Friday, March 24, 2023

Sri Aurobindo offers a glimpse of the future

Tweets in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b. 1956), Director, Savitri Era Learning Forum (2005), Founder, Savitri Era Religion (2006), and President, Savitri Era Party (2007)

Savitri Era: Savitri Era Religion saves from social ills savitriera.blogspot.com/2023/03/savitr Tweets in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b. 1956), Founder, Savitri Era Religion (2006) and President, Savitri Era Party (2007). Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
The chimerical nation idea in India suppresses the regional diversity and linguistic treasure. It has served its purpose and now let the States stand on their own. Right of self-determination needs to be recognised and respected. No logic of Kalinga empire being ruled from Delhi.
Replying to
Obviously, not to the liking of many, but Savitri Era Party, which I head, has this considered and consistent stand that the Parliament of India should dissolve itself and the Central Govt in favour of a loose federal set up consisting of Sovereign States formed on language basis.
Replying to
Sri Aurobindo, in his #FiveDreams speech of August 14, 1947, has spoken of a #WorldUnion. What looks improbable today can be a reality tomorrow. The example of the erstwhile USSR giving rise to multiple new nations is very much a fact. Same thing can happen to India, US, or China.
People are either for this govt or against it; not many are willing to judge things without a strong bias. But the current environment is complex and deserves to be examined beyond this binary approach. Democracy has atrophied in many States and parties have become dysfunctional.
Savitri Era Party has been in existence since 2007 but not many have heard of it save some stalwarts on Twitter. Devoted to the vision of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, it provides an alternative ideology and methodology. It differs from many of their followers and devotees, too.
The philosophy of Sri Aurobindo (1872 Р1950) is often compared with that of his contemporaries like Rudolf Steiner (1861 Р1925), George Gurdjieff (1866 Р1949), Ren̩ Gu̩non (1886 Р1951), and Frithjof Schuon (1907 Р1998). But, important to note that the Vedic vision is unique.
Letters to the Editor I used to write in the last century were rarely published but Twitter has solved that problem, in this century. Participating in the democracy as a common man stands fulfilled. I also write as a devotee of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for the last sixty years.
Not a single scholar on Sri Aurobindo is active in Twitter. Therefore, there is a paucity of informed discussion on his philosophy and political theory. Apart from a few of his own books, scores of books written by his disciples and devotees never get any chance to be mentioned.
Tusar Nath Mohapatra A devotee of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for the past sixty years. #FiveDreams #WorldUnion #Harmony #Odia ତୁଷାରନାଥ ମହାପାତ୍ର tusarnmohapatra@gmail.com savitriera.blogspot.com Shipra Riviera, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad - 201014 (U.P.)
Born January 22, 1956 (Sailo Jharapada - 754003, Odisha)
Joined Twitter April 2012
Books and magazines that I've read relating to Sri Aurobindo are of highly intellectual stuff. But they have been quite entertaining apart from being informative on so many fronts. The basic lesson is to be aware of the existence of an unseen reality behind all things and actions.
Coming in contact with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo at a very young age saved me from reading religious books of other traditions and, thus, undergoing a lot of possible confusion. Most people, unfortunately, are unwilling to avail this immense benefit despite sufficient awareness.
Nothing happens without the concurrence of evolution and hence it's necessary to judge political tidings with enormous caution. Instead of nourishing a negative view of all measures of the govt of the day, a nuanced approach is very much in order. Blind support too is undesirable.
RSS is a pedagogical organisation and therefore its approach towards the people is, unmistakably, to teach and mould their opinions. The govt treats the citizens accordingly and dissent doesn't receive the deserved respect. The democratic atmosphere is constrained to that extent.
It's laughable that many discuss the politics of India in terms of three or four persons. For them, the rest of the people don't matter. Keep it simple is perhaps their principle. But India is too vast and large and population, too diverse. Each State is akin to a separate nation.
RSS brand of nationalism promotes fanaticism as it is tied to Hindutva. Sri Aurobindo's advocacy of nationalism, on the other hand, is imbued with the spirit of human unity and harmony. Sita Ram Goel was an admirer of #SriAurobindo but his works too have turned many as fanatics.
BJP revers Savarkar and Congress loves to idolise Gandhi and Nehru. AAP's icon is Bhagat Singh and Leftists worship Marx. Lohia inspires SP while Ambedkar fuels the imagination of BSP. Savitri Era Party seeks to replace these wrong ideologies by that of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo.
Residing in a foreign country and being concerned about India is a mental health problem. If promoting the imaginary scenario of religious efflorescence is added to it, it becomes a heady mixture. Many educated people, unfortunately, are suffering from this debilitating syndrome.
Fifty years after The Mother's death, we may not have the same confidence about the descent of the Supramental but that is the only way for altering the present situation. The evolutionary prophecy of Sri Aurobindo is infinitely more reliable than all mythologies and religions.
Modi is at the fag end of his second term and his performance so far has been reasonably good. His ambivalence on the ideology front has served the country well, too. Granting Sovereignty to the States is the most important step for the future. If he can clinch this it'd be great.
The so-called national commentators are a deluded lot. They don't like the nitty-gritties. The sight of local people or regional languages puts them off. Even the name Bharat is anathema to them. They are so drunk by the notional national idea that they love only foreign affairs.
Replying to
Auroville is under the Central govt administration since 1980 and the present controversy is also engineered by them. The visa of foreigners are duly renewed after regular intervals.
I can't claim my viewpoint to be authentic but the perspectives of a handful of eminent followers of Sri Aurobindo addicted to Hindutva are too adulterated. They flourish with official patronage but my views stand on merit. Savitri Era Religion and Savitri Era Party will triumph.
History is part of academics and books are full of it. For politicians and journalists alike, it's a matter of daily consumption. Obsession with it for identity building is like building a castle on quicksand. "We do not belong to the past dawns, but to the noons of the future."
It has become common now to call fellow citizens anti-national. But the real nationality is linguistic and India needs to give birth to, at least, two-dozen new nations. Sri Aurobindo's third dream of #WorldUnion can take shape from the nucleus of this proposed Indian Federation.
Political parties maintain well-oiled machines for propagation of their ideologies. Why is it that a similar thing hasn't happened around Sri Aurobindo till now? Money and a charismatic leader is required for such a venture. But the grace of The Mother is a more important factor.
Democracy made entry into India on the imperial template and got moth-eaten by the dynasty. Blighted ideologies have flourished and three to four generations have suffered. People are unable to come in contact with the right ideology despite communication, technology, and media.
Telegraph edit says apropos philosophy education, "a knowledge economy, in which students are taught to think independently and ask questions, is of fundamental importance to the functioning of a democracy." Sri Aurobindo's philosophy too needs to be part of the college syllabus.
The writings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the best books on management and self-management. Knowledge of the whole is absolutely necessary for successfully dealing with the knowledge of any part. Further, no other book has this advantage of being illumined by Vedic insights.
The Nehruvian and Marxist combine ruled after Independence. Then came the Socialist era. The current Hindutva regime is no better. Therefore, an ideological overhaul of the body politic is warranted by incorporating and internalising the Vedic evolutionary vision of Sri Aurobindo.
The latest controversy over comparing the Veda with mythological fiction is not surprising. There is no greater authority on the Veda than Sri Aurobindo and it is safe to accept his verdict. It is not a question of what the general mass prefers but what an educated person should.
Douglas Berger has a post on Indian Philosophy blog on J.N. Mohanty. Although Mohanty was quite conversant with Sri Aurobindo from his college days and gave lectures on The Life Divine when he was a Prof in Kolkata, he never got to write a book on the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo.
Savitri Era Religion is based on devotion towards The Mother & Sri Aurobindo but some amount of reading of their books is also necessary. There are many scholars and admirers but they are not devotees. Further, not participating in any other religious activities is also mandatory.
Matrimandir in Auroville is the most important place of worship for the Savitri Erans. It shouldn't be misused as a tourist destination. Its administration should be handed over to the bona fide devotees. Non-devotees should be removed from Auroville and its administrative bodies.
Large-scale infiltration has taken place and many non-devotees have managed their entry into Ashram and local centres. Obtaining written declaration that they are devotees of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and do not take part in any other religion should be a preliminary condition.
Celebration of Sri Aurobindo's 150th birth anniversary has been utilised to secularise his legacy and eclipse his divinity. There's no mention of The Mother or her contribution. Even some have changed his name from Sri to Shri. Such desecration shouldn't be allowed by authorities.
All religions are full of confusion and people's belief in them doesn't make them any more reliable. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have emphasised this repeatedly. The task is to find the most coherent ontology and there is no better one than The Life Divine. Reading it enlightens.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have written a lot on the practice of yoga and allied experiences. Savitri also details Sri Aurobindo's vision of the inner worlds. These are specialised subjects and should be left to The Mother's grace. Understanding the evolutionary arrow is crucial.
Love for the country or humanity is very common. Besides, most are consumed with the protection of religion. Following The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is the right answer to these otherwise there's every chance of turning a fanatic. Adventure of consciousness can lead to Vedic harmony.
Most people haven't come across anyone who is a devotee of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo nor are aware that they are worshipped as the Supreme Divine. Visibility is a problem due to elitist and ivory tower approach. Ordinary people and their lives need to be brought under the radar.
That debates over castes and contradictions in ancient texts are pointless was known more than a century back. Hence, Sri Aurobindo was never inclined towards any reform. He along with The Mother created a new path that is universally acceptable. People in all continents follow.
Synthesis of yoga or Integral yoga doesn't imply amalgamation or a hybrid formulation. It's a unique system of aspiration, rejection, and surrender devised by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Being yoked to the old religions disqualifies from evolutionary discoveries and interventions.
Many have named Sri Aurobindo among favourite personalities but I don't think they have actually read his books. Discovering his real worth is a life-long affair and focusing on his political aspect alone is erroneous. He predicted a new human race and The Mother worked on cells.
Instead of criticising the party or its policies, personal attacks on political leaders and those holding constitutional positions has become normalised. Democratic empowerment is welcome but ethics and decorum, too, are essential. Parliamentary procedures are very clear on this.
What a minister said in his official speech way back in 2010 is absolutely irrelevant in view of changed circumstances. In any case, people are entitled to hold their pet political views and there's no reason why others should be so worked up about it. India belongs to everyone.
There are many good speakers on Sri Aurobindo and many more in regional languages. But, thankfully, there's no guru system. No intermediaries; each devotee maintains a direct relationship with The Mother with Sri Aurobindo at the background. Further, Ashram has no special place.
Philosophy news from Western sources cite quotations from one or two centuries ago as if they are all time truths. Indians should learn to quote from Sri Aurobindo who is recent and modern. His Vedic vision is full of illumination. Colonialism in philosophy education should stop.
The legacy of Sri Aurobindo extends till 1973 when The Mother died and the writings of their direct disciples, thereafter. So quoting his sayings from pre-Puducherry period is problematic and misleading. Even, his Arya writings needed revision and he was not satisfied with many.
Devotees and followers know their greatness but how to convince the newcomers about the divinity of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo remains a problem. Association with local centres can help but by reading their books too it's possible. Who comes across which book is a matter of grace.
Sound academic practice demands that all those who are pasting quotations from the works of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo should also provide the name of the book, chapter, and page number along with some context including the year of writing. Conversations are not his own writings.
Being in the social media entails telling people of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and not exhibiting pedantry or defending Hindutva. Political inclinations are okay but in the current scenario, they have nothing to do with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Savitri Era Party is the future.
It's not a question of drawing inspiration; there can't be any compromise on complete allegiance to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Imagining other personalities or deities at the same level is totally unacceptable. The choice is clear; don't pollute the atmosphere of the devotees.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo lead an elaborate cultural and religious revolution against the tradition and the task is to collaborate. I have been with this journey for the last sixty years and hope others to join. Incredible intellectual and aesthetic enjoyment is waiting for you.
Rishabhchand, owner of the renowned Indian Silk House in Kolkata, joined Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry in 1931. His books are an excellent introduction to Sri Aurobindo's philosophy and yoga. His biography covers Sri Aurobindo's political life and events of historical importance.

In political matters, people cite examples from the past because there's no other way. But Sri Aurobindo offers a glimpse of the future. I have been campaigning for awarding Sovereignty to the States but people are unwilling as it doesn't match with their pet religious ideology.