Animated awareness and protean aesthetics

 Collated X posts in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

Savitri Era: Poetry was Sri Aurobindo's weapon

savitriera.blogspot.com/2024/11/poetry…

Collated X posts, in original, by Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b. 1956), Director, SELF, President, Savitri Era Party, and Founder, Savitri Era Religion.

Savitri Era of those who adore,

Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.

Poverty and deprivation stare at us everywhere which get accentuated with social or religious discriminations. Political parties try to address these but end up in exploiting them. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo haven't offered any miraculous solution sans evolution of consciousness.

Old religions have proved to be a failure on many counts and the evolutionary outlook of Savitri Era Religion is the most appropriate alternative. If 36 volumes of Sri Aurobindo's writings and almost an equal number of volumes of The Mother's can't convince people, then nothing will. 

Specialising on a particular book of Sri Aurobindo is fine but confining him and his whole worldview to the content of that particular book is absolutely absurd. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are a gateway to Integral knowledge and protean aesthetics. From Klossowski to Kołakowski.

Whenever I hear of Cricket, I remember the line, A cricket's rash and fiery single note, from Sri Aurobindo's Savitri. The Mother used to be unhappy with Football but some disciples were able to change her opinion. She herself was playing Tennis, of course. And Nirod has a story!

Kolkata was the capital and intellectual hub. Sri Aurobindo was very much there, writing and addressing meetings. But, his more seminal writings were published in Puducherry, after The Mother's arrival. It was Kolkata's loss. People of West Bengal are yet to fathom its magnitude.

Discourse and narratives are all pervasive and therefore the power of the words matter. What The Mother & Sri Aurobindo inaugurated in 1914 has to be repeated over and over again. No scholar worth his salt can afford to ignore books like The Life Divine or The Secret of the Veda.

Multiplicity is an essential property of the Infinite reality and hence social, political, or economic problems have ontological validity. Savitri Era Party doesn't promise any drastic change in line with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's philosophy. Savitri Era Religion is the remedy. 

Festivities do help in lubricating the harsh realities of life. The role of carnival has been highlighted by Rabelais and Bakhtin. Further, the element of catharsis and training the young into adulthood are there. But they act as intoxicants especially when blended with mythology.

There was no ready-made guidance but I have been able to put forth a line of thinking against Hindutva, Congress, and the Leftists through Savitri Era Party. Further, Savitri Era Religion is the need of the hour as it is apparent how old religions are fermenting war and conflict.

Justices V.R. Krishna Iyer and O. Chinnappa Reddy are in news for different reasons but we remember the latter with gratitude for his dissenting judgement in Auroville case in 1982. He had laid down the principle that The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's devotees can form a new religion.

Scholars opine that Chaitanya inaugurated Modernism and, evidently, its intellectual repercussions continue to this day. But the chief contribution of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is establishing the Veda as the science of consciousness and aligning it with the theory of evolution.

Hundreds of books have been written on The Mother & Sri Aurobindo but who is going to read them? So, even if two-three people read the two-three lines posted here, it needs to be seen as an achievement. It also reflects the effect of evolutionary action and direction in real time.

Savitri Era Party is clear in its resolve that neither Hindutva nor Congress is the answer for the future but people don't muster courage for backing any new political party. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo provide the right ideological alternative but lack of publicity hampers appeal. 

In the inaugural issue of Arya dated August 15, 1914, Sri Aurobindo had started publishing his four major books: The Life Divine, The Secret of the Veda, Isha Upanishad, and The Synthesis of Yoga. Part of Synthesis turned a book during his lifetime, but Secret of the Veda didn't.

Savitri Era Religion is against mythology and rituals. In The Secret of the Veda, Sri Aurobindo explains how various deities represent different rungs constituting the ladder of consciousness. Significantly this symbolic nomenclature is also found in the parable of Kena Upanishad. 

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo intended to usher in harmony in the whole world. The very title of the book The Life Divine proves this. No national, racial, or religious division is relevant in this futuristic scenario. Human nature, human emotions are the material here for evolution. 

Seeking The Mother's grace at every step of life has been a part of my personal history. Those who are not acquainted with that kind of experience cannot appreciate relevance of Savitri Era Religion. Sri Aurobindo's philosophy is not sufficient ground for attraction towards them.

Read a thread on the not very happy state of sanitation in Kolkata. No one can contest that but mentioning some brighter side is also necessary. Sri Aurobindo was born in this city on August 15, 1872 at 6, Theatre Road (now, 8, Shakespeare Sarani). Visiting the place can inspire.

Hindutva is basically harnessing Hinduism for securing national unity leading to a superpower status of India. No doubt it's a heady concoction but The Mother & Sri Aurobindo don't subscribe to such a vision. Savitri Era Party is against mythology and rituals and backs evolution.

For those of us The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the one Supreme Divine their life history is nothing but lila. Biographers tend to build a narrative of their successive spiritual realisations or intellectual genealogy. Obviously such accounts don't have much value for the devotees. 

Sri Aurobindo's analysis of English poetry has been acknowledged as pioneering in India. As a poet himself, his lifelong endeavour was to draw inspiration from higher regions of consciousness so that the Mantric effect of the Veda is replicated. Savitri stands as such a monument.

Spirituality is generally construed as some form of practice but basically it's knowledge. It's for this very reason that The Mother & Sri Aurobindo started publishing The Life Divine in 1914. Once this philosophical template is internalised, it dovetails into All life is yoga.

Never lull yourself into believing that Savitri is not for everyone or The Life Divine is for others. These books are indispensable for any educated person. The strategy is to start right away. How long it takes or how much you understand don't matter for, a new trajectory waits!

Reading Sri Aurobindo's The Life Divine becomes more fruitful if one has reasonable grounding in different streams of Indian philosophy. Similarly, some awareness of Plotinus, Schelling, Hegel, Feuerbach, Nietzsche, Bergson, Freud, Frederic W. H. Myers, William James et al helps.

Different types of political ideals are floating around the country and various icons are being promoted. Capturing power and money is the main motive behind them. Savitri Era Party seeks to popularise the vision of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo the basic thrust of which is harmony.

Faith cannot be imposed; it's a matter of the heart. It's a gradual process and might take many years. Savitri Era Religion has sufficient intellectual stimuli to be convinced that The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the one Supreme Divine who are always present in their three poises.

Meeting of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo in Puducherry and subsequent publication of Arya in 1914 are very important events in the history of mankind. So far as its intellectual repercussions are concerned it's unparalleled. As regards spiritual significance it's beyond perception. 

There have been philosophers and philosophers. There is no dearth of texts of wisdom. What The Mother & Sri Aurobindo accomplish is turning philosophy into an evolutionary force. Knowledge becomes yoga. Animated awareness of involution propelling evolution assures inevitability.

People in India derive their philosophical knowledge from diverse sources and, generally, don't insist on logical precision. Grounding in mythological fiction prevents from developing a scientific attitude. Savitri Era Religion is based on The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's philosophy.

Western philosophy to a large extent is logical but caters either to rational, atheist mentality or Christianity. One can read it for intellectual suppleness but trying to integrate with the philosophy of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is of no avail. Savitri Era Religion is distinct.

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Poetry was Sri Aurobindo's weapon

 Collated X posts in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra

Savitri Era: Savitri is greater than mere poetic excellence

savitriera.blogspot.com/2024/10/savitr…

Collated X posts in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra, Director, SELF, President, Savitri Era Party, & Founder, Savitri Era Religion.

Savitri Era of those who adore,

Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.

I had published my first piece of writing in Savitri Era on October 5, 2005. It was my contribution to Wikipedia as it stood then. I was full of hope at that point that Sri Aurobindo's influence will attract Westerners to study him but it never happened.

savitriera.blogspot.com/2005/10/sri-au…

Listening to Kusum Kali-Saa Meraa Maanas by Karunamayee, the all-time classic prayer to The Mother.

youtu.be/0bXgGXi0gmI?si…

Have heard her live umpteen times in the old Meditation hall of Sri Aurobindo Ashram - Delhi Branch. Still remember the adjacent Sabda, my favourite haunt.

I had accepted voluntary retirement from Punjab National Bank in 2000, and utilised the time to make myself conversant with Western philosophy. That stood in good stead when I had access to Internet in 2005 and started writing. My poem of January 13, 2001.

tusarnmohapatra.blogspot.com/2005/09/gratit…

Three passages compiled from Sri Aurobindo's writings on Post-Modernism:

The Synthesis of Yoga - II: The Supramental Instruments - Thought-Process,

The Human Cycle: The Coming of the Subjective Age,

The Life Divine - II: Reality and the Integral Knowledge.

incarnateword.in/compilations/p…

Religion is intimately connected with yearning for material welfare and therefore, aspiration for higher consciousness as enunciated by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo fails to gain popularity. But in reality they aim at the highest material achievement, i.e., immortality of the body.

Sri Aurobindo's logic is irrefutable. Man arrived after the animals. Similarly superman will certainly walk on this planet. Richard Bach has exquisitely depicted this scenario in his Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It may seem impractical and impossible but why not Pascal's wager?

V.K. Gokak wrote an essay captioned Allusions in Savitri in his book, Sri Aurobindo – Seer and Poet. Reproduced at

auromere.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/all…

Biblical Allusions - Richard Hartz

incarnateword.in/audio/richard-…

Savitri: A Study in Style and Symbolism - Madhumita Dutta

savitri.in/books/madhumit…

Studying the evolution of Sri Aurobindo's political activism, socio-political thought, philosophical ideas, spiritual realisations, or poetic and literary accomplishments are interesting subjects. But it is necessary to remember that The Mother and he are the one Supreme Divine.

"India continues to grapple with deep-seated inequalities rooted in caste, gender, and religion...our social identities are arranged into hierarchies from birth," writes Manoj Kumar Jha. David S Oderberg asks, "what happens when things go wrong: a theory of biological mistakes."

One can recite a page from Savitri by opening it randomly. Even The Synthesis of Yoga can be given such a treatment. But reading The Life Divine in full should be a target for all admirers of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. If one reads three pages a day, one can finish it in a year.

Radhanath Ray (1848–1908) ushered in the modern era in Odia poetry. Many of his long poems are adaptations of Western themes. Chilika is one of his outstanding creations. He even touched the theme of incest and faced criticism. He too had fallen in love later in life like Gandhi.

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo were acutely aware of the deficiencies in their disciples; yet relied upon them for their spiritual upliftment which, perhaps, was very much essential for their project of transformation of human nature leading eventually to transmutation of body cells.

Achieving spiritual powers through some techniques and practices sounds tempting but nothing of the sort is part of Integral yoga. Some were contemplating such a secular venture but it bit the dust. Worshipping The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine is the only way.

The Mother passed away on November 17, 1973 and since then many developments have taken place relating to her legacy. These are not properly documented although thousands of institutions run in Sri Aurobindo's name. Further, academic interest in this area is, almost, nonexistent.

Savitri Era Religion ensues out of the memory of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo: their writings, their work, and their significance for the future. It's the most important phenomenon of the last century. Recognising this and benefitting by it is a challenge for the present generation. 

Many people get misled by New Age and Self Help books. They promise a rosy picture leading to frustration and depression. The writings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo on the contrary are based on authentic psychology and ontology. Surrender to The Mother serves as the safety valve.

Spirituality is nothing but being aware of oneself. General psychological knowledge is common these days but The Mother & Sri Aurobindo teach about Planes and Parts of the Being and Science of living which provide deeper perceptions

incarnateword.in/compilations/o…

incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-sci…

Years ago, when I had read about some vegetables pleading with The Mother, Pluck me! Pluck me!, it was so amusing but there was no doubt. The Mother's writings are full of such incidents where the occult seems to be normal just like the dreams and psychedelic experiences overlap.

Philosophy studies are still divided along geographical lines like Continental philosophy or Chinese philosophy. Obviously there's no scope for the Integral philosophy and yoga of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Savitri Era Religion is an independent avenue for pursuing it personally. 

Centres dedicated to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are there in almost all towns with facilities like a meditation hall and library. Further, special days are observed with meetings and seminars. Exhibitions, musical events, and skill-oriented classes are organised from time to time. 

Savitri Era Religion emphasises that The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the one Supreme Divine and they are not connected with any other religion or philosophy. Most of their writings are of academic nature and hence deducing any strict inference is fraught with hazard. Buyer beware!

It's easy to talk about India or the world but they are mere words. Local situation is everything for people and there is no time for other considerations. Things happen according to the unseen evolutionary law. "This world was not built with random bricks of Chance," - Savitri.

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are working for the whole world. Variegated evolutionary currents operate in different geographical locations having divergent political ramifications. Conflict is indispensable for arriving at harmony. Savitri Era Party is against Hindutva and Congress. 

Philosophy is not same as History of philosophy. Instead of grappling with Aristotle or Nagarjuna, one can, straightaway, start reading The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo. Similarly, instead of Gita or Upanishads, reading The Secret of the Veda first can provide conceptual clarity.

After his arrival in Puducherry in 1910, Sri Aurobindo had met Paul Richard through whom The Mother became aware of the former. Later she herself came to Puducherry in 1914 to meet Sri Aurobindo. These events involving British and French rule form genesis of Savitri Era Religion.

Yoga or meditation is not an independent practice though it can generate some amount of feel good vibe. Surrender to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is indispensable for acquiring the right results. Establishing a living relationship with The Mother is the very basic of Integral yoga.

Most people are unaware that Sri Aurobindo was in England for fourteen years till he was twenty. His writings therefore reflect a global orientation and Integral culture. The Mother too had an international background and Auroville was her dream as a model for the future society.

One of the most important sociological contributions of Sri Aurobindo is his explanation of Varna division as a reflection of the four Vedic suns. Thus the qualities of a Brahmin or Brahmana have a direct correlation with that of Varuna (or Maheshwari as in The Mother) and so on.

There are many famous contemporaries of Sri Aurobindo but his writings can't be compared with theirs. Understanding Sri Aurobindo is the first step for appreciating his books properly. He is no ordinary scholar; The Mother and he are the one Supreme Divine and are always present.

Savitri Era Religion is against mythology and rituals. It has no system of any priests. It's in consonance with modernity and scientific environment. The writings of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have tremendous educational value. Their cultural and aesthetic potentials are immense.

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo were in confrontation with Hitler and had helped trounce him. They are also present right now and guiding the evolutionary trajectory midst war and conflicts. Indian political situation is no different and Savitri Era Party opposes Hindutva and Congress. 

Political parties are private entities and anyone can shape it in any way for satisfying his inflated sense of entitlement. Democracy however is about the people in general and how their collective will is reflected in an authentic manner. Ruling parties do bite dust in election.

Almost all ideological currents have got a chance to be in the Govt in India but none has proved to be successful. Savitri Era Party, drawing inspiration from The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, can end this intellectual bankruptcy. It's for the educated people of this country to decide.

Sri Aurobindo has written 36 volumes but no one writes even 36 words to discuss any of them. This is the sorry state of intellectual standard in our country, at present. No nation can become great if it ignores its greatest poet and philosopher.

CWSA Link: incarnateword.in/cwsa

Many people are not aware of The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press which is responsible for quality production of books since 1945. Sri Aurobindo Books Distribution Agency (Sabda) takes care of sell of the books, handmade paper, and other products of the Ashram.

Hindutva has legitimised all popular narratives and hence no critical view of traditional practices is possible. It's a matter of faith and knowing the truth is really difficult. Sri Aurobindo, however, was able to look at many aspects of the past acutely with his yogic insights.

Savitri Era Religion is a threat to dominant religions of the day and hence my posts don't reach many people. Such predatory algorithm is digital colonialism or technological tyranny. But The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's teachings are evolutionary in nature and will break all barriers. 

Expressing our loyalty, allegiance, devotion, and surrender to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is necessary for informing those who are not aware of them. Many devotees feel their faith as private, but visiting the Ashram on Darshan days is a public affair. So, why so much of secrecy?

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo provide an attractive intellectual, aesthetic, and political alternative but people are unable to know about them despite the spread of World Wide Web. Savitri Era Religion is an attempt to convey the power and potentialities of their divinity and love.

As devotees of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, it's necessary to understand clearly that political, economic, or technological means are inadequate to change the world. They are in charge of evolution and hence, right direction towards light will emerge through the present confusion.

The Mother principle belongs to Tantra and hence it's said that Sri Aurobindo has synthesised Vedanta with Tantra. But when we worship The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine, there is no differentiation of gender. Surrender however necessitates mother-child equation. 

Thinking of The Mother or Sri Aurobindo immediately alters the consciousness to a state of yoga. Similar effect occurs on looking at their photographs or books. The evolutionary forces take hold of the situation to their advantage and this is called collaboration, with no effort.

The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the one Supreme Divine and handing over the business of our lives in their hands is the task. While it's important to avoid too much of religiosity or rituals, inner communion should be a constant affair. Transformation of consciousness is the goal.

Yesterday I crossed the Matla River near Canning. The memory of the Colonial period is at every step in West Bengal which also reminds of Sri Aurobindo's contributions. Railways recently celebrated anniversary of first train journey from Sealdah to Ranaghat on September 29, 1862.

Anilbaran Roy was a Professor of philosophy and an early disciple as well as interpreter of Sri Aurobindo. After forty years, he left the Ashram for working towards reunification of Bengal. From my flat overlooking Hooghly, I often yearn for catching a glimpse of Padma or Meghna.

The Mother’s work in Odisha commenced in 1949 and a large number of people were attracted by Sri Aurobindo's philosophy during the next two-three decades. Thus it's not unusual to find their devotees in many homes across Odisha who belong to the third, or even, fourth generation.

Social and professional obligations keep people busy while culture or entertainment fall in the optional domain. Concern for health or food somehow includes spirituality at times. Bases of Yoga, or ଯୋଗାଧାର, by Sri Aurobindo was the first book I had purchased while in the college.

Having seen many kinds of waves coming and disappearing, there is no enthusiasm in me for any new one. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, however, remain relevant. But while the scholarly approach steps up self-esteem and seems respectable, religious route has more evolutionary utility.

The body is the focus as well as locus in Mother's Agenda. The goal set in Sri Aurobindo's Savitri is victory over death. But the means is neither mythological nor biological. Two of Satprem's book titles are germane here: The Adventure of Consciousness and The Mind of the Cells.

Despite his vast learning, I don't think Bibek Debroy was much open to Sri Aurobindo. I haven't read his books but my impression is that he didn't incorporate Sri Aurobindo's insights in his interpretation of Sanskrit literature; he is just the other extreme of Devdutt Pattanaik.

More than a century ago, Sri Aurobindo painted a picture of the future which is appearing more and more true. His verdict on Communism, Religion, or Science & Technology, for instance, is proving to be prophetic. The kind of society envisaged in The Life Divine is not improbable.

Sri Aurobindo was not merely fighting the British; he fought against Hitler and more importantly he continued to fight against the phenomenon of death till the very end of his life. Poetry was his weapon and task, enormous. So judging him from historical perspective is anomalous.

The Mother famously said that we do not know what to pray for. Thus, people ask for all the wrong things. We do not know what kind of ideals we cherish, or whether it is possible. Finitude ensures our permanent disability to see the whole. Sri Aurobindo imparts the Integral view.

Marx was accurate when he said, "philosophers have sought to understand the world; the point, however, is to change it." But history is witness to the fact that his prescriptions proved disastrous. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, conversely, advocate surrender to evolutionary forces.

Savitri Era Religion emphasises the pre-eminence of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Colonialism and the World Wars provide a very interesting mythological background to their divinity. Also, the role of early disciples like Nolini, Purani, Amrita, and Pavitra. Contagion is spreading.

Hegel was impressed by Napoleon and was also aware of Gita's Purushottama. No wonder, his Absolute was partly modelled on both. Heidegger similarly was a fan of Hiter for some time but his later philosophy was influenced by his encounter with Daoism. Sri Aurobindo relies on Veda.

Reluctance to acknowledge The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine is the crux of the problem. No amount of copy-paste of quotations can hide this basic flaw. It is not a seminar on literature or philosophy. Call and grace are indispensable for every inch of progress. 

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