Sri Aurobindian vista must replace the Gandhian blind alley

The Gandhian establishment was not entirely happy with Sri Aurobindo because of his insistence that India must cultivate the kshatriya spirit, not merely Bhakti and Jnana. -- MANGESH V. NADKARNI Indian Express Thursday, March 21, 2002

The new found love of the Communist scholars in India for Gandhi is intriguing. That Gandhigiri and Human Rights activism camouflage their Marxist agenda is common knowledge, but by appropriating Gandhi, the popular icon, they seek legitimacy to their motivated discourse. Using Gandhi as a beating stick also provides some punch to their arguments.

The phenomenon of Gandhi is a stiff resistance to Savitri Era in several subtle ways. We must really understand this and speak out clearly. Diversity might be a respectable sociological principle, but for the Savitri Erans, Unity-Mutuality-Harmony are the watchwords. The Sri Aurobindian vista must replace the Gandhian blind alley.

Nihilistic Buddhist thought is a threat to Savitri Era

The dominant political sentiment might be alluding to a war prevailing between Islam and Christianity, but intellectually, the ancient nihilistic Buddhist thought rejuvenated by Theosophy and Ken Wilber’s cohorts is posing a severe threat to Savitri Era propounded by The Mother and Sri Aurobindo on the fundament of affirmative Vedic ideology.

The danger is further amplified by the fact that Wilberian dialectics is couched in brazen iconisation. It is imperative, therefore, that Savitri Era Religious Fraternity wakes up to the challenge.

Kena and Ken

The antagonism between ontology and epistemology is as old as the Upanishads. While Isha Upanishad stresses on ontology, the Kena concerns itself with epistemology. The Kena is also important from the point of view of linking psychological symbols to Vedic deities.

RY Deshpande, Debashish and Vladimir are valiantly busy stretching the Kena questions to the present technological milieu at SCYI. But the Tom, Dick, and Harris elsewhere are endlessly nitpicking about Ken and refuse to see the holes in their hallucinatory holons. What nonchalance and what a colossal waste! 8:52 PM 2:13 AM 3:15 AM

India Integral

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: December 15th, 2006 at 3:21 am Three cheers to the Integral Movement! But, there could be more participation from India. Lots of thought and work are here which have not been articulated properly and hence the lack of information. May I suggest that each of you pay a visit to India at least for a week to have the feelings firsthand.

Roy Bhaskar deserves a closer look

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: December 14th, 2006 at 5:15 am During his journey from Critical Realism to Meta-Reality, Roy Bhaskar has built up a formidable theoretical wherewithal which, though not called so, is Integral in its essence and effectuation. Encyclopedic and panoptical in his enumerations, Bhaskar deserves a closer look, paradigmatically as well as personally.

Esoteric and the academic

Prema Nandakumar once wrote, “Himself a scholar, he enthuses us to take to a life of scholarship” apropos Sri Aurobindo. The two score heavy volumes of his collected works are a testimony to the imbrications of esoteric with the academic. Sri Aurobindo, evidently, maintains a Miltonic stance in Savitri and a Hegelian in The Life Divine. These are perhaps the standards to be respected and preserved rather than being questioned or tinkered with.

The works of Nolini-Purani-Amrita-Pavitra, Anil-Amal-Nirod-Dilip, Rishabh-Chandra-Kapali-Madhav and Sisir-Indra-Madhu-Kishor among others constitute an immense quantity of authentic explication of the vision of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. These have also created an elaborate as well as elastic system of syntax and semantics for the posterity. Not to be intimidated by the tyranny of the present is the key, else one land at the jargonificationalization of say, Roy Bhaskar or the paradoxicatorising of the likes of Jean Baudrillard.

Bechara Anderson

Years ago, Sri Aurobindo famously made pulp of one Archer and, of course, made him immortal in the process. Subsequently, many have succumbed to the Archery from seasoned hands of Kapali Sastry, Amal Kiran et al.

And poor Daniel Gustav Anderson, now. A scholar should be worth his salt, for the days are gone when people with Western names could get away with by writing any trash. Else, stay prepared to suffer Archery. Call it reverse colonialism or reverse racialism. Sumptuous entertainment for the Savitri Erans, in any case.

Navajyoti completes its 49th year

Navajyoti edited by Biswambhara Samanta and published by Navajyoti Publication, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry has completed its 49th year of uninterrupted publication. Founded by Shri Prapatti under the inspiration of Shri Ramakrishna Das, this quarterly in Oriya is witness and instrumental to an unprecedented spiritual efflorescence in Orissa in the last half-century.

Of course, the popular appeal of its younger sibling Navaprakash, a monthly, is far higher; but the pioneering role of Navajyoti in carrying the message of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo from distant Puducherry to remote corners of Orissa has few parallels. Reading of Murari Pukur in the rural environs of Sailo Jharpara appears to be a miracle even today.

Destiny of an organization

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: December 7th, 2006 at 11:21 pm Not only has an organization an agency or a soul but also a destiny, pre-designed, if you like. Sri Aurobindo has discussed at length about the group-soul of a nation in his classic, The Human Cycle. The same applies to the evolution of an organization as well.

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: December 8th, 2006 at 11:07 pm Daffodils are as much divine as the dredgers and the Infinite is under no compulsion to stop imagining and staying outside the walls of WalMart. Proof, like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder and all epistemological rigours, therefore, need to be tempered by suitable hermeneutical hormones so that a new aesthetic is perceived. In this subjective adventure we are all loners and have to plough our own furrows. 11:38 AM

He earns this distinction on merit

Integral Transformation "An integral perfection cannot come by one kind of realisation alone"

Tusar N Mohapatra said... I can’t comment about spiritual realizations or experiences, but as far as an explanation of this creation and cosmos (i.e. metaphysics/ontology) is concerned, Sri Aurobindo, in his The Life Divine, has written the most coherent one. No one before or after him has surpassed that comprehensiveness.

At least in this respect he ranks at the top. If we concede this much to Sri Aurobindo, it would be a great gain. He earns this distinction on merit and let the whole world know this bare fact very clearly. 7:00 AM

The eternal four principles

The Economy Revealed: Why Understanding Economics is Hard by Andrew Cassel and Progressives Come Out! Against Progress! by Eric referred to by One Cosmos can be read along with Techno-Capitalism and Post-Human Destinies - I by Debashish and That is the eternal Chaturvarna. In that sense it is indestructible and cannot be wished away by RY Deshpande.

Instead of talking about far-off eventualities

Indistinct Union: Nonduality and Christianity "estoeric integralism pt1"

Tusar N. Mohapatra said... The divine manifestation of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo has manifold ramifications that are difficult to compile. It is, therefore, unfair to summarize them all in one or two phrases.

Instead of talking about far-off eventualities in abstract fashion, more accessible innovations brought about by them can be practiced to enrich our day to day life. Like, Poetry and his new theory of Aesthetics, Human Unity and World Union, Historiography and the Vedic Hermeneutics, Science of living and Integral education, etc. 5:47 AM

Let fictional flowers bloom

Apropos of the imaginary missive from Milton Friedman to our PM by Jerry Rao carried by Indian Express today, one recalls the fictional dialogues of Sri Aurobindo for children that Nirodbaran used to write a decade ago or so. Though it did seem a bit blasphemous at that time to puritanical sentiments, similar creative endeavours are likely to multiply in the days to come so as to prepare an enriched field for enhanced understanding of the mystery of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo's divine manifestation. Of course, the difficulty of shifting the actual from the imaginary would be ever greater; but then the chroniclers, too, will multiply so also the memorizing power of silicon chips.

By the way, the article, Integral Spirituality - Exploring the Connection of the Sages Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi and Sri Aurobindo by Charles Ismael Flores "includes an imaginary interview in which the author compares, based on published quotes from Ramana Maharshi and Sri Aurobindo, what each of them might say to questions posed by a spiritual Seeker who is learning about the Indian tradition of Kevalya Advaita and Integral (Purna) Yoga. The article sheds light on the distinctly different spiritual approaches of these two masters."

Aurobindian fundamentalism

From: "Michel Bauwens" To: tusarnmohapatra@mail.com Subject: What exactly do you mean? Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2006 15:38:25 +0700 Hi Tusar, What exactly does 'nothing else comes close to this' mean, in your recent blog entry ... Are you referring to Kazlev's scheme, participatory integralism, what exactly? Michel

That's a phrase used by Alan in the write-up itself which expresses a bias towards The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. As for me, no participatory integralism or anything of that sort, but as Alan terms it, Aurobindian fundamentalism. I relish it and revel in that, and it is such a pleasure to tell you that on this special Darshan Day of ours.

Precision of Vedic insights in their pristine simplicity and beauty

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 21st, 2006 at 12:16 am Sri Aurobindo’s interpretation of the Deep Sleep state as the very highest causal state is, in fact, in variance with the traditional Vedantic and Buddhist thought and their modern commentators. Sri Aurobindo brings in the precision of Vedic insights to the fore in their pristine simplicity and beauty and in that lies his supremacy. But the secret is to read The Life Divine oneself instead of relying upon stereotyped two-liners written by someone else.

The integral metaphysics of The Life Divine is universal

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 15th, 2006 at 10:37 pm The divine manifestation of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo and the path of Integral Yoga enunciated by them is a matter of personal choice. But the integral metaphysics of The Life Divine is universal and any human being can learn it with profit. It is a stand alone treatise which Sri Aurobindo has revised thoroughly. Nobody quotes from the book here; but if we do, the points over which we are arguing would seem so puerile and outdated.

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 15th, 2006 at 11:58 pm May I add that the philosophy delineated in The Life Divine also provides ample hints for practice at every step. In that sense it is no less a manual of yoga. Reading a page or two regularly is a great help instead of quibbling over revelations and realizations.

The Life Divine and death of debate

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 14th, 2006 at 12:05 am It really intrigues me, why can’t we just read a single book, The Life Divine and then resume this debate. No revelation, no esotericism, it’s pure philosophy in masterful English. All these questions have already been decisively dealt with. From Heraclitus to Habermas.

No clinging to nostalgia

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 11th, 2006 at 9:36 pm The head and heart dichotomy is not all that insurmountable as it seems and The Mother and Sri Aurobindo have precisely attempted to do that in their Integral Yoga. But the question is whether we should stride ahead or move back in time; collaborate with the Supramental Consciousness which is operating in the earth atmosphere or oppose it by clinging to nostalgia.

Humanization of high spirituality

Humanization of Transcendental Philosophy by R. Sundara Rajan is an excellent primer on Phenomenology, in which the author adds his own version of feeling for the earth and man. One wishes that a similar humanization enterprise also take root in the discourse concerning The Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

A conspiracy of silence

On years of tracking the columns of Mukul Sharma, the high priest of spiritual journalism in India, one does not recall if he has mentioned The Mother and Sri Aurobindo ever. Same is the case with others of his ilk, like Narayani Ganesh and Renuka Narayanan. A conspiracy of silence, no doubt.

All kinds of pulp are being read but not The Life Divine

Tusar N. Mohapatra Says: November 9th, 2006 at 10:02 pm To talk of a big variety of spiritual paths is to dismiss the great significance of the message of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. Democratic and pluralistic political correctness should not blind us to innovation in spiritual evolution. Sri Aurobindo said something which was not said before him and with enough elaboration. Instead of accepting the new formulation, there is unending discussion about old and sectarian methods.

Teilhard, Gebser, and Wilber occupy the centre stage but not Sri Aurobindo. All kinds of pulp are being read but not The Life Divine. This kind of bias is not in keeping with the spirit of Habermas' dialogue.

No to the liberal-secular cheerleaders

Liberal sub-editors are happy that the Bush administration has received a jolt in the recent elections and religious enthusiasm would play a less significant role in politics in the future. But that is no consolation for the Savitri Erans who long for the decline and demise of the stranglehold of the major religions. That should happen in an organic manner under own weight and inherent contradictions and not forced through strangulation by the liberal-secular cheerleaders.

Inevitability of Savitri Era religion

The July 27 proclamation of the Savitri Era religion is fermenting mixed feelings among the adherents and admirers. After the expected initial resistance more reasoned debate is sprouting. The dialogue between Rod Hemsell and Debashish Banerji is quite illuminating in this context. It seems that both are not averse to the idea of religion and see it an inevitability.

20th century philosophy

It can't be that something on The Mother and Sri Aurobindo won't interest me. You are welcome to keep me posted. But what I find in your articles is that you try to maintain a narrative and journalistic stance. Catering to the beginners is a good thing, but that stunts your personal growth also. A person of your calibre and experience should address the discerning niche. The articles should be able to stimulate further probings and also disturb and provoke so as to generate debates. Now that the Blogger is offering its hospitality, there is no obstacle to that.

On scanning through the write-up I noticed that you have not mentioned any philosopher. 20th century philosophy is an intense melting pot of human thought and without it we can't make any dependable appraisal of life and history. To arrive at Sri Aurobindo's lofty vision, the present must negotiate with and navigate through the available streams of thought.