Das Lakshan and Disney
Rihi Jain, Suryaraj Jain, Jay Shah, and Sakhi Shah
Das Lakshan is a ten-day festival celebrated each fall by the Digambar sect of Jains. Its name references the ten virtues of the soul — known as the Yati Dharmas — that are celebrated during each day of the holiday. Keep reading to see which Disney and Pixar characters demonstrate these qualities, as well as to draw inspiration to further develop the same qualities yourself from their stories!
Uttam Kshama — Forgiveness
Elsa | Frozen, 2013
After accidentally injuring her sister Anna with her snow and ice powers, Elsa struggles to forgive herself for the harm she has caused. This results in Elsa keeping an emotional distance from Anna, ultimately doing more damage than good and resulting in an eternal winter. It is only when Elsa forgives herself and Anna — for invoking Elsa’s outburst to begin with — that harmony (and the seasons) are restored. Similarly, one should forgive oneself and others for any harmful thoughts, words, or actions that may have been committed, knowingly or unknowingly, coming closer to uncovering the soul’s true quality of Uttam Kshama in the process. As demonstrated in Elsa’s story, holding onto these instances instead of forgiving and forgetting only leads to further misery.
Uttam Mardav — Humility
Buzz Lightyear| Toy Story, 1995
Unlike protagonist Woody, who forced others to follow his plan to establish his authority, Buzz Lightyear sacrificed himself in many situations for the good of their group. He also expressed gratitude for the help he received from toys such as Slinky, Hamm, and Rex, realizing that their abilities were crucial to the success of the missions they collectively undertook. Eventually, Buzz also comes to recognize that he is not as powerful as he once thought he was; once accepting this reality, he became one of the most humble within the toys. One is likely to discover a newfound dedication for learning and deep respect for others, along with several other virtues) in working to develop Uttam Mardav themselves.
Uttam Arjav — Straightforwardness
Mike Wazowski | Monsters Inc., 2001
Mike Wazowski often comes to mind as one of the most straightforward characters in the film Monsters Inc. He does not shy away from telling Sully that they would have to leave Boo behind, and was most often straight-to-the-point in his delivery. Although hearing the brutal truth could be rough, his underlying intent to help others and bring clarity to a situation always shone through. This attribute leads to others having immense trust in his judgement. Uttam Arjav helps develop the qualities of honesty, trustworthiness, and sincerity, while subduing the qualities of deceitfulness and disingenuity.
Uttam Shaucha — Contentment
Olaf | Frozen, 2013
When introducing himself for the first time, Olaf pronounces, “Hi, everyone. I’m Olaf, and I like warm hugs!” As a snowman who finds joy in the simplest things in life, Olaf is not swept up in the distractions of the material world like other characters in the movie (such as those chasing after power or wealth). Rather, he is fulfilled with the gift of life (in the form of snow) that Queen Elsa has given him. Olaf’s contentment lends itself to inner happiness and optimism — by unlocking Uttam Shaucha, these same attributes can arise in oneself. Most of all, his contentment allows him to be grateful for what he does have in all situations, which, in today’s world, can be an increasingly difficult bar to meet.
Uttam Satya — Truth (Pinocchio)
Pinocchio | Pinocchio, 1940
Pinocchio, a wooden puppet, dreams of becoming a real boy. A fairy says she will grant his wish if he promises to be honest and selfless. He starts his journey meeting characters with questionable morals and being put into difficult situations — when he lies in attempts to justify his predicament, his nose grows longer. The fairy warns him that while she could restore his nose once, it would be the last time. Over the remainder of the story, Pinocchio proves to be brave, noble, and truthful. Seeing as he stuck true to the virtues he was told to uphold, the fairy makes his dream a reality. Uttam Satya underscores the soul’s characteristic of honesty and reminds one that telling the truth leads to the best outcomes, even if not apparent at the time.
Uttam Sanyam — Self-restraint
Marlin | Finding Nemo, 2003
Following his wife’s passing, clownfish Marlin becomes overprotective of his only son Nemo. He is terrified to let Nemo explore the world on his own terms, but it ends up being his constant hovering that pushes his son away and leads to him getting lost. Over the course of his quest to find Nemo, Marlin comes to the realization that he must practice self-restraint with his parenting to allow Nemo to grow and learn how to fend for himself. Only then was Marlin finally able to release his feelings of fear and guilt, and ultimately be at peace with both Nemo and himself. By taking vows and practicing self-restraint — that is, working towards achieving Uttam Sanyam — one can find the same inner equanimity, no matter what environment they might be in.
Uttam Tap — Austerities/ Penance
Moana | Moana, 2016
Moana is of Motunui, an island slowly dying due to harmony being disrupted. She decides to embark on a mission to find the demigod Maui, who is said to have the key to restoring her home’s peace and prosperity, all while knowing her journey would be filled with countless challenges and dangers. By choosing to take on this mission, as well as facing and overcoming all that stood in her path, Moana exhibits her commitment to her cause. Similarly, Uttam Tap teaches us to take on internal and external austerities with the goal of achieving spiritual progress. By doing so, one can nurture several virtues and deep faith in the Jain religion. Examples of austerities described in Jainism include meditating on the soul and eating to live (and not living to eat).
Uttam Tyag — Charity
Cinderella | Cinderella, 1950
Unfairly punished and subjected to ridicule by her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella was forced to complete chores around the house and cater to their every demand. Despite this, Cinderella always remained kind at heart, not only completing her tasks but looking out for and serving those around her — mostly birds and animals. This inclination to give to others spoke to her charitable and generous nature — after all, it is by giving to others that one receives good in return. Likewise, one should always look to help those in their community, giving their time, energy, and resources to charity. In return, Uttam Tyag is further uncovered, and countless virtues are reaped in the process.
Uttam Akinchanya — Renunciation
Dory | Finding Nemo, 2003
Dory continually portrays her willingness to go with the flow and remain detached from her surroundings, relationships, and possessions. Her motto, “Just keep swimming,” represents this ideology in a nutshell. She gave this advice to Marlin when he found out that his son, Nemo, was missing. Instead of panicking, Dory advised to keep looking, regardless of the challenges that lay ahead of them, helping Marlin feel more calm and focused. Practicing renunciation in various ways allows one to unlock the same qualities — after all, it is attachment to the material world that leads to temporary happiness and sadness. By striving to reach complete detachment, or Uttam Akinchanya, one can work towards accomplishing permanent bliss.
Uttam Brahmacharya — Chastity/ Celibacy
Merida | Brave, 2012
Merida is a Scottish princess intent on defying the traditional expectations set for her at the time, including that of being married off young. Instead yearning to continue to master the craft of archery, she leaves the family castle, but gets caught up in a terrible curse. Over the course of her journey in undoing the curse’s terrible effects, Merida demonstrates independence and strength, as well as control over her response to the environment around her. Beyond being one of the few princesses without a prince, it is this control over her senses that marks her quality of Uttam Brahmacharya. By overcoming indulgences, one can achieve the same.
If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!
