Articles for Saadhana

Last evening, I was discussing about, the mystery, the secret about growing virtues in one self. Actually it is not growing virtues; bringing about any kind of a change, alteration, improvement or refinement in the mind process.

I was trying to say, I have never found any problem in growing virtues, if at all. I have not made any effort. When I say this, don’t be stunned, saying that, “Swamiji, you are a different person.” That’s not the idea. I’m trying to tell you, how to become sensitive and make the whole process of becoming virtuous or qualitative easy.

I say, whenever you see a quality or hear about it; that should be an exposure to you. What is a quality, a good quality? A good quality is something which will enrich you, adorn you, ornament you, make you better and better and better. Suppose a poor man is offered money, how easily and effortlessly and even greedily he will accept the offer. In the same manner should a seeker of truth receive or possess virtues and disciplines.

How will you have this attitude of affinity and aspiration towards virtues is a question. That is why I said, you must have lot of regard, appreciation for the scriptures. I think many people listen to me, have been listening to me for quite a number of decades, but I have not heard them say that scriptures are a great source and scriptural education, scriptural exposure is something superb. But after Ma and Nutun Swamiji came here; Nutan Swamiji more, Ma, a little less; I have heard them always speak about scriptures, scriptures, scriptures, scriptural education, scriptural exposure. But all of you are there, I have never heard such a phrase used by any one of you. I think herein lies the difference. Do you give any importance to the scriptures? What value do you attach to their analysis or disclosure or declaration or proclamation?

We need food for the body. We need clothing and also shelter for the body. In our houses, we are interested in buying different types of materials and articles which will make life easy and comfortable. I think anybody will be happy to have a good house and decorate it also well with all the facilities. Why? Because it is an addition, it’s a facility, it is an ornament to your house. Do you parallelly think of the scriptural pronouncements, values and other things, exhortations, as an ornament to your mind, inner personality and inner life? I doubt whether you have the supreme place of importance to the scriptures and the scriptural statements.

Many years back I happened to read a verse from Sreemad Bhaagvatam:

This is a description of a muni or an ascetic or a tapasvi. You know the verse is so profound, so beautiful, so enchanting, so revealing, so enlightening. Now, I am using so many words about them. According to me the verse is much more costly, much more valuable than the most precious metal that you can think of in this world. Now, do you have a similar attitude towards them, this is my question. I doubt whether you have.

Oh! A muni is described in this manner.

prasannagambhīraḥ. prasannagambhīraḥ - he is not prasanna for a trifling possession of his. No! prasannagambhīraḥ - his prasannata is associated with profound, profoundness. Where from does he get the profoundness?

durvigāhyo - it is very difficult to understand the depth and magnitude of his inner personality.

duratyayaḥ - nobody can easily excel his inner worth, glory and splendour.

ananta-apaaro - he has an eternal and boundless dimension.

akṣobhyaḥ - he will not be agitated.

stimitoda ivārṇavaḥ - he is unshakable like the deep vast sea.

Now, if these are the adjectives of a seeker of truth, an ascetic or a renunciate, how do you evaluate them? So, that one verse, you can say, robbed my heart; or got embossed in my mind. Now, when I understand that these are the qualities of an ascetic, spelt out in a very beautiful manner, all that I did was I appreciated it. It was very enlightening, very exposing and very enchanting. Now, I don’t know when and how I learnt it and it always remains with me. Now, one must like the words also, expressions, descriptions etc. What is meant by liking? You cannot possess anything physically, but you can possess things mentally. What are the things that you can possess? Things like this, things of the mind and heart. A physical product will be very close to your body but they will never be one with you. But mental qualities and enrichments will always be one with you.

Now, the catch, my dear souls, is here. I have never made a struggle or even striving in order to appreciate these virtues and feel that they are very good, ornamental and enchanting. So, my attitudes and response to what I saw, were so beautiful that these qualities automatically grow in me. Why should I make any effort? I have liked them, I value them, I feel they are ornamental and enriching to the mind. When I know that it is all these, automatically these attitudes and responses and appreciation from me, make them grow. Why should I make any effort?

So, yesterday when I was saying, you people are not able to understand me, so it makes me sorrowful. And last part when I asked U., do you agree? No, No I don’t agree. It is not easy. Arey, to understand that it is easy, may take some time, but I tell you U., it is the most easy and comfortable. All that you have to do is appreciate, appreciate, understand the value of and understand how your mind will be so great if these qualities are in them.

So, it is this kind of a fondness, association, evaluation, assessment; automatically they grow in you. There is no alternative there. This is what I said. I would like you to think about it and let me know.

Harih Om Tat Sat. Jai Guru.

[Transcript of Prabhata-rashmih by Poojya Swamiji recorded on 4 Nov 2010]