Ārjav means straightness, sincerity, and harmony in one’s thought, words, and actions towards oneself and towards others.[1]Kane translatesarjava as straightforwardness.[3] It is described in ancient Indian texts as “self-restraint from hypocrisy", and "the absence of hypocrisy”. It is included as one of several virtuous restraints in an individual's path to spirituality. The Maharashtrian poet Vāmana inAvigita, at xvi.1, positsarjava is a form of honesty and purity in a person, and an essential virtue so that one may treat everyone equally, whether that other is one’s child, wife, relative, friend, a stranger, or someone hostile or oneself without any discrimination.[1]
The ethical concept ofarjava is synonymous withAdambha (अदम्भ, composite word fromअ+दम्भ).Adambha also means non-deceitful, straightforwardness, and sincerity.[4] It is listed as a virtue in the Indian Epics.[5]
In some texts, such as byAdi Sankara, this virtue is called asbhavasamsuddhi, and explained as purity of motive and freedom of mind from hypocrisy, both in one’s social conduct and within oneself where one’s thoughts, words, and actions resonate.[1] It is a virtue that empowers one to act and live without anxiety, anger, prejudice, inner conflict, or confusion. It is also discussed inBhagwad Gita in verse 17.16.[9]
TheMahābhārata, in book 12, chapter 60, listsadambha (non-hypocrisy) as a virtue along withakrodha (non-anger),kshama (forgiveness), and others.[5] In chapter 278, the epic explains how and why hypocrisy arises, suggesting that it derives from the sin of covetousness, greed, and attachment to superficial possessions.[10]
Patanjali's treatise on Yoga lists only fiveyamas, which includes non-covetousness and non-possessiveness (asteya andaparigraha respectively), but does not includearjava.[11]
"Arjava".Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Archived fromthe original on 26 December 2014.
^ab"Śāṇdilya-Upanishad of Atharvaṇaveḍa".Thirty Minor Upanishads. Translated by Aiyar, K. Narayanasvami. Kessinger Publishing. 1914. pp. 173–176.ISBN978-1164026419.
^Kane, Pandurang Vaman (1974). "History of Dharmaśāstra".Ancient and Mediæval Religious and Civil Law in India.2 (1): 5.OCLC134943.
^abSovatsky, Stuart (1 January 1998).Words from the Soul: Time East/West Spirituality and Psychotherapeutic Narrative. State University of New York Press. p. 21.ISBN978-0-7914-3949-4.
^The Bhagavad Gita. Translated by Chapple, Christopher Key. State University of New York Press. 2009. p. 649.ISBN978-1-4384-2842-0.
