Philosophy: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. http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=mArdava&script=&direction=SE&link=yes.
- ↑ Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World Vol.3. Concept Publishing. p. 744. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=0U2QRpDv2KMC&pg=PA744&lpg=PA744&dq=mardava++hinduism&source=bl&ots=k1KkDvZVz4&sig=JrPZW-iyRWPazoaz1S0oL9iE_3E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VsECVdrPLc-VuASym4GQCA&ved=0CEsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=mardava%20%20hinduism&f=false.
- ↑ "Uttama Mardava Dharma". Jain Heritage Centres. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114511/http://www.jainheritagecentres.com/index.php/jainism/jain-festivals/dashalakshana-parva/1149-uttama-mardava-dharma-supreme-tenderness.
- ↑ Buddhist Philosophy from 350 to 600 A.D.. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 64. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=5WHHJ6O7b-IC&pg=PA64&dq=mardava&hl=en&sa=X&ei=coQBVdy-C4-0uATY9ICoAg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q=mardava&f=false.
- ↑ B.K.S.Iyengar. Astadala Yogamala Vol.1. Allied Publishers. p. 124. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=zp3n--MlL9wC&pg=PA124&dq=mardava&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CoUBVd-wHc3iuQSJp4GoAg&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBTge#v=onepage&q=mardava&f=false.
- ↑ Bibhuti Barua. Buddhist Sects and Sectarianism. Sarup & sons. p. 13. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=s1PZAMD13SMC&pg=PA13&dq=mardava+++buddhism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UoMCVYqnAczauQSZzoK4DA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=mardava%20%20%20buddhism&f=false.
- ↑ The Astadhyayi of Panini. Sahitya Akademi. p. 51. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=EmW96v4gvycC&pg=PA51&dq=mardava&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j4MBVYDnM9C1uQSeyIGwAg&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=mardava&f=false.
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