The Chapter XVI of Geeta enlists
26 qualities of Godlike endowment, the characteristics of Jnana (the
true knowledge or science), which are productive of Release (emancipation,
Moksha or freedom). The very first word, also being the first of the 26
qualities of Godlike endowment listed in the XVI Chapter, is Abhayam (fearlessness
or courage).
The rest of the 25 qualities are:- pure and
satvik temperament; jnan-yoga-vyavasthiti (well thought of
proportioning of Jnanyoga and Karmayoga; generosity; endurance;
sacrifice; svadhyaya (self-study of whatever is considered to be
beneficial for oneself and his surrounding, including being aware and watchful
of one’s own thoughts and conduct); austerity; straight forwardness; veracity;
not getting angry; tyaga (renunciation of the fruits of action); tranquility;
apaishunam (being above one’s narrow-mindedness); kindness towards all
beings; absence of avarice; mildness; feeling ashamed of one’s evil thoughts
and actions; achapalam (refraining from useless and meaningless activities);
brilliance; forgiveness; steadiness; purity; non-hatred; and, not being or
considering oneself to be over-dignified.
Fear is at the root of all sorrows, sufferings
and the bondage. While one should not be afraid of anything, one should not
also frighten others. A timid person hates himself, and, the one who tries to
frighten others is hated by others.
It astonishes that in these modern
times, some ‘religious’ thoughts are being propagated that consider fear as an
important element in man’s journey towards freedom. It is not necessary to say
that such thoughts emanate from shear nescience (not-science or ajnan or
agyan).
PROMOD KUMAR SHARMA
[The writer of this blog is also the author of “Mahatma A
Scientist of the Intuitively Obvious” and “In Search of Our Wonderful Words”.]
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