Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Sri Aurobindo came to tell us that the future of the world is secure despite the appearances. Man sees the surfaces, the appearances as they present itself to our senses and draws conclusions and makes short term predictions. For what are even a hundred years when we place them in the backdrop of a million years through which the Homo Sapiens itself has been evolving. Could anyone, watching the fight between the Neanderthals and the Cro-Magnon in which the seemingly better subspecies lost, could have predicted that out of the ferment of these two there would arise the Homo Sapiens erectus who would not only inherit the earth but travel beyond the forests of Africa and Europe to the Moon, the Mars and the Sun and beyond!
https://auromaa.org/daily-offering/sri-aurobindo-came-2_14/
There are different kinds of people who come to a centre and it is difficult to apply one single rule to all.
For example there are those who have heard the inner call and have decided to take up the path of Integral Yoga. It is best for them to follow what Sri Aurobindo and the Mother say without bringing in different influences which may or may not support this yoga. Of course this is not to be done in any sectarian spirit that regards mine as the only path or even mine as the best. The fidelity to one’s Master is recognised in all paths and for a valid inner reason. Unlike certain practical forms of knowledge where one can read from different books and also undertake study under different teachers and apply this knowledge in an eclectic way, the Master and disciple relationship in a spiritual discipline is much more than that. Most spiritual Masters, at least those of the stature of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Ramakrishna, work through silent spiritual and occult influence when a disciple has sincerely turned towards them and has been accepted. The disciple is then Their baby whom They mould not only through words and teaching but much more by pouring Their love and influence besides setting before the disciple Their divine example.
Evidently these influences and forces that emanate from these Masters and their workings in the disciple is complex and may not always mix well. This is especially so in this yoga which unlike the yogas that lead towards liberation works towards the transformation of entire human nature and all its manifold fields of activity. In the yoga that looks upon the world eventually as Maya there is a lot of stress upon vairagya. One is taught to stay away from the touch of worldly forces such as money (kamini Kanchan) whereas in this yoga the stress is to learn to handle these forces divinely. Of course a detachment as complete as possible from the egoistic ignorant way is needed in both but the goals being different, in the traditional yogas one detaches to withdraw whereas in this yoga one detaches from the egoistic engagement but only to reengage divinely. One is also advised to look upon the body as a corpse and to dry up the senses but here the body is given its own due place and importance and the fullest realization of the yoga includes the bodily transformation.
Even if it takes time as indeed it will, the attitude towards it has to be very different. It is a temple of the Lord, an instrument of the soul, a field for the play of divine energies, even one of the means for the divine forces to pour upon the world. Most of all this yoga demands a glad and free surrender to the Divine Mother in this present embodiment. One cannot be surrendering and offering one’s worship to other forms however divine they may be. Nothing wrong in appreciating the role of all these different Masters in the spiritual evolution or even taking a leaf out which may be helpful for our yoga at a certain stage. But this too has to be done with caution since these influences are strong and one may not even realise how one has been drawn away into another territory. Given these and other differences it is best not to mix influences.
Another reason for the confusion is because people often generally have a tendency to put things in a single category say under the rubric of Vedanta. But both Sri Aurobindo as well as Sri Ramakrishna have combined Vedanta and Tantra sadhana in actual practice though towards different goals. The Divine Mother in Sri Ramakrishna comes as the Supreme Liberator which of course She is. Who can go beyond the magic circle of Maya She has drawn around our souls but for Her Grace descending upon us as Mahamaya. But in Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga She brings along with this the alchemist Energy, the transforming touch of the Divine Love that is beyond the Manifestation and the Unmanifest. In her present embodiment this transforming Power is given to Her. She has the mandate to change the scheme of things here and not any other form or aspect of the Divine Mother. No doubt Mother Kali is a great and tremendous Goddess who had a great role in Sri Aurobindo’s own yoga but Their yoga moved much further and the final charge of taking humanity across the perilous bridge has been given to the Divine Mother in Her present embodiment. Her ways and methods are different, far wider and more complex for she is the Infinite MahaShakti who brings with Her the powers of all other forms and aspects of the Divine Mother but most of all the transforming power of Her Grace and Love.
Of course there will invariably be people of all kinds who will visit the centre. Many would not have even chosen about the path to follow even though something in them is drawn and attracted. They should be advised to read the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on different subjects. Obviously each one is anyways free to follow what they think is best and the centre is not a place to proselytize or convert people. However its central purpose of a centre should not be forgotten and its aim and atmosphere should be so much permeated by the Presence of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother that whoever enters the premises feels as if he has been taken in Their arms. As to what people do in their personal life and what they believe in and practice is up to each one. Each journey in that sense is unique and different and for this very reason it is important to recognize the uniqueness of aim and the path in a centre dedicated to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother without letting in all kinds of different mixture in its functioning.
Meet Richard Hartz, a prominent scholar, researcher & writer with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives, sharing his journey from self-study to a deeper understanding of the Veda and its significance in his life. youtu.be/yCqAqCWkyeA?si… @AmazingVedas @MakrandParanspe @PariksithSingh
https://x.com/i/status/2089052067264700735
Discover Varuna, guardian of cosmic order, truth and Rta, in this enlightening conversation. @PariksithSingh explores this majestic Vedic deity and the timeless wisdom of living in harmony with truth and higher consciousness. youtu.be/jhHjSLqXt4g?si… @MakrandParanspe @AmazingVedas
https://x.com/i/status/2089097869047325165
Poetry as Testimony: Reading ‘Served Cold from the Refrigerator’
by Dr Shirin Akhter countercurrents.org/2026/08/poetry…
Dr Shirin Akhter examines Sutputra Radheye’s book ‘Served Cold from the Refrigerator’ as a record of lived inequality, social hierarchy and political disillusionment. The collection brings poverty into the everyday realities of education, family life, aspiration and mental distress. Its poems often function as social testimony, giving concrete form to experiences that statistics and institutions can abstract away. The review also considers the collection’s limitations as poetry, including its sometimes prosaic form and directness, while recognising the young writer’s sharp eye for class, privilege and injustice. It argues that the craft may develop, but the dissent should remain.
https://x.com/i/status/2089192969551089760
Devotion vs. Commotion
As a religious person who regularly visits temples and respects our traditions, I firmly support cultural events, rituals, and collective worship. Faith is an integral part of life. However, chaotic scenes where barricades break and safety is compromised do not reflect genuine devotion. True spiritual practice is rooted in humility, patience, and inner peace, not aggressive crowding or reckless disorder...
Rediscovering the Essence of Hindu Tradition
Discipline, mindfulness, and consideration for others form the core of our spiritual heritage. Celebrating rituals should never come at the cost of public safety or personal dignity. To honor our traditions properly, we must rediscover self-restraint, respect orderly queue management, and restore quiet reverence to our places of worship.
https://x.com/i/status/2089198522751135915
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