Distinctive Features of Saintly and Wicked Persons Part 1

Beneficial qualities

- Shri Murarilal Dhanuka

In the sixteenth chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna explains traits of persons possessing a divine nature and also of persons possessing a demoniac nature. In verse one, the Lord says,

श्रीभगवानुवाच

अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानियोगव्यवसिथतिः ।

दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ।। १६.१ ।। 

"Fearlessness, purity of mind and heart, steadfastness in yoga, knowledge, charity, self control, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity and straightforwardness."

Fearlessness: Nervous excitement, caused by the undesirable thought of losing something is called fear. Total absence of this sort of fear is fearlessness. Fears can be of two types - a) External: One is afraid of thieves, robbers, lions, snakes etc. b) Internal: hen a person wants to perform forbidden actions which involve sin, injustice and atrocity etc.; he is full of fear.

Purity of mind and heart: When a person is detached from the world and attached to the Lord, his heart is purified.

Steadfast in yoga for knowledge: it is inevitable for a striver to be fixed in yoga in order to have true knowledge of God.

Charity: is giving away one's own things in a disinterested manner as a matter of duty to others according to place, time and circumstances etc.

Self-control: consists of controlling one's senses. One should not perform any forbidden action with senses, body and mind.

Sacrifice (Yagna): offering daily oblation to sacred fire.

Swadhyaya: study of self and sacred scriptures.

Austerity (Tapa): suffering hardships such as hunger, thirst, cold, heat and rain etc. and knowing tolerance of hardships while discharging one's duty and earring livelihood is real austerity.

Straightforwardness: being straightforward and simple in one's dealings.