Swami Anubhavananda

Cultivating Virtues Cultivating Mind Swami Anubhavananda

When we talk of cultivation, we normally say cultivation of paddy, wheat, sugar, etc. We don't say cultivation of weeds; weeds are to be taken out. Therefore, in the same manner, virtues are to be cultivated. we have to put efforts to cultivate virtues. Virtue, in Sanskrit is called 'satguna' which is that quality because of which the TRUTH is able to express through us. The most peculiar part is that all of us know what a satguna (virtue) is. For example, 'to desire too many things' is not a virtue, and everybody knows it. When we talk of virtues, expression of that reality by us tells what we are. Let us now take a series of virtues that we can discover in us. All of us know what virtues are. If they are the expression of Reality and we are the Reality, why are we not able to discover them? It is already there, but it is covered by something. What we have to do is to discover the whole thing. We all have this divinity dormant in us but the problem is, this divinity is covered. For example take an electric bulb which is already lit. You first cover it with a thin cloth. Then you cover it with a blanket and the third covering is that of a tarpaulin. Let us now remove the third covering. There is suspicion of light being there below the first two coverings. Now we remove the blanket and we see the light but not distinctly. When we remove the thin cloth covering, we see the bright light. The light was already there, we did not create it. We have discovered the light. In the same manner, all the virtues, all the values are present in us and the only thing is, we have to discover them. We consist of two components irrespective of age and gender, abilities and disabilities. The two aspects are the matter aspect and the consciousness aspect of the personality. When the matter and the consciousness aspects are at loggerheads, a tragic life is experienced and when they are helping each other, divinity is manifested. This is all we have to learn, as tohow do we bring matter as the friend of consciousness and to bring consciousness to support matter. If this is understood, practiced and thereafter lived, there will be no problem whatsoever in the world. Therefore, we will now take this up on the basis of Ishavasya Upanishad.