In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one must have certain qualities to acquire atma jnana, said Valayapet Ramachariar, in a discourse. One of the necessary qualities is amAnitvam — that is to be without pride due to one’s birth, one’s education or wealth. Another quality that is necessary is adambhitvam. Dambha is ostentation and doing something so that we are praised by other. So, adambhitvam means being free of such vanity, which makes us clamour for public approval. Another quality prescribed is ahimsa. Himsa is causing hurt to others, whether this is through the mind, through one’s words or actions. The opposite of himsa is ahimsa, which means abstaining from causing harm to anyone in any of these three ways. Kshantih is also talked about by the Lord. This means that even when someone harms us, we must refrain from paying him back in his own coin. We must be patient. Arjavam, which the Lord speaks of, means that as one thinks, so must one speak. As one speaks, so must one act. In a person who aspires for atma jnana, thought, word and deed must be the same. Saucam is also needed. Saucam means purity. This purity encompasses purity of body, mind and speech. While we understand purity of the body, we forget about purity of the mind. Will bathing many times a day make us pure, if we have bad thoughts? It may also be the case that there may be someone so ill, that he cannot bathe. Will he be denied moksha, just on that ground? A sick man, in bed, may still think of the Lord with all piety, and may not have any other thought in his mind. He is indeed pure. Sthairyam implies that we should believe implicitly what our Acharyas teach us and should never doubt them. We should think of the sorrow caused by birth, old age, disease and finally death.