aparuṣa

 

In Sanskrit, aparuṣa means “not harsh, gentle,

mild, free from roughness or censure.”

Core lexical meaning

• Aparuṣa (अपरुष) is defined as “not harsh”—physically, verbally, 
• or morally—across Sanskrit dictionaries and traditional commentaries

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• It is formed from a- (negation) + paruṣa (“harsh, rough”), giving the 
• sense of gentleness, softness, or absence of cruelty

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Grammatical form

• m./f./n. adjective: aparuṣaḥ / aparuṣā / aparuṣam

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• Used to describe persons, speech, actions, or qualities that are mild, 
• non‑censorious, or free from roughness.
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In Buddhist usage

• In Mahāyāna texts, aparuṣā is glossed as “absence of harshness”, part 
• of ethical qualities such as no roughness, no slander, and gentle conduct

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• It appears in lists of virtues cultivated by Bodhisattvas, emphasizing 
• kind speech and non‑violent behavior.
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In Hindu and Sanskrit literary usage

• Traditional lexicons describe aparuṣa as:
  • “not harsh (physically and morally)”
  • “not in the habit of censuring others”
  • “mild, gentle in disposition”

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  Example cited in commentaries:
  A king should be adīrghasūtraḥ smṛtimān akṣudraḥ aparuṣaḥ, meaning
• “not harsh, not one who proclaims others’ faults.”

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Related and contrasting terms

• paruṣa — harsh, rough, severe.
• ślakṣṇa / snigdha — smooth, soft, pleasant (positive qualities often 
• paired with aparuṣa).
• aparūṣa is distinct from aparṇa (“leafless; name of Pārvatī”), which 
• appears in several other results but is unrelated.

Summary

aparuṣa expresses the ethical and interpersonal ideal of gentleness, 

non‑harshness, and kindness, used widely in Hindu, and classical 

Sanskrit literature to describe speech, behavior, and character.