Shaucha

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia
Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We need your support to keep the flame of knowledge burning bright! Our hosting server bill is due on June 1st, and without your help, Bharatpedia faces the risk of shutdown. We've come a long way together in exploring and celebrating our rich heritage. Now, let's unite to ensure Bharatpedia continues to be a beacon of knowledge for generations to come. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Together, let's preserve and share the essence of Bharat.

Thank you for being part of the Bharatpedia family!
Please scan the QR code on the right to donate.

0%

   

transparency: ₹0 raised out of ₹100,000 (0 supporter)



Shaucha (Sanskrit: शौच, romanized: Śauca) literally means purity, cleanliness and clearness.[1] It refers to purity of mind, speech and body.[2] Shaucha is one of the niyamas of Yoga.[3] It is discussed in many ancient Indian texts such as the Mahabharata and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It is a virtue in Hinduism and Jainism.[4][5] In Hinduism purity is a part of worship, an attitude or purity of mind an important quality for salvation. Purity is a mind pure and free of evil thoughts and behaviors.[6]

Shaucha includes outer purity of body as well as inner purity of mind.[7][8][9] The concept of shaucha is synonymous with shuddhi (शुद्धि).[10] LePage states that shaucha in yoga is on many levels, and deepens as an understanding and evolution of self increases.[11]

Shaucha, or holistic purity of the body, is considered essential for health, happiness and general well-being. External purity is achieved through daily ablutions, while internal purity is cultivated through physical exercises, including asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques). Along with daily ablutions to cleanse one's body, the concept of shaucha suggests clean surrounding, along with fresh and clean food to purify the body.[12][13] Lack of shaucha, such as letting toxins build in body are a source of impurity.[14]

Shaucha goes beyond purity of body, and includes purity of speech and mind. Anger, hate, prejudice, greed, lust, pride, fear, negative thoughts are a source of impurity of mind.[14][15] The impurities of the intellect are cleansed through the process of self-examination, or knowledge of self (Adhyatma-Vidya).[16] The mind is purified through mindfulness and meditation on one's intent, feelings, actions and its causes.[17]

Teachers of the Vedanta path of yoga prepare to have holy thoughts and for performing holy actions. Students and the young help teachers prepare for worship, building self-control and selflessness. This is to offer a true gift - to offer something without expecting anything in return.[18] Sarada Devi said "pure mind begets ecstatic love (prema-bhakti)".[19]

Literature[edit]

Shaucha is included as one of five niyamas in Yoga, that is activity that is recommended for spiritual development of an individual. Verse II.32 of Yogasutra lists the five niyamas.[20] In verse II.40, Patanjali describes outer purity, while verse II.41 discusses inner purity,[3] as follows:

सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शन योग्यत्वानि च[21]

Through cleanliness and purity of body and mind (Shaucha, Shudhi)
comes a purification of the essence (sattva),
a goodness and gladness of feeling,
a sense of focus with intentness, the mastery and union of the senses,
and a fitness, preparation and capability for self-realization.

— Patanjali, Yogasutras II.41[3]

Shaucha is one of the ten yamas listed by Śāṇḍilya Upanishad,[22] as well as by Svātmārāma.[23][24][25] It is one of the virtuous restraints (yamas) taught in ancient Indian texts. The other nine yamas are Ahiṃsā (अहिंसा): Nonviolence, Satya (सत्य): truthfulness, Asteya (अस्तेय): not stealing, Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्य): celibacy chastity and fidelity,[26] Kṣamā (क्षमा): forgiveness,[27] Dhṛti (धृति): fortitude, Dayā (दया): compassion,[27] Ārjava (आर्जव): sincerity and non-hypocrisy,[28] and Mitahara (मितहार): moderate diet.

The Epic Mahabharata mentions the virtue of purity (shaucha) in numerous books. For example, in Book 14 Chapter 38, it lists shaucha as a high quality found in the liberated, happy and dharmic person,

निर्ममॊ निरहंकारॊ निराशीः सर्वतः समः । अकाम हत इत्य एष सतां धर्मः सनातनः ॥
विश्रम्भॊ हरीस तितिक्षा च तयागः शौचम अतन्द्रिता । आनृशंस्यम असंमॊहॊ दया भूतेष्व अपैशुनम ॥
हर्षस तुष्टिर विस्मयश च विनयः साधुवृत्तता । शान्ति कर्म विशुद्धिश च शुभा बुद्धिर विमॊचनम ॥
उपेक्षा बरह्मचर्यं च परित्यागश च सर्वशः । निर्ममत्वम अनाशीस्त्वम अपरिक्रीत धर्मता ॥


(He is) free from possessiveness, free from egoism, free from pessimism, looks on all with an equal eye, free from craving. (In him) is seen confidence, endurance, renunciation, purity, absence of laziness, absence of cruelty, absence of delusion, compassion for all creatures, absence of the disposition to slander others or to exult at gains; (he is) satisfied, humble, emancipated, indifferent, peaceful, unaffected by ups and downs, pursuer of Brahma, and exhibits purity in all acts aiming for tranquillity, understanding and the right.

— Ashvamedhika Parva, The Mahabharata, 14.38.5-8[29]

Bhagavad Gita describes purity at three levels in Book 17, verses 14-16, namely body, speech and thoughts.[30] Purity of body comes from cleanliness of body as well as from what one eats and drinks. Purity of speech comes from being truthful and through use of words that are not injurious, hurtful or distressing to others or self. Purity of thoughts comes from reflection, peace of mind, silence, calmness, gentleness and purity of being.[30]

Purity of mind, speech and body has been one of the important virtues in Indian philosophy.[31]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Saucha Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
  2. Sharma; Sharma (2001). Indian Political Thought. Atlantic Publishers. p. 19. ISBN 978-8171566785.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Patañjali (2003). The yoga-system of Patañjali; or, The ancient Hindu doctrine of concentration of mind. Translated by Woods, James Haughton. Courier Dover Publications. pp. 181–182. ISBN 978-0-486-43200-7.
  4. Reinsch, Paul S. (1911). "Energism in the Orient". International Journal of Ethics. 21 (4): 407–422. doi:10.1086/intejethi.21.4.2376566. S2CID 144966077.
  5. Taber, John (1991). "India and Europe: An Essay in Understanding by Wilhelm Halbfass". Philosophy East and West. 41 (2): 229–240. doi:10.2307/1399772. JSTOR 1399772.
  6. "Purity of Intellect". www.hindupedia.com. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  7. Markil; Geithner; Penhollow (2010). "Hatha Yoga: Benefits and principles for a more meaningful practice". ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. 14 (5): 19–24. doi:10.1249/FIT.0b013e3181ed5af2. S2CID 78930751.
  8. Bhatta, C. P. (2009). "Holistic Personality Development through Education - Ancient Indian Cultural Experiences". Journal of Human Values. 15 (1): 49–59. doi:10.1177/097168580901500104. S2CID 145692374.
  9. Seetharam, Sridevi (2013). "Dharma and medical ethics". Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. 10 (4): 226–231. PMID 24152344.
  10. Shudhi Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany
  11. LePage, J. (1995). "Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as a Model for Psycho-Spiritual Evolution". International Journal of Yoga Therapy. 6 (1): 23–26. doi:10.17761/ijyt.6.1.d3j5663g6127rp0j.
  12. Brown, Christina (29 May 2003). The Yoga Bible. Penguin Publishing. pp. 14–17. ISBN 978-1582972428.
  13. Birch, Beryl (2010). Beyond Power Yoga: 8 Levels of Practice for Body and Soul. Simon & Schuster. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0684855264.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Raghupathi, K. V. (2007). Yoga for Peace. Abhinav Publications. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-8170174837.
  15. Kadetsky, Elizabeth (2008). "Modeling School". The Antioch Review. 66 (2): 254–268.
  16. Hinduism's Restraints and Observances Hinduism Today, K.N. Aiyar (July/August/September 2007)
  17. Lasater, Judith (28 August 2007). "Cultivate your connections". Yoga Journal.
  18. Sarada, Annapurna (21 February 2009). "Sowing Seeds for an Age of Light". Nectar. No. 24. Sarada Ramakrishna Vivekananda Associations; SRV associations. pp. 54–55. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  19. Vedanta Society of New York. "Sayings of Holy Mother Sarada Devi". vedantany.org. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  20. Original Sanskrit: शौच संतोष तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः Translation: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapah (meditation), Svādhyāya (continuous learning), and Isvarapranidhana (contemplation of one's origins, God, Self) are the niyamas; Desmarais, Michele (2008). Changing Minds: Mind, Consciousness And Identity In Patanjali's Yoga-Sutra. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 125–134. ISBN 978-8120833364.
  21. Patanjali's Yogasutra Sanskrit Document, Book 2, Verse 41
  22. KN Aiyar (1914), Thirty Minor Upanishads, Kessinger Publishing, ISBN 978-1164026419, Chapter 22, pages 173-176
  23. Svātmārāma; Pancham Sinh (1997). The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (5 ed.). Forgotten Books. p. 14. ISBN 9781605066370.
    Quote - अथ यम-नियमाः
    अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं बरह्यछर्यम कश्हमा धृतिः
    दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौछम छैव यमा दश
  24. Lorenzen, David (1972). The Kāpālikas and Kālāmukhas. University of California Press. pp. 186–190. ISBN 978-0520018426.
  25. Subramuniya (2003). Merging with Śiva: Hinduism's contemporary metaphysics. Himalayan Academy Publications. p. 155. ISBN 9780945497998. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
  26. Taylor, Louise (2001). The Woman's Book of Yoga: A Journal for Body and Mind. Charles E. Tuttle Company. p. 3. ISBN 978-0804818292.
  27. 27.0 27.1 Sovatsky, Stuart (1998). Words from the Soul: Time East/West Spirituality and Psychotherapeutic Narrative. State University of New York. p. 21. ISBN 978-0791439494.
  28. Sinha, J. Indian Psychology. Vol. 2. Motilal Banarsidas. p. 142. OCLC 1211693.
  29. The Mahabharata in Sanskrit Book 14, Chapter 38; For translation: Ashvamedhika Parva The Mahabharata, Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, Published by P.C. Roy (1893)
  30. 30.0 30.1 Flood, Gavin (2005). The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition. Cambridge University Press. pp. 77–93. ISBN 978-0521604017.
  31. Radhakrishnan, S. (1922). "The Hindu Dharma". International Journal of Ethics. 33 (1): 1–22. doi:10.1086/intejethi.33.1.2377174. S2CID 144844920.

Template:Virtues