September 24th – Savitri and Rig Veda
Jared has started
taking us on an exciting journey, over several weeks, deep into the ‘Doctrine
of the Mystics’– an almost all encompassing view of Vedas from our Master. It
is packed with surface, subtle and intuitive knowledge for us to explore and
enjoy.
Beyond all these, Sri
Aurobindo has penned it based on his knowledge through identity and hence it is
the formless infinite projected in the finite document form. As we are all
aware, Savitri too is similar never ending journey for us to meditate upon and
is sure to continue to reveal new insights even to very devoted deep followers.
“We
have the same cosmic gradations as in the Puranas but they are differently
grouped, -- seven worlds in principle,
five in practice, three in their general groupings” – Doctrine
of the Mystics
Just before commencing
the Doctrine of the Mystics, our topics of Rig Veda were Agni - the Flame and
Usha - the Dawn. While delving into the Doctrine of the Mystics, we were
thrilled to find the subtle knowledge that there are SEVEN occurrences of the
word DAWN, FIVE occurrences of AGNI and THREE occurrences of FLAME.
Flash of intuition
reveals much more – the seven dawns represent the seven ignorance we need to
conquer, the five agnis represent the touching of the ‘Being of the Becoming’
(Psychic Being) for our golden psychic pathway and the three flames represent
the triple transformation of Integral Yoga.
We marvelled at the
significance of the clarified butter (quintessence – 5th essence- of
milk) being offered to agni as emphasized in the Vedas signifying our
aspiration to touch our soul (Hamsa). Thus, five also can represent the five
external senses we need to purify, liberate and perfect; three can represent
the internal senses of Shruti, Dristi and Smriti.
Matching with the
macrocosmic view of the Doctrine of the mystics, we also took similar whole
view of Savitri – of course, with our limited knowledge.
First, we glanced at
the selected seven Huta paintings together representing
- Divine self-conceptualization of
Dynamic Delight (in the causal plane) represented by the
World Stairs Chariot (Book 2, Canto 1, Picture 1)
- Divine self-limitation (Spirit
taking-on different aspects by gradually embracing inconscience, suffering
etc) represented by the Mother of the Seven Sorrows, Madonna of Suffering
and Madonna of Might (Book 7, Canto 4, Pictures 1, 4, 7)
- Divine self-absorption (until
complete Involution) carved in the massive stone of Matter’s
trance (Book 7, Canto 5, Picture 20)
- Savitri’s Triple Transformation
(as the Divine role model for replication of many out of the One)
represented by the ‘Flaming Serpent raising (released from sleep) through
the seven chakras – as in a flash from a supernal light’ (Book 7, Canto 5,
Picture 10) and the ‘Seven Lotuses representing each part of the Being
trembling with Delight’ (Book 7, Canto 5, Picture 11)
Next, we glanced at
another set of seven paintings together representing ‘Savitri – Usha the Dawn,
Agni the Flame and OUR ROLE MODEL’ drawn from Book 4, Canto 1 and Canto 2.
The purpose of this
session was
- To
reemphasize that our aim of life is to search for and grow our Psychic
Flame (Being of Becoming) as well as to help others to progress towards
this self-discovery. It is not ‘Matter or Spirit’ but ‘Spirit and Matter’.
The same has been generalized by Mother, educating us to broaden our
outlook, to even embrace aspects of the opposing ideas so that our
thoughts can be channelled towards a core central idea (rooted in higher
consciousness)
- To
explore the possibility of reviewing Savitri in a different sequence
rather than the canto by canto approach
- To go
deeper into the Huta paintings beyond the surface view
September 28th
Sep, 30th Sep, 1st Oct and 3rd Oct – Prof
Mohanty’s Talks at our Centre
Professor Sachidananda
Mohanty delivered a series of four inspiring talks at our Centre. He is the
Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Orissa at Koraput, India. He was
recently nominated as a member for the Commission on Education for UNESCO by
the President of India. He is also a member of the Governing Board of the
Auroville Foundation, administered by the Ministry of the Human Resources
Development, (MHRD) Government of India.
On the 28th
Sep, he commenced his talks with Swami Vivekananda's Message for Today. The
lecture brought in the Prof’s reminiscences of his visit to Chicago in 2005,
the location where Swamiji had delivered his memorable talks to the World
Parliament of Religions. He elaborated on how Swamiji utilized his deep
integral vision of Self, Concept of Nations, Meaning of Religions and
Importance of World Union to deliver the all-encompassing Sanatana Dharma view
of Hinduism and India. Swamiji further inspired our Master Sri Aurobindo -
appearing in His dreams in Alipore jail revealing the Being of the Becoming and
enabling the descent of Transcendental and Universal forces to accelerate our
evolution on Earth. Our Master could at once experience the consciousness
reversal in Him thus enabling Him to see God in everyone and everything around.
(Photo of our members and Prof. & Mrs. Mohanty's visit to Sri Ramakrishna mission, Singapore)
On the 30th
Sep, the topic was ‘Sri Aurobindo and the Challenges of the Modern World’. Prof
Mohanty elaborated on the four ideas of his book “Cosmopolitan Modernity”: 1)
Tyranny of the State Idea, 2) Religion Vs Secular Modernity, 3) Problem of
self-determination and 4) Identity Politics. In this modern world, we in the
name of internationalism devalue regional cultures and unfortunately accelerate
the decline of rich languages. Cosmopolitanism is the way to go – meaning to be
a rich world citizen beyond the narrow ‘either/or’ view embracing a broader
outlook. It is important to preserve the positive essence of the tradition and
cultures (not the outer ritualistic doctrines) while also renewing our views to
progress utilizing the modern developments. Prof Mohanty highlighted the deep
political thoughts of Sri Aurobindo throughout His life and His prophetic
solutions to most of the pressing problems inflicting the history of mankind
including recent and current ones such as Northern Ireland and North Korea.
Prof Mohanty also emphasized the four overlapping principles of Rationality,
Individuality, Universality and Progress.
On the 1st
Oct, we were treated to the significance of the meeting of our Master and The
Mother – A memorable moment in the human history indeed. Their Divine Unity
enabled the impossible possible - the bringing down of the Supramental Light,
Force, Love and New Consciousness to our Earth. Prof Mohanty brought out the
significance of Their life journeys comparing the Visionary trajectory of Sri
Aurobindo with the Mystic, Power and realization driven trajectory of The
Mother. These two parallel Lives had to amalgamate on a common path through the
convergence of Their Divine Aspirations. Their ‘Knowledge through Identity’ led
to ‘The Supramental Consciousness driven Divine Justice’ pathway. The Creative
Evolution as revealed by them was also touched upon. Finally, Prof Mohanty gave
us a glimpse of a rare archive material in his possession, namely, “Sri
Aurobindo as I understand Him” by Barin Ghosh.
3rd Oct was
devoted to a bird’s eye view of our Master’s works.
October 7th –
Recording for ‘Savitri Around The World’ Recital
‘Savitri Around The
World’ is a project of Auroville to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Auroville
and remembering The Mother’s Words:
“SAVITRI IS A MANTRA
FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD”
The plan is to start
on the February 25th, 2018 early morning IST (“The hour before Gods awake”)
with the recorded reading (Parayan) of the first lines of Savitri by The
Mother. Then the continuous reading would be taken up by participants from the
Ashram and other places in India. From India, the readings will move on from
East to West following the Sun around the world passing through over 45
countries before ending at Auroville on the February 27th evening. The initial
plan was to organize an online live continuous reading. But based on logistic
difficulties the plan has been changed to collect recordings from around the
world and play them from February 25th to 27th next year.
Singapore was allotted
12 passages from Book X, ‘The Book of the Double Twilight’, Cantos 2 and 3
(‘The Gospel of Death and the Vanity of the Ideal’ and ‘The Debate of Love and
Death’). There were 22 of us and we enthusiastically shared the passages to make
sure all those interested got the chance to participate in the Parayan. This
shared reading idea was from Satyakam and was gladly endorsed by the Auroville
team.
We assembled for the
recording at our centre on Saturday the October 7th afternoon. Anand Venkat
provided tremendous help with the recording, editing and uploading. Dhana
helped us with the coordination during the recording. With Mother’s Grace, we
all enjoyed the Divine Delight – a very rare opportunity indeed. Our special
thanks to all those who participated and helped in this Divine endeavour.
We continued our
journey on ‘The Doctrine of the Mystics’ covering the Vedic Sacrifice which is
a form of self-giving of all our gains and works to the powers of the higher
existence. The whole world is a dumb and helpless sacrifice in which the soul
is bound as a victim self-offered to unseen Gods. The liberating Word must be
found, the illuminating hymn must be framed in the heart and mind of man and
his life must be turned into a conscious and voluntary offering in which the
soul is no longer the victim, but the master of the sacrifice. By right
sacrifice and by the all-creative and all-expressive Word that shall arise out
of his depths as a sublime hymn to the Gods man can achieve all things. He
shall conquer his perfection; Nature shall come to him as a willing and longing
bride; he shall become her seer and rule her as her King.
The above is what we
had tried to portray in our earlier session of Savitri using the second set of
7 pictures: “The Birth, Childhood and Growth of the Flame – Our Role Model”
from Book 4, Canto 1 and Canto 2. Instead of the nature ruling us through slow
trial and error progress, we can convert nature to be a willing instrument of
the Divine. The last of these seven pictures is enlarged below highlighting the
Love, Beauty and Delight - with Savitri in complete harmony with Nature.
The image of this sacrifice
is sometimes that of a journey or voyage; for it travels, it ascends; it has a
goal -- the vastness, the true existence, the light, the felicity -- and it is
called upon to discover and keep the good, the straight and the happy path to
the goal, the arduous, yet joyful road of the Truth.
It has to climb, led
by the flaming strength of the divine Will, from plateau to plateau as of a
mountain, it has to cross as in a ship the waters of existence, traverse its
rivers, overcome their deep pits and rapid currents; its aim is to arrive at
the far-off ocean of light and infinity.
And this is no easy or
peaceful march; it is for long seasons a fierce and relentless battle.
Constantly the Aryan man (the pioneering individual) has to labour and to fight
and conquer; he must be a tireless toiler and traveller and a stern warrior, he
must force open and storm and sack city after city, win kingdom after kingdom,
overthrow and tread down ruthlessly enemy after enemy. His whole progress is a
warring of Gods and Titans, Gods and Giants, Indra and the Python, Aryan and
Dasyu. Aryan adversaries even he has to face in the open field; for old friends
and helpers turn into enemies; the kings of Aryan states he would conquer and
overpass join themselves to the Dasyus and are leagued against him in supreme
battle to prevent his free and utter passing on.
But the Dasyu is the
natural enemy. These dividers, plunderers, harmful powers, these Danavas, sons
of the Mother of division, are spoken of by the Rishis under many general
appellations. There are Rakshasas; there are Eaters and Devourers, Wolves and
Tearers; there are hurters and haters; there are dualisers; there are confiners
or censurers. But we are given also many specific names.
Vritra, the Serpent,
is the grand Adversary; for he obstructs with his coils of darkness all
possibility of divine existence and divine action. And even when Vritra is
slain by the light, fiercer enemies arise out of him. Shushna afflicts us with
his impure and ineffective force, Namuchi fights man by his weaknesses, and
others too assail, each with his proper evil. Then there are Vala and the
Panis, miser traffickers in the sense-life, stealers and concealers of the
higher Light and its illuminations which they can only darken and misuse, -- an
impious host who are jealous of their store and will not offer sacrifice to the
Gods. These and other personalities -- they are much more than personifications
-- of our ignorance, evil, weakness and many limitations make constant war upon
man; they encircle him from near or they shoot their arrows at him from afar or
even dwell in his gated house in the place of the Gods and with their shapeless
stammering mouths and their insufficient breath of force mar his
self-expression. They must be expelled, overpowered, slain, thrust down into
their nether darkness by the aid of the mighty and helpful deities.
We also covered the
important role Angirasas play through their chanting to recover knowledge out
of ignorance, the cows (rays), the horses (strength), day, water, sun etc. Sri
Aurobindo and Mother have strived to go beyond what the Vedas have revealed by
bringing down the Supramental Light, Force, Love and the New Consciousness upon
Earth. Through our own choice, we can open our gates to the Divine Forces
through our Being of the Becoming (Psychic Being).
-
Ramadoss
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