Eight Mind Flowers | Listen

अहिंसा प्रथमं पुष्पं पुष्पम् इन्द्रिय-निग्रहः

सर्वभूत-दया पुष्पम् क्षमा पुष्पं विशेषतः

शान्तिः  पुष्पं तपः पुष्पं ज्ञानं पुष्पं तथैव च

सत्यम् अष्टविधं पुष्पं विष्णोः प्रीतिकरं भवेत्

ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ

sarvabhūta-dayā puṣpam kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ

śānthiḥ  puṣpaṁ tapaH puṣpaṁ jñānaM puṣpaṁ tathaiva ca

satyam aṣṭavidhaṁ puṣpaṁ suryo (viṣṇoḥ) prītikaraṁ bhavet||

The shloka describes 8 “flowers” or gifts which we can offer from our minds to the Highest Force.

The flowers are –

1. Ahimsa – non-violence in thought, words and action towards all creatures

2. Indriya nigrahah – sense control and reigning in the mind

3. Sarva bhuta daya – compassion and empathy towards all

4. Kshama – forgiveness to all

5. Jnanam – knowledge, especially self-knowledge

6. tapah – living a life of austerities and meditation

7. Shanti – peace even in the middle of samsara

8. Satyam – abiding in truth in all conditions

This reminds me of the Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh’s line in On Raglan Road, “I gave you gifts of the mind”.