{"id":568,"date":"2013-07-13T01:28:56","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=568"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:28:56","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:28:56","slug":"35-on-virtue-vol-08-translations-volume-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/08-translations-volume-08\/35-on-virtue-vol-08-translations-volume-08","title":{"rendered":"-35_On Virtue.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

 <\/td>\n

\n
\n


\nON VIRTUE
\n<\/font> <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n


\nDescription of
\nthe Virtuous<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Homage to him who keeps his
\nheart a book<\/span><\/p>\n

        For stainless matters, prone
\ngreat talk to prize<\/span><\/p>\n

And nearness of the good; whose faithful
\nlook <\/span><\/p>\n

Rejoices in his own dear wife,
\nwhose eyes <\/span><\/p>\n

Are humble to the Master good
\nand wise;<\/span><\/p>\n

A passion high for learning,
\nnoble fear<\/span><\/p>\n

       Of public shame who feels;
\ntreasures the still<\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet love of God; to self no
\nminister,<\/span><\/p>\n

But schools that ravener to
\nhis lordlier will, <\/span><\/p>\n

Far from the evil herd on
\nvirtue\u2019s hill.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Noble Nature<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eloquence in the assembly; in
\nthe field<\/span><\/p>\n

         The puissant arm, the lion\u2019s heart; proud
\nlooks <\/span><\/p>\n

Unshaken in defeat; but modest-kind<\/span><\/p>\n

          Mercy when victory crowns; passionate for
\nbooks<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>High love of
\nlearning, thoughts to fame inclined; \u2014 <\/span><\/p>\n

These things are natural to the noble mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nThe High and Difficult Road<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To give in secret as beneath
\na shroud;<\/span><\/p>\n

To honour all who to thy
\nthreshold come;<\/span><\/p>\n

Do good by stealth and of thy deeds be
\ndumb, <\/span><\/p>\n

But of another\u2019s noble acts be proud <\/span><\/p>\n

And vaunt them in the senate and the crowd;<\/span><\/p>\n

To keep low minds in fortune\u2019s arrogant day;<\/span><\/p>\n

       To speak of foemen without scorn or rage;<\/span><\/p>\n

What finger appointed first
\nthis roughest way<\/span><\/p>\n

Of virtue narrower than the
\nfalchion\u2019s edge ?<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage\u2013 187<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n


\nAdornment<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The hand needs not a bracelet for its pride,<\/span><\/p>\n

        High liberality its greatness is;<\/span><\/p>\n

The head no crown wants to show deified;<\/span><\/p>\n

        Fallen at the Master\u2019s feet it best doth please. <\/span><\/p>\n

Truth-speaking makes the face more bright to shine,<\/span><\/p>\n

        Deep study girds the brow with diamond rays;<\/span><\/p>\n

Strength and not gold in conquering arms
\ndivine<\/span><\/p>\n

        Triumphs; calm purity the heart arrays. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nature\u2019s great men have these for wealth and gem;<\/span><\/p>\n

Riches they need
\nnot, nor a diadem.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nThe Softness and Hardness of the Noble<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Being
\nfortunate, how the noble heart grows soft <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/span>As lilies! but in calamity\u2019s rude
\nshocks <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Rugged and high like a wild mountain\u2019s
\nrocks<\/span><\/p>\n

It
\nfronts the thunders, granite piled aloft.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nThe Power of Company<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Behold the water\u2019s way, \u2014 on iron red<\/span><\/p>\n

When it falls hissing, not a trace remains,
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet \u2018tis the same that on the lotus shines,<\/span><\/p>\n

A dewy thing like pearls, \u2014 yea, pearl indeed<\/span><\/p>\n

Turns when the oyster-shell receives and heaven <\/span><\/p>\n

To those rain-bringing stars their hour has given.<\/span><\/p>\n

High virtue, vice or inconspicuous mean<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Tis company that moulds in things or men.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\nPage\u2013 188<\/span><\/p>\n

\n


\nThe Three Blessings<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He is a son whose noble deeds and high<\/span><\/p>\n

        His loving father\u2019s heart rejoice;<\/span><\/p>\n

She is a wife whose only jewellery<\/span><\/p>\n

         Is her dear husband\u2019s joy and bliss;<\/span><\/p>\n

He the true friend whose actions are the
\nsame <\/span><\/p>\n

In peaceful days or hours of bale and
\nshame;<\/span><\/p>\n

         These three who wins, finds earth his
\nParadise.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nThe Ways of the Good<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who would not honour good men and revere<\/span><\/p>\n

       Whose loftiness by modesty is shown, \u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Whose merits not by their own vaunts
\nappear,<\/span><\/p>\n

        Best in their constant praise of others known, <\/span><\/p>\n

And for another\u2019s good each power to brace <\/span><\/p>\n

        To passionate effort is their selfishness.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hark to their garrulous slanderer\u2019s gurge of blame<\/span><\/p>\n

         Foaming with censure violent and rude! <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet they revile not back, but put to shame<\/span><\/p>\n

         By their sweet patience and calm fortitude. <\/span><\/p>\n

Such are their marvellous moods, their noble ways, <\/span><\/p>\n

Whom men delight to honour and to praise.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nWealth of Kindness<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tis more than earrings when the ear
\ninclines<\/span><\/p>\n

        To wisdom; giving bracelets rich exceeds. <\/span><\/p>\n

So the beneficent heart\u2019s deep-stored mines<\/span><\/p>\n

        Are worked for ore of sweet compassionate deeds, <\/span><\/p>\n

And with that gold the very body shines.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage\u2013 189<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n
\n


\n\tThe Good Friend<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tThus is the good friend pictured
\n\tby the pens<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t        Of good men: \u2014 still with gentle hand he turns
\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFrom sin and shame his friend,
\n\tto noble gains<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t        Still spurs him on; deep in his
\n\theart inurns <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHis secret errors, blares his
\n\tparts abroad, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tGives at his need, nor takes the
\n\ttraitor\u2019s road<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t        Leaving with facile wings when
\n\tfortune spurns.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n\tThe Nature of
\n\tBeneficence<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFreely the sun gives all his
\n\tbeams to wake <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe lotus slumbering in the
\n\tdarkened lake;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe moon unasked expends her
\n\tgentle light, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tWooing to bloom her lily of the
\n\tnight;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tUnasked the cloud its watery
\n\tburden gives. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe noble nature in beneficence
\n\tlives;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tUnsought, unsued, not asking
\n\tkindness back <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tDoes good in secret for that
\n\tgood\u2019s sole sake.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n\tThe Abomination of
\n\tWickedness<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\tRare are the hearts that for another\u2019s joy<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t       Fling from them self and hope of
\n\ttheir own bliss;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHimself unhurt for other\u2019s good to try<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t        Man\u2019s impulse and his common
\n\tnature is:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tBut they who for their poor and
\n\tselfish aims <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHurt others, are but fiends with
\n\thuman names. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tWho hurt their brother-men,
\n\tthemselves unhelped, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tWhat they are we know not, nor
\n\twhat horror whelped,<\/span><\/div>\n

\n

\n\tPage\u2013 190<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n


\n\tWater and Milk<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tBy water and sweet milk example Love.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Milk all its sweetness to the water gives,
\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      For in one wedded self their friendship lives;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tAnd when hot pangs the one to anguish move, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      The other immolates itself to fire.
\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      To steal his friend\u2019s grief is a friend\u2019s desire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHe seeing his friend\u2019s hard state is minded too <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      To seek the flame; but happily again
\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Wedded to him is eased of all his pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThis friendship is, one heart that\u2019s shared by two.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n\tAltruism Oceanic<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHere Vishnu, sleeps, there find his foes their rest;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe hills have taken refuge;
\n\tserried lie <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tTheir armies in deep Ocean\u2019s
\n\tsheltering breast;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tThe clouds of doom are of his
\n\theart possessed,<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t        He harbours nether fire whence
\n\the must die. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tCherisher of all in vast
\n\tequality, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tLo, the wide strong sublime and
\n\tpatient sea!<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tPage\u2013 191<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n


\n\tThe Aryan Ethic<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHear the whole Gospel and the Law thereto: \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Speak truth, and in wise company abide;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Slay lust, thine enemy; abandon pride;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tPatience and sweet forgiveness to thee woo;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tSet not in sin thy pleasure, but in God;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFollow the path high feet before thee trod;<\/span>
 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tGive honour to the honourable; conceal<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Thy virtues with a pudent veil of shame,
\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t      Yet cherish to the end a stainless fame;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tSpeak sweetness to thy haters and their weal <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tPursue; show pity to unhappy men, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tLift up the fallen, heal the sufferer\u2019s pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n\tThe Altruist<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHow rare is he who for his
\n\tfellows cares! <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHis mind, speech, body all are
\n\tas pure jars <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFull of his soul\u2019s sweet nectar;
\n\tso he goes <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFilling the world with rows on
\n\tshining rows <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tOf selfless actions ranked like
\n\tthe great stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHe loves man so that he in
\n\tothers\u2019 hearts<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tFinding an atom even of noble
\n\tparts<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tBuilds it into a mountain and
\n\tthereon<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tHis soul grows radiant like a
\n\tflower full-blown;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tOthers are praised, his<\/i>
\n\tmind with pleasure starts.<\/span><\/div>\n

\n

\n\tPage\u2013 192<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n


\n\tMountain Moloy<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t
\n\tLegends of golden hills the fancy please,<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tBut though they were real silver and solid gold,
\n\t<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tYet are the trees they foster only trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tMoloy shall have my vote with
\n\twhom, \u2018tis told, <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tHarbouring the linden, pine and
\n\tbasest thorn <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tEnnobled turn to scent and earth
\n\tadorn.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tPage\u2013 193<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  ON VIRTUE Description of the Virtuous Homage to him who keeps his heart a book         For stainless matters, prone great talk to prize…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-08-translations-volume-08","wpcat-12-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}