SRI AUROBINDO'S PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA SOME ASPECTS SRI JIBENDRA SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM, PONDICHERRY SAHITYASREE CALCUTTA : INDIA Published by Tapan Kumar Ghosh Sahityasree 73 Mahatma Gandhi Road (First Floor) Calcutta-700009 First Published 15th August 19&3. (c) Sri Sandip Barat & Sri Sudip Barat Printed by Kanon Mitra Sarat Press Limited 10/2 Ramanath Majumdar Street Calcutta-700009: "to the Elite of Humanity" AN APPOLOGIA

-06_Sri Aurobindo^s Message Of Synthesis.htm SRI AUROBINDO'S MESSAGE OF SYNTHESIS Sri Aurobindo's writing are voluminous and they cover an immense variety of subjects ranging from the most ordinary to the most serious and sublime things of human life. Hardly any aspect of life is left out of his vast and extensive field of research and finding. But the central theme and core of all his teaching is spiritual and it is a spiritual and supramental solution that he always advocates as the only conclusion of his most intimate study of all human problems. For the Spirit underlies everything ; it is at the base of life, its apex, centre as well as circumference. There is no escape from its all-pervasive pres

ESSENCE OF LIFE You have asked me—"What is the truth of life ?" This question has been answered long back by our ancient sages and the modern ones like Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and others who have not only an intellectual apprehension of what life is but a true, real and concrete realisation of it in the truth of the Spirit, Atman of which we read so much in the Gita. Life is nothing but a concrete manifestation of the Spirit in millions and trillions of physical forms. The Spirit is One but its manifestations are innumerable and varied. What we all are and see all about us is nothing but the One and sole Atman in its various forms and disguises. He or I

SPIRITUAL LIFE & FAMILY ALIGNMENTS All attachments is a hindrance to spiritual seeking. Family ties constitute one of the greatest, strongest and most persistent attachments of all. Needless to say that whatever be the necessity of such attachment to keep up the stability and solidarity of family life even at the expense of truth, right and justice, the utility of such ties in spiritual life is absolutely nil. So long as there is any" attachment to individuals as members of family— an attachment which flows from particular relationship, such as husband and wife, father and son, brother and sister etc, the prospect of any spiritual liberation and up li

LONGEVITY IN THE ASHRAM In 1920's average longevity of an Indian, if I recollect correctly, was a mere 23 years only. In ig8o's it has reached the national average of about 57 years. A record increase in about 80 years. This is due to the control and eradication of four largest epidemics in the country namely, plague, cholera, small-pox and malaria which used to take toll of millions and millions of lives annually. The high rate of infant mortality of those times has also been successfully reduced thanks to the improvements of the hygienic conditions of the people. On the whole, there has been a' great improvement in medical and public health care and the social service

THIS COMMERCIAL CIVILISATION MUST GO Greed, excessive greed for profit has no doubt brought about this present imbalance in international economic relations as lust for power has politically divided the world into communist and capitalistic blocks making one the avowed enemy of the other. That the world is heading towards a major disaster is evident to any discerning intellect ; it does not require a prophet or seer to forecast the calamitous end to which men and nations are heading with such amazing rapidity. Is there no remedy to arrest this dangerous trend in the affairs of humanity at large ,? Lust, anger and greed like other evils such as jealousy

WHERE TRUTH AND COURAGE AND LOVE LACK Truth, says Sri Aurobindo, is the basis of spirituality and courage is its soul. With love of God, says Vivekananda, will come as a sure effect, the love of everyone in the Universe and we shall begin to see Him in all existences and all existences in Him. This is at once a test, a warning and an admonition to those who delude themselves into thinking that they are loving God when in reality they do nothing but love themselves and hate .and condemn and criticise others. Mere physical contact with the spiritual guide and preceptor is of no avail if the seeker does not foster the growth of truth, courage and love in his

EGO AND THE DIVINE SELF The concept of Ego is not unknown to the educated intelligentsia of the world ; one may have a clear mental idea of the ego, but yet know it not just as one may have known all that is said and written of God and yet know Him not at all. Ego is the identification of the Self or Soul with its constantly changing and perishable instruments;, body, mind and life. It is so pre-occupied with itself, so involved and identified with its own workings that it has no time or inclination to detach itself even mentally to know its real nature. Sri Aurobindo has defined ego as a falsification of our true individuality by a limiting self-identification

-31_Sri Aurobindo^s Message for To-day.htm SRI AUROBINDO'S MESSAGE FOR TO-DAY Before we deal with the present subject of discussion—Sri Aurobindo's Message for Today—it is as well to consider briefly the life and work of Sri Aurobindo, the mystic, philosopher, poet, patriot, prophet and lover of humanity as that will give us a right perspective and help in the proper understanding of his Message in today's context. Born in Calcutta on the 15th August, 1872 of Bengali parents, he was educated in England from his early childhood and became an all-round and accomplished scholar in the sciences, humanities and classics of several European languages at the age of 21 when he came back to India and join

THE DIVINE BEING—SPIRIT AND MATTER I had earlier written something of the nature of the Divine Being and His manifestations in myriads names and forms which constitute our Universe. Now, the mystery is how and why should the One Divine be manifested or manifest Himself into the 'Many instead of remaining the unchanging and infinite One. We are aware of the Universe of Matter, Life and Mind which is cognisable by our senses and reason. The immaterial or the Spiritual is known to us only indirectly by faith or authority. All our spiritual experience has owed the reality of the Spirit or Atman as the One, Infinite, Eternal and Unchanging. We have to accept