Only when the ego is destroyed, does a man’s personality blossom forth. (SSS Vol.28)

For every man the development of his personality is a primary duty. The Sanskrit word for ‘Personality’ is marked by Paurusham (vitality and heroism). This is not found in everybody. It is revealed only in outstanding persons, who have made a mark in history. The Ramayana, which is the textbook on Dharma (righteousness) for the Hindhus, describes Rama’s personality as the product of character, morality and adherence to truth. Emperor Ashoka was another great personality in history.

A true individual is one who manifests the divinity that is within him. The word ‘person’ is used in Latin to describe the character in a play. It was later used in the English language to describe a person of divine descent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Purusha’, which describes the divine origin of the individual. Hence, the primary purpose of education must be to make the individual develop his personality by the pursuit of spiritual and moral disciplines. Education is thus a process through which man is led to his highest status. It is the failure to infuse education with ethical content that is responsible for the futility of education today. (SSS Vol.17, pp. 41-42)

Unity of all these four (Physical, Emotional, Intellectual and Spiritual) is necessary. When all these four aspects are unified, a great personality emerges. Personality does not mean merely the body. Habits, behaviour, and daily life constitute the personality. The important aspect of personality is character. What is character? Good behaviour, good manners, good discipline, and good actions together constitute character. What is personality? Personality is developed from the word ‘Person’ which is derived from the Roman word ‘persona’. The derivative of the Roman word Persona is person in English. What is the meaning of this word ‘person’? ‘Person’ means Divinity. When the Christian State came into existence, the word persona emerged. The entire Roman Kingdom had become a Christian administration. Seeing Jesus Christ they said, He is Persona.

Jesus in the first instance said, ‘I am the messenger of God.’ When Jesus was born, three Arabian kings came to see him. The first one said, ‘He is the messenger of God.’ The second one said, ‘No, He is the Son of God.’ The third one said, ‘He and the Father are one.’ This is the significance of what the kings said. They could recognize that He had descended from Divinity. The Divinity is called Persona. Persona, in English is called person. Person in Sanskrit is called Paurusha. Purusha is derived from Paurusha. So all individuals have come from Divinity. What do you mean by Purusha? Purusha doesn’t mean the one who wears a trouser and shirt and sports hair. In the body called Pura, consciousness (chaitanya) that which pervades from top to toe is Purusha. Purusha doesn’t refer to man and woman (male and female). This is not related to the physical body. This is not related to gender. Narada also said that the consciousness that pervades all over the body is Purusha. Consciousness is limited in the body in the form of conscience, which enables the senses to perform their functions. There are three levels, conscious, conscience and consciousness. Conscious, the first level is the messenger of God. Conscience, the second, is the Son of God. Consciousness, the son and God are one. (M, pp. 114-115)