Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Authoring a book amounts to a lot of virtue signalling

 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: Sri Aurobindo offers a glimpse of the future savitriera.blogspot.com/2023/03/sri-au 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.
Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister for ten years and Modi is going to complete another ten years. The Constitution of India is responsible for multitude of defects in our democracy. It is also encouraging horse trading and all kinds of mobilisation around castes and religions.
There's no denying that the emphasis of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo on going within, rising in consciousness, and accessing experience puts their teaching beyond the threshold of modernity. These are subjective and can neither be taught nor evaluated. But logic of evolution stands.
Correspondence between Sri Aurobindo and Dilip Kumar Roy regarding physical exercise and significance of the body is an interesting episode. Dilip sensed some sort of revision in Integral yoga at this juncture and tried to corner his guru. It took a lot of effort to convince him.
Usual suspects crying hoarse over death of democracy bears zero credibility. Where are the sane voices? Where is the independent and objective picture? Planting supporters in all media outlets has become so pervasive now. Do we have anyone with upright views left in this country?
Select - 100 Members List by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Senews - 520 members List by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Evolutionary cycles are generally longer than democratic election periodicity and, hence, it's difficult to expect any regime change. But maximum two terms should be the rule and a new man need to occupy the top post. This simple amendment can cleanse our polity to a great extent.
Indra Sen (a Punjabi and not a Bengali) was a Prof of Psychology in Delhi University who joined the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry in 1945. Known for his pioneering book titled Integral Psychology, he attracted wider attention when Ken Wilber authored a book with the same title.
With 30K views clocked during the last one year, my Savitri Era blog seems to be doing fine in spreading the message of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo in all continents. Started in 2005 it now archives my tweets covering a variety of subjects including forging a political alternative.
All those who are disgusted with AAP, BJP, and Congress should join Savitri Era Party. Nothing can be achieved simply by criticising. Concrete action needed by getting organised under the banner of a political party. India has got independence but not democracy. It has to be won.
People don't realise that they are under the spell of their either political and religious or economic ideological opium. Thus, to consider what they spout as an independent and neutral opinion is totally wrong. Those under the basket traps of rival ecosystems are a deluded lot.
Education and scholarship should induce wisdom but many become a victim of the texts and turn fanatics. Too much specialization by disregarding other spheres of knowledge can be counter-productive. Reading Sri Aurobindo orients in a multi-disciplinary approach moored to the Veda.
Respecting people and real nationalistic feelings is important instead of keeping the current colonial legacy floating. Each language in India is a distinct nation and there is no inherent virtue in being a part of a large nation. Last mile democracy and development will flourish.
If society is progressing towards a divine life as Sri Aurobindo has predicted, then the end of strife and suffering is very much on the cards. Manifesting the divine is a task in yoga and matter revealing the spirit is the aim. Let's hope that the evolution is swift and evident.
The teachings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo may be spiritual in nature but the outcome is political. He has predicted overhaul of the present world order and so their devotees should be prepared for participating in such eventualities. Aligning with the evolutionary arrow is crucial.
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Technology and communication have facilitated a form of globalisation inconceivable when Sri Aurobindo wrote. May be its pace will grow. But overthrowing the dismal characters controlling its levers is the priority. Huge nations are hurdles for the creation of successful co-operation.
Political parties are striving to derive the maximum benefit from the Constitution which prevents grassroots democracy to grow. Influential civil society activism for nurturing sound democratic practices and participation is also absent. So, awareness needed for its resuscitation.
One third support is sufficient for winning electoral majority but two third endorsement is needed for measuring someone's popularity. Despite ruling for a decade now, the RSS-BJP-Modi combine has failed to establish a strong nationwide presence. Local affinities are stronger now
We have seen the heydays of Congress and Janata rule. They have evaporated. Similarly the present dispensation seems to be going strong but can't last long. The future belongs to Sri Aurobindo and those who recognise it and arm them with their teachings will benefit in the future.
Due to aggressive posturing by the RSS-BJP supporters and myriad controversies, most Hindus now feel reluctant to be identified by the term Hindu. Many followers of Ambedkar also feel suffocated in Buddhism. Savitri Era Religion dedicated to Sri Aurobindo provides a safe shelter.
Constitution doesn't leave any power in the hands of citizens and transfers it to political parties. Not even a single civil society institution is promoted. Media, which is supposed to educate, becomes a vehicle for propaganda and weapon of political parties. Corrective needed.
Education of the body - medicine and education of the mind - philosophy are neglected in school education. Professional courses ensure further isolation. So, when one feels induced to read, say, Savarkar, then he should also read Kierkegaard or Heidegger apart from Sri Aurobindo.
Life is long, complex, and consists of different stages. You can make a rule for not engaging a maid servant but only to change it a few years later since different situations call for different solutions. So, better to stop feeling too confident of your present status or habits.
Sri Aurobindo's major writings were published before the Ashram came into being, in the 'Arya' magazine. Thus, there's no official or establishment position on Sri Aurobindo's opinions. Let's hope that full academic examination and utilisation of his thought will be possible now.
Publication of Arya in 1914 is an important event in the history of humanity. Metting of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo a few months before on March 29 turned highly fruitful. All intellectual debates of the previous century were resolved and a definite way for the future was shown.
In view of the fact that the writings of Marx still rule the ideological currents, Sri Aurobindo's thought is relatively recent and more potent. Marx's forecasts on the demise of Capitalism came a cropper. So nothing more reliable than Vedic evolutionary prophecy of Sri Aurobindo.
Each one supports some political or ideological plank out of self-interest and not due to ethical or rational conviction. Thus, searching for real self-interest is important. Reading Sri Aurobindo's books reveals the true nature of our psychological make-up exposing blind-spots.
It's good that so many webinars on Sri Aurobindo are taking place but most of them are of undergraduate level or lower. PG or PhD standard discourse is absent. Confining deliberation to Sri Aurobindo's writings, without taking the ecosystem into account, is one major shortcoming.
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Nice to see some good words for VP Singh who I consider the best Prime Minister of India. Despite his socialist image, he initiated many strands of economic reforms even when he was the Finance Minister. With unmatched integrity, he was the personification of value-based politics.
Political ideologies fizzle out and the dominant theme of today will also fade away. Sri Aurobindo's vision of The Life Divine is the most enduring one. It's the epitome of the best ethics and aesthetics where Fraternity would find its true meaning. Democracy will be transformed.
Philosophy teaches to be patient without being carried away by historical narrative or current affairs. It stimulates to think and question and analyse where the previous philosophers have gone wrong. Sri Aurobindo is yet to be admitted as a philosopher but his theories enlighten.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023: Puducherry, then Pondicherry, a French colony, became the blessed place for the first meeting of Sri Aurobindo with The Mother on this day in 1914. A meeting of the East with the West and a new path opened for the humanity. With pranams and gratitude.
Politicians, historians, journalists, and philosophers have been telling a lot of falsehoods. The safest course, therefore, is to believe in Sri Aurobindo. If anyone finds a better source, he is free to follow that. Otherwise, The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the greatest teachers.
The first principle of democracy is to see people as citizens and not as members of any caste or religion which are secondary. When this is flouted, then democracy gets diluted. Following Sri Aurobindo helps to transcend these divisions and progress towards an egalitarian society.
Joined at BO: Sundargarh in 1977 and opted for VRS from HO: Delhi in 2000.
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Sure. One of the cleanest professions.
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Singapore-like development is possible only when the States are granted sovereignty. You can't have your cake and eat it.
Although I had my entire schooling in the Odia medium, the language didn't have much use later in life. This is a colossal wastage of skill and resources. How the present generation can be spared from such a loss should be a matter of urgency. Requesting all to learn Odia. #ଓଡ଼ିଆ
Neither Odisha nor Odia is known much in our country. But there are many good reasons to be aware of Odia language and culture. Odia being very similar to Hindi and Bengali can be learnt very easily. Sambalpuri songs like Rangabati are popular at the international level. #ଓଡ଼ିଆ
Located at the confluence of North, South, and East, Odisha has the advantage of having the best of different cuisines. Fish is widely consumed and Chilika lake is famous for crabs. Pakhala (soaked rice) and Dalma (vegetables and lentils) are two unique dishes which are popular.
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I expect that the Chair creates its own independent mode of communication instead of imitating the Ashram, Society, or Auroville. Ploughing the academic furrow is a huge responsibility and an epochal challenge. The world is athirst for hearing the words of Sri Aurobindo. Thanks.
The notion of history, culture, or tradition of those above fifty is completely outdated. Lack of orientation in postmodernism, semiotics, and hermeneutics, too, is a disabling factor. AI is forcing to look at things anew but the pull of the twentieth century is very much intact.
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You are doing your work and they are doing theirs. So, where is the problem?
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Dynasty is also a commonality.
Like other languages of India, Odia has a very rich treasure of literature which are gradually becoming unsuitable for modern times. What is relevant for current use is the golden era songs of the fifties and sixties. Chandra malli hase of Akshaya Mohanty is a good sample of it.
The past is past, be it history or our own lives. No point in obsessing about them. The future has many possibilities as Sri Aurobindo has assured. Thus, designing the future is the task and it's not in the hands of politicians alone. Each citizen has the responsibility for this.
The first duty as a citizen is to be freed from any kind of herd mentality. Each person is unique with kaleidoscopic variations by heredity and environment. Taking advantage of such treasures should be the aim of education. So mobilising people on monochromatic themes should stop.
Go to Pakistan was a common refrain and some people actually believed that they have the exclusive right of living in this country. A decade in power and they are disappointed to see that nothing of the sort has happened. We are still a free Republic with plurality in all spheres.
RSS is famous for anti-intellectualism as it never promoted writing of scholarly books. But it kept an alternative version of history alive through in-house discourse and word of mouth. To give the devil his due, some of it today have earned respectability as well as credibility.
Modernity and secularism forced the Western world to conceive philosophy as well as science as godless universes. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, on the contrary, keep the divine origin of things at the core of their worldview. The involution preceding evolution forms its cornerstone.