Mobile loyalty

 Mobile phones have completely altered the priorities and habits of people. Spirituality, in this scenario, seems to have no relevance at all. More so, for the highly complex and esoteric nature of the philosophy and yoga enunciated by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Yet, their followers understand how crucial it is for the future of the world. Hence, dissemination assumes a lot of importance.

Sadly, no such organised effort is there in a professional manner, despite availability of the best technological resources. No proper pedagogic framework is in place as to what to teach or how to teach. Harnessing competent persons is never a criterion. Opacity on the intersection of religion and philosophy is also a contentious issue. In a such a circumstance, clarity on intentions and future projections are important.

I have been active through Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF) since 2005 with utmost transparency. Steering clear of mystical and esoteric aspects has been my endeavour. Savitri Era Religion (2006) helps to get rid of mythology and rituals. Savitri Era Party (2007) campaigns for a modern attitude and lifestyle. Espousing Democracy and Constitutional ethics, obviously, is paramount.

Hindutva enthusiasts continue to appropriate Sri Aurobindo to the hilt. I have been advocating for reading The Mother & Sri Aurobindo without a India- or a Hindu-centic slant. Accepting them as the one Supreme Divine allows the leeway to disregard their actual writings with the argument that they were contextual. Being sincere to their intention, and not other impositions, is the trick. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social 

Casaubon and Bartlebooth

 One of the key Management principles in Sri Aurobindo's philosophy is widening, heightening and integration. How Much Land Does a Man Need by Leo Tolstoy points to the futility of widening endlessly without proper consolidation. Edward Casaubon in George Eliot's Middlemarch, similarly, spends his life collecting notes and references without ever writing the book he wanted to author. Even Percival Bartlebooth in Georges Perec’s Life: A User's Manual fails to complete his project despite meticulous planning and execution. Odysseus returning to Ithaca, of course, is a fairy-tale counter-theme.

Yoga, paradoxically, involves detachment and non-grasping. When applied to intellectual and aesthetic pursuits, the effect can be stringent. Integral yoga, however, is a different cup of tea. Nevertheless, Pratibha needs to be moderated by Dakshina. Otherwise, creativity can prove to be cancerous.

A contemporary of Sri Aurobindo, Husserl had conceived of epoché much before Heidegger’s Daoist turn, but without any concrete result. Merleau-Ponty, interestingly, had exhibited surprising consonance with The Mother's experiments on the body. The example of Foucault leading a cloistered life despite campaigning for freedom for others is a curious irony. Thus, the problem of drawing a line to settle How Much is not easy to solve.

In his book, Towards a Critique of Cultural Reason, R. Sundara Rajan looks at Critique as the sensitive point where a medicine turns into a poison. The juncture of Sublimation of lower instincts into higher emotions, too, can be seen in a similar light. But, on the spot, improvisations experienced by performers, in a state of heightened inspiration, defies all logic and learning. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Metaphysical first principles based on Veda

 On my questioning, M. Nageswara Rao clarified that, unlike several major sects, followers of Sri Aurobindo, in his opinion, very much belong to the Hindu religion. This looks like a good certificate, but Rao may not be fully aware of the realities prevailing at present. However, Savitri Era Religion (2006) provides a sound safety valve. Further, Sabarimala verdict can transform the whole scenario. 

I have maintained that no particular text be considered as supreme since they are meant for imbibing knowledge and inspiration at various stages of life. Further, understanding them without mythological scaffolding or mystical overbearing is an essential precaution. Not to recommend The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's esoteric instructions is also crucial. 

Each person and his way of thinking has its own value. Telling him to get rid of his ego or try for spiritual realisation can be unsettling. High unrealistic targets can induce depression or frustration. Savitri Era Religion, instead, would be a secure way of getting introduced to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. No one should assume responsibility for convincing others of assured results by practicing Integral yoga. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Misc. References:

1. The decisive criterion is whether an organisation’s or cult’s foundational doctrines and practices implicitly or explicitly affirm the foundational Hindu metaphysical first principles based on Veda and remain substantially within Hindu religious framework. On that criterion, Sri Aurobindo, Arya Samaj, etc are within Hindu fold.

https://x.com/MNageswarRaoIPS/status/2097894250340110386

2. Why Sri Aurobindo Rejected Reading the Mahabharata as Pure Allegory youtu.be/-_FPkMQSh9E?si… via @YouTube

https://x.com/MakrandParanspe/status/2098065828109496344

https://youtu.be/-_FPkMQSh9E?si=g_0_vgtjE2XS2tf0

Savitri Era Religion is twenty years old

 By reading the biographies of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo, one can know about them. But still something will be missing. Visiting Puducherry and Auroville as a tourist also can give some idea about them. Reading different books written by them is a bigger attempt to understand them. Yet, it's not easy to form a fair impression of them.

Accepting The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine who are always present in their three poises is the most secure way of forming the right relationship with them. With that as anchor, contradictions relating to their lives or writings can be explained without much difficulty. The compulsion of comparing them with their contemporaries too won't arise.

Not to be misled by the shallow argument that they were against creating any new religion is crucial. History is clear as to how they have nurtured a new following, brick by brick. Auroville case was lost just because a definite name of a new religion was not there. Similar challenges will be aplenty in future. 

Therefore, I started the Savitri Era Religion in 2006. It protects me from the social pressure of performing senseless rituals and celebrating stupid festivals. Freedom from the tyranny of mythological fiction is also a great benefit. Besides, following any fixed system of practice of yoga is also absent. Surrender to The Mother is the only requirement. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social 

Third Dream

 I have been drawn to different cultural domains at different points of time but any deep involvement or expertise in any has eluded me. This I treat as a blessing. The Mother, I remember, had written a letter to Sri Aurobindo on similar lines. However, the point is, I find myself free. Judging things without any prejudice or vested interest is an important privilege. 

A platform like Savitri Era Religion or Savitri Era Party offers that latitude, profusely. Like, on the issue of Bande Mataram, I can argue that what Sri Aurobindo wrote or said in a Colonial context can't be a guide in a democratic environment. Sensitivity towards the emotions of all sections of citizens is more vital than imposing majoritarian diktats. 

AIT is another contentious issue where I prefer status quo in the absence of conclusive evidence to the contrary. Thus, flouting Sri Aurobindo here becomes an academic necessity. Believing Devdutt Pattanaik is far more logical when he asserts that there is no historical evidence for the existence of Buddha. Therefore, I avoid the poetic and mystical aspects of Sri Aurobindo's teachings. 

The most concrete prediction of Sri Aurobindo pertains to World Union. Here too, I take the most extraordinary stand of granting Sovereignty to the States under a loose Federation for creating a nucleus for future expansion. Savitri Era Party (2007) has been campaigning for this possibility from the outset. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Gramsci, Hayek, aur Woh

 Shreepal Singh's Indian People’s Congress (1993) may be the first political party with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as inspiration but it turns out to be leaning too much towards Hindutva. Similarly, many leading followers and devotees of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo seem to be intoxicated with Hindutva. Crumbs from the current political dispensation is also a contributing factor. 

I have been showing the right direction, like the Pole Star, since 2005. I do not know how it has been possible, so uninterruptedly. Ideologically, it's no rocket science. Simple common sense says that Sri Aurobindo is the only alternative. But running this blog, singlehandedly, wouldn't have been possible without The Mother's grace. 

Our friend, Kristof_Poland is very optimistic about Hayek winning over Gramsci. Building institutions will ultimately propel the desired results, he is sure. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo were their contemporaries and have left behind sufficient intellectual work and numerous institutions. Savitri Era Party (2007) is confident that its time will come. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Misc. References:

1. With this understanding Indian People’s Congress was formed. It was got registered on 30th March, 1993 with the Election Commission of India... In its founding meeting, the Party elected its first National Central Committee with Shreepal Singh, an advocate of the Supreme Court of India as its Chairman and Kaushalendra Dhwaj, an advocate practicing in Meerut as its General Secretary.

https://indianpeoplescongress.wordpress.com/history/

हम कुछ लेखों को इस इंटरनेट युग में यहाँ पुन: प्रकाशित कर रहे हैं। ये लेख “सहयोग भारती” पत्रिका में 1980 में छपे थे। “सहयोग भारती ” के सम्पादक प्रो रमेश गुप्त थे

https://indianpeoplescongress.wordpress.com/2020/04/16/%e0%

https://indianpeoplescongress.wordpress.com/2026/08/01/an-age-of-human-transition/

https://x.com/singhxshreepal/status/2083370045523329257 

https://marketime.blogspot.com/2026/09/indian-peoples-congress.html

2. The difference between the Gramscian left and the Hayekian right is not the strategy. The strategy is the same: change the intellectual climate, move the Overton Window, wait for the political moment when what was previously unthinkable becomes inevitable... Both sides understood the mechanism. One funded it properly. The other kept looking for the politician — the next Reagan, the next Milei — without understanding that before each of them there were decades of institutional work that nobody filmed. You cannot skip the intellectual work and go straight to the politician. Someone must produce the ideas. Someone must translate them for millions. Someone must fund the institutions that do both for twenty years, including when the ideas are unfashionable. 

https://x.com/Kristof_Poland/status/2096740529593614556

https://vipvak.blogspot.com/2026/08/excellence-is-specific-offense.html

3. Furthermore, the prime minister said, the spiritual journey of ‘The Mother’ from Paris to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry has inspired countless Indian and French seekers.

https://ddnews.gov.in/en/india-france-relations-have-reached-new-heights-pm-modi/

https://feelphilosophy.blogspot.com/2026/09/journey-of-mother-from-paris-to.html

Athens and Ilion

 I have been stressing on Democracy and Modernity because, being born and brought up in a village in Odisha, I have seen the distressing effects of local tradition and culture. English connects us to the Western world, down to the ethos of Athens. Savitri Era Religion (2006) and Savitri Era Party (2007) allow us the freedom from the compulsion of justifying whatever Sri Aurobindo wrote through the lens of Hindutva.

Through Savitri Era Learning Forum (SELF), I have been disseminating diverse sources of knowledge since 2005. Each person grows through a unique trajectory, and stumbling upon the right reading material at the right time can prove to be a seminal event. Online presence, therefore, has a great benefit, and innumerable people have benefited by both agreeing and disagreeing with me. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Misc. References:

1. Those who are drawn towards the vortex of Sanskrit texts in their youthful enthusiasm are inviting trouble for all their life. One text will lead to another and then multiple commentaries etc. would rob many pleasures and cause vertigo. Sri Aurobindo's English translations safer.

https://x.com/SavitriEra/status/1166746220166926336

2. War, Fate and the Search for Harmony: Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy of Peace in "Ilion" by Rudrashish Dutta, Sri Aurobindo Mandir Annual 2026

https://vipvak.blogspot.com/2026/09/sri-aurobindos-contributions-to-post.html

https://selforum.blogspot.com/2026/09/odisha-inspires-about-sri-aurobindo.html

Sokal's larva

 AI can be said to be the biggest symbol of the much touted 21st century of which we started hearing some forty years back. But despite all the power of digitalisation, democratisation of knowledge and information is still a far cry. Rather the scope for manipulation and deliberate obfuscation has risen manifold. However, only technology is not to blame.

History is about the great men. News is about the great men. Books of great authors sell. Movies of great stars are instant hits. Gossip is on great men. Thus, the human tendency to derive self-esteem by relying on great men warps social reality. So, who or what becomes viral matters. Not necessarily which has some intrinsic worth or quality.

It is said that many writers and poets used to publish under the name of some well-known author. That's how ancient texts swelled over time. Otherwise, nobody would have cared for their work. Ghost writing happens even today. But AI has arrived as the ultimate ghost. Sokal's larva is a fully-grown Monster, now. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Carving out our distinct identity

 Worshipping The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as the one Supreme Divine is the fundamental principle of Savitri Era Religion. Beyond this, it doesn't impose any form of practice as mandatory. Devotees are free to develop their own method of expressing devotion towards them, who are always present in their three poises: individual, universal, and transcendent. 

Love and devotion involves an attitude of loyalty, gratitude, and surrender. Surrender is a common notion in most religious traditions, but, here, it is based on knowledge. Understanding their philosophical tenets, clearly, is necessary for preparing the mind for surrender to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Further, seeking The Mother's grace for success in any venture is a crucial factor. 

Logic of the Infinite and Exclusive Concentration are said to be the most important concepts on which Sri Aurobindo's philosophy stands. Savitri Era ontology is emphatic on Evolution but, at the same time, it is also reliant on Lila. Thus, it is very difficult to assign superiority to any particular model, paradigm, or ideology. The choice of the Psychic Being in designing life's journey defies the mechanical laws of Karma or any form of determinism. 

Savitri Era Religion doesn't identify any text as fundamental. Reading The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's books is good for intellectual development. Developing some acquaintance with Western philosophy is also desirable. Avoiding ancient texts in Sanskrit can help one to save a lot of time and energy. Mythologies, however, can be enjoyed as literature. 

There shouldn't be any misconception that Sri Aurobindo has solved all philosophical problems or all his predictions are going to be fulfilled. Similarly, believing that his system of yoga can, straightaway, deliver self-realisation is delusional. Still, Savitri Era Religion (2006) is the best option at the moment. 

Five Dreams Manifesto (1947) of Sri Aurobindo has specific political elements and hence Savitri Era Party (2007) has enormous relevance. Obviously, maintaining a distinct identity of Savitri Era Religion as well as Savitri Era Party is essential. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo don't authorise to collaborate with others.

Very few people are left who have seen The Mother or worked with her. Thus, it is necessary to create a robust ideological scaffolding so that the younger generation walks with confidence. There is no dearth of intellectual resources. Sincere aspiration and right interpretation are required for building a worldwide movement. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social

Misc. References:

1. [after the passing of a Guru, people spend inordinate amounts of time in reminiscing who they actually were, how great they were and all the work they did. The Guru says “live in the present” but people get stuck in that past moment, recalling adoringly how he said those words and what happened after that. This is nostalgia. We ought to be studying ourselves (becoming more self-aware) rather than obsessively studying Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.] - Sandeep

https://auromere.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/cases-of-reincarnation-across-religions/#comment-17684

https://auromere.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/practicing-yoga-without-a-guru/

https://selforum.blogspot.com/2012/12/obsessively-studying-sri-aurobindo-and.html

2. We have romanticised poverty for too long, creating a cultural habit of turning deprivation into virtue and wealth into suspicion. My latest essay on the moral halo of poverty: sarngarava.substack.com/p/the-moral-ha…

[There is an older and sharper language for this too: ressentiment. Nietzsche, and later Max Scheler, used the concept to describe a psychological process in which frustration or powerlessness is converted into a reversal of values. Things associated with those one resents are declared morally inferior, while one’s own condition is elevated into virtue. The point is not that every poor person’s values are produced this way. The point is that “I do not possess what you possess, therefore what you possess must be morally corrupting” is a recognisable form of moral inversion.] 

https://x.com/sarngarava/status/2094056205622923540

https://sepact.blogspot.com/2026/08/inner-strength-wisdom-and-divine.html

3. Remembering Jitendra Nath Mohanty, Arindam Chakrabarti writes that Mohanty was a rare philosopher who read and taught (in Sanskrit, German, and English) Patañjali, Vyāsa, Śan˙kara, Gangeśa, Kant, Hegel, Husserl, Heidegger, Frege, Wittgenstein, Hume, McTaggart, Russell, Davidson, and Dummett with equal expertise—showing how ‘fusion philosophy’, rather than a swaraj in ideas, had become by the 1970s the preferred stance of academic philosophers (Chakrabarti and Weber 2015; Chakrabarti 2024). 

Baidik Bhattacharya and Prathama Banerjee

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/AA7322CA2AC111717D27478270DB0B62/9781009596909AR.pdf/

https://marketime.blogspot.com/2026/09/what-is-man-staying-alive-for.html

Curves and a culvert

 After completing the Four-year integrated B.Sc.,B.Ed. course with Botany honours from Regional College of Education, Bhubaneswar run by NCERT under Utkal University in 1976, I had joined as a Science teacher in Sailo Jharapada High School in my native village in Kataka District, where my own teachers became my colleagues. I met a couple of my students, after a gap of 50 years, during a visit, recently.

Although, I was a Science student, the subject of Education had introduced me to the world of Humanities. The paper on Child Psychology was quite interesting at that point of time. I had learnt similar things too from my acquaintance with The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. Rest of the awareness came from newspapers and magazines, fiction, or watching plays.

After one year of teachership, I joined PNB, initially, as an Agricultural Clerk since I had studied Agriculture as a part of vocational education in the college. Thereafter, I worked in various capacities till 2000, when I took VRS. Thus, I have acquired my own way of looking at things without being swayed by dominant narratives. Living in Odisha, West Bengal, UP, and Delhi also has given me diverse experiences. I haven't gone abroad except for a couple of hours, once, to Nepal. https://x.com/SavitriEra - https://bsky.app/profile/savitriera.bsky.social