📿 Shloka Collection

Ahimsa Satyam Akrodhah

Gita 16.2 Bhagavad Gita
📖 Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16 — Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् ।
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥
Ahimsa satyam akrodhah tyagah shantir apaishunam
Daya bhuteshv aloluptvam mardavam hrir achapalam
अहिंसा
non-violence — causing no harm to any being
सत्यम्
truthfulness
अक्रोधः
freedom from anger
त्यागः
renunciation
शान्तिः
inner peace
अपैशुनम्
not speaking ill of others behind their backs
दया
compassion toward all beings
भूतेषु
among all living creatures
अलोलुप्त्वम्
absence of greed
मार्दवम्
gentleness
ह्रीः
sense of shame when doing wrong
अचापलम्
steadiness — absence of restlessness

The list of divine qualities continues, and each one reads like a quiet instruction manual for living well. Ahimsa — not hurting anyone through thought, word, or action. Truth — saying what is real, but saying it kindly. Akrodha — staying calm even when someone tries to provoke you. Anyone who has watched a grandparent defuse a family argument with patience knows what this quality looks like in practice.

Then come renunciation, inner peace, and apaishunam — not gossiping about people when they are not around. Compassion for all living creatures, not just humans. Freedom from greed even when tempting things are right in front of you. Gentleness in dealings.

Two qualities at the end deserve special attention. Hri is the feeling of shame that rises before doing something wrong — an inner alarm that stops a person in their tracks. Achapalam is steadiness, the opposite of fidgeting from one desire to the next. Together, these qualities form the fabric of a person others naturally trust.

This shloka extends the list begun in 16.1. The first shloka named six qualities; this one adds more. All three shlokas together (16.1-3) give the complete catalogue of twenty-six divine qualities.

Hri (sense of shame before wrongdoing) is singled out as an especially important quality. A person who feels ashamed before doing wrong naturally steers away from it — no external punishment needed.

Chapter 16 · 2 / 24
Chapter 16 · 2 / 24 Next →