Savitri Era - 10.3.22 - Tweets in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra, President, Savitri Era Party (2007) and Founder, Savitri Era Religion (2006)
As Director of Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF since 2005), I mostly advise people to be selfish. That is to always be alert about what exactly serves your self-interest and act accordingly. The media and profession, however, don't allow to think over this aspect, dispassionately.
Feeling intellectually superior is quite common after reading some books by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. But I read them with sufficient humility and sympathy when I encountered Western philosophy around Y2K. The respect, however, has waned after two decades vis-à-vis Sri Aurobindo.
Over a dozen institutions have organised webinars on Sri Aurobindo as part of his 150th birth anniversary year but they are all scattered and there is no particular record. A little more effort at coordination could have generated a lot of publicity, awareness, and participation.
Neither the Ashram nor Auroville own The Mother & Sri Aurobindo although many visitors carry that kind of impression. There are thousands of centres all over the world. Even, they don't own as The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are not bound by real estate, anywhere. Anyone can own them.
Sri Aurobindo was born in Kolkata but had his entire education in England. Thus, his writings incline towards the Western temperament and methodology. Many confuse his commentaries as his own original contribution. Even, The Life Divine contains a lot of commentaries; SAVITRI too.
Books are now freely available online but whether one reads or not The Life Divine and SAVITRI should be on the desk for inspiration. Twin towers of sublime, they have their own vibration and evolutionary force and a moment of contemplation on this amounts to a huge collaboration.
Secular outlook promoted by education system finds it difficult to accept what Sri Aurobindo is saying. Yet, it's the most coherent account of our life and its future. Fighting falsehood and ignorance is a Vedic task which Sri Aurobindo has restated in SAVITRI and The Life Divine.
Relevance of Sri Aurobindo and reverence for him should accrue not from his role as a freedom fighter but as a poet and philosopher. Students of history and those nourishing nationalist sentiment might construe this as absurd but Sri Aurobindo can't be kept chained to past events.
An event unparalleled in human history is when The Mother and Sri Aurobindo met for the first time in the nondescript town of Puducherry on March 29, 1914. ARYA was launched soon after on August 15, 1914 and WW I too broke out. The Life Divine, however, came out month after month.
Lines like "you make your own path as you walk" make you sit up but the reality is a bit complex.
[A conscious power has drawn the plan of life,
There is a meaning in each curve and line.]
[Yet your least stumblings are foreseen above.
Infallibly the curves of life are drawn.] -SA
Maybe the time is fine for such blanket admonition but there are brighter dimensions and scope for sublimation. It's man who has the potential to rise to the occasion when need arises instead of succumbing to mean instincts. Such instances, of course, are rare and normative stuff.
So many webinars are happening but new and younger faces are not getting a chance. Odisha has a large pool of Sri Aurobindo scholars but no one has any recognition at the national level. Organisers should give a thought to this disparity so that talent receives its deserved mite.
It's unfortunate that a comprehensive biography (barring one misleading page) like The Lives of Sri Aurobindo by Peter Heehs is still banned in India. Now that many devotees are in close contact with the govt, there should be a fresh move to lift the ban before 150th anniversary.
Many may not be aware of the Regional Institute of Education (run by NCERT at Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore, and Shillong) in which I studied (1972-76). Along with BSc (Botany Hons.), I had Education and Agriculture under BEd. The Child Psychology paper was very interesting.
College years are most important for the education of a person. Career is paramount but teaching some other subjects is also necessary for all round growth of the personality. The poetry and philosophy of Sri Aurobindo are ideally suited but keeping Hindutva at bay is a must.
Take the simple example of Sri Aurobindo pressing acceptance of Cripps Mission Proposals but in vain. So, expecting that events would conform to logic or morality is futile. Discerning the hidden evolutionary intention is not easy as substantial portion of script is yet to unfold.
Watch Sansad TV for a programme on #SriAurobindo
Those tweeting on national and international affairs are likely to assume possessing superior understanding of the world but human cognition is limited and no one is privileged to access the full ontological picture. Thus, each one is in error irrespective of macro or micro level
What to read from Sri Aurobindo's writings as a beginner has really no easy answer. So the explanatory books by direct disciples serve the purpose well. Acquiring an overall appreciation as well as mental mapping of diverse facets of Sri Aurobindo's work is helpful than originals.
It's clear now that the 150th birth anniversary year celebration of Sri Aurobindo has been sabotaged, successfully. In addition, a deliberate attempt has been made to queer the pitch through Auroville controversy. No Hindutva handle has an iota of excitement about #SriAurobindo.
Without Sri Aurobiindo, the meaning of evolution would have been just its materialistic explanation. An ideal society has been a pet theme but without the perfection of the individual, it's a vain hope. #SriAurobindo brings certitude by affirming a new human race or a new species.
The way The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have described various psychological planes in different books, poems, and conversations is extraordinary. Symbolic interpretation of the Vedic deities and names given to flowers based on spiritual significance also converge upon the same theme.
Reading Sri Aurobindo's writings is basically an invocation no matter what the content. Even in his plays and short stories, a higher inspiration can be perceived. In the political commentary too, he lifts the discourse from superficial antagonism to underlying spiritual impetus.
Running after celebrities is a widespread disease of our time. Similarly, clinging to established philosophers by disregarding what's new or insightful is a deeply entrenched trait. Those ignoring Sri Aurobindo's epochal books, The Life Divine and SAVITRI are wasting their lives.
Phrase replaced word/term perhaps for the sake of alliteration!
Indians have been grappling with modernity for the last two hundred years but Nehru, unfortunately, tried to force Gandhi down the new nation's throat in the same way as Vivekananda had failed earlier with regard to Ramakrishna. These anti-modern acts have paralysed critical view.
Marxists are good advocates of modernity and political correctness but exhibit extreme forms of tribalism and indoctrination in the name of ideology. So blaming Hindutva alone is not enough. All political streams are banking upon the irrational underbelly of people for survival.
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Sri Aurobindo thought otherwise.
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By saying pardon, you are distorting meticulously documented history.
I never questioned your questioning; just pointed out difference of perceptions.
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All this is long before the rise of Hitler. Sri Aurobindo fought against the British relying basically on Enlightenment values. He never thought the foreign rulers as evil. But Hitler is different; he backed Churchill to the hilt. Churchill turned his Arjuna despite his blemishes.
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I am afraid, there is not much scope here for anyone agreeing or not agreeing. These are all written records and facts are facts.
Sri Aurobindo thought graduating to the next level, i.e., World Union.
That Auroville is a religious place is not an anomaly. I don't know why so many educated people are confused about this. With Matrimandir at the centre, it is meant to be the hub of a new religion. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have also assured that all old religions will collapse.
Now that Auroville has become an international issue, reporters are requested to incorporate the perspective of Savitri Era Party. The Govt. of India should vacate #Auroville and return it to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's devotees and remove Non-devotees from Auroville Foundation.
So many people constantly outrage and rant against appeasement, conversion, etc. Why fret? Just believe in The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and wait. All dominant religions are going to bite the dust, one by one. Yes, don't forget to keep a copy of their photographs at home. That's all.
A common complain in the last century was prevalence of excessive sex and violence in the movies. Another was use of money and muscle power in politics. No one talks about these, these days. Books and medicines are sold at ten percent discount in all shops and people feel happy.
Your observation has merit except the fact that there is no merit driven free market economy anywhere in the world till now.
They still dissect Buddha but wouldn't touch Sri Aurobindo. This philosophical stonewalling is strange!
[Candrakīrti, Śāntarakṣita, and Kamalaśīla seem to reject in their final positions that Buddha perceives anything at all, but is still able to teach - potter's wheel metaphor]
Fighting Hindutva seems to have calcified as the faultline in the Auroville stalemate. That suits the Western/Leftist/Christian agenda. But the reality is, Matrimandir and #Auroville built by The Mother's devotees are under govt occupation. They need to be returned back forthwith
The relevance of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is not limited to a few years or decades. Keeping them away from various calculations of current affairs is therefore more prudent. Those who are trapped in India-centric pride should better widen their attunement with the whole humanity.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo fought against Hitler and that is the most vital aspect of their lives from the historical perspective. The rest are occult and are wrapped under swathes of uncertainty and possibility. The Supramental and the Divinisation of matter are not improbable.
Followers of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo can have partial reverence for Dayananda and Lal-Bal-Pal but not for Vivekananda, Tagore, Gandhi, Nehru, Subhas, Savarkar, Periyar, or Ambedkar. The evolutionary arrow is a narrow path and so, it's always necessary to keep it neat and tidy.
No one will agree with me, I know, and at the same time, I feel. certain things need to be told, bluntly. A lot of people have started commenting on The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and most don't happen to be informed.
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It's all well documented but my perception is based on the current reception of the persons mentioned.
As long as someone is fighting for a cause out of passion, it can be termed as good even if his or her reasoning is patently wrong. But, when it turns a career or the person becomes a prisoner of different lobbies and media hype, then the credibility and goodwill earned are lost.
Following The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is not a simple devotional affair. Keeping the political antenna aligned in the correct angle without angling for short term gains requires a lot of vigilance and rectitude. Residents are split over a road, and Auroville has turned a war-zone.
Following The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is not a simple devotional affair. Keeping the political antenna aligned in the correct angle without angling for short term gains requires a lot of vigilance and rectitude. Residents are split over a road, and Auroville has turned a war-zone.
He is at number two, but still it's a big victory for Sri Aurobindo in his native State. Most people are unaware of his birthplace.
[International Kolkata Book Fair 2022 — There are two auditoriums named after Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (Hall 1) and Sri Aurobindo Ghosh (Hall 2)]
Sri Aurobindo's philosophy and poetry have the potential for wide ranging academic engagement. But his yoga-psychology cannot acquire the required scientific rigour. Further, the political and historical component has ceased to be a competent candidate for deep study or research.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have written so much on self-management but people are bombarded with similar guidance from diverse sources through the Internet, these days. Thus, the advantage we had fifty years back is not available now. The mind is already crowded to notice the novelty.
Sri Aurobindo passed away in 1950 but his legacy has been subjected to a surfeit of suspicion, prejudice, and conspiracy. 2022 is his 150th birth anniversary year but the necessary enthusiasm or sense of urgency is sorely missing. All handles are requested to rise to the occasion.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo did not intend to establish a traditional ashram nor were in favour of monastic life. Work as an offering to the divine is the prime principle of Integral Yoga. Imagining one's own situation, - good or bad, - as a gift of their grace is the basic attitude.
SAVITRI is a yoga manual. Reciting it itself creates an atmosphere of communion with the entire universe. In canto after canto, it contains vivid description of the inner worlds and the ladder of consciousness. The story assures victory over death; reign of perfection and harmony.
It's a mystery why the tiny town of Puducherry gave birth to such epochal works like The Life Divine and SAVITRI. The world is yet to wake up to their significance but at level of consciousness, the evolutionary trajectory is at work. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are ever present.
Sri Aurobindo has reinterpreted the Indian tradition and reformulated various schools of philosophy. He has also elevated the canons of aesthetics and created a huge corpus of overhead poetry. Even his political analysis is informed by an underlying spiritual reality or necessity.
The composer gets the full credit but his assistant and arranger of the orchestra also contribute to a great extent. It's a composite effort and finally something makes one song a hit and the other to languish.
[Sakhi E Ki Bidambana (Lalitaa) | ଏ କି ବିଡ଼ମ୍ବନା | Bhubaneswari Mishra | ...] youtu.be/UQJ_rXf5hgY via
Tulasi too is growing fast and may prove to be the tallest. At least one music lover has recorded his appreciation for the nostalgic scenario.
Kandana has climbed to the top. Let's hope the original surfaces some day.
Jie gitare
In the last century, creating a self-reliant Odia identity independent of the Bengali dominance was the chief concern. Today, the priority should be how to benefit from our shared past and common culture or read each other's literature instead of just Jayadeba or Rasagola rivalry.
Getting to listen to a variety of songs over mike round the year is a speciality here and the only Odia/Koshali song that's played is the Bengali version of Rangabati. We talk of international cultural exchange but even Odia hits fail to reach Authpur despite commercial prospects.
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ସଂଯୁକ୍ତା ପାଣିଗ୍ରାହୀ
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Great find.
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