WHY SRI AUROBINDO

Sri Aurobindo — The Hope of Man (The Rishi of Modern Era)

Online Talk delivered by Dr. Ajit Sabnis on 27th April, 2019, via Facebook Live, hosted by Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Indian Culture.

For nearly three thousand years, India had been leading human civilization with her exuberance and rich culture. Her contributions in medicine, engineering, mathematics, science, chemistry, philosophy, dance, drama, music, poetry, astronomy, and astrology were unmatched. She withstood several invasions and looting of wealth without losing her identity.

By mid-16th century, science started making its presence felt. In the first chapter of his magnum-opus Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo observes that the earliest preoccupation of man in his awakened thoughts — his impulse towards God, Light, Freedom, and Immortality — is also his highest.

The 19th century saw the birth of great men: Mahatma Gandhi (1893–1948), Tagore (1861–1941), Aurobindo Ghosh (1872–1950), Bala Gangadhar Tilak (1856–1920), Vivekananda (1863–1902), and in the West — Einstein (1879–1955), Rutherford (1871–1937), and the Mother (1878–1973).

Sri Aurobindo is an enigma to some and a 'Personality Infinite' to some. Whenever we speak of Sri Aurobindo, it is always of the dual power — the double-poled avatar of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother as one. Together, in continuity, they stayed amongst us for almost a century — 101 years, 3 months, and 2 days.

Sri Aurobindo did not come to establish any religion, cult, or creed. He came to establish the Supreme Law and Supreme Truth — to reveal that the human being is not the last rung in the evolutionary process, and that transforming our ordinary human consciousness into Divine consciousness is the actual aim of human life. This is also the aim of Integral Yoga.

Phase 1: The Intellectual and Patriot

Sri Aurobindo's life began unfolding at age 5 with his entry into Loreto Convent School, Darjeeling. By age 7, he was in Manchester under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Drewet, learning Latin, English, French, Maths, History, and Science. He moved to London in 1884, joined St. Paul's School, and learned Greek, German, Spanish, and Italian, reading extensively from classical and modern European literature.

He then moved to King's College, Cambridge, where he excelled in the Classical Tripos but disqualified himself from the Indian Civil Service by missing the horse-riding exam. It was at this time that he met Sir Sayaji Rao Gaikwad, the Maharaja of Baroda, who offered him employment.

Phase 2: The Patriot-Turned-Spiritual Seeker

The second phase began when he stepped onto Indian soil in 1893 at age 21. A vast calm descended on him. He spent 13 years with the Maharaja of Baroda in various capacities, mastering Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali, and Gujarati, and reading most ancient texts in their original languages.

He later became Principal of the Bengal National College, Calcutta (1906–1907), edited Bandemataram, wrote revolutionary articles, and was declared by the British government as one of the most dangerous men. He met the Maharashtrian Yogi Vishnu Bhaskar Lele in January 1908 and received his first yogic initiation to silence the mind.

Arrested in May 1908 in a plot against the British Viceroy, he was sent to solitary confinement in Alipore Jail. During this period, he practised intense meditation and realized cosmic consciousness. C. R. Das defended him and he was acquitted in May 1909.

"Long after the controversy will be hushed in silence... he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, the prophet of nationalism, and the lover of humanity." — C. R. Das

He reached Pondicherry on 4th April 1910, beginning the third phase of his life for the sake of humanity.

Phase 3: The Spiritual Journey

1. Psycho-Spiritual Analysis of Man

Sri Aurobindo recognizes three integrated systems in the human being:

• Surface System: Comprises the Physical Being (gross existence), the Vital Being (desires, impulses, and emotions), and the Mental Being (cognitive functions and intelligence).
• Subliminal System: Comprises the Inner Being and the Inmost Being (the Psychic Being — the Antaratman — which accumulates experience birth after birth).
• Vertical System: A series of ascending and descending grades of consciousness from the Inconscient to Truth-Consciousness: Ordinary Mind → Higher Mind → Illumined Mind → Intuitive Mind → Overmind → Supermind → Sat-Chit-Ananda.

2. Concept of Evolution

Sri Aurobindo observes that Involution precedes the Evolutionary process. The Divine descends from Pure Existence (SAT) through Consciousness-Force (CHIT) and Bliss (ANANDA) via the Supermind into Cosmic Being. We ascend from matter through developing life, soul, and mind toward Divine Being.

Man is a transitional being. Just as man was worked out from a monkey, a superman shall be worked out of the present mental being.

3. Five Dreams of Sri Aurobindo

India was liberated on 15th August 1947 — the 75th birthday of Sri Aurobindo. In his message on that day, Sri Aurobindo spoke of his five dreams:

• First Dream: A revolutionary movement creating a free and united India.
• Second Dream: The resurgence and liberation of the people of Asia.
• Third Dream: A world union forming the outer basis of a fairer, brighter, and nobler life for all mankind.
• Fourth Dream: The spiritual gift of India to the world.
• Fifth Dream: A step forward in evolution raising Man to a higher and larger consciousness — Divine Life upon Earth.

4. Integral Advaitism

Unlike Shankara's Advaitism, which denies the reality of the world, Sri Aurobindo accepts the Oneness of Brahman without denying the reality of the world. He holds that if Brahman is real, everything that comes from Him must also be real. The Finite and Infinite are not opposites but two facets of the same existence, reconciled through higher reason — the Logic of the Infinite.

5. Integral Education

The Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, an integral part of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, was opened by the Mother on December 2, 1943. It aspires to represent the cultures of different regions of the world, promoting mutual understanding and human unity through a synthesis of knowledge.

6. Human Destiny

Individual evolution is possible through cycles of Birth and Rebirth via the triple transformation of Psychicisation, Spiritualisation, and Supramentalisation. As Sri Aurobindo wrote in Savitri:

"The unfelt Self within who is our guide, the unknown God above who is our Goal."

Conclusion

"To THEE who hast been the material envelope of our Master, to THEE our infinite gratitude. Before THEE who hast willed all, attempted all, prepared, achieved all for us, before THEE we bow down and implore that we may never forget, even for a moment, all we owe to THEE."

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 29 April 2020

Harvesting Human Growth: Consciousness Perspective

The role of Consciousness in Human Growth has generated tremendous interest among academicians, scientists, psychologists, and neurologists in pursuit of truth behind consciousness.

To a materialist, consciousness is simply awareness perceived through the sense organs — a byproduct of the brain. To a spiritualist, Consciousness (with a capital 'C') is the all-pervasive Force without which nothing in the universe exists — the Absolute Reality, concealed and veiled by layers of ignorance.

As Sri Aurobindo records in Savitri: "The unfelt Self within who is the guide, the unknown Self above who is the goal." Between these two extremes is our journey — human evolution, the adventure of consciousness, and the aim of life.

The Triple Transformation

• Psychicisation: The individual turns within, focuses, meditates, and becomes aware of the True Self — the divine spark. This is the first step of the triple transformation.
• Spiritualisation: Consciousness grows wider; the individual starts identifying the divine spark in all — realising "One in All and All in One."
• Supramentalisation: Vertical growth through ascending aspiration and descending grace — realising "All as One."

Four Stages of Human Growth

At the Macrocosmic Level:

• Physical Evolution: Formation of the universe.
• Chemical Evolution: Formation of gases, chemicals, minerals, making the universe fit for life.
• Biological Evolution: Life evolved out of matter.
• Spiritual Evolution: Matter participates in the transformation of earth.

At the Individual Level:

• Physical Evolution: A body fit to receive the superstructure of Consciousness — growth like a bullock cart.
• Emotional/Vital Evolution: Life governed by instinct, desires, hunger, survival — growth speeds up like an automobile.
• Mental Evolution: Dominated by reason, logic, science, philosophy, ethics, compassion — much higher intensity of growth.
• Spiritual Evolution: Flowering of higher grades of mind — from ordinary mind through Higher Mind, Illumined Mind, Intuitive Mind, to Overmind. Growth accelerates from bullock cart to automobile to jet.

Factors of Human Growth

1. Becoming Conscious: Awareness of inner and outer factors — mastery over oneself and one's surroundings.
2. Aim of One's Life: The quality of one's aim reflects the quality of one's character. Ideals must rise above ordinary, mundane interests.
3. Concentration or Focus: Focusing all energies at one point minimises waste and maximises self-actualisation.
4. Progress: Continuous improvement — outer growth in skills and productivity, and inner growth in psychological, spiritual, moral, and cultural realms.
5. Freedom and Empowerment: Freedom to think, create, innovate, and express — as well as freedom from inner bondages like negative thoughts, greed, jealousy, and depression.
6. Inner and Outer Wellness: True wellness is an expression of balanced growth — both material productivity and inner equilibrium.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 12 April 2020

Human Species

Human Species — Not a Privileged Species

"Man is not a privileged inhabitant of the universe, but merely a passing species that will leave only a few faint traces of its passage when it becomes extinct." — Dr. Strauss

Nature now appears to have proven him right. We may witness several more evolutionary crises in the future if we do not protect and care for our planet.

As Sri Aurobindo puts it, the present human being is only a transitional entity in the evolutionary process and cannot be its ultimate goal. The advent of a new and superior species will eventually arrive. Just as man was worked out of a monkey, a better human species shall be worked out of present man.

Could today's crisis be a self-cleansing process by nature — a small step towards creating the critical mass required for the future? Darwin's "survival of the fittest" has proven to be no longer relevant.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 11 April 2020

Inspirational Story: A Humble Act

The King of Mysore and Sir M. Visvesvaraya

The King of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV, and Sir MV were in a pensive mood. The proposed KRS dam was 6 months from completion, and they had run out of money. Just 8 months earlier, the king had mortgaged his family jewels to the King of Benaras. The queen had given her favourite necklaces and heirlooms. But even that ran out.

Sir MV sent out messages to all village headmen for a meeting near Mandya the next day at 4 p.m. He expected at most 5 to 10 would come. Next day, by 3:50 p.m., more than 500 people had gathered — village elders and youth, all wanting to hear the great engineer.

The king walked among the crowd, spoke to them as a commoner, and took the stage. He spoke from the heart, in their language, hiding nothing. He said he needed help and asked if they would work for free for 4 weeks while he sought a solution. He even mentioned mortgaging one of his palaces. The crowd was moved by his vulnerability and simplicity — but no one responded immediately. A month of free labour meant depleted savings for some, and starvation for others.

The next morning at 6:30 a.m., as Sir MV met the king to discuss mortgaging the palace, the secretary rushed in: "You got to see this." From the palace balcony, they watched wave after wave of people streaming into the courtyard — farmers, teachers, cart-drivers, old men, women with toddlers — all coming to do their bit to complete the dream that was KRS.

The king, with moistened eyes, held out his hand and placed it on his heart — a gesture of deepest gratitude. The people of Mysore would not be paid, but they would complete the dam. KRS stands proudly as a testament to a humble king, a brilliant engineer, and the toil of thousands who made it an architectural wonder. Above all, it is a symbol of the miracle that can be achieved when the heart is pure and intentions are noble.

The sophisticated canal system from KRS has enabled the land to flourish — this area is called the green gold of Karnataka.

Author Unknown. Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 19 December 2018