Virtues of Satvika (Pure) Person

Human personality is of triple qualities (Trigunatmic) viz. Satvika, Rajasika & Tamasika. Satvika (सात्विक) person refers to one who is full of purity (sattva). Satvika attribute is intellectual, pure, strong, healthy, possessing long life and equanimity. Rajasik quality manifests emotional, passionate, fiery and restless. Tamasik quality is evident as vegetative, lustful, ignorant and dull (comparable to dumb-witted, whose extreme form would be mental retardation). Everybody is mixture of the three qualities in different proportions and at different timings. This world remains in the continuous illusion with rajasa and tamasa natures. Men born with the satvika nature of goodness like yourself, easily lay aside this inveterate illusion, as a snake casts off its time-worn skin (slough). Absolute Satvik nature leads to liberation from re-birth.
 
Absolute fearlessness, perfect purity of mind, constant fixity in the Yoga of meditation and knowledge for the sake of Self-realization, and even so, charity in its Sattvika form, control of the senses, austerity, worship of God and other deities as well as of one’s elders including the performance of Agnihotra (pouring oblations into the sacred fire) and other sacred duties, study and teaching of the Vedas and other sacred books as well as the chanting of God’s names and glories, suffering hardships for the discharge of one’s sacred obligations and uprightness of mind as well as of the body and senses. Non-violence in thought, word and deed, truthfulness and geniality of speech, absence of anger even on provocation, disclaiming doer-ship in respect of actions (renunciation), peacefulness/quietude or composure of mind, abstaining from slander or crookedness, compassion towards all creatures, absence of attachment to the objects of senses even during their contact with the senses, gentleness, modesty, a sense of shame in transgressing the scriptures or social conventions, and abstaining from frivolous pursuits; Sublimity, forgiveness, fortitude, external purity, bearing enmity to none i.e. absence of hatred, absence of fickleness (indecisiveness), Vigour,  and absence of self-esteem/pride these are the marks of him, who is born with the divine endowments or Satvik attributes.
 
Triple qualities of Human Nature:

1. Bhagwan Shree Krishna explained in Bhagavad Gita as under:
2. Triple quality / mentality - Satva (Purity), Rajas (passion) and Tamas (inertia), born of nature, binds the body with soul. (Chapter 14.5)
3. Satva, which from its stainlessness is luminous and healthy, binds by attachment to happiness and knowledge. (Chapter 14.6)
4. Rajas to be of the nature of passion, the source of thirst (for sensual enjoyment) and attachment; it binds by attachment to action. (Chapter 14.7)
5. Tamas to be born of ignorance, it binds by heedlessness, indolence and sleep. (Chapter 14.8)

 

1. Brahmrishi Vasishta in Yoga Vasishta (Book 4, Chapter LX & Book 5 Chapter V) explained to Shree Rama as under:
2. One who gets his liberation in or after his life time, he is said to have a Satvik birth; but whoever is obliged to be reborn by his acts, is said to belong to the rajas-Satvik class.  
3. The Satvika person are righteous men, endued with the quality of goodness.
4. The Rajasic person is the body politic, guided by the laws of society.
5. Those that are born with the nature of Rajasa-satvika, remain highly pleased in the world, and are as gladsome in their faces, as the face of the sky with the serene light of the moon-beams.
6. The Tamasic person is the ignorant rabble, and infatuated people.

The best way to guard the mind from delusion, is first of all the knowledge of the shastras, and next the exercise of dispassionateness, and then the society of the good, which lead the mind towards its purity.
Instincts or Tendencies:
Sage Patanjali in Yoga sutras explained the all the afflictions causing all sufferings in our life are classified into five types. (अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ||2/3) These are:

1. Avidya: Ignorance, lack of awareness, illusion, misconception of reality, cognition of virtue in vice and good in evil; Once avidya is attended and removed totally, all afflictions get uprooted.
2. Asmita: “I”ness, egoism, ahamkara. Ego has six aspects and it exhibits through one of them while dealing with the worldly affairs. These six aspects are
   1. kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (temptation), mada (arrogance) and matsara (envy).
   2. This ego is supported by five sense organs, five organs of action, mind and intellect. Chitta is behind the mind.
3. Raga: Attraction, liking, attachment that one feels towards any object or person when any kind of pleasure or happiness (physical, emotional or mental). This attachment towards things, persons or situations is coated by happiness or comfort, but definitely, it is not permanent or long lasting;
4. Dvesa: Repulsion, Aversion, dislike; the natural repulsion felt towards any person or object or situation which is a source of pain or unhappiness to us; It is aversion resulting from the sorrow.
5. Abhinivesa: Clinging to life or fear of death; (the desire to cling to life) is inherent dominant desire of life both in the ignorant and the learned. “Desire to live” is an essential feature of evolution. According to Vyasa and Vacaspati, the fear of death comes from the memory of earlier deaths in past lives. Therefore, every human being is possessed by this fear of death resulting into abhnivesa, the will to survive. The desire to postpone death and cling to life or normal sense consciousness is certainly one of the greatest obstacles to enlightenment, attaining of super consciousness.

Patanjali has observed that there is a constant rhythmic interaction and harmony between all the element of the mind, that is, Cognitive apparatus, psychological self, Physical self and social self. The shat ripus (six foes) — Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Mada (Pride or aggression), Moha (desire) and Matsar (jealousy) or the primary instincts increase the vulnerability of an individual.

Divine Qualities:
Bhagwan Shree Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (verses 1-3 of Chapter 16) described godly divine possessions in detail about our harmony, virtue and good tendencies as follows: (अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ 16.1॥ अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् । दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ 16.2॥ तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता । भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ 16.3॥)

1. Absolute Fearlessness (अभयम्) - The anxiety, nervousness, and possibility of evil is called fear. If we know the fact that this body is ultimately going to be consumed and mortal, then the question of fear does not arise. Acts done contrary to God; disobedience of the commands of one's parents, gurus, acharyas, saints, sages, sages, yogis, great men; conduct against the commands of parents, sages, acharyas, dignities & decorum and scriptures leads to external fear. Sometimes we feel scared from within due to sins, injustice and atrocities committed. We easily become fearless by abandoning all kinds of injustice and misdeeds. By being without affection, there is no fear of death and the seeker becomes fearless.

 

1. Perfect Purity of Inner-Self (सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः) - The love for God, without attachment & jealousy from the world, is the purity of the inner-self. The main cause of defects in the interior is the goal of obtaining perishable goods. The means to achieve the purification of inner self are selfless service, worship and wisdom. Forgiving others also purifies the conscience.

 

1. Constant Fixity in the Yoga of Meditation (ग्यानयोगव्यवस्थितिः): - It is necessary to stay in meditation yoga for seeking fundamental truth & wisdom (tattva-gyana). Rising above all kinds of conflicts (fame-ill fame, success-failure, loss-gain, blasphemy-praise, disease-health, joy-sorrow, etc.) is the great wisdom.

 

1. Charity & Donation (दानम्) – Keeping in mind the deserving person as per country, time & situation and according to the need, one should generously donate according to one's ability, land, cow, items, food, clothes, medicine, fearlessness etc. for welfare.

 

1. Complete control over the Senses (दमः) - The scriptural attitude should be for philanthropy by completely abandoning selfishness and egoism.

 

1. Oblation or offering (यग्यः) - It literally means to give sacrifice. Performing yagya or havan, charity & donation, sacrificing selfishness and egoism, to follow the orders of parents, acharyas & gurus, to serve them, are oblation.

 

1. Self-Study (स्वाध्यायः) - Chanting the names of God & Aum, reading of great texts like Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. is self-study. Self-Study also includes study of our own situation and instincts. It is our utmost duty, dharma and responsibility to purify our instincts.

 

1. Austerity (तपः, Tapas) - To bear the sufferings, hunger-thirst, cold-heat, rains etc. for the sake of Vedic Dharma is austerity.

 

1. Peacefulness / Quietude (शान्तिः) - The absence of afflictions in the inner self is called peace. Our aim should be to work without anger and hatred. We should be calm in every situation.

 

1. Abstaining from Slander or Crookedness (अपैशुनम्) - By revealing one's fault to another person and creating malice against him is slandering and its complete absence is abstaining from slander or crookedness. One should never abuse, slander, taunt, etc. of others. This eliminates defect of vision and affliction of malice. Harmony is automatically awakened.

 

1. Compassion (दया भूतेषु) - The goodwill of generated after seeing the sufferings of others is compassion. Those who are sad in the sorrows of others and happy in the happiness of others are categorized as saint-Mahatma. One should try to do such things without pride, which is for benefit & welfare of others.

 

1. Absence of Attachment to the Objects of Senses (अलोलुप्त्वम्) - Absence of greediness for the material goods & objects is lust lessness or generosity. For this, one should keep control over the senses and avoid lust.

 

1. Modesty (मार्दवम्) - The goodwill of tenderness in one's heart towards those who harm us, even those who hate us, is called Mardava. One should never behave abusive, with harshness and vengeance.

 

1. Hreem (ह्रीः) - A sense of shame in transgressing the scriptures or social conventions, and abstaining from frivolous pursuits is called Hreem. By which, misdeeds can be avoided. One should achieve the supreme goal by abandoning the false egos of being seeker, curious, devotee, scholar, doer etc.

 

1. Patience (अचापलम्)- The absence of hastiness or agility in the execution of any task is patience. Work should be done patiently, smoothly and in due time. Hastiness should not be in execution of duties & deeds.

 

1. Tejas (तेजः) - By staying in the company of saints, sages, yogis, ascetics and great men, all the vices and misconduct eliminate. This inherent power of great men is called Tejas. This Tejas is divine virtue.
2. Forgiveness (क्षमा) - Forgiveness is the strength to ignore the guilt of the offender even though one has the power to punish him. Forgiveness for attachment, fear and selfishness is not real forgiveness. Forgiveness automatically manifests itself by not expecting anything from anyone and not harming even those who harm.

 

1. Fortitude (धृतिः) - The power to remain undisturbed in every favorable or adverse situation is called fortitude.

 

1. Defecation (शौचम्) - External and internal purification is called defecation. Defecation leads to absence of desire to stay with the bad persons and impure intellect. For physical purification, it is absolutely necessary to take practical form of work-readiness, effort, hard work, simplicity, humility & gratitude and staying away from passion, laziness, convenience, taste- hobby. For verbal purification, it is necessary to speak truth, sweet & loving words while abandoning the telling of bitter and untrue words, condemnation, slandering / complaining. This paves the way for spiritual progress. For family purification, children should be educated, cultured & having moral values so that they benefit everyone equally. For economic purification, one should earn money justly, honestly, honestly and use it properly according to his ability to serve the poor, sick, famine-stricken, hungry, less fortunate than himself, etc. and to protect the cow. Along with this, scriptures and good literature should get printed for the promotion of Sanatan Vedic Dharma.

 

1. Benevolence (अद्रोहः) - It is benevolence to give up our malice of vengeance against the wrongdoer. One should do deeds good for all and see God in everything.

 

1. Humility (नातिमानिता) - Expecting the respect, glory, fame is called pride. Expecting honor, respect and hospitality from your teacher, guru and parents is called excessive pride. The absence of these prides is called humility. Due to wealth, knowledge, virtue, intelligence, ability, authority, high position, character and status, the feeling of superiority is considered worldly. Due to the manifestation of divine virtues, they are praised by others. This characteristic is called the transcendental pride.

 
Bhavanti Sampada Divimbhijatasya Bharat: (भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारतः) - Shree Krishna says to Arjuna that all these divine virtues are good. From them, the goal of attaining God is achieved. These qualities are obtained only by the grace of God. If we consider these qualities to be personal, then pride comes, which is a symptom of demonic wealth. There is no pride when this is a divine quality. There is exclusive love in God.