on seeing any AthmA)
thapa – restraining from material enjoyment, engaging in austerities (which are mentioned in SAsthram)
dhAnam – giving one’s own enjoyable belongings to others
yaSa – being famous for having good qualities
ayaSa – being famous for having faults
bhUthAnAm pruthagvidhA bhAvA – all states of mind of all creatures
maththa: Eva bhavanthi – are occurring due to my sankalpa (will).

Simple Translation

… not being the cause for others’ sorrow, with balanced mind (in the matters of income/expenses with regards to self and others), being joyful (on seeing any AthmA), restraining from material enjoyment, engaging in austerities (which are mentioned in SAsthram), giving one’s own enjoyable belongings to others, being famous for having good qualities, being famous for having faults – all these states of mind of all creatures are occurring due to my sankalpa (will).

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Harmlessness and Equanimity; Amiability, Austerity and Beneficence, Fame and Notoriety: all these diversities proceed from Myself.’

The varied humours or temperaments or dispositions of mankind all emanate[1. “emane” in printed text, possibly a misprint.] from Myself, (i.e., I am the Giver of those according to merit), such as:—

Buddhi=Decision, or the power of the mind to decide or judge.

Jñānam=Correct or certain Knowledge relating to Intelligent and Non-intelligent substances.

Asammoha=Disillusion or right conception, as for example, the right conception of a pearl-mussel, as a pearl-mussel, which had before been mistaken for silver from its iridescent[2. “iridiscent” in printed text.] nacrine shimmering.

Kshamā=Forgiveness, or the preservation of an undisturbed state of mind against disturbing elements.

Satyam=Veracity, or the quality of the mind to declare truth as truth for the good of creatures.

Dama=Government or the governing or subjugating the external senses or diverting them from their wonted harmful objects.

Śama=Restraint, or governing the Inner Organ or sense (the mind).

Sukham=Happiness or delightful experiences.

Duḥkham=Affliction or unpleasant experiences.

Bhava = bhavanam = Uddharsha = Geniality or the blissful glow arising in the mind from a happy experience.

Abhāva=Non-geniality or the melancholy or pensive mood into which an unpleasant experience throws the mind.

Bhayam=Dread or the dire feeling of misery at the anticipation of an impending or approaching misfortune.

Abhayam=Non-dread or the absence of the above.

Ahimsā=Harmlessness, the being not an agent of, or instrument in, causing pain or injury to others.

Samatā=Equanimity or equable state of the mind whether good or bad may befal, either to oneself, or friends or foes.

Tushti=Amiability or sweetness of temper with all (at all times).

Tapas=Austerity=the denying to oneself of even the Śāstra-permitted pleasures, and thus chastising the body.

Dāna=Beneficence, or the transferring to another what contributes to one’s own enjoyment.

Yaśas=Fame or renown that one becomes credited with good qualities.

Ayaśas=Notoreity for bad qualities.

The subject-matter here being the description of mental states, fame, notoriety, austerity and beneficence, imply the states of mind arising from the acts designated by these expressions.

These and such like mental dispositions are the causes, prompting creatures to engage in activities or keep passive. And they all go forth from Me, meaning that they all come from My willing them.

The next verse teaches that the active agents in the work of creating, sustaining etc., all the sum of existences derive their impulses from My Will:

>> Chapter 10 verse 6

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