Thursday, October 14, 2021

Sri Aurobindo was awake to unseen play of forces

Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b. 1956) Founder, Savitri Era Learning Forum (2005), Savitri Era Religion (2006) and Savitri Era Party (2007)

I just uploaded “Harmonies Inspired by Sri Aurobindo” to #Vimeo:
vimeo.com
Harmonies Inspired by Sri Aurobindo
This is "Harmonies Inspired by Sri Aurobindo" by La Grace on Vimeo,
Within the details of this miniature lies a master class in the political uses of cultural hybridity. And the uses of something else too: dumbfounding, superhuman beauty. nytimes.com/interactive/20.
Liked on YouTube: what is human unity and how we live together #shorts
youtube.com
what is human unity and how we live together #shorts
Join us for an online zoom event this Saturday 16th October where Anitya
Immensely grateful to ReTHINK INDIA for deciding to confer the "Sita Ram Goel Mention for being a Defender if Dharmic Bharat 2021" on me, in the centenary year of the inspiring scholar whose writings I immensely admire
What we seemed not to have learnt is how to use setbacks to increase resolve, rather it makes our lot whine more..that is one issue. The Kshatriya quality of disciplined patience, sustained training of will is sorely lacking. Neither western nor eastern in temperament!
Complexity of language is no sin, many topics can’t be unravelled without it. But obfuscation to cover lack of substance or sincerity, a gaudiness to hide the cheap trinket within is definitely an issue.
Every Indian should listen to this brief yet very important argument by on Indian history and the way it has been distorted and presented to us all - beginning from the text books.
The recent and ongoing attacks on the scholarship of and are leaves out of the same playbook of intolerance. Both are reclaiming truths through academic rigour, while their detractors are stewing in their own falsehoods.
This is the phase of 'Hindu Renaissance' . If we leave it today, i doubt we will ever be able to proclaim our rightful history. And we as a generation is blessed to have and being the pioneer of this movement!
Invasion and colonialism are part of Indian history but understanding their deeper significance is important. Subjugation and suffering may not be palatable to democratic sentiment but Evolution has other plans and intention. Sri Aurobindo was awake to such unseen play of forces.

#SriAurobindo was born in Kolkata on August 15, 1872 and was educated in England. Was an official in Vadodara and later became a college teacher there. Wrote poems and read a lot to be acquainted with the Indian tradition. Took interest in fighting the British and went to Kolkata.
First a college principal and then a writer on political matters in a newspaper, he became well known. Moving around to give public speeches didn't take long. British were rattled. He spent a year in jail as an undertrial. Wrote on religion and philosophy. Went to Chandannagar.
He reached Puducherry in 1910 and took interest in the Veda and metaphysical inquiry. #TheMother came from France to meet him on March 29, 1914. A monthly magazine appeard on August 15, 1914 in which #SriAurobindo wrote on diverse topics. It ran till January 1921. #ARYA100Years
#SriAurobindo Ashram took shape in 1926 as more and more disciples joined. He wrote regularly to them to guide on spiritual growth. Poetry and intellectual matters were also prominent. Political discussion was not excluded and an eye on international situation and war was keen.
Deeper spiritual question led him to write a long poem called SAVITRI. The Life Divine was published in a revised form. Writing on such profound matters didn't go unnoticed. Reverence poured in and many started to worship him as Supreme Divine. He passed away on December 5, 1950.

Understanding The Mother & Sri Aurobindo

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are prominent persons of the 20th century but are not very well known. The vast amount of work that they have left behind should be a fertile field for scholars and researchers. They took up strands of knowledge from various sources and synthesised them into an Integral whole. Besides, they enunciated the path of Integral Yoga from which ensues Integral Education. Sri Aurobindo's Ontology has also been described as Integral Advaita apart from the overall spirit of Integralism that suffuses his socio-political thought.

The basis of Sri Aurobindo's philosophy is evolution. He is confident that man is capable of taking a leap into the next level of consciousness. Rather, he describes it as an evolutionary inevitability. His assertions on the next human species and divinisation of the body are drawn from the Vedic notion of immortality. These claims may sound improbable but there's a lot of merit in believing in them in view of the present conditions of the world.

Sri Aurobindo's neat classification of different stages of human civilisation may or may not be correct in terms of actual happenings, but his vision of the future is a message of hope. He has foreseen that current forms of political or economic framework are insufficient to tackle the problems of humanity. So, a lot many things have to change including a World Union at the apex level. He is also sensitive to the needs of individual freedom and booting out all sorts of discrimination. Thus, the utopian nature of his predictions for the future has many  practical aspects which the present society can adopt as normatives.

Sri Aurobindo wrote poetry profusely. He even announced that one can reach higher levels of consciousness through poetry. Thankfully, he has written in English which is accessible to the modern generation. He has also written a lot of literary criticism and a vast number of letters on poetry and art. His prescription for revamping education, of course, has found more generous reception from diverse quarters. Although colonialism was a factor when he wrote, the universalist element in his thought makes it relevant even today. Understanding them can endow one with the global citizen identity.

Aspiration for a better world also involves adventure of consciousness. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are emphatic that each person become aware of the real aim of life and listen to the inner voice. Day to day life has hardly any space for this but being aware and being conscious turns all life to yoga. The target is to be released from narrowness and ghettoism and become one with the universal human spirit, instead. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have shown in their own lives that it's possible.

Their writings are so vast that it's not easy for anyone to go through them. Many quote them out of context leading to widespread misunderstanding. Some highlight only one or two of their many facets thus stereotyping in a misleading manner. Thus, understanding the teachings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo in its integrality as well as essence is essential. It takes years to be acquainted, oriented, or attuned to their ever present invitation for a sublime destiny of humanity.

Tusar Nath Mohapatra, August 31, 2021