CHAPTER XIII   THE FORMATION OF THE NATION UNIT—THE THREE STAGES   THE three stages of development which have marked the mediaeval and modern evolution of the nation-type may be regarded as the natural process where a new form of unity has to be created out of complex conditions and heterogeneous materials by an external rather than an internal process. The external method tries always to mould the psychological condition of men into changed forms and habits under the pressure of circumstances and institutions rather than by the direct creation of a new psychological condition which would, on the contrary, develop freely and flexibly its own a

CHAPTER IX   THE POSSIBILITY OF A WORLD-EMPIRE   THE progress of the imperial idea from the artificial and constructive stage to the position of a realised psychological truth controlling the human mind with the same force and vitality which now distinguish the national idea above all other group motives, is only a possibility, not a certainty of the future. It is even no more than a vaguely nascent possibility and so long as it has not emerged from this inchoate condition in which it is at the mercy of the much folly of statesmen, the formidable passions of great human masses, the obstinate self-interest of established egoisms, we can have

CHAPTER XVIII   THE IDEAL SOLUTION—A FREE GROUPING OF MANKIND   THESE principles founded on the essential and constant tendencies of Nature in the development of human life ought clearly to be the governing idea in any intelligent attempt at the unification of the human race. And it might so be done if that unification could be realised after the manner of a Lycurgan constitution or by the law of an ideal Manu, the perfect sage and king. Attempted, as it will be, in very different fashion according to the desires, passions and interests of great masses of people guided by no better light than the half-enlightened reason of the world's intellectuals a

    TAITTIR1YA UPANISHAD     Page-170 TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD SHIKSHA VALLI CHAPTER ONE Hari OM. Be peace to us Mitra. Be peace to us Varuna. Be peace to us Aryaman. Be peace to us Indra and Brihaspati. May far-striding Vishnu be-peace to us. Adoration to the Eternal. Adoration to thee, O Vayu. Thou, thou art the visible Eternal and as the visible Eternal I will declare thee. I will declare Righteousness! I will declare Truth! May that protect me! May that protect the speaker!-Yea, may it protect me! May it protect the speaker.. OM. Peace! Peace! Peace! CHAPTER TWO OM. We will expound Shiksha, the elements. Syllable an

    ISHA UPANISHAD         ISHA UPANISHAD 1. All this is for habitation1 by the Lord, whatsoever is individual universe of movement in the universal motion. By that renounced thou shouldst enjoy; lust not after any man's possession. 2. Doing verily2 works in this world one should 1 There are three possible senses of vāsyam, "to be clothed", "to be worn as a garment" and "to be inhabited". The first is the ordinarily accepted meaning. Shankara explains it in this significance, that we must lose the sense of this unreal objective universe in the sole perception of the pure Brahman. So explained the first line b

    SRI AUROB1NDO EIGHT UPANISHADS       SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM PONDICHERRY 1960   Publishers : SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM Pondicherry           All Rights Reserved             First Edition ...August, 1953 Second Impression...August, 1960             printed in India Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press Pondicherry

-02_Publishers' Note PUBLISHERS' NOTE Among the Notes and manuscripts of Sri Aurobindo was found a sheaf of papers the cover page bearing the legend: THE UPNISHADS RENDERED INTO SIMPLE AND RHYTHMIC ENGLISH. (COMPRISING SIX UPANISHADS NAMELY THE ISHA, KENA, KATHA, MUNDAKA, PRASHNA AND MANDUKYA). Svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt BHAGAVADGITA EVEN A LITTLE OF THIS LAW DELIVERETH ONE OUT OF GREAT FEAR. * *  * QUAL CH'ELLA PAR QUAND UN POCO SORRIDE, NON SI PUO DlCER NE TENER A MENTE, SI E NOVO MIRACOLO GENTILE DANTE WHAT SHE APPEARS WHEN SHE SMILES A LITTLE, CANNOT BE SPOKEN OF, NEITHER CAN THE MIND LAY HOLD ON IT, IT IS SO SWE

ON TRANSLATING THE UPANISHADS This translation of a few of the simpler and more exoteric Upanishads to be followed by other sacred and philosophical writings of the Hindus not included in the Revealed Scriptures, all under the one title of the Book of God, has been effected on one definite and unvarying principle, to present to England and through England to Europe the religious message of India only in those parts of her written thought which the West is fit to hear and to present these in such a form as should be attractive and suggestive to the Occidental intellect. The first branch of this principle necessitated a rigid selection on definite lines, the second dic

    AITEREYA UPANISHAD     Page-228 AITEREYA UPANISHAD CHAPTER I : SECTION I 1. Hari OM. In the beginning the Spirit was One and all this' (universe) was the Spirit; there was nought else moving1. The Spirit thought, "Lo, I will make me worlds from out my being." 2. These were the worlds he made; Ambhah, of the ethereal waters, Maricih, of light, Mara, of death and mortal things, Apah, of the lower waters. Beyond the shining firmament are the ethereal waters and the firmament is their base and resting-place; Space is the world of light; the earth is the world mortal; and below the earth are the lower waters. 3. The Sp

    KATHA UPANISHAD       Page-36 THE KATHA UPANISHAD THE FIRST CYCLE : FIRST CHAPTER 1. Vajasravasa, desiring, gave all he had. Now Vajasravasa had a son named Nachiketas. 2. As the gifts were led past, faith took possession of him who was yet a boy unwed and he pondered: 3. "Cattle that have drunk their water, eaten their grass, yielded their milk, worn out their organs, of undelight are the worlds which he reaches who gives such as these." 4. He said to his father, "Me, O my father, to whom wilt thou give?"- A second time and a third he said it, and he replied, "To Death I give thee." 5. "Among many I walk