śrī-bhagavān uvāca abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam
"The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in knowledge-yoga, charity, self-control, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, uprightness—"
What This Means:
Krishna begins listing divine qualities: fearlessness, mental purity, steady commitment to wisdom, generosity, self-control, performing sacred duties, studying scriptures, discipline, and honesty.
Going Deeper:
The divine qualities (daivi sampada) begin: (1) abhaya—fearlessness (rooted in faith), (2) sattva-saṁśuddhi—purity of being/mind, (3) jñāna-yoga-vyavasthiti—firm establishment in the yoga of knowledge, (4) dāna—charity, (5) dama—self-control (of senses), (6) yajña—sacrifice/worship, (7) svādhyāya—scriptural study, (8) tapas—austerity, (9) ārjava—straightforwardness. These qualities characterize one destined for liberation.
How To Apply This:
Use this as a spiritual inventory. Rate yourself on each quality. Fearlessness: do you live from fear or trust? Generosity: do you give freely? Self-control: can you resist impulses? Identify your strongest and weakest areas.
Key Sanskrit Terms: