Sunday, September 10, 2023

Sri Aurobindo enacted a massive disruption of Sanatan


Evaluating Sri Aurobindo without taking into consideration The Mother's contribution is half-baked. Ignoring the fact that they are worshipped as the one Supreme Divine under a new religion is self-delusion. Any scholarly lecture without incorporating these basics is a caricature. 
Political polemics needs theoretical sustenance and hence the need for sound ideological formulations. The world has almost exhausted its stock and Sri Aurobindo has to be adopted as the solution for the future. But a system based on self-interest and deception won't run for long.
Sri Aurobindo belongs to the whole world and anyone anywhere can derive inspiration from him or benefit from his luminous and voluminous writings. Savitri Era Religion however is worshipping The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine irrespective of intellectual anchor.
If people have become celebrities or occupying chairs of power by peddling dubious ideologies, Savitri Era Party too can reach at that level by the grace of The Mother & Aurobindo. That will be good not only for Bharat but also for the whole world. #WorldUnion will be a reality.
Is the intellectual arsenal of the seven thousand years old Sanatan Dharma is so poor that it is banking, exclusively, on a couple of sentences from a public speech by Sri Aurobindo delivered on an emotional occasion after his release from the jail and which was abandoned by him?
Being a devotee of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo means to lead a life of aspiration and anticipation. Living within or growing within is certainly the target but day-to-day activities hardly permit such luxury. Surrender and not self-realisation of traditional paths is the priority.
The Veda and evolution are Sri Aurobindo's USP. That man can be conscious enough to accelerate the process of evolution is the most ambitious role envisaged for him. That leads to being able to reconfigure body cells so as to conquer over death and disease. Not science fiction!
The clue to building a modern and egalitarian society lies in embracing Savitri Era Religion. This option has been there for more than a century but thought leaders have been neglecting it, all along. Going through all the phases of ignorance is perhaps the evolution's mechanism.
Professors of humanities have been studying the Western theory but no attempt has been made for a detailed sociological examination of the legacy of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Intellectual tribalism has been the bane of Indian academics instead of things being judged on merit.
Political sloganeering is at variance with social dynamics and evolutionary intention. Sri Aurobindo has never been very enthusiastic in suggesting trenchant solutions to social issues like the castes or minorities. He is focussing on human unity based on fraternity of the soul.
Sri Aurobindo enacted a massive disruption of Sanatan by deconstructing the Veda starting from 1914. Nothing of the sort had been attempted before except by Dayananda to an extent. The whole of Bengal Renaissance had nothing to say on the Veda. Indians must discover this treasure.
Sri Aurobindo renders the whole of Western philosophy redundant. Same can be said about Indian philosophy too as what's best he has incorporated in The Life Divine. In many respects his worldview is entirely different from the past. So there's no Sanatan in Sri Aurobindo's system.
Savitri Era Religion is about praying to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for acceleration of evolutionary leap. Many people confidently predict about the future which are of the cosmic nature as if it is in their own hands or will happen on its own accord. But we have no such hubris.
People aren't aware of Supramental consciousness and its potential. No religion or political system has such a concept. So popularising the necessity as well as inevitability of its descent is essential. Changes in all fields are going on all the while but they can be exponential.
In book after book, Sri Aurobindo has discussed how human ego needs to be transformed for building a harmonious society. Pressure of evolution, he assures, will make this possible even if man proves to be recalcitrant or apathetic. Savitri Era Party has this burden of propaganda.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo worked in the pre-TV era and since then the world has seen unimaginable communication explosion. Many would agree that their writings are valuable for the future of humanity but commensurate communication mechanism is wanting for effective dissemination.
What The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have promised is totally new and unprecedented. Till now, Western paradigm is ruling the Indian scenario. The need to internalise new knowledge is not appreciated. But its emergence is an evolutionary indispensability leading to truth and harmony.
There's no death of specialisations and most people feel cocooned. A doctor made a post on Ashram life vis-à-vis his own profession. But he didn't refer to the reservoir of knowledge that sustains the Ashram. Significance of Sri Aurobindo's philosophy should permeate all spheres.
It's part of democracy and human rights that people should live according to their own preferences and parental influence as regards culture or religion are not binding. But political parties are flouting this principle by imposing fixed ideological regimens for securing loyalty.
People have become used to ambivalence and deception. Sri Aurobindo's stance in the Sanatan controversy has been represented by inauthentic people who have no ideological commitment to his philosophy. Media has no time or patience for searching real scholars for accurate opinion.
Spirituality of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is not for personal salvation but for ushering in an ideal society. This is identical to all political ideals but differs in methodology: purification and transformation of the individual and intervention of Supramental consciousness.
British rule gifted modernity to India. There should be concerted effort not to squander away this precious treasure. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have invoked the Vedic virtues approving Enlightenment values and have created sufficient intellectual resource for their justification.
1. Worlding Encounters: Indian Spirituality and Anti-Colonialism in the Life and Thoughts of “the Mother” (Mirra Alfassa) by @RaviDuttBajpai and @swatipash
2. Mirra Alfassa: Completing Sri Aurobindo’s Vision by Patrick Beldio
3. Two Female Gurus of Esoteric Vedanta by Nika Kuchuk
Nice overview but, somehow, you seemed to have avoided referring to Sri Aurobindo. Contrary to his oft-repeated quotation on Sanatan Dharma approving nationalism, he, in his mature writings has provided insightful critiques. Hope, you allude to them when a future occasion permits.
Okay. Hope you find time to delve into it a little. There's a famous speech by Peter Heehs to start with.
All those who have come in contact with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo or feel attracted towards them form an advanced category or circle. Divine will is acting through the mechanism of evolution and evolution is selecting people to make them its pliable instruments. All are invited.
All have become so conscious of social inequality and exploration because of 2024. After the elections everything will be forgotten and it's business as usual. Ambedkar destroyed the Constitution by creating second class citizens through reservations. It should be removed quickly.
My limited objective is rectifying the Constitution.
No need to ponder over the past. The Constitution of a modern nation must grant equality to all citizens.
Having seen the rise and fall of many philosophies and gurus during the last sixty years, the one yardstick that shouldn't be relied upon is popularity. Quest for quality is a must unless one is under some mission of safeguarding something or pushing a particular narrative.
It's to be admitted that as devotees we have nothing concrete to produce as proof. It's a new philosophy, a new ideology, a new proposition, and a new religion. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have selected us for this task. They somehow didn't choose either Ashis Nandy or Ashish Dhar.
No religion possesses self-evident truth. It's an irrational inheritance from the parents. There's no better thinker in the world than Sri Aurobindo who has analysed this dimension. Relying upon his words and assurances is the best rational option. Otherwise, it's like perdition.
Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF) is active since 2005 for dissemination of right knowledge. Savitri Era Party (2007) endeavours for harnessing this knowledge for capturing power. Savitri Era Region (2006), however, worships The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine.
Not only the name of the country but also all traditional terms need to be understood as per the reinterpretation provided by Sri Aurobindo in his The Secret of the Veda. Bhaga, for instance, signifies share or quota implying many different connotations depending on the context.
It's not unnatural to expect precise solutions to social issues from Sri Aurobindo but it needs to be remembered that his writings are part of his Divine grace. He doesn't seek to compete with other intellectual theories or doesn't compromise to placate, in his lofty conclusions.
Human problems are ontological and hence The Mother & Sri Aurobindo prefer to look at things through the universal lens. They further emphasise the Divine will as the causal principle. The solution, they believe, is part of the evolution and call for necessary human collaboration.
All life is yoga and he who chooses the infinite has been chosen by the infinite. All problems of existence are essentially problems of harmony and it is only through life that one can reach to immortality.
Four mahavakyas by Sri Aurobindo sum up the whole of his spirituality.
By insisting on the inward look, The Mother & Sri Aurobindo emphasise on merits of reversing our natural way of being. It's, in fact, for discovering the real causal reality. The secret lies in integration. Before that two other steps widening and heightening of selfhood required.
Surrender to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is a necessity for participating in the evolution of the next step of consciousness. Any secular notion of the modality is baseless. Similarly, relating it to mythology or traditional systems is fake. Savitri Era Religion is the only option.
Despite being aware of my opposition Hindutva sympathisers continue to appropriate Sri Aurobindo to justify their dubious theories. This is intellectual dishonesty and deception. Citing his and The Mother's mature writings and overall philisophy would be a more scholarly approach.
Including The Mother in the anti-colonialist list just because she is associated with Sri Aurobindo may be defective. Rather, it should be ascertained how she transformed his ideas culminating in supporting the British against Hitler. She happens to wean him away from nationalism.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo fought against the greatest adversary which continues. Savitri is only a symbol but the actual work was far more arduous. Not to be attached to or attracted by the past, therefore, is essential for slightest contagion can push the work back by decades.
Since The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are not very reassuring about the structure of family in the future, the shape of the society or the texture of harmony within it can't be predicted with clarity. This is in variance with the conventional position espoused by traditional religions.
Savitri Era Religion is alive to the great evolutionary challenge The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have heralded. No other philosophy or religion has any clue to such prospect of humanity. Thus it's a special responsibility. Books of direct disciples are a very good help in this regard.
It's childish to assume that The Mother & Sri Aurobindo want the welfare of India alone. They are the one Supreme Divine carrying forward the evolutionary journey to the next level. So to limit them to India is a satire on them. Devotees shouldn't make themselves a laughing stock.
Sri Aurobindo has described seven types of ignorance in The Life Divine. But the fake narratives we are suffering from in India is an additional layer. Colonialism started the process which was duly followed by subsequent rulers. Now, every political party pushes its own fiction.
Intellectual pleasure like vital pleasure can be intoxicating. Philosophy means quest for truth but may fall in the above category. If linked to a religion then the hold is threefold. The teachings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo therefore prefer a balanced and diversified approach.
My knowledge of Tamilnadu politics is tenuous but the way the recent speeches of Udhayanidhi Stalin stirred the conscience of the nation seems impressive. Savitri Era Party is in agreement with many of his concerns but insists that only The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have the power.
Followers of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have the advantage of possessing a different lens for understanding various events and people. For instance, our impressions of H.P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant, or Sister Nivedita is quite different from what an ordinary educated person knows.
History revers successful people but Savitri Era Party doesn't since a lot of hypocrisy, conspiracy and deception are also involved. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have assured that truth and harmony will be the order of the day. All evolutionary forces are trying to establish these.
All are troubled by the trolls but it's necessary to give the devil his due too. They are constantly in search of new expressions and euphemisms to be creative in a highly competitive environment leading to new linguistic frontiers and plumbing loopholes for escaping legal action.
Lack of communication is responsible for people's ignorance of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Savitri Era Party is confident that it will be recognised for the best philosophy, best political theory, best ethics, and best religion with passage of time. That's the logic of modernity.
There was no Social Media at the time of P.C. Joshi (1907–1980) yet he worked wonders for influencing the intellectual and aesthetic scene which continues to this day. The followers of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo should emulate that spirit so that their talent is put to proper use.

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