Mardava
Mārdava (Sanskrit: मार्दव) means mildness, softness, gentleness, kindness, weakness and pliancy.[1]
In Hinduism, there are eight aśtopāyas, or eight ways of attaining moksha, and Mārdava is one of them, the other seven being – Yajna (यज्ञ) (sacrifices), Dāna (दान) (charity), Vedadhyayana (the study of the Vedas), Tapas (तप) (penance, deep meditation), Dama (दम) (subduing the senses by restraining the sense-organs), Satya (सत्य) (truth in speech and act), and Tyāga (त्याग) (renunciation of desire).[2]
In Jainism, mārdava or compassion or supreme tenderness or humility, which is part of Right Belief, is a means to destroy vanity or egotism which gives rise to many evils which defile the virtues of our soul; it is held that humility is the foundation of compassion and the basis for salvation. With the eight kinds of pride totally avoided, knowledge brings humility.[3] Tattvārthasūtra (IX.6) lists mārdava (modesty) as one of the ten aspects of the highest dharma .[4]
Bhagavad Gita (XVI.1-3) also classifies mārdava as a divine quality[5] and the Buddhists consider mārdava as the realization of Dharma (dharma-pratipatti).[6]
Patanjali mentions mārdava as a low pitch along with anvavavasarga and udutā khasya; he explains this word as svarasya mridutā or snigdhatā (smoothness of sound).[7]
References
- ↑ Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
- ↑ Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World Vol.3. Concept Publishing. p. 744.
- ↑ "Uttama Mardava Dharma". Jain Heritage Centres.
- ↑ Buddhist Philosophy from 350 to 600 A.D. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 64.
- ↑ B.K.S.Iyengar. Astadala Yogamala Vol.1. Allied Publishers. p. 124.
- ↑ Bibhuti Barua. Buddhist Sects and Sectarianism. Sarup & sons. p. 13.
- ↑ The Astadhyayi of Panini. Sahitya Akademi. p. 51.