Avoiding literalism and embracing universalism

An ordinary citizen is too puny and inchoate an entity before the geographical spread and cultural diversity of a nation like India. Even top politicians holding Constitutional offices look so small and inadequate when it comes to being seen as awake to rival views. In this context, the evening TV fights have come to occupy an entertaining mode of dwelling in the national consciousness which appear higher than Bollywood, Cricket, or K-Serials level.

Although, the books by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo seem intellectually intimidating, what they actually say has a very simple and intimate air about it. Scholarship around Sri Aurobindo, invariably, tries to tackle the genealogical aspects of his thought, thus adding avoidable fat. Besides, what is generally fleshed out is elaborate details of his complex psychological framework. All these, obviously, rob the pleasure of understanding and roaming in the enchanting vistas of their thought.

One of the most reassuring aspects of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is that they understand, threadbare, the deficiencies and delinquencies of human nature and yet expect that any positive change is to come through playing out of its preponderances. Aware of the finitude and inadequacies of emotions, they, nevertheless, hope that they will rise through attempts at sublimation and transform themselves. Thus, the Evolutionary perspective is foregrounded in which Emergence or Grace forms a crucial element.

The debate on Nationalism is gaining momentum and a lot of Sri Aurobindo will be quoted and chewed. But, to squeeze out of him a constricted version of it would amount to a great injustice to the liberal and catholic spirit of his overall philosophy. So, avoiding literalism and embracing universalism can be considered as the secret. [TNM55]

References:

1. Savitri Era Open Forum

Vision of Sri Aurobindo where the utopia of the left is preserved - Kundan Singh Author of “The Evolution of Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, and Swami Vivekananda,” and several other edited-book chapters like ...

2. Savitri Era Learning Forum

Integrative evolutionism and metapsychology of Sri Aurobindo - Sri Aurobindo and Vedānta Philosophy - Page 88 https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=8171000282 Sheojee Pandey - 1987 - ‎Preview - ‎More editions Sri Aurobin...

3. Feel Philosophy

Makarand R. Paranjape, Aparajita Mukhopadhyay, and Brainerd Prince - The Integral Philosophy of Aurobindo: Hermeneutics and the Study of Religion (Routledge Hindu Studies Series) Oct 8, 2016 by Brainerd Prince (Author) Sri A...

4. the Orchid and the rOse

Dogs, wolves, and the fig leaf - Āngīrasa Śreṣtha ‏@GhorAngirasa 4h 4 hours ago Some are confusing alternative versions of myths found in purAnas with jnu mahishAsura martyrdom nonsense. Ā...

5. Marketime

K. Sankaran, Beloo Mehra, and Mitali Saran - Manipal University, started by the TMA Pai, is on the world map with students from over 50 countries coming over to a small hamlet in Karnataka for educati...

6. Plain & Simple

Manoj Das, Bhartruhari Mahtab, and Sugata Bose - Two views of Aurobindo: BJD counters Sugata: BJD member Bhartruhari Mahtab on Friday countered TMC ... https://t.co/kX4NFIOF4f @gchikermane Sri Aurobindo ha...

7. Evergreen Essays

Resurgence of a primitive barbarism would be possible - Attend Creative Writing Course in Delhi at SACAC www.sac.ac.in/creative-writing-courses/ - Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts & Communication's photo. Sri A...

8. rainbOwther

Earth's Aspirations for the Heavens Electron - Sri Aurobindo Poem - Electron Vijay Dave The electron on which forms and worlds a...

9. Savitri Era Religious Fraternity

Humanity stands at a crucial junction and is struggling to go through ascension - Musings of a flower child: Panorama of Savitri pragsdewdrops.blogspot.com/2016/02/panorama-of-savitri.html - What came as a surprise to...

10. Savitri Era Political Action
Sri Aurobindo had condemned the undemocratic elements of the caste system - So the question arises why Prof Thapar did not talk about two of the most influential personalities who are associated with Indian nationalism of that peri...