By DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA 

 

 

It is the beauty of Indian traditions that merit or demerit is associated with acts, values and virtues, and not to some ideology or beliefs. In the 16th chapter of the Geeta, Lord Krishna has listed 26 divine qualities. They include fearlessness, purity of life, knowledge, charity, control over sense organs, performance of sacrifices, study of scriptures and self reflection, austerities, simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquillity, non fault finding, mercy towards all, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, determination, vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy, and nonexpectation of too much honour. These qualities lead to liberation. These attributes are moral or ethical values, righteous code of conduct, behaviour of excellence, etc. Some of them are related to the purity of thoughts, speech and actions. Majority of them are social norms. Several attributes mentioned there are intended to generate mental stability and coherent personality. In order to get liberated one has to be physically robust, mentally stable and spiritually aware.

 

Lord Krishna has not prescribed any ideological framework or any belief system for attaining divine qualities. Any person can practise these qualities and attain divinity. On the other hand Lord Krisha terms deceit,arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance as demonic. These attributes lead to suffering and agony. These are the harmful and faulty individual and social norms. Lord Buddha has prescribed Astangika Marga or eightfold path. They are the right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. This eightfold path leads to the end of suffering. Buddhist tradition is also based upon moral and ethical excellence. No fixed ideology is prescribed here. In Jainism also we find the same principles of righteous conduct in form of Mahavratas and Anuvratas - great and small vows; non violence,truth, non stealing,celibacy, non hoarding. Yogasutras of Patanjali contain marvellous expositions on physical, mental and spiritual upliftment of human beings. In the entire text of Yogasutras we find formulae, techniques and methodology to elevate human consciousness. At the base level every individual is the same. But with the purification of the mind the consciousness gets elevated and the practitioner experiences supreme bliss and tranquillity.

 

Yamas and Niyamas are the social and moral code of conduct to achieve higher levels of spiritual awareness.Yamas include truth, nonviolence, non stealing , continence, non hoarding. Niyamas consist of cleanliness, contentment, austerities, study of scriptures or self reflection and surrender to divinity. Indian system does not treat anybody originally as bad or good. Everyone has three attributes, Sattva- purity, Rajas- activity and TamasInertia. The entire creation is the interplay of these three attributes. The predominance of each attribute determines the nature of the individual. Hence through good conduct one can attain the pure nature and on the other hand even a pure person can fall down. The Indian texts are full of the examples where sinners had become saints and saints had got corrupted. This is the reason that a full fledged science of JnanaYoga - Yoga of knowledge, BhaktiYoga - Yoga of devotion and KarmaYoga, Yoga of action has evolved in the Indian system over ages. The concept of Dharma is also based upon right or wrong conduct. (The writer is Former DG Police & CG, Homeguards, Maharashtra)