The texts call it dveṣa (द्वेष). Dveṣa is the push away from what we dislike, twin of rāga. The Gita: both wait at every sense and are the waylayers (3.34). They set self-knowledge, forgiveness and kindness against it.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||
One who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, even in pain and pleasure, and forgiving,
Someone in the verse is in it, or the text names it outright. Many readers find their own day here.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||
One who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, even in pain and pleasure, and forgiving,
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ । तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāgadveṣau vyavasthitau | tayorna vaśamāgacchettau hyasya paripanthinau ||
Attraction and aversion to sense objects lie seated in every sense. Do not come under their power; they are your enemies on the way.
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत । सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥
icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata | sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa ||
Through the delusion of the pairs of opposites, arising from desire and aversion, Bharata, all beings fall into confusion at birth, scorcher of enemies.
Sequences the texts state outright, in their own order.
The pull of wanting and the push of aversion produce the delusion of the pairs, and all beings fall into confusion.
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत । सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप ॥
icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata | sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa ||
Through the delusion of the pairs of opposites, arising from desire and aversion, Bharata, all beings fall into confusion at birth, scorcher of enemies.
What the texts set against it, and the verses that give footing.
Kindnessmaitrī
Hating no being, a friend to all. stated in the text
Gita 12.13; Manas Uttar 46
Detachment from scorecardvairagya from scorecard
Hostility never ends hostility. stated in the text
MBh Udyoga 71
Forgivenesskṣamā
Name the wrong only after it has been committed, never first for the wronged. stated in the text
MBh Vana 28-29; Manki
Self-knowledgeātma-jñāna
Who is left to quarrel with. stated in the text
Isha 6; Manas Uttar
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ||
One who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, free from possessiveness and ego, even in pain and pleasure, and forgiving,
Pictures a life with no hatred toward any being. our reading
बैर न बिग्रह आस न त्रासा। सुखमय ताहि सदा सब आसा॥ अनारंभ अनिकेत अमानी। अनघ अरोष दच्छ बिग्यानी ॥
bair na bigrah ās na trāsā| sukhamay tāhi sadā sab āsā|| anāraṃbh aniket amānī| anagh aroṣ daccha bigyānī ||
"Holding no grudge and picking no quarrel, with neither craving nor fear, every direction is joyful to him. He starts nothing out of craving for results, clings to no house, wants no honour, is free of wrongdoing and anger, skilled and wise."
Ramcharitmanas · Uttar Kand
Shows no grudge and no quarrel to maintain. our reading
यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मन्येवानुपश्यति । सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥
yastu sarvāṇi bhūtānyātmanyevānupaśyati | sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vijugupsate ||
One who sees all beings in the self, and the self in all beings, no longer shrinks away from anyone.
Isha Upanishad 6
Removes the other that revulsion needs. our reading
रागद्वेषौ मनोधर्मौ न मनस्ते कदाचन । निर्विकल्पोऽसि बोधात्मा निर्विकारः सुखं चर ॥
rāgadveṣau manodharmau na manaste kadācana | nirvikalpo’si bodhātmā nirvikāraḥ sukhaṃ cara ||
Liking and disliking belong to the mind, and you are never the mind. You are awareness itself, free of thought-forms and unchanging. Live happily.
Ashtavakra Gita 15.5
Heals aversion placed in the mind, not in the self. our reading
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन । सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः ॥
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo’rjuna | sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ ||
One who, by comparison with himself, sees the same everywhere, Arjuna, whether in pleasure or in pain, is considered the highest yogi.
The other's pain is felt as one's own would be. our reading
यत्कल्याणमभिध्यायेत्तत्रात्मानं नियोजयेत् / न पापं प्रति पापः स्यात्साधुरेव सदा भवेत्
yatkalyāṇamabhidhyāyettatrātmānaṃ niyojayet / na pāpaṃ prati pāpaḥ syātsādhureva sadā bhavet
Keep your mind on what is good and commit yourself to it. Do not become wicked in return for wickedness; always remain good.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vyadha Gita
Shows refusing to let another's wrong decide one's own character. our reading
न हिंस्यात्सर्वभूतानि मैत्रायणगतश्चरेत् / नेदं जीवितमासाद्यवैरं कुर्वीत केनचित्
na hiṃsyātsarvabhūtāni maitrāyaṇagataścaret / nedaṃ jīvitamāsādyavairaṃ kurvīta kenacit
Do not harm any living being; move through life with friendliness. Having been given this life, do not make an enemy of anyone.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vyadha Gita
Weighs enmity against the worth of a life. our reading
अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्मणा मनसा गिरा / अनुग्रहश्च दानं च सतां धर्मः सनातनः
adrohaḥ sarvabhūteṣu karmaṇā manasā girā / anugrahaśca dānaṃ ca satāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ
To bear no ill will toward any being in deed, thought or word, to help, and to give: this is the timeless way of the good.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vana: Savitri
Shows adroha, no ill will, set as the first mark of the good. our reading
Verses that give something to do, today or in the hard moment.
सखे मनः किं बहुजल्पितेन सखे मनः सर्वमिदं वितर्क्यम् । यत्सारभूतं कथितं मया ते त्वमेव तत्त्वं गगनोपमोऽसि ॥
sakhe manaḥ kiṃ bahujalpitena sakhe manaḥ sarvamidaṃ vitarkyam | yatsārabhūtaṃ kathitaṃ mayā te tvameva tattvaṃ gaganopamo’si ||
Friend mind, what is the use of so much chatter? Friend mind, all this is mere speculation. I have told you the heart of it: you are reality itself, vast as the sky.
Avadhuta Gita 1.68
Names you as tattva, sky-like. our reading
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते ॥
anudvegakaraṃ vākyaṃ satyaṃ priyahitaṃ ca yat | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva vāṅmayaṃ tapa ucyate ||
Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the regular study of sacred texts: this is called austerity of speech.
Shows words chosen true, kind and helpful build goodwill. our reading
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | āgamāpāyino’nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ||
Contact of the senses with their objects brings cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last. Bear them patiently, Arjuna.
Titiksha, forbearance toward passing discomfort. our reading
आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन । सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं सः योगी परमो मतः ॥
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṃ paśyati yo’rjuna | sukhaṃ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṃ saḥ yogī paramo mataḥ ||
One who, by comparison with himself, sees the same everywhere, Arjuna, whether in pleasure or in pain, is considered the highest yogi.
Shows wishing others' happiness as one's own. our reading
प्रदानं प्रच्छन्नं गृहमुपगते सम्भ्रमविधिः प्रियं कृत्वा मौनं सदसि कथनं चाप्युपकृते । अनुत्सेको लक्ष्म्यामनभिभवगन्धाः परकथाः सतां केनोद्दिष्टं विषममसिधाराव्रतमिदम् ॥
pradānaṃ pracchannaṃ gṛhamupagate sambhramavidhiḥ priyaṃ kṛtvā maunaṃ sadasi kathanaṃ cāpyupakṛte | anutseko lakṣmyāmanabhibhavagandhāḥ parakathāḥ satāṃ kenoddiṣṭaṃ viṣamamasidhārāvratamidam ||
Giving in secret, a warm welcome for whoever comes home, silence after doing a kindness, speaking in public of kindness received, no arrogance in wealth, talking of others without a whiff of contempt: who taught the good this vow, hard as walking a sword's edge?
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows no contempt in talk of others. our reading
तृष्णां छिन्धि भज क्षमां जहि मदं पापे रतिं मा कृथाः सत्यं ब्रूह्यनुयाहि साधुपदवीं सेवस्व विद्वज्जनम् । मान्यान् मानय विद्विषोऽप्यनुनय प्रख्यापय प्रश्रयं कीर्तिं पालय दुःखिते कुरु दयामेतत् सतां चेष्टितम् ॥
tṛṣṇāṃ chindhi bhaja kṣamāṃ jahi madaṃ pāpe ratiṃ mā kṛthāḥ satyaṃ brūhyanuyāhi sādhupadavīṃ sevasva vidvajjanam | mānyān mānaya vidviṣo’pyanunaya prakhyāpaya praśrayaṃ kīrtiṃ pālaya duḥkhite kuru dayāmetat satāṃ ceṣṭitam ||
Cut off craving, practise forbearance, give up arrogance, take no delight in wrong, speak the truth, follow the path of the good, serve the wise, honour those worthy of honour, win over even your enemies, show courtesy, guard your good name, be kind to those in pain: this is how the good behave.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Names forbearance being practised. our reading
कृतज्ञमनसा भाव्यं मित्रभावेन चानघ / मित्रात्प्रभवते सर्वं मित्रं धन्यतरं स्मृतम्
kṛtajñamanasā bhāvyaṃ mitrabhāvena cānagha / mitrātprabhavate sarvaṃ mitraṃ dhanyataraṃ smṛtam
Keep a grateful heart and a friendly spirit. Everything grows out of friendship; a friend is the greatest blessing.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma: Apaddharma
Names friendship as the source of every good. our reading
चिरेण मित्रं बध्नीयाच्चिरेण च कृतं त्यजेत् / चिरेण हि कृतं मित्रं चिरं धारणमर्हति
cireṇa mitraṃ badhnīyāccireṇa ca kṛtaṃ tyajet / cireṇa hi kṛtaṃ mitraṃ ciraṃ dhāraṇamarhati
Make a friend slowly, and give one up slowly. A friendship made slowly is one that lasts long.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma: Mokshadharma
Shows slow friendship is the lasting kind. our reading
Someone in the scriptures went through this, and the story shows what turned.
Write a line about today. Your words find their place on the map, with a verse for each.
Verses, translations and stories come from the Wisdom library, read with the traditional commentaries. A line marked stated in the text is a link the verse or a named commentator makes; our reading is Wisdom's own reading of the verse.