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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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They are peace (Shama), desire for salvation (Samvega), aversion for worldly wanderings (Nirveda), Compassion (Anukampā), and faith (Astikya).
'Shama' means peace, tranquillity of passsions like anger etc. which bring about endless bondages. Inspite of very vehement circumstances remaining present one should not stoop to anger. One should maintain forbearance—forgiving nature and peace. This is the first characteristic of 'Right faith'.
'Samvega' means desire for salvation. The holy texts declare : "A soul craving for salvation considers royal and heavenly happiness as roots of miseries. He has liking for nothing except salvation”. This means that the soul with right faith understands spiritual bliss only as true form of happiness; and temporal happiness as miseries as the ultimate consequences of such temporal happiness is misery.
Nirveda' is aversion or dislike for worldly wanderings from birth to birth. Each such existence comprises of roots of miseries like birth, old age, sorrow, diseases, death etc. but unless you are disgusted with all these roots of miseries your intention to get rid of them would not grow very acute, and till then you do not become anxious to get rid of these endless cycles of births and deaths. Just think of a prisoner's uneasiness to break out of the prison gates, and till such uneasiness does not emerge from your heart, believe that 'aversion' (Nirveda) is not generated within you.
Anukampā' is compassion for the distressed-feeling of mercy. Soul possessed of right faith has soft heart and he would never act mercilessly at any cost. We have drawn your attention to this point in our previous discourses.
Astikya' is firm faith on the Lord's commands, firm faith on 'nine-substances', unflinching devotion for god, preceptor and religion. In the absence of such faith right faith' is not possible.
The order of these characteristics of ‘right faith' has given priority to comparative virtue, i.e., each preceding is more qualitatively meritorious than the succeeding one, but from the point of view of origin each succeeding is earlier than each preceding characteristic Thus, 'Astikya' (faith) is first, 'Anukampā' (mercy) is second, Nirveda (aversion) is third, Samveda (desire for salvation) is fourth and Shama (peace) is fifth.
