SAIEN

One of the popular beliefs is Sri Aurobindo represented  Soul  and Rabindra Nath represented  Heart  of Mother India. This is probably due to Sri Aurobindo being widely acknowledged as Seer and PURNA YOGI who brought the concept of Integral Yoga, ascent and descent in consciousness as evolutionary process from surface level to supramental level on the path, whereas Rabindranath was widely acknowledged as a Poet, Dramatist and Romanticism as evidenced by his creative works in field of Art, Music and Poetry. All of us would have read about the contribution made by Sri Aurobindo and Rabindra Nath Tagore by way of their spiritual insights shared to seekers and as Guiding force. Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry and Visva Bharati in Santiniketan are live testimony of their great contribution to Mother India     respectively which have become places of Pilgrimage for seekers. I have had opportunity to visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry and Visva Bharati ca...

There is the high and the low I swing between the two. When low I am swamped with guilt Of having so easily let go Of the higher poise. When raised, I feel secure Sure that this time I will not let go. But the cycle repeats, repeats, repeats -  High and low, high and low, high and low. Why not accept all that is in me -  Not only the high, also the low. Gather all together in an equal embrace, No room for guilt, no room for pride, Just be. Just be. Just be. All gathered in a middle ground That is only temporary. As I grow, it grows -  A foundation for now, Tomorrow’s past - to be let go. Level by level ascend. Don’t just aim for the stars, On earth depend. Create the bridge, but this know - To be only at the starting point, and slow - No shame in it. Better to be consistent Rather than reach a shallow high, Un-rooted in my being’s reality. Feel the lure of the high, Nurture it, Open to Her to establish it. Do not justify or hide. Walk t...

Sankhya  means enumeration, or inventory. This  darśana , or philosophical school, lays out a list of the fundamental elements of existence, or  tattwas . The essential elements out of which all the rest arise are  purusha , or spirit, and  prakriti , matter.  Purusha  and  prakriti  are understood to be distinctly separate, neither one evolving from the other. The ultimate aim in the  Sankhya   darśana  is to realize and merge with  purusha , leaving behind the delusion of identification with  prakriti , implying that  moksha , or liberation from suffering, can be attained through  jñana , or knowledge. When we know our true selves as pure spirit, we are free from the pain of identifying with the body and the environment that it relies upon. The oldest known text of the   Sankhya   darśana   is called the   Sankhya Kārikā . The text itself refers to older   Sankhya   texts, so ...

Was lying down like a log in pain Counting cracks on the damn old ceiling Damp, disfigured and unsophisticated Got drifted to the stinky bed sheet With countless holes and threads Nasty veteran with a disfigured swastika.   Then descends the sleep angel  Like an untimely rain in the midst of summer Shrinks the world to a speck of sand Takes me to the sea shore at the verge of peaceful death Stared blankly at the cobalt-grey sky Oblivious for a moment in time.   Then comes the raging tempest sweeping me off the shore Something swiftly swaggered into my room The black wind quite unseen, unperceived and unrecognized Opening the rusted doors of wisdom With dried lips I succumbed to fear  Standing like a weak and hungry child with awe.   The little girl comes running towards me with a daughterly gaze With blood smeared lips and a serene visage Those shining cheeks, the fiery eyes, the puffy little black arms There was something more I can’t recall Did I see the Holy ...

Right from childhood days, I have witnessed in society offices, the Ashram premises, in designated places, and also puja rooms in sadhaks’ homes, the concept of relics of Sri Aurobindo being kept covered in boxes or pedestals as token of reverence ... This is a little different from the traditional way of keeping statue or photos of chosen deity as symbol of reverence in temples and homes … and relics being immersed in holy water of river symbolising immersion of relics (ashes – remaining Earth element after offering physical body after death to Fire) into holy water. Being brought up in a traditional family wherein daily ritual of morning and evening puja was observed as an essential chore, religious practices have made an imprint in my thought and feelings developed during my life journey and have been an influencing factor in moulding the personality. My father’s active association with Sri Aurobindo and The Mother since 1970s was the key driver of my interest in Sri Aurobindo’s and...

The pain of not being what one wants to be because one doesn’t want it all the time. The pain of knowing what is right and not being able to live that because not all of one wants that. O Mother, how does one overcome this dominating vital? What if one has not reached a point where the psychic interest will supersede all else? Just be quiet and do what has to be done. Do not worry about the motivation. Just do it with discipline and perfection – with discipline for perfection. And do it especially in all the daily things – all the things little – common. Your discipline will raise them to a different height and with it will rise your vital. The interest will grow and then a passion, then, perfection would be a passion, and the rest will flow. Just begin and leave the rest to Me. Anuradha

(Introducing śrī aravindopaniṣad with word by word meaning and explanatory notes) Introduction In the realm of philosophical works inspired by the ancient Upanishads, one gem shines forth, authored by Sri Aurobindo and later known as ‘śrī aravindopaniṣad’. This small yet profound masterpiece conveys the essence of Sri Aurobindo's philosophical vision in just 27 lines, reminiscent of the wisdom and eloquence found in the timeless Upanishadic texts. This small text is all about the divine play of All-Blissful Existence.   Reverently preserved within a substantial notebook employed by Sri Aurobindo during the years around 1912-13, this profound work encompasses his insightful commentaries on the Upanishads and other writings.   Initially unnamed in the manuscript, this wonderful creation was unveiled to the world with an English translation in December 1978 through the scholarly repository known as Sri Aurobindo: Archives and Research. Adorned with the title "ekamevādvitīyam brah...