The Universal Soul that exists deep
within the cave of our heart is untouched by attributes. It is artless, timeless and formless. Its primal fragrance permeates as the universal
truth, universal intelligence and universal bliss. These three are not its attributes
but aspects of the most fundamental nature underlying the manifest world. When this universal soul or Atman descends in
human form it exhibits qualities that are expressed through the human form and
yet do not take it away from its innate divinity.
These qualities are divine qualities
which when emulated do not bind a human being in the world of ignorant activity
but station his awareness within the embrace of his Lord. These qualities which allow a human being to
function in the world and yet remain connected to his divine Self, to the
Atman, are Atma gunas or Divine qualities.
They are also called as divine wealth since they represent the only true
wealth, the only wealth worth having, the only wealth that will come with you
when you quit your current form.
There are eight of these divine
qualities as cited in the ancient Indian texts - the true and divine nature
that only the human being is capable of exhibiting . They are
a) दया - sarva bhoota dayaa - Compassion for all
living creatures – an equal empathy for the welfare and well being of all
living creatures – for all of human, animal or plant life. A compassion that springs from an innate
identification with all of creation, a depth of consciousness which recognises
that there exists a substratum to which all of manifested creation remains
connected and draws energy from for its sustenance. This is not emotional sympathy - it is recognition of the individual's search for truth and true identity and an outwardly manifestation of a resonance with the deepest truth and timeless identity that lies at the core of every being.
b)
अनसूयता –
anasooyata - lack of jealousy; a shared love and respect for divine qualities
that are expressed by others. This lack
of jealousy sprouts from a feeling of completeness within and a recognition
that all qualities are external. It arises from understanding that one’s true
purpose in life is to set an example by exhibiting these divine qualities. Abundance of material or other wealth in the manifest world with another human being evokes no lack within oneself as one knows that which truly matters is the eternal wealth of consciousness of one's true, timeless and immutable nature. External possessions which keep varying in quantity and quality with every moment evoke no sense of recognition of worth with an aatma-jnaani.
c)
शुचित्व –
shuchitva - cleanliness; not just
physical cleanliness but also mental cleanliness. A quality that arises in a person who just
the way he regularly cleanses his physical body, also cleanses his subtle body,
cleanses his mind field of all unnatural expressions and attachments to
anything that is impermanent. The Atman
is amala, or devoid of impurities and hence cleanliness is its natural quality. Any thought or emotion that draws one's consciousness away from the deepest center of one's being is seen as an impurity and hence not allowed to enter into one's active thought space.
d)
अनायास – anaayaasa - effortlessness; which is reflected not just in a capability
to handle work efficiently but also in distinguishing what work is useful, what
is unavoidable and what is detrimental.
One must - a)do work that is useful with wholehearted determination,
b)do that which is unavoidable with pleasant and complete attention, and
c)avoid that which is detrimental decisively.
This discretion leads to a state of continuous felt effortlessness in
all works.
e)
अकार्पन्य –
akaarpanya – lack of weakness - lack of mental poverty or inferiority – a lack
of unnatural self deprecation. This is
in fact the quiet dignity of knowledge of self worth – recognised equally by
the absence of all varieties of pride and poverty alike. One of the characteristics of the ego is that
when it wins it plays the superiority card and when it loses it plays the
inferiority card. And one characteristic
of mind is that being aware of its own limitation and weaknesses, it seeks to
perpetuate a feeling of lack. All
weaknesses leading to seemingly incurable habits and addictions arise from this
nature. When one is established in his
own soulspace, the atma, then he feels no weakness dominating or interfering in
his life. Weakness may be associated with
the body or the mind, but he remains established in the field of consciousness
which is beyond thought and hence beyond the reach of the physical and mental
weaknesses.
f)
अस्पृहा –
aspruhaa - untouched; untouched by even
desire for acquisitions, position and fame.
Untouched by mind generated impulses; untouched by all sensual input and
untouched by pulls of dualities – of appearances of beauty or ugliness, of
wealth and poverty, of position and lack of it, of strength and weakness. And untouched by greed and pride, anger and
infatuation, arrogance and meanness. All
of the above opposites are given rise to by the movement, velocity and
repetition of thought in the framework of space, time and memory to varying
degrees. Dwelling in the realm of
consciousness, a master remains beyond thought and thought created impulses –
he remains untouched.
g)
क्षान्तिः –
kshaanti - an infinite forgiveness and patience – the endless patience and
forgiveness of the earth and the infinite absorptive capacity of the
oceans. It is kshama [forgiveness] and
shaanti [peace] combined in infinite proportions. It results in the compassionate smile that
plays on the lips of the divine.
h)
मंगल –
mangala - auspiciousness; body, mind and heart being absorbed in the present
moment results in mangala, shubha and kalyaana. For in this moment, the past dissolves and
the future is unseen. With no history or
expectation, the present moment is the field of auspiciousness where no
negative outcome or fear is possible. Auspiciousness is at the heart of all
events in the manifest world - if you look deep enough, you will find at the
center of every manifestation, the universal aspect of auspiciousness. At
the center of all the disturbances in the outer world, this auspiciousness
remains hidden and without a deep awareness of the way the universe operates, this
fact remains more often unseen and leads us to engage and be disturbed by
external occurrences. As one views life from a witness
standpoint, every material and mental event invariably completes its cycle of
existence and gets absorbed in the realm of the timeless – the true abode of
all pure auspiciousness.
I place my head at the lotus feet of
my Guru and the Lord and the Guru of all, who is described by Shankara
Bhagavatpaada aptly by the ShankaraNarayanaatmaika tattva, and in whose
leelaavataaraas, these Atma gunas are abundantly expressed. May He bless us all with the eight Atma
gunas which are truly His.
From the Gautama Dharma Sutra:
अथाष्टावात्मगुणाः ॥
दया सर्वभूतेषु क्षान्तिरनसूयता
शौचं अनायासोमङ्गलं
अकार्पण्यं अस्प्रुहेति ॥ 
