1 Sri Parichand: A Biographical Sketch (1904-1991) The Mother once said to Parichand, "Yours is the straight path" as opposed to the "zigzag path" of another sadhak. Her words reflect the man who followed this straight path. Tall and erect, taking long strides on the beach road, his dhoti flapping in the wind, the kurta carelessly left unbuttoned, long white hair, big bushy eye-brows and deep creases of wisdom running across his face — that was Parichand as we saw him in the eighties, the sadhak in charge of the garden in the Ashram main building. He would go about his work with utmost seriousness — pruning the plants, arrang

Introduction We are happy to bring out this slim volume to commemorate the birth centenary of our illustrious grandfather Sri Parichand Kothari. The aim is not to give publicity to the spiritual achievements of a person who scrupulously kept away from fame all his life, though all those who knew him will admit that he fully deserved it. Ours is a humble attempt to pay our reverential homage to one who renounced the worldly life in the prime of youth when he was still thirty, in 1934, to pursue Sri Aurobindo's yoga with unflagging ardour for more than half a century till he passed away in 1991. His sadhana knew no deviation or distraction. It was for him not merely the first bu

A Tribute A prolific thinker, deeply devoted to studies, a great spiritualist and above all a great human being at heart, my great-grandfather Sri Parichand Kothari was undoubtedly an extraordinary person. He was a person with a clear mind and pious soul. He was a man more of deeds than of words. I once had an opportunity to meet him when I was around four years old. I was privileged to receive his blessings. I came across a few of his letters which were addressed to my father and these letters have indeed played a great role in bringing me closer to him. He said that Indian religion and spirituality has such a great force which can remove frustration from people's life. He

SRI PARICHAND A PILGRIM OF THE SPIRIT Sri Parichand A Pilgrim of the Spirit (A Tribute on His Birth Centenary) Pondicherry Published 2004 Published by Pradip Jain, Patna; Rajib and Sanjib Kothary, Kolkata Printed at Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press, Pondicherry - 605002 PRINTED IN INDIA

Foreword When invitation came to share my experience with and perception of our dear Parichand, our intimate, inspiring and elevating contact of more than half a century came alive. He was not a man given to sermonising but silently radiated the spirit and influence through living and reactions to situation. He was always calm and composed, whatever be the situation. I have never seen him losing the balance. Whenever a problem was discussed he straightaway came to the core of the issue and gave his enlightened views. His work with flowers and nature also enmeshed with his sadhana, with its psychic atmosphere. For him to have the psychic contact was the sole aim. Some

-003_The Current Hindu Upsurge in Sri Aurobindo^s Light.htm One The Current Hindu Upsurge in Sri Aurobindo's Light There is undoubtedly a Hindu upsurge in the country today. But whether we seize the tide at its flood and use it to bring about a spiritual renaissance or let it peter out into a mere religious revival will decide the future of this country. There are many who see this upsurge as a strong mandate for a religious revival which, they hope, will lift the country from its present lackadaisical and self-destructive ways and put it on the path to fulfilment and glory. Ranged against them are those who decry the whole phenomenon as a regressive and unhealthy development.1 Many in thi

Four Acting on the World: The Unfinished Agenda of Spirituality I wish to discuss here a new spirituality, a spirituality which has discarded its old limitations and inhibitions but still draws on its ancient roots and whose aim is the perfection of human life on earth. Sri Aurobindo and his collaborator the Mother were the pioneers of this new spirituality. They have been, in my opinion, the greatest revolutionaries in the spiritual annals of mankind. The intellectual elite in many parts of the world have already taken note of their contribution. The time has surely come for us as Indians to throw away the coloured glasse

Two Can India Ever be Great Again? 1 When the Soviet Union disintegrated some years ago, Francis Fukuyama, a political scientist, interpreted this as the "the end of History"1. By this he meant that liberal democracy with the United States as its flag-bearer had ultimately triumphed over rival ideologies like monarchy, fascism and now even communism. This was therefore the endpoint of mankind's ideological evolution. But the United States is a superpower in the outer world only since its wealth hides a spiritual poverty and growing psychological and social unrest. We are living in a spiritually troubled age and no mere technological s

Six Two Perspectives on Man and His Future The 20th century might well be described as the age of historical pessimism, of an all-pervading sense of anxiety, frustration, mal-adjustment and inner disintegration. Some of our deepest thinkers have concluded that there is no such thing as history, that is, no meaningful order can be seen in the broad sweep of human events. The English poet Auden described the modern man's profound sense of restlessness and frustration in his Age of Anxiety in these words: ... crazed we come and coarsened we go Our wobbling way: there's white silence Of antiseptics and instruments At both ends

-005_In Matter shall be lit the spirit^s glow.htm Three "In Matter shall be lit the spirit's glow" There is a school of thought that holds that spirituality-is the master key of the Indian mind, and that India can best develop herself and serve humanity by drawing on her unparalleled spiritual legacy. This, I must admit, is not a point of view that finds favour with a large section of the opinion makers in the country. For them, spirituality is either religiosity of some sort, or else some kind of vague mystical predilection. According to many liberal thinkers, spirituality is a regressive state of mind because it turns its face away from the world and its challenges. Therefore they regar