‘On Original Thinking’: An Infallible Light for the Vision of New India – 1
The author explores the deep significance of Sri Aurobindo’s remarkable essay titled ‘On Original Thinking’ for today’s new India.
The author explores the deep significance of Sri Aurobindo’s remarkable essay titled ‘On Original Thinking’ for today’s new India.
Sri Aurobindo describes the different levels of consciousness through which we understand and experience the working of Shakti or Energy within and around us.
Sri Aurobindo emphasizes that the perfection sought in the integral Yoga is not only to be one with the Shakti in her highest spiritual power and in her universal action, but to realise and possess her fullness in our individual being and nature.
Have you heard of Maitreyee’s swayamvar and her quest? Read all about it in this delightful story in the series ‘The Upanishads Elucidated’ by Lopa Mukherjee.
What is the journey on which Maitreyee and her companions go? Do they discover the light that is the source of all lights? Where do they find it? Read on.
As part of the recent seminar on ‘Indian-ness in the 21st Century’, M. S. Srinivasan submitted a thought-provoking article which is featured here.
We highlight selected words of Sri Aurobindo on who is a Rishi and how the essence of Indian civilisation was shaped by the great Rishis.
In this two-part article, author Narendra Murty speaks of the higher ranges of consciousness beyond the intellect — inspiration, intuition and revelation — from where a Rishi receives knowledge. A Rishi is someone who sees and hears the Truth which he then expresses as Mantra. Using several insightful passages from Sri Aurobindo’s writings, particularly The Future Poetry, the author brings out Sri Aurobindo’s rishihood.
Sri Aurobindo’s inner realizations gave him the key through which he was able to bring out the true inner truth of the Rig Veda. His Mantric poem, Savitri, is a Veda of the future that only a Rishi could have received through divine hearing and seeing, and expressed in sublime poetry.
Kireet joshi in his book ‘Glimpses of Vedic Literature’ summarises the essence of Bhriguvalli from Taittiriya Upanishad and emphasises that Food or Matter is also a manifestation of the Divine which should not be rejected but instead be mastered.
Values cannot be imposed through textbooks. Teachers and parents must serve as living examples. Rich stories can also expose children to higher ideals.
In these delightful timeless tales retold by the Mother we get some important lessons on the value of straightforwardness, speaking the truth without any fear, and the importance of growing in sincerity for destroying falsehood and hypocrisy.
In the third article of the series, the author wonderfully explains with the help of a story, the interconnection between the five sensory organs and the five elements, and their impact an impact on our well-being.
This issue explores two inter-related themes. One has to do with Choice and Wisdom, related to which is the faculty of viveka, the intuitive discriminating reason which is developed by a purification of the organs of thought and knowledge. All effort and progress toward true knowledge and wisdom is possible only by the grace of the Guru, which is our second theme for this issue, especially chosen to mark the occasion of Guru Purnima.
We present four brief passages from Sri Aurobindo’s writings done in early 1910. The immense value and significance of these ‘passing thoughts’ can’t be missed in today’s cultural and intellectual climate of India when Indian mind is trying to rediscover the true essence of Indian-ness and create new forms to express the eternal truth of the Indian spirit.
In the timeless tale of Samudra-manthan, the appearance of Mohini Avatar creates a situation where only the right discernment, viveka, can help the seeker of amrita separate the truth from falsehood, eternal from transient, and make the right choice.
This story is about the freedom of choice. The wise is the one who knows how to choose.
In this second part of the series, the author speaks of the great value and emphasis our ancestors placed on protecting the plant kingdom given its role in keeping the whole cycle of life robust and strong. Several religious and social rituals were put in place to encourage the protection of plants and trees.
In this series, the author, a qualified specialist in Alternative Medicine who has conducted extensive research among rural and tribal communities of our country learning about diverse customs and practices related to health and well-being, advocates living in harmony with Nature for a life of wellness and also strives to evoke and enhance the inherent divinity within.