Sunday, December 17, 2017

The Future Poetry was published 100 years back

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Savitri Era (since 2005): Sri Aurobindo is opposed to all dominant narratives #SriAurobindo #FiveDreams https://t.co/mahELGNO41

Knowledge gathering is integral to being human but stereotypes developed over the centuries are proving to be roadblocks. Career and commercial aspects act as bottleneck and tend to perpetuate status quo. Moreover, widespread marketing overwhelm people and herd behavior overpowers.

Thus, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reach at any reliable knowledge source. Making sense of the world around us and meaning of life remain relevant, nevertheless. While philosophy and religion provide a readymade treasury for the purpose, science and technology tease towards an alternative understanding of things.

It's impossible, therefore, to aver the veracity and soundness of any piece of proposition. Since such a situation can easily breed cynicism and nihilism, holding Sri Aurobindo as anchor as well as touchstone is imperative. It's crucial to remember that no one else can fill that position.

Hegel's philosophy may or may not have been influenced by his impressions derived from Indian wisdom but provides a foothold towards a full fledged appreciation of Vedic ontology as accomplished by Sri Aurobindo, so magisterially, in his "The Life Divine." https://t.co/z8MYqU3Kki

Opposing AAP, BJP, Congress, and the Left is the only course left. Following The Mother and Sri Aurobindo can generate refined thinking among the countrymen by freeing them from sectarian approach and myopic worldview. Savitri Era Party proudly marches ahead in a pioneering role.

Sri Aurobindo spoke of his #FiveDreams in his radio message on August 14, 1947. Democratic process is the means to achieve these and hence there is no escape or shortcut. Every citizen has the responsibility to act for cleansing the political atmosphere. https://t.co/GF89UyNp5V

Some exotic adventure can engender an equal level of aesthetic enjoyment as rootedness if one holds open mind. An already interpreted world doesn't allow to think freely but urge for chancing upon something new always lurks somewhere. "Fire-intimations from the deathless planes."

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo met each other in Puducherry (then Pondicherry) on March 29, 1914. Their work continues and instills hope for the future. Our gratitude at this unique hour.

Left intellectuals possess formidable ammunition against Hindutva obscurantism but lack any credible alternative. Vedic Evolutionary dialectic offered by Sri Aurobindo is the only viable solution available. "The Future Poetry" was published 100 years back in ARYA of December 1917

Following a specific tradition or culture has limited advantage. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo emphasised upon each person's uniqueness and Evolutionary possibilities. For them the Earth is One and one needn't confine himself within the national boundary for intellectual development

From politics to poetry, Sri Aurobindo inaugurated fearless criticism on nationalist plank but subsequently tried to highlight World Union.

[A citizen of many scenes and climes, 
Each soil and country it has made its home; 
It took all clans and peoples for her own]
(Savitri-377)

Neither Goel nor Golwalkar have been able to capture the goal of human life in any definitive manner. The Judeo-Vedic Evolutionary dialectic expounded by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is the most dependable roadmap for humanity which every Indian must internalise as well as endorse.

Religions take away freedom and try to bind people with the snares of empty rituals and superstitions. Younger generation turning areligious is a good sign of critical reason. Sri Aurobindo, on the other hand, invokes the Vedic utterances to lead mankind towards a sublime destiny

Citizenship doesn't come from ancestors and each individual is endowed with many possibilities. So keeping people chained under religions is unfair and against freedom. Those with vested interests want Astrology, Mythology, and Rituals to continue but Sri Aurobindo shows new path

BJP is wisely following the Congress formula of keeping different sections of people happy for electoral gains. Its hawkish Hindu supporters are whining but have no other option. After investing their intellectual treasure in losing causes, they are paupers now; zero credibility!

Development is dependent on science and a slight wrong direction can lead to disaster. So diligence is crucial. Evolution is not linear and hence predicting its course is hazardous. Vedic ontology unveiled by Sri Aurobindo seeks to harmonise the two but beware of wishful thinking

Sri Aurobindo himself admitted that events didn't take place the way he would have liked which means the Evolutionary purpose is shrouded in mystery. Instead of suffering from victimhood, it's advantageous to take lessons from myriad cultural invasions India has harboured so far.

Sri Aurobindo foregrounds the deep structural framework described in the Veda for working of the universe thus providing the answers for what science and philosophy have been searching so far. By delivering the Veda from the snare of Chanting and Rituals, he has universalised it.

Heidegger's Fourfold is well-known, but a more foundational ontological breakthrough has been achieved by Sri Aurobindo through his delineation of fourfold Vedic deities addressed as Varuna, Aryaman, Mitra, and Bhaga as principal powers and cosmic players. https://t.co/pNGpbVhoF2

Democracy and civility, as demonstrated by the ruling elite in India, is of abysmal quality and doesn't reflect the lofty ideals enshrined in the ancient scriptures. Knowledge production too remains at the pedestrian level and it's a matter of regret how so many people feel proud

Evil will manifest in some form or the other since its role is essential for the Evolutionary play. Sri Aurobindo's views are the best lens to observe what has gone wrong during the last 100 years... https://t.co/p7AswZlfs3

We are 134.60 crore people in India as of today. This abnormality must end with the States and Regions being granted Sovereignty like Europe and Africa. Local languages and cultures must have necessary autonomy to flourish without any patronising control from Delhi Central Govt.

A neat demarcation between the Right Wing and Left Wing echoes how Suzanne Britt spelt out [the difference between neat people and sloppy people] https://t.co/7Za3bW4JYN https://t.co/94NPaBuL8J

Feel unhappy as Bengali is prisoned in an alien script. Madhumalati written in the rounded Odia script would look so majestic and bountiful.

Saturday, December 09, 2017

Sri Aurobindo is opposed to all dominant narratives

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty

Savitri Era: Rally round The Mother & Sri Aurobindo https://t.co/ZyEJJCsrF9 #SriAurobindo #FiveDreams #MirraAlfassa

If most people are unaware of Sri Aurobindo having any defining role in history, it doesn't matter. His relevance is for the future and when technology has integrated the world, his message will spread across continents as C.R. Das had predicted in 1909. https://t.co/PBPvZi4RXK

Sri Aurobindo's writings help to understand the Indian tradition and wisdom in an authentic manner. He sets forth the Evolutionary agenda for India and the world in his #FiveDreams. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

Essays on Gita by Sri Aurobindo invokes the Vedic symbolism for right understanding of its myth, message, and relevance for future. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

@SuprabhSaxena1 The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo is the most authoritative work on the subject which enunciates the integral approach as envisaged in the Veda and other ancient texts of the West. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

Reading "The Secret of the Veda" by Sri Aurobindo transforms your worldview in the sense that common terms and names unveil fresh meanings. For instance, [the word ghrta is constantly used in connection with the thought or the mind, that heaven in the Veda is symbol of the mind.]

Looking beyond ordinary circumstances is the first lesson from Sri Aurobindo. Aspiring for a better state of affairs is the second. That present imperfections can be remedied through Evolution is the next. And the last is collaborating with that process by being a humble student.

Sri Aurobindo has been excluded from the Hindu list and it seems to be quite appropriate. His integral approach has that subversive element which no past religion or ideology would accommodate. Even, his eulogy of English poets contains severe strictures. https://t.co/42CC6pHKSK - https://t.co/lJyaWRNeSG

Local and social problems abound India and ceding them to political parties for solving hardly succeeds. Formal social organisations needed with statutory backing for taking up issues facilitating negotiation and conflict resolution.

Castigating Congress or the Marxist historians might be valid on many counts but religious sentiments are not the right ingredient for erecting an ethical bulwark for justifying the demolition of a medieval monument that deserved preservation by a modern and democratic nation.

Like it or not, Sri Aurobindo is opposed to all dominant narratives, - what postmodernism ushered in much later - so much so, all his philosophical expositions fail to construct any fixed Ontology. Evolution, and not some specific culture or tradition, is the crux of his teaching.

Arun Jaitley can be said to be the prime intellectual guide of the present regime who deserves encomium for preventing Hindutva hardliners from going berserk. By and large, "Kulkarni doctrine" seems to have concretised and has been internalised by the RSS to the chagrin of hawks.

Best part of the present situation in India is each State is almost a distinct nation with a separate language and its own peculiar political theatre dominated by local players. How the States are witnessing growing self-determination despite Globalization needs to be studied.

Hindutva sympathisers draw immense satisfaction from imagined legitimacy of their fond hopes of India as a Hindu Rashtra. Power at the Centre amplifies their sense of certainty but the reality is cruelly otherwise. India is too diverse and fissiparous to embrace such a prospect.

Hindutva presupposes almost a static mosaic of culture and aesthetics by valorising heritage and tradition but human nature detests such imposed paradigms and forced consumption. Sri Aurobindo once exhorted: [Who would live largely? Who would live freely?] https://t.co/NnCiPoNWHi

Congress might have been successful in hiring many intelligent and erudite scholars and scribes but they are never able to rise beyond parroting hackneyed themes. Ignoring Sri Aurobindo and his potential for effectively confronting Hindutva on political front is a bright example.

Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF - since 2005): Neo-Vedantic Knowledge project of Sri Aurobindo #SriAurobindo #FiveDreams https://t.co/FViD1YKfvh

Savitri Era Open Forum (SEOF - since 2005): With the Mother, Sri Aurobindo ushered in modern Hinduism @madversity @viryavaan @redLotus1_ @NathTusar #SriAurobindo #FiveDreams https://t.co/PyHxE0LcGk

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

Rally round The Mother & Sri Aurobindo

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty

@SuprabhSaxena1 The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo is the most authoritative work on the subject which enunciates the integral approach as envisaged in the Veda and other ancient texts of the West. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

Essays on Gita by Sri Aurobindo invokes the Vedic symbolism for right understanding of its myth, message, and relevance for future. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

Sri Aurobindo's writings help to understand the Indian tradition and wisdom in an authentic manner. He sets forth the Evolutionary agenda for India and the world in his #FiveDreams. https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

[In 1877 Dr. Ghose sent his three sons to Loreto Convent School at Darjeeling, a school intended mainly for children of European officials in India. Aurobindo's age then was five. Thus very early he became accustomed to being away from family and home life.] https://t.co/Uz01kk7PrZ

Hegel's India - Aakash Singh Rathore; Rimina Mohapatra - Oxford University Press https://t.co/qmwV3ixxDM

The Philosophy of Consciousness: Hegel and Sri Aurobindo - Rod Hemsell https://t.co/9AlaTTWYPW

Feel Philosophy: Emerson's influence on Nietzsche https://t.co/JkvnbJsutQ

[a step in evolution which would raise man to a higher and larger consciousness and begin the solution of the problems which have perplexed and vexed him since he first began to think and to dream of individual perfection and a perfect society] #SriAurobindo https://t.co/s3NTYo40Ky

In 1997, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry started publishing the Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo (CWSA) in a uniform library edition. 36 volumes have come out so far which can be viewed and downloaded in PDF format for personal use only. #SriAurobindo https://t.co/S7aWJUVQVD

[Sri Aurobindo’s Action does necessarily need to include political aspect of Society into Its scope. ~Barin Chaki] https://t.co/PB8BUPXxI8

[Sri Aurobindo was not only an Adventurer of Consciousness, but Himself the Adventure. -BARINDRANATH CHAKI ] http://t.co/gJmzEdj4 #August15

[December 5 is Sri Aurobindo’s Mahasamadhi Day. On this occasion a group meditation will be held from 10.30 am to 11.00 am at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Sector 62, Noida.] [on 5 December 1950 at 1.26 a.m., Sri Aurobindo had left His physical body...] https://t.co/wCluXgKBRm

Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF): Sartre, Sri Aurobindo, Donne, Tagore, Milan Kundera... https://t.co/DMRsWwXgce

Ontological significance of the Siddhi attained by Sri Aurobindo on 24 Nov 1926 needs to be deeply understood vis-a-vis Schrödinger or Gödel

Rally round The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and India is sure to lead the humanity in sync with the Evolutionary goals as propounded in the Veda.

Fighting against religious & historical mythologies must remain a priority for all educated people so that young minds grow critical reason.

No narrative explaining reality is reliable as jumbled up versions of the past refuse to fade. Safe to start with synthesis by Sri Aurobindo

Those championing Hindutva must be circumspect and exercise caution before endorsing dubious ontological systems and belief

Mythological fiction must not be the cause of spawning hatred towards fellow human beings who are bonafide citizens in a Democratic nation.

Imagined history peddled by Hindutva enthusiasts is no less pernicious than the manufactured history dished out by Leftist scholars till now

The key is to voluntarily stop believing in Mythology and persuading others upon the firm foundation of Sri Aurobindo's thought

A section of Indians feel some religions or nations are absurd and must cease to exist but accepting the reality is a more sobering lesson.

Crowd and Knowledge are inversely proportional but many seem to be blissfully unaware and seek legitimacy from numbers and size of garlands.

Sri Aurobindo's estimate of persons and events of that distant period is a much safer pillar to lean on and avoid misjudgement

Championing Hindu issues is normal for many but many Hindus are averse to be identified as so when social or political problems are involved

Caste was never a unifying factor beyond some basic level and the role of Religion is similar. Democracy entails mature individual thinking.

If most people are unaware of Sri Aurobindo having any defining role in history, it doesn't matter. His relevance is for the future and when technology has integrated the world, his message will spread across continents as C.R. Das had predicted in 1909. https://t.co/PBPvZi4RXK

Technological wonders like cinema, radio, TV, & social media proving to be futile within our own lifetimes vindicates primacy of inner quest

Sri Aurobindo can be said to be the most original thinker and assimilating his insights is the best course for life and the nation's future.

Savitri Era: Physics is perplexed and philosophy is stagnant https://t.co/fKOqCGkEcv #SriAurobindo

Enchanting Haldia (WB) https://t.co/B8g7oZvLck

Rustic charm of the river embankment is part of the bargain and is one of the best spots I've visited. Such refreshing wind

Couldn't cross Haldi river as the boat returned back due to engine failure. #KartikPurnima #BaliJatra https://t.co/yJUu25lIHD

Haldia is not in the tourist map but those who long for tranquility and refreshing their lungs must visit riverside. https://t.co/0gbUoa5jx8

Loud music forced me to leave midway from National Chhow festival at Rabindra Mandap yesterday. Remembered Delhi SBKK shows of yesteryears.

@LarvalSubjects Please have a look at this important book on Hegel. Thanks. @loveofallwisdom @shaviro @ThouArtThat https://t.co/A9sdKWIhMt

Prolonged Congress rule didn't benefit the nation and BJP regime will also prove so. Prefer Sri Aurobindo's vision for a luminous future.

Returned from touring West Bengal and Odisha. Both the states will stay out of BJP's clutch but long tenure of CMs is a threat to Democracy.

Enchantment continues even after sixty years.  https://t.co/2XrpPeUl1w via @youtube Madhumalati

Monday, August 21, 2017

Physics is perplexed and philosophy is stagnant

Dear Andris,

Apropos of the meaning of Arya, you may find the following connotation offered by Sri Aurobindo (a century ago) interesting:

"Intrinsically, in its most fundamental sense, Arya means an effort or an uprising and overcoming. The Aryan is he who strives and overcomes all outside him and within him that stands opposed to the human advance. Self-conquest is the first law of his nature. He overcomes earth and the body and does not consent like ordinary men to their dullness, inertia, dead routine and tamasic limitations."

The full text is at:


His The Secret of the Veda is a goldmine of hermeneutic tools for understanding the dynamics of consciousness.

Thanks,

Tusar (b.1955)
August 17, 2017
"Sadhu-Sanga Under the holy association of Spd. B.M. Puri Maharaja, Ph.D."
To view this discussion on the web visit
...

Dear Dr. jetli,

Nothing to disagree with except that there is nothing monolithic about "tribals" nor they form a category. So, no firm ground.

Thanks
August 18, 2017

Dear Dr. Jetli,

Thanks for elaborating and my suspicion comes true since Nirmalangshu Mukherji too says the same elsewhere:

"In contrast, the marginalized knowledge-systems of the indigenous people across the world offer a salient perspective for saving the planet."

What I find problematic in such a narrative is that nature stops somewhere in the middle as human mind and its products are considered outside of it. I know, philosophy has not been able to solve the problem but drawing a line on political considerations is arbitrary and hence inferences are liable to be defective.

We all love nature and like to spend time in its lap but to make it stand in opposition to modernity seems to be stretching it too far and too rigid. Similarly, glossing over tyranny and exploitation in tribal society by selectively highlighting their knowledge and consensus democracy is one-sided.

Wishing you all the best,

Tusar
August 19, 2017

Dear Dr. Jetli,

Personally I don't know him but being a senior monk, Puri's allegiance to Chaitanya's अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद is unflinching. But one good thing is that he is equally worshipful of Hegel. My adulation of Sri Aurobindo also veers somewhere near. So, I like him and his interventions in the forum.

As regards you, I don't think you are losing anything. Physics is perplexed and philosophy is stagnant. What goes on there are lots of meaningless word play. So, good that you draw satisfaction from a particular political orientation and the fights ensuing of it.

Thanks,

Tusar
August 19, 2017
...

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty

Savitri Era: Pitfalls of resisting Sri Aurobindo https://t.co/Mgmvyw2eAj

Interesting that @devduttmyth too is inching towards the symbolic interpretation which Sri Aurobindo unveiled in his The Secret of the Veda.

Each tweet encapsulates one's present rung of ignorance which is likely to be revised a few years hence. Knowledge is progressive and opaque

Despite its flaws, Communism has compassion at its core. Denouncing it suits many but may be a mistake. No -ism has been found foolproof yet

Sri Aurobindo can be said to be the most original thinker and assimilating his insights is the best course for life and the nation's future.

August 20: World Union Day. #SriAurobindo #MirraAlfassa #FiveDreams #WorldUnion https://t.co/EMjs1gURtU

Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF): Nobody knows what is reality; fear of the fundamental question, life and death https://t.co/p5IpEfA4QK

Reimagining and Refashioning Integral Management - Tusar Nath Mohapatra, Director, Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF), Ghaziabad https://t.co/YGoEhdLyp7


Sunday, July 30, 2017

Pitfalls of resisting Sri Aurobindo

[I have ignored the vast literature—Roland Barthes, Michael Foucault, Richard Rorty, Jacques Derrida, and others—that propagates the second option. Moreover, the second option grants salience to just one form of inquiry, namely, the literary one; after spending a life in analytic philosophy and in admiration of physics, one develops a visceral discomfort with any proclamation that fails to uphold their value. But the association with the formal does not prevent me to shift to the literary mode whenever needed.] Posted by Nirmalangshu Mukherji

[In contrast, the marginalized knowledge-systems of the indigenous people across the world offer a salient perspective for saving the planet.] Posted by Nirmalangshu Mukherji

It's unfortunate that an astute explorer of knowledge like Mukherji chooses to remain tied to ideology than break its fetters to access free thinking. His uncritical extolling of indigenous knowledge-systems is both ridiculous and dangerous as far as theory is concerned. A burning example of how resisting Sri Aurobindo can take people to absurd conclusions. [TNM55]

Misc. References:
[All societies need norms and values... But political democracy is not itself sufficient to generate these virtues.]
https://t.co/C1IcNRjwT6
[we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise.]
https://t.co/8F97MRsEFV
[Freud fails to develop emancipatory possibility; repressive society produces possibility of abolition of repression]
https://t.co/VuqFYZwd5Y
[Plato has no theory of evolution. There is no goal or destination] [philosophy of Spinoza and Hartmann are static.]
https://t.co/t5lOS9TgK4
[The Indian intelligentsia had many problems with Sri Aurobindo because he often raised inconvenient questions...]
https://t.co/mzwmvVJZe8
[France and Ireland Aurobindo has never visited. But they have been more important to him than England] ~M.G.van Dijk
https://t.co/Ustmd3XYxe


Thursday, July 13, 2017

Forgetting has a salutary function in life

Port Blair ...
forgetting also has a salutary function in life as explained by Sri Aurobindo in The Life Divine.

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty
Savitri Era: Ethical principles are of Vedic vintage https://t.co/MSS7jyfaUj #SriAurobindo

The normal academic opinion is that the Upanishads are an advancement over the Vedas, whereas Sri Aurobindo insists on the reverse.

A faulty practice committed by leftist intellectuals is that they attribute problems of society to an illusory State or abstract Capitalism.

Truth and justice are multi-layered and so sensitivity apropos plurality and diversity; we all harbour a secret longing for certainty and the sole.

Reimagining and Refashioning Integral Management - Tusar Nath Mohapatra, Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF) Ghaziabad https://t.co/YGoEhdLyp7

[Sri Aurobindo is responsible for unearthing the forgotten truths and secrets buried alive in the Vedic texts] ~TVKS https://t.co/XndbiXHGn5

Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF): Macaulay and Malhotra, Wilber and Sri Aurobindo https://t.co/2fsWCY9yqa
Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF): Picasso, machine, and a life-affirming spiritual quest https://t.co/2s7Kun27W8 #SriAurobindo

Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF): Science fails to tell anything about coming of new qualities https://t.co/0CkfOZEB6H #SriAurobindo





Saturday, July 01, 2017

Ethical principles are of Vedic vintage

Dear Joseph,

Study of consciousness should be segregated into at least three different sectors:

1. One's professional life involves a set of skills and values. Those have a bearing on one's conception of consciousness. Those engaged in science are the most affected.

2. As social beings, a practical level of understanding of consciousness is assumed. It needn't interfere with 1. and 3.

3. At the purely personal level, the responsibility of finding what is true is paramount and should be pursued disregarding 1. and 2. Many feel they can search for the truth on their own but tell things that are imperfectly plagiarised versions of earlier propositions.

A main problem in this Forum is people generally conflate the three whereas distinct routes can lead to more honest discoveries.

Thanks,
Tusar (b.1955)
To view this discussion on the web visit
...

Dear Joseph,

I'm not aware of your background. You can check the following links to get a sense of what Sri Aurobindo has in mind:



Then we can discuss the current concerns in a more fruitful manner. Thanks,

Tusar (b.1955)
June 25, 2017
...

Dear LSG,

The following essay can answer your questions in the most satisfactory manner.

Thanks,
Tusar (b.1955)
An Introduction to Sri Aurobindo’s Metaphysical Cosmology: Part I – The Involution
...

Dear Kashyap and Vinod,

Debate is at a very interesting point and I feel Sri Aurobindo can be of help to resolve issues.

1. On the Ontology front, he posits the Exclusive Concentration concept whereby the highest Consciousness restricts itself to become finite beings.

2. On the Epistemology front, he invokes the Logic of the Infinite principle which, in essence, means the highest Consciousness is not bound by our rationality and can manifest simultaneously as void as well as existence or something can arise out of nothing and things like that.

If one accepts these two aspects, other jigsaw pieces fall into place and there are no contradictions in Ontology. Otherwise, forced juxtaposition of distinct domains are bound to be at loggerheads, for a long time in future.

Thanks,
Tusar (b.1955)
June 30, 2017
To view this discussion on the web visit
...

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty
Savitri Era: Sound ontological shelter painstakingly built by Sri Aurobindo https://t.co/aZzSo1M16Y
Futility of tweeting often forces a hiatus; causes uneasiness in me but also the joyous feeling that so many others are happy by my silence!
India and its Democracy need to be reimagined, reconfigured, and reestablished with popular participation and enthusiasm. Yes, it's possible
Intellectuals, in their search for career and comforts, have failed the people. Savitri Era Party is committed to a fair and just society.
Present anti-BJP parties are sure to see their extinction. A new national alternative has to be built from the scratch; no shortcuts exist.
That's surely part of the scheme but can't be pushed right away. Proceeding through Constitutional means and convincing people is important.
Younger persons are surely entitled to a longer time horizon but as far as I am concerned, my patience is over. SEP hopefully gains momentum
No need to imagine the future in the model of the past. Hindutva poses a huge Civilisational challenge; crazy solutions needed. @vimuktaatma
Collective living entails sound political principles. Creating an ideal political party is the responsibility of all right thinking citizens
The picture of Free World Union which Sri Aurobindo portrayed a century back deserves greater attention. https://t.co/SmN7H85ZRg #FiveDreams
To the ontological riddles that different fields like physics, biology, or psychology are reeling under, Sri Aurobindo's answer is the Veda.
1) Indra is the lord of Indriyas, i.e., mind and 2) Go means light or knowledge. Understanding these two words can transform one's worldview
Ethical principles are of Vedic vintage and current political priorities and patronage (or, lack of it) don't alter them or their legitimacy
Knowledge, like self-medication, can be injurious in critical moments unless availed from authentic sources like The Mother & Sri Aurobindo.
Vivekananda used Ramakrishna, Nehru used Gandhi, and Leftists Marx to silence the masses and numb critical reason. Hindutva repeats the same
Misconceptions regarding Sri Aurobindo are legion and hence, it's upon each one to break them down to partake of his knowledge and guidance.
Gandhi, the whole is, obviously, greater than the sum of its specifics and hence, it's futile to fight tenets of hermeneutics and semiotics.
Forget about all icons and follow Sri Aurobindo and his #FiveDreams. A positive agenda can work wonders instead of indulging in negativism.
Hate and antipathy involves negative energy which misleads. Sound logic and ethics with positive spirit and agenda can win political battles
Uncritically supporting the Ruling party might be useful as feel good factor but succumbing to herd mentality causes intellectual disability
[I do not subscribe to the literalist interpretation of the Puranas – neither to claim hi-tech accomplishments (that the Hindutva claim)] RM
All discriminations including Reservations should end. Freedom and self-determination need to govern all principles of collective affairs.
Price discovery is fundamental to Market and any type of forced uniformity is sure to swell sloth and inertia corroding its natural vitality
Goading, guiding, or patronizing people enfeebles their energy and initiative. Inculcating a sense of empowerment in them should be priority
Governing doesn't mean extending power over people but maintaining an administrative apparatus to make sure people move and act with freedom
Each language is a nation; different States of India and specified Regions need to be awarded Sovereignty by rectifying the mistakes of 1947
Central Govt is a Colonial legacy and the sooner it is dismantled and States are given Sovereignty, the better for the people and languages.
Hindi has the Gender problem and hence Odia is most suitable for being the common language. Learning it voluntarily is the best solution.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Sound ontological shelter painstakingly built by Sri Aurobindo

Dear Kashyap,

Your conjecture that consciousness can be turned on or off has the theoretical sanction of Sri Aurobindo which he has dwelt upon in his famous chapter in The Life Divine:


This ingenious formulation traces back to Tantra and has resonances in Heidegger's aletheia. Inability of physics to prove things during our lifetime need not prevent us from dwelling in sound ontological shelters so painstakingly built by seers like Sri Aurobindo.

Wishing you all the best,

Tusar (b.1955)

[On Jun 25, 2017 12:46 AM, "Vasavada, Kashyap V" wrote: Dear KSRAO,
First, scientists have not agreed on the definition of consciousness! And before they can explain it “ in simple terms to non-scientists” they have to understand it themselves!! Of course, even how life arises from atoms is not clear. That is why there are all these endless debates.
By the way I have one argument in favor of possibility that atoms or particles  may have some rudimentary consciousness. Biologists now know that the difference in genes between chimpanzee and humans may be at the most one percent. But genes can be turned on or off. That is what makes us different. Similarly, perhaps consciousness can be turned on or off.  Of course I cannot prove that. Otherwise I will buy a ticket to Stockholm to collect my Nobel Prize!! Best Regards, Kashyap] To view this discussion on the web visit
...

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty
Savitri Era: Myers, Maya, and the Cosmic Mind https://t.co/Y0ScAbyAHJ #SriAurobindo
Inability of physics to prove things need not prevent us from dwelling in sound ontological shelters ably built by seers like Sri Aurobindo.
Sri Aurobindo's vision and arguments written originally in English pose an invincible challenge to 3000 years of Western intellectual output
Each individual is a nation, a religion, a world, and a universe. Modernity and Democracy are mere instruments in facilitating his freedom.
As an Odia my Kalinga consciousness extends at least from Bali in Indonesia to Karnak in Egypt and so should the story of my Aryan ancestry.
While Hindutva grapples with Modernity Evolutionary dialectic of Sri Aurobindo in The Life Divine and Savitri is certainly not sitting quiet
Indian philosophy, like Astrology, Mythology, and Rituals, can be misleading. Sri Aurobindo's selection and interpretation alone is genuine.
Sri Aurobindo began writing The Synthesis of Yoga in 1914 to remove cobwebs of misconceptions of Yoga collected over the previous centuries.
Reading Sri Aurobindo creates an illusion of easy achievement of yogic powers but it is better to err on the side of caution and be patient.
Integral Yoga is a life long process in the sense that instincts and impulses peculiar to a particular age and stage of life require purity.
Right understanding of Sri Aurobindo is the best form of practicing his Yoga and diverse reading is sine qua non given Internet-based access
#FiveDreams Manifesto broadcast on 14 August 1947 is a firm indication of the political means as a practical aspect of Yoga and Spirituality
Sri Aurobindo's books has survived Alvin Toffler, Arthur Koestler, Carlos Castaneda, Fritjof Capra, Francis Fukuyama, & Samuel P Huntington.
People and society are global concerns and there is no monopoly on knowledge of any nation or religion. Sri Aurobindo favours World Union.
Many complain that women were forbidden to read the Veda but now, how many of them have read The Secret of the Veda? https://t.co/gbrrxosNgS
[Sri Aurobindo sees current crisis as part of an evolutionary movement creates conditions under which Supermind can] https://t.co/Lep6uCOlkr
[Plurilogue - http://www.plurilogue.com/ ]
Jis dinse maine tumko
Man mera tujhko mange
Jo tumko ho pasand
Kisi raah mein kisi
Koi maane ya na maane
Ye maana meri jaan
Haal kya hai dilon


Sunday, June 18, 2017

Myers, Maya, and the Cosmic Mind

Dear Joy,

I'm happy that you are working at so many different arenas and continue to think in lofty realms. Hope, you are able to access higher and higher zones of inspiration in the years to come.

As far as I am concerned, I feel that The Mother and Sri Aurobindo have not permitted us to rely upon on any set of technicalities beyond their own formulation and terminologies. Hence, professional knowledge shouldn't interfere in our aspirational trajectory.

Since all domains are dealing with partial knowledge and nothing can be proved decisively, I will prefer not to believe in what you write. This caveat notwithstanding, you are free to develop on the seeds of ideas you juggle with. Once again, I convey my encouragements for the same.

Tusar
June 16, 2017
...

Dear Jo,

Today, I read some pages from your book via Google Books and found it quite interesting. The fact that you have been able to formulate such a framework independent of existing theories is certainly impressive. Resonance with Chomsky's thesis seemed fascinating to me.

Although the book is the result of your immense learning, I assume that you are not familiar with Sri Aurobindian Ontology. So, once again, I request you to check the following link just for your information sake.

http://ericweiss.com/an-introduction-to-sri-aurobindos-metaphysical-cosmology

Let their be no vacuum space in your lifelong quest for knowledge.

Thanks and all the best,
Tusar (b.1955)
June 16, 2017
Tusar Nath Mohapatra
https://selforum.blogspot.in/2017/06/pigs-piano-and-bamboo-poles.html
...

...

Instead of Wittgenstein, here is an excerpt from an analysis of Whitehead, his contemporary:

[One of Whitehead’s projects is the rehabilitation of all Forms, or “eternal objects” – both qualitative and quantitative... This growth towards definiteness is governed by both logical and aesthetic criteria, and it strives towards the maximization of value in itself and in its relevant future.]

The whole paper can be read at:
...


...

To "Sadhu-Sanga Under the holy association of Spd. B.M. Puri Maharaja, Ph.D." group.

1) Knowledge acquisition presupposes curiosity, humility, and methodological integrity.
2) Position and prestige shouldn't stand in the way of clear thinking and perceiving.
3) Science and Mathematics need not elbow out alternative means of understanding life and the world.
4) Geographical divide of knowledge systems need to be bridged and integrated through increased dialogue.
5) Ignoring robust contributions of the past debilitates present discourse and hence suggestions should be examined with alacrity.
6) Narcissism, oneupmanship, or arrogance have no place in the realm of quest for truth and even long titles can be a hindrance.
7) Avoiding verbosity, hijacking of discussion, and displaying pedantry is essential for focussed examination of issues for finding solution.
8) Expressing lack of competence in areas under discussion should be a norm instead of offering impressionistic responses.

A fine link is at:


Thanks and all the best.
Tusar
June 14, 2017
Tusar Nath Mohapatra
...

...

Dear Chris,

Unlike Bruno, Leibniz, or Schelling, before him, Sri Aurobindo responds to Darwin, Freud, and Einstein to stress that Science alone is not capable of understanding Consciousness. Without reading Sri Aurobindo's work, impressionistic statements don't help the ongoing discussions in this forum as everyone is afflicted with some defective ontology. Refuting Sri Aurobindo's framework can be a good starting point of scientific inquiry.

Thanks, 
Tusar (b.1955)
...


Dear Jim,

As far as I can sense, you have not read Sri Aurobindo's books. Your present worldview may seem flawless but many new vistas will open up if you go through The Life Divine and Savitri. There is no dearth of secondary literature also. Hope, you do yourself a favour by reading Sri Aurobindo. They are available online at:


Wishing you all the best,

Tusar (b.1955)
June 13, 2017
...

Cosmic Mind is ordinarily understood as containing the secret of the whole Creation but in Sri Aurobindo's interpretation, it lies somewhere in between in the ladder of Consciousness representing the whole Existence. He redefines the ill-understood concept of Maya and fuses it with Myers' Subliminal and Vedic Hiranyagarbha to conceive an ever-emergent Supermind which is only an intermediary rung in the march of Evolution.

It's hoped that physicists here make some effort to know Sri Aurobindo's ontological formulations.

Thanks

Tusar (b.1955)
June 13, 2017

https://selforum.blogspot.in/2017/06/sri-aurobindo-does-not-mention-myers-as.html
...

Dear Jo,

I find that you generally keep yourself confined to the Western tradition but Sri Aurobindo has accomplished some wonderful syntheses in the realm of Ontology. You are thorough on Leibniz but I am sure if you read Sri Aurobindo you can find much clearer ways of looking at things and contradictions posed by science at present.

Hope, you read The Life Divine available at:


Thanks,

Tusar (b.1955)
June 13, 2017
...

Dear Bruno,

Thanks for your considered reply. It appears that what I am asking for coincides with C.P. Snow's Two Cultures dichotomy. So, it's actually a question of competence and because of my modest education, average intelligence, and limited memory, I perhaps prefer to rely wholly upon Sri Aurobindo's theory instead of searching for truth all by myself.

That said, I will certainly not deprive myself of all the benefits that science and technology brings in course of time.

Wishing you all the best and success in your professional field,

Tusar (b.1955)
June 7, 2017
...

Dear Jim,

I can't understand what you have tried to communicate here. I'm familiar with Sri Aurobindo's philosophy and his terminologies. Beyond that it's all confusing for me. However, I would like to send out an appeal to all through you, as follows:

Dear members of Sadhu-Sanga,
Namaskar.

This forum has seen some intense debates over the nature of reality and dynamics of consciousness. The topic has been approached from the perspective of different streams of science as well as philosophy. Very advanced knowledge from each field has been marshalled by respective specialists to unlock the mystery. But mostly it has been agreed that we are much far away from any semblance of a solution. This should mean as a very sobering sentiment in the face of human finitude.

Although, Freud is generally credited with introducing a nebulous notion like subconscious into Science, Sri Aurobindo can be said to have offered the most detailed account of consciousness in the realm of speculative philosophy. His framework encompasses elements from diverse schools of theology, theosophy, philosophy, and science. Such a synthesis and integral scheme is unprecedented and has not been surpassed as yet.

I quite understand that such hyperbole would shock many of you as this forum has many staunch devotees of other philosophers and scientists. But, I would request you to examine my assertion with utmost scientific or logical rigour. I know, it's not possible since most of you are hard pressed for time; others lack inclination. So, what's the solution? An expert of Domain A can't give a dependable opinion unless he is reasonably aware of Domains B, C, D, Etc.

So, there are no shortcuts and my request to all of you is to invest some time on The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo. While delineating the whole spectrum of consciousness, he is also emphatic that it's definitely knowable despite our human finitude. Further, his method of Integral Yoga unveils a volitional course of self-enlargement which, he insists, is the only means of fathoming the mystery of consciousness. This might appear arcane and esoteric but he provides an escape route from the web of numbers and mathematical equations.

Be that as it may, what Sri Aurobindo divulges in superb English prose needs to be chewed and digested. Many of his ideas have become quite common and are often spoken without giving him the due credit but many other concepts are still there which can lead the debates here to their logical as well as satisfactory conclusion. I'm resisting the temptation of citing one example or two with the hope that the members of this esteemed forum discover the joy, themselves, in Sri Aurobindo's own magical words.

Finally, there is no gainsaying that no one likes jargon but it's unavoidable in this forum. However, there is a need for standardising terminology for the purpose of scientific investigation of consciousness. Here, Sri Aurobindo's contribution forms an excellent anchor as well as point of departure. I don't think members can take any more.

Thanks, 
Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b.1955)
Director, Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF)
May 19, 2017 
...

Thanks,

Tusar
June 8, 2017

...

Dear Bruno,

Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) wrote a century back and his book The Life Divine draws from diverse sources, both Indian and Western. He conceives existence as a cyclic process of 1) Involution of highest consciousness as matter and then its 2) Evolution from matter to life and then mind etc. He postulates that Supermind is the next rung in this ladder of consciousness. He avoids prescribing any set method but advises that higher states of consciousness can be accessed by a volitional process of self-exceeding.

Thus, when you say about incompleteness of machines, it perhaps can be construed that it is part of the Evolutionary transition, as everything else. But my basic point is, if it is the question of consciousness, then why bring in numbers or machines instead of, say, poetry, which Sri Aurobindo himself preferred. This is not in any way to belittle your professional field of work, competence, or preference.

Wishing you all the best,

Tusar
June 6, 2017
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To view this discussion on the web visit
...

Dear Bruno,

I'm not competent to comment on all that you say here, but can understand to some extent the weight of your problems and, may be, their possible dystopian repercussions.

Since you mentioned transhumanists, I'm pasting four extracts below for added perspectives. Your namesakes, - Giordano Bruno and Bruno Latour, - are important players in this emerging scenario, incidentally.

Thanks,
Tusar
May 30, 2017

Extracts: [...]
...

Dear Vinod

I'd like to draw your attention to an extract from The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo:

"Subdivide the visible aggregate or the formal atom into essential atoms, break it up into the most infinitesimal dust of being, we shall still, because of the nature of the Mind and Life that formed them, arrive at some utmost atomic existence, unstable perhaps but always reconstituting itself in the eternal flux of force, phenomenally, and not at a mere unatomic extension incapable of contents."

You can take a look at the whole chapter at:

Thanks,

Tusar
May 30, 2017
...

Dear Prof. Kaashyap

I don't think I have met anyone with yogic powers or experiences and feel it's good that you didn't find anyone in India. Sri Aurobindo has written extensively on various subjects and they are now freely available online at:


My request to you is to read a page or two at random, even if it doesn't interest you or you don't understand. I can assure you that it'd be very rewarding in terms of self-enrichment over a year or so.

Thanks,
Tusar
May 29, 2017
...

Thanks Bruno for appreciation and positive assessment. You have raised enough anticipation in this forum about your theory which, let's hope, will be unveiled by you someday so that it can be understood by non-specialists like me without being tortured by mathematical symbols or equations.

I have, however, added the final four lines to the above poem as follows:

It's agreed that we are far away
From any semblance of a solution
This should mean as a very sobering attitude
In the face of human finitude.

All the best,

Tusar



...

Tweets by Tusar Sir @SavitriEraParty
(Tusar Nath Mohapatra)
Finitude and Philosophy

Sadhu-Sanga mulls over consciousness
From pigs to piano, quantum and qualia
Taking a tour from Turing to Penrose and Rosen
Leibniz to Gödel

Machines can know their incompleteness
Numbers conspire to spur consciousness
Notions from Nagasena to Chaitanya
Tug of war over physicalism

From eight-limbs Yoga to eight-bends Gita
Mails flying to and fro throughout eight praharas
Weaving web of words on world wide web
To comfort

Theories don't compare, domains vary
Pushing names a political game
Leibniz is lionised, Gödel waiting for Godot
TM and Vedic Unified-Field

Investigating consciousness via science
And mathematics can never be satisfying
Because of the subjective nature
Of the object of observation.
https://t.co/i0Sy289vLj

It's agreed that we are far away
From any semblance of a solution
This should mean as a very sobering attitude
In the face of human finitude.

Tweets by @SavitriEraParty https://t.co/i0Sy289vLj

...

Only four thinkers have been successful in coherently narrating the mystery of our existence: Hegel, Whitehead, Sri Aurobindo, and Heidegger
I pick out the four in the sense that they provide a neat (single-book) narrative but for others, it has to be sourced from multiple texts and the end result might lack fidelity. Besides, in these four, one can find elements of others in the past and contemporary science too.

Tusar
May 13, 2017

Sri Aurobindo wrote about Heraclitus as follows:
"The philosophy and thought of the Greeks is perhaps the most intellectually stimulating, the most fruitful of clarities the world has yet had... Professor R. D. Ranade has recently published a small treatise on the philosophy of Heraclitus. From the paging of the treatise ..."
...




Tusar Nath Mohapatra 
Dear JE,

Your attempt to draw attention to Leibniz is certainly admirable but I'm not sure whether your claims are valid. However, reading Sri Aurobindo's The Life Divine can surely give you an alternative perspective to examine your convictions. Thanks.

TNM
Apr 26, 2017

Dear PJ,

I don't know if you are aware of Sri Aurobindo. His The Life Divine is considered a very authoritative work that deals with the Dogma question you raise here. Hope, you read it sometime. Thanks.

TNM
Apr 26, 2017

Sri Aurobindo wrote extensively on Consciousness a century back but referring to his Ontology is being avoided in these conversations. He provides a much advanced point of departure to study this problem which, I hope, can help in resolving many difficult dilemmas. Thanks to everyone participating in these discussions.

Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Apr 20, 2017



...

" Hegel put himself outside this tradition."

A recent book, "Hegel's India" brings into focus his tryst with Indian philosophy giving rise to the speculation that many of his innovative notions were inspired by (or, borrowed from) it.

This, of course, is a fertile area of study. A review:


Tusar Nath Mohapatra
...

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Online_Sadhu_Sanga/36DF5652-32D4-4C06-85E8-0D27F5AF9D53%40robertmwallace.com

RE: [Sadhu Sanga] back to Thomas Nagel, "Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False" (2012)
" Hegel put himself outside this tradition." A recent book, "Hegel's India" brings into focus his tryst with Indian philosophy giving rise to the speculation ...
16 Apr by me - 242 posts - 47 authors