Sri Aurobindo's belief on the power of the written word

It's generally agreed that Sri Aurobindo's synthetic Philosophy can be better appreciated when read against Nietzsche, Marx, Darwin, and Freud. Concepts like Evolution, Superman, and Psychoanalysis arose during that time and Sri Aurobindo gave his own version bypassing the crudities of Western theories. Philosophy, usually, fights shy of God but Sri Aurobindo commenced his elucidation with the Divine as the centre and the source. Understandably, the thrust of arguments are reversed as also the purpose and consequences. Priorities before us too change accordingly and afford an altogether different perspective. Social values and evolution of political ideals assume special significance as against mere material development and comforts.

Positing Yoga at the centrestage also forms a daring act by Sri Aurobindo. He was not interested in intellectual grasping only but to translate them in our life and action. By conceiving the Evolutionary Force as a catalyst in this effort, he opens our eyes to unseen worlds and their intentions vis-à-vis our instrumentality. That the Universe is moving towards regaining its Order, Beauty, and Harmony removes all traces of pessimism from our minds. Imperfections of the present society pose a challenge to be transformed in the light of Sri Aurobindo's prophecy. Not by avoiding but by grappling with them that seeds of truth can be sown to sprout in the future, assures The Mother.

Mother India of the current month has admirarably put together writings on ARYA commemorating its Centenary. The hope and certitude with which Sri Aurobindo accomplished this venture is something unparalleled in human history. His belief on the power of the written word, thinking, and pedagogy is so overpowering and contagious. Writing about it over the Cyberspace 100 years later, one feels a thrill that can never be explained adequately. Further, the confidence that here we have someone in India who can beat the Western philosophers right from Aristotle to Žižek of our times is so satisfying. [TNM55]