Question to Ponder: Who is a True Thinker?

A new post in the series Current Events

In India today, we are witnessing a clash between the decades-old social-political-economic order and a new order struggling to establish itself. This is resulting in quite an unrest on various levels, especially when we view things only from the outer surface.

Part of this unrest has led to a disturbing uncovering of an extremely narrow, rigid and ideologially biased nature of a big section of the 'intellectual' scene in India. With every passing day it is also becoming clear that much of this 'intellectual' scene was deliberately nurtured and nourished by the political parties which had been in power for decades, thus creating a rather unhealthy nexus where intellect is forced to become a captive to the politics of the day.

A positive result of this unrest is that directly or indirectly it is compelling the concerned Indians to reflect upon what it means to be an 'intellectual'. Can merely writing bestseller books, pontificating via weekly columns, winning some state-endorsed awards, making provocative statements on TV debates, producing documentaries on controversial topics make one qualified to be labelled as an 'intellectual'?

For years, things in the Indian 'intellectual' scene had been sliding to such a low point that today certain powerful sections of our socially upward classes don't even think twice when labeling socialite celebrities and advertising entrepreneurs as "public intellectuals." Such outdated and completely absurd notions are being aggressively challenged as a result of the unrest we are witnessing today.

One of the fundamental reasons for the unrest is this. Those who think of themselves as 'intellectuals' align themselves with what they see as 'progressive' values, necessary for a pluralistic society (their chosen phrase is "idea of India" -- a coinage that is being hotly contested today, and for good reason). On the other hand, those who are not enamoured by the outer sheen and 'politically-correct', public statements of these 'intellectuals' question the very definition of this term 'progressive.' They accuse these so-called 'intellectuals' of playing politics by hiding behind such high-sounding labels, by imposing their westernised and limited notions of 'modernity', 'secularism' in their role as 'civilising missionaries', thus perpetuating the colonized mentality.

The 'intellectuals' in return accuse their critics of being 'conservative', 'parochial', 'regressive', 'stuck in past', 'irrational', 'communal' etc and label their critics' angst and voices as something potentially harmful for the progress of the society.

Interestingly, in this clash we see the so-called 'progressives' closely aligning themselves with the old social-political-economic order, the ecosystem which actually led to their rise as 'intellectuals'. And those who are being labelled as 'conservatives' and 'regressives' are interestingly on the side of the new order that is beginning to make its impact felt in various ways in the country's social, economic and political landscape.

When the noise level in a debate becomes so loud and unreasonable, nobody bothers to question the fundamentals. Everybody claims they are thinking in the interest of the society, but nobody asks the question - are we really thinking? Or what does it really mean to think? What is intellect?

What does it really mean to be a conservative? What does it really mean to be a progressive? Who is a true intellectual? A true thinker? Do we know?

The other day, I found myself revisiting some of the older essays of Sri Aurobindo. I was once again struck by the essay titled "Conservation and Progress" which was first published in Arya. For anyone interested to understand the deeper psychological forces working behind what we ordinarly speak of as being 'conservative' and 'progressive' must read this essay written almost a hundred years ago.

The deeply grounded and rich analysis presented by Sri Aurobindo makes one reflect upon the truth that a true independent thinker is not bound by any such conflics or dualities of a 'conservative being stuck in the past' and a 'progressive being only future-oriented.'

A true thinker rather strives to see the past, present and the unknown future as part of an overall march of the divine movement, not fixed in outward details and forms but as an attempt to work out the spirit of things and a progressively greater self-fulfilment of humanity, of the nation, of the individual.

Such a thinker, a true intellectual, will have some essential characteristics. Sri Aurobindo describes them beautifully in the last paragraph of this essay. I am listing them below as separate points for ease of understanding (though in the original text we find them all as part of one long sentence).

Such a thinker, according to Sri Aurobindo:

"will strive to understand the greatness and profound meaning of the past without attaching himself to its forms, for he knows that forms must change and only the formless endures and that the past can never be repeated, but only its essence preserved, its power, its soul of good and its massed impulse towards a greater self-fulfilment;

"...will accept the actual realisations of the present as a stage and nothing more, keenly appreciating its defects, self-satisfied errors, presumptuous pretensions because these are the chief enemies of progress, but not ignoring the truth and good that it has gained;

"...will sound the future to understand what the Divine in it is seeking to realise, not only at the present moment, not only in the next generation, but beyond,

"and for that he will speak, strive, if need be battle, since battle is the method still used by Nature in humanity, even when all the while he knows that there is more yet beyond beside which, when it comes to light, the truth he has seized will seem erroneous and limited.

"Therefore he will act without presumption and egoism, knowing that his own errors and those which he combats are alike necessary forces in that labour and movement of human life towards the growing Truth and Good by which there increases shadowily the figure of a far-off divine Ideal." (CWSA, Vol. 13, pp. 131-132).

That's quite a high ideal for any one who wants to become a true thinker, a true intellectual. Such an ideal requires not only a mentalised notion of what it means to apply one's intellect, what it means to think. But it necessitates that a true thinker recognises the limits of the intellect and the faculty of mental reasoning. It compels that the thinker must begin to develop an inner faculty to 'see' things, to see deeply and beneath the surface of the happenings, events and phenomena.

This ideal necessiates that if we want to be truly progressive thinkers, we don't confine ourselves to the narrow mental prisons of past, present and future, but rather learn to see things as part of an evolving, growing Truth that is trying to express and manifest itself in many different forms. It requires that we learn to develop a deeper sense, a deeper faculty of discernment, an intuitive capacity to distinguish between the outer forms and the real, deeper essence of things, a capability to be able to sense the inner forces driving the outer events and phenomena.

This ideal compels us to stand up and act, act aggressively if need be, but without "presumption and egoism."

Do we see any such thinker, any such intellectual today? Question to ponder indeed.

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To see last post in the Current Events series, click here.
To see all posts in the series, click here.

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Linking with ABC Wednesday, Q: Q is for Question

Musings on Peace, Harmony and the Art of Spaces

The other day I was working at my desk, fully absorbed in reading a big document on my laptop, highlighting some points, trying to make sense of others, when I suddenly looked up. And this is the view I saw from the window by which my desk is placed.

A view from the window by my desk, one afternoon

It was not the first time I saw this view of my small garden in the back of the house. I see it daily, both when I am out in the garden and when I sit at my desk. But that day was a bit special.

It was special because the moment that day brought with it a sense of quiet and peace as I let that view sink in to me. There were a few small birds flying around the champa trees and the bushes nearby, making lovely sounds, calling each other, playing, resting on the thin branches, enjoying their freedom.

I sat there, in my chair, just sat there. For several minutes. Taking in the view, enjoying the sounds of the birds, the peace of it all.

I don't know what I was feeling in those moments. Perhaps it was some type of peace, a sense of harmony. Perhaps it was one of those moments when everything feels perfect, everything around you, everything within you, everything is just the way as it should be. There is no need to fuss over anything, no need to shift anything. As if there is nothing to disturb this moment, this sense of peace.

Have you ever felt that? Surely, you must have. Thank the gods for such moments, rare as they are in the noisy worlds we live in - within and without.

A few minutes later, a part of me wanted to go out in the garden and take pictures of the view. Even thought of taking the pictures of the birds who were still playing and singing. How foolish of me, I immediately said to myself. As if pictures would preserve the 'feel' of the moment for me. 

But still I couldn't not resist taking one shot on my phone, from this side of the window itself. The one you see above. 

The moment passed. Only to be followed by another moment, of a reflection. Reflection on spaces and harmony. And on art.

Today, a few days later, as I sit by the same window, trying to give voice to that reflection I see the same tree and the same bushes, though there are no birds at the moment, I try to recall to my awareness that moment of quiet and peace from the other day.

Maybe writing out this reflection on spaces and harmony will bring its own harmony. Afterall, minds are spaces too, and creating a sense of harmony in our mental spaces is an art, a very important art that we all have to learn one way or the other if we want to experience more of these moments of peace and quietude.

So I begin.

You walk into a space -- a home, a room, a garden, a temple, an ashram, a workplace or any other public place -- and you instantly, spontaneously feel a sense of all-pervading harmony, a quiet ambience, an effortless beauty. Nothing is amiss, everything is perfectly placed where it should be. Nothing is obtrusive, nothing is jarring, everything is quietly at home in its natural place.

And you walk into another space and instantly you feel that something isn't right. There is a sense of disorder, an artificiality to the whole arrangement of the space, a feel of uncomfortable ugliness despite the outward prettiness and 'designer-like' placement of objects.

What? You haven't experienced it? You must have. Think, think.

Well, I surely have. Many times.

In fact, I have experienced this sense of harmony (or disharmony) even in empty spaces. For example, a few years ago when we were looking for a house to purchase, many times we would walk into an empty house for sale and just upon entering the house I would immediately 'know' whether or not I would even consider the house any further. Spaces, even empty spaces have their auras, sort of like an energy around them.

Personally speaking, how I feel in a particular space generally figures as one of the main criteria for deciding how much time I want to spend there. This could be a richly decorated home of a relative or a humble half-demolished temple in a village I am only visiting for an afternoon. I have experienced a discomforting sense of disharmony at a five-star hotel and felt a deeply calming sense of joy at an almost decrepit building that serves as a guest house.

This feeling or perception of order or disorder, a sense of harmony or chaos, is not about the physical appearance -- the size of the space, the form, placement and outer charm and prettiness of objects or furniture in the space -- though these things may be part of it. But only a very small part. The bigger part is about what the space makes one feel inwardly.

What is it that makes one space feel harmoniously beautiful, even though it may be very simply arranged with most inexpensive objects? And what makes another space, sometimes even the most well-designed space, furnished with most expensive 'designer' furniture and object d'art, feel jarring, out of order almost?

Is it the aura of the person who lives, works, moves in the space? Or the aura of the person who looks after the space, its cleaning, upkeep, etc? Is it something about 'the way' things are arranged in the space? Or the consciousness of the space itself, the consciousness hidden in everything that is there in the space?

Or is it the state of the mind of the person walking into the space? The sense of harmony he or she brings to the space?

It is perhaps every thing. And more.

It takes an artist to make a space harmoniously beautiful.

If you ask me, I believe that all those who produce something artistic are artists! A word depends upon the way it is used, upon what one puts into it. One may put into it all that one wants. For instance, in Japan there are gardeners who spend their time correcting the forms of trees so that in the landscape they make a beautiful picture. By all kinds of trimmings, props, etc. they adjust the forms of trees. They give them special forms so that each form may be just what is needed in the landscape. A tree is planted in a garden at the spot where it is needed and moreover, it is given the form that’s required for it to go well with the whole set-up. And they succeed in doing wonderful things. You have but to take a photograph of the garden, it is a real picture, it is so good. Well, I certainly call the man an artist. One may call him a gardener but he is an artist....

All those who have a sure and developed sense of harmony in all its forms, and the harmony of all the forms among themselves, are necessarily artists, whatever may be the type of their production. (The Mother, CWM, Vol 8, p. 324)

It perhaps takes an artist to 'know' a space. To feel a space. To experience the harmony.

But what is this sense of harmony? Can it only be felt? Can we grow in our sense of harmony? Of perceiving? Of creating harmony? In our spaces, outer and inner?

Maybe in some other moment of grace, sitting by the window in front of the garden view, when my mind is in a state of harmony I shall be blessed with an insight into some of these questions.

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Linking with ABC Wednesday, P: P is for Peace.

When Art Opens toward Ananda

A new post in the series - Satyam Shivam Sundaram

A series featuring inspiring words from various sources, words that speak of timeless truths, words that remind me of the deeper and hidden truth behind surface events and phenomena, words that shine light when all seems dark, words that are just what I need - for this moment and for all times to come.


I recently had the opportunity to witness some of the great marvels of Indian sculpture and temple architecture in southern Karnataka. The world-renowned temples of Belur, Halebidu and several other small towns and villages on what is famously called as the Hoysala trail showcase some of the masterpieces of the magnificent scultpural heritage of India.

One could write plenty of words to describe what the experience of being in the presence of such splendid works of art is like. Or one may simply say nothing. Today I am inclined to choose the second option.

But the other day as I was trying to re-live, for myself, some of those moments of standing in a silent awe when faced with the marvelous and intricate beauties of these ancient temples, I recalled some words I had read some years ago.

I recalled the words on Beauty and Ananda by Nolini Kanta Gupta, a great yogi-scholar, a poet and one of the foremost disciples of Sri Aurobindo from his revolutionary days. These are words which remind us that great art, perhaps all art, is not merely about creative expression or aesthetic satisfaction.

Great art has the potential to open the mind and heart to the Truth. To the Knowledge, knowing which all else may be known.

Great art can be an opening to the Delight. Delight in and of the Truth, Beauty, Knowledge, Power, Love. Delight in and of the Divine.

Both for the true artist and the true rasik.

At Hoysaleswara temple, Halebidu
Photo by Suhas Mehra

OF BEAUTY AND ANANDA

Truth is Beauty's substance -- it is Beauty self-governed.

Beauty is Delight perfectly articulate.

Love is Beauty enjoying itself.

Knowledge is the light that Beauty emanates.

Power is the fascination that Beauty exerts.

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All Art is the re-creation of Truth in Beauty.

Rhythm is the gait of Truth dynamic with Delight.

The Truth of a thing is its native substance, the being in its absolute self-law. Satyam is that which is of Sat.

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Beauty is delight organised.

Poetry is the soul's delight seeking perfect expression in speech.

Speech is self-expression. It is the organ of self-consciousness. The nature of the speech shows the nature of the self-consciousness. The degree of perfection in utterance measures also the extent to which one is conscious of oneself.

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Beauty is the soul's delight perfectly articulate and organised.

Where the soul does not speak out, where the rhythm of the spirit does not manifest, there comes in ugliness.

Things are ugly when they are not true to themselves, not sincere, not self-expressive.
In a sense, natural and beautiful are the same, the perverse commensurate with the ugly.

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Beauty is not merely balance, symmetry, measure, a regular disposition of features. A form, an embodiment, need not be pretty to be beautiful.

Mere formal beauty is a power, but a surface power; there is a deeper unity of rhythm in the embodiment that is beautiful by its transparent soul-expression.

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Art is the incarnation of Truth in Beauty, The Divine the truest Truth and the Beauty most beautiful, The incarnation of the Divine the supreme Art.

An art with the Divine left out is like a trunk without the head: It is built with the lower members and not with the higher members of Beauty; Skill it may possess but not greatness; it may please the senses, but cannot enrapture the soul.

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The very nature of Art is rhythm and harmony.

The Divine is integral harmony and perfect rhythm.

The element of divine harmony and rhythm is the measure of the beautiful in Art. Even so it is with the art of life.

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All things are beautiful, for the All-beautiful is in every thing.

The domain of Art encompasses the entire creation.

The Divine is present everywhere, but in essence.

In the manifestation there is a varying and developing degree of the Presence.

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The Brahman is there equally in the saint and the sinner, in the knowledge and in the ignorance, -- it is the static Brahman.

But the saint and the knowledge manifest and embody the dynamic Brahman.

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The stress of Life is to reveal and incarnate more and more of the dynamic Divine, the creative Ananda of consciousness in its self-nature.

The progress of art too consists in recording this march of the soul in its ever-growing consciousness and ever-deepening Ananda towards a higher incarnation of the Divine.

~ Collected Works of Nolini Kanta Gupta, Vol. 2, pp. 357-359

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To see the previous post in the series Satyam Shivam Sundaram, click here.

To see all the posts in the series, click here.

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Linking with ABCWednesday, O: O is for Opening

Current Events 12: The Parliamentary Drama

I simply love it when my research and reading of some of the gems from Sri Aurobindo's extensive writings lead me to an extra-ordinarily exact and supremely succinct interpretation that helps me make sense of some recent phenomenon or observation which I have been mulling over. It is as if the Master himself was guiding me to that passage. Of course, He is, always.

The phenomenon I am speaking today is the drama that is being played out in, or rather outside, the halls of Indian Parliament.

The reactionary, ill-intentioned, selfish politics being played by some opposition parties, led by the Congress, as many serious political thinkers have already commented, is nothing but a ploy to disrupt the much-needed economic-political reforms that are critical to put the country back on a growth trajectory. The opposition knows that this drama is the only way to put brakes on a growth and development agenda being pushed by the government. As one seasoned and thoughtful analyst recently wrote: "Sonia Gandhi would rather have India fail than see Modi succeed. Her recent picture gesticulating to the cameras and circulated on the internet tells it all."

But let me get back to the heart of the post. For the last few days, as part of a small personal research project, I have been re-reading some of the political writings of Sri Aurobindo that he did for the nationalist journal, Bande Mataram, during 1906-08.

Sept 29, 1907 Edition, Source

Once again, I have been marveling at his revolutionary fervour, a fervour that is firmly grounded in a penetrating and accurate understanding of the ground realities which existed at the time in the political landscape of the country. It is a fervour that is deeply inspired by the eternal truths that India as a nation has always stood for since times immemorial, truths that he had also realised in his sadhana.

Once again, I have been awed by his fiery expression, an expression that is fully soaked in the colour of love for the motherland and the truth for which she lives. It is an expression that has the power to rekindle that deep-seated love we all feel in ourselves for the truth of our nation, despite the outward differences in political leanings and preferred ideologies.

The coming weeks and months may see me write a bit more on what I see as some of the most relevant implications for our present-day contexts, emerging from some of these political writings of Sri Aurobindo from more than 100 years ago. But today I wish to share one small passage he wrote in a piece titled "The Vanity of Reaction" published on October 7, 1907.

In this piece Sri Aurobindo spoke of the destined failure of all repressive moves that the then British colonial government was making to crush and suppress the growing fire of revolution for India's freedom that was spreading in the country. He even cautioned that such repressive reactionary moves would spread the revolutionary fire even further and bring a shameful end to the colonial power.

As I read and then re-read the piece, a part of me kept coming back to the first paragraph. I couldn't help but see how perfectly his words explain the deeper truth of the drama that is being played out outside the Indian parliament. The Parliamentary logjam we have been seeing is a bitter and utterly non-sensical reactionary tactic of the political opposition parties which don't really care for what happens to the nation. Their only interest is to dislodge any move that could open a new path of growth for the country.

In a strange way, the following words written more than a hundred years ago, in another context, seem to describe exactly what is going on in the name of the selfish drama of the parliamentary holdup. What is interesting to note is that what Sri Aurobindo wrote for the reactionary absolutism of a foreign colonial power back then holds true for the so-called Indian opposition parties, as if to suggest the lack of the Indian-ness behind their ill-intentioned tactic.

The devices of reactionary absolutism have a curious family resemblance all the world over. Reaction is never intelligent and never imaginative. Limited to the narrow horizon of its own selfish interests, committed to the preservation of the impossible and the resuscitation of corrupt systems and dead forms it has neither the vision to understand and measure the forces that have been new born to replace it, nor the wisdom to treat and compromise with the strength of Demogorgon while yet unripe so as to prolong its hour of rule for a little,—the only grace that Heaven allows to doomed institutions and forfeited powers. (Sri Aurobindo, CWSA, Vol. 6-7, p. 705)

What is also interesting (and heartening) to note is that such reactionary absolutism results in only prolonging for a bit the hour of doom for the old institutions and powers, whose end is near and certain.

Poor in invention except in the cunning variation of savage tortures or petty brutalities, it reiterates the old worn-out spells, the once potent lies which had been powerful to prolong the death-sleep of the peoples and sees not that the mumbling of its incantations only awakes the scorn and rage of strong men indignant that such deceptive bonds should so long have availed to bind their strength. (ibid)

The rational and informed sections of Indian people are no longer fooled by such reactionary and disruptive tactics. And the longer such logjam continues the more the thinking people will be enraged against those sections of political classes that are seen as impeding any meaningful work in the nation's legislature.

#ParliamentLogjam

To read full text of Sri Aurobindo's piece, titled "The Vanity of Reaction" click here.

To read previous post in the Current Events, click here.
To read all posts in the Current Events, click here.

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Linking with ABC Wednesday, D: D is for Drama

Quote UnQuote 1: Death

Rachna, the rachnakar (creator) of the popular blogs Rachnasays and Rachnacooks tagged me in the three-day quote challenge. I had been unsure how to do this because most of my posts already have some quote in them (often a long one, and sometimes a passage actually). To be honest, I would have probably skipped the challenge if it were not for the warm and affectionate Rachna!

Then I thought why not do something that I haven't done in a while. That is, be brief. And yet stay close to the spirit of this blog. So I am going to write only 100-word posts as part of this quote-a-day challenge. Now that will be a challenge for the brevity-challenged me, I think! Just to clarify, this preface and the quote itself will not be counted in the 100 words :)

So without much ado, here I go, with the first post today.

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"This wallpaper is killing me. One of us has to go." 

These are reported as Oscar Wilde's last words on his deathbed.

Nobody else could have said this! Wilde knew the real effect of real beauty on mind, heart and soul. His thoughts, words, wit are proof enough. His fashion sense too for those interested in only outer beauty!

But there’s more to these words. They make you think about the last thing you’d like to see before closing your eyes. For ever. Or maybe every night till then. Or tonight.

What is it? An object? A face? A vision? Something indescribable, perhaps?

Why not visualize tonight? Conscious death takes preparation.

X is Ten, Ten Lessons Over A Fortnight

A new post in the series - Reminders to self

Writing after a two-week-long break from this blog. Part of this break was because of being occupied with other things such as life and living. But part of it was also because I didn't want to write about things that were bothering me about some aspects of this whole thing called blogging. 

When I started this blog I had promised myself that I will NOT use this space to rant or vent about things. There is a whole lot of that happening elsewhere on the net, I didn't and don't want to add to that noise. As I begin this post I truly and sincerely hope it doesn't become a rant. 

So why am I bothering with this post, one may ask? Because I DO want to write about what I have learned for myself during this self-imposed break, especially with regard to how I want to approach this work of writing for my blog.

I have learned that: 

• I will not let others' behaviour, no matter how hurtful, come in the way of my pursuit of the deeper purpose why I started this blog in the first place. 
• I will not allow others' plainly obvious and blatant discrimination and disapproval to bother me in any way. 
• I will not be bothered by the fact that some of my views, positions and opinions, particularly on social-political-cultural matters, that I express in some of my posts on this blog or via other updates I share/post on social media might make some fellow bloggers uncomfortable. 
• Having once experienced a gag on my freedom of expression I am even more firm in my decision to write about topics, issues that I consider important no matter how politically incorrect or controversial they may seem to others, particularly fellow bloggers. 
• I will not give in to the temptation of writing about what I consider mundane and superfluous stuff, just to get more readership and views.
• I will try with all sincerity not to be inwardly moved by any words (expressed or un-expressed) of praise or disdain.
• I will try to constantly watch over the effect of others' actions on my ego and sincerely attempt to walk away from my egoistic reactions. 
• I will choose quality over quantity.
• I will keep reminding myself about why I should write.
• I will try with all sincerity to keep an inner poise of prayer and aspiration to help me remember these lessons every time I write and publish a post.

Not all these lessons are newly acquired, some have been picked up over the last 2 years as I gradually became more aware of the "tips and tricks" or the "do's and don'ts" of this world of blogging. 

Photo: Parul Kashyap Thakur

But what is new for me is the way all these lessons became more living as a result of some recent observations, experiences (real or perceived - same difference?). To be more truthful, what made me acutely aware of these lessons once again was the growing awareness of my egoistic reactions and responses to some observations and experiences. That created a disturbing dissonance within which not only compelled me to take a short break from blogging but also made me ponder upon what I needed to do to bring greater light into this dark place called writer's ego. Most importantly, the newness of these Ten Lessons is in the meta-lesson to which they lead me today.

These Ten Lessons basically point to one simple truth I want to practice as part of my writing work. That of "writing as a yogic practice." This is a practice which, I believe, will help me work on developing greater equanimity, greater sense of detachment, and most importantly greater aspiration to seek inner progress through the outer work called writing. 

This writing-as-yoga practice requires me to make all possible and sincere efforts in becoming a more honest, authentic and true writer, expressing truth only for the sake of truth; nothing more, nothing less. Truth as I feel it in the moment, as I see it, experience it, perceive it. No gimmicks, no stylizing, no obfuscating. 

At the same time this practice also requires that I become more mindful of when I should not write and what I should not write. No matter how strong the pull (push?) of the ego is to speak it all out, writing-as-yoga requires one to know when to stay silent.

"All Life is Yoga" (Sri Aurobindo)

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To see previous Reminder to self, click here.

To see all Reminders to self, click here.

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Linking with Blog-A-Rhythm's Wordy Wednesday

Linking with ABCWednesday, X: X is Ten

Of Vibrations, Victories and Changing the World

A new post in the series - Satyam Shivam Sundaram

A series featuring inspiring words from various sources, words that speak of timeless truths, words that remind me of the deeper and hidden truth behind surface events and phenomena, words that shine light when all seems dark, words that are just what I need - for this moment and for all times to come.

Source

The world is full of innumerable problems. Anywhere we turn, we see suffering, wars, destruction, disease, disasters, environmental threats, natural resource depletion. So many things that often overwhelm us because we don't know what we, individually can do about any of these.

People love to quote - Be the change you wish to see in the world. But what does it really mean? Surely each one of us can do a little something to make the world a better place. For instance, as I said in my previous post, even by becoming more mindful of our consumption patterns we can add our tiny little bit for the good of the environment.

But is there something more we can do, in addition to changing our outer actions or behaviour? Something on a deeper, more fundamental level? On the level of human nature itself? On the level of our own nature? 

The other day while doing some research I was drawn to the following passage from Volume 5 of the Collected Works of the Mother. The power of the vibration of goodwill, the power of an absolutely sincere effort to gain a victory on some little imperfection of our nature, the power of this seemingly small but incredibly difficult work we must do if we want to really make a meaningful difference in the world around us.

Can one help the world with a vibration of goodwill?

With good wishes one can change many things, only it must be an extremely pure and unmixed goodwill. It is quite obvious that a thought, a perfectly pure and true prayer, if it is sent forth into the world, does its work. But where is this perfectly pure and true thought when it passes into the human brain? There are degradations.

If through an effort of inner consciousness and knowledge, you can truly overcome in yourself a desire, that is to say, dissolve and abolish it, and if through inner goodwill, through consciousness, light, knowledge, you are able to dissolve the desire, you will be, first of all in yourself personally, a hundred times happier than if you had satisfied this desire, and then it will have a marvellous effect. It will have a repercussion in the world of which you have no idea. It will spread forth. For the vibrations you have created will continue to spread. These things grow larger like the snowball.

The victory you win in your character, however small it be, is one which can be gained in the whole world. And it is this I meant just now: all things which are done outwardly without changing the inner nature—hospitals,schools,etc.—are done through vanity, for the feeling of being great, whilst these small unnoticed things overcome in oneself gain an infinitely greater victory, though the effects are hidden. Every movement in you which is false and opposed to the truth is a negation of the divine life.

Your small efforts have considerable results which you don’t even have the satisfaction of knowing, but which are true and have precisely an impersonal and general effect. If you really want to do something good, the best thing you can do is to win your small victories in all sincerity, one after another, and thus you will do for the world the maximum you are able to. 

Will our victory act for the whole world?

It will not change the whole world. For your victory is too small for the whole world. Millions of such victories are needed. It is a very small victory if compared with the whole. But it gets mingled with other things.... It could be said that it is like bringing into the world the capacity of doing a thing.

But for this to act effectively, at times centuries are necessary; it is a question of proportion. You can try it out (and it is much more difficult) even with those around you. You must be absolutely sincere, not do it with the idea of getting a result, but because you want to gain a victory. If you gain it, it will necessarily have an effect on those around you.

But if a bargaining element is mixed up in it, if you do this thing because you want to get that other: “I want to overcome my defects, but that person must also overcome his”, then that doesn’t work. It is a merchant’s attitude: “I give this, but I shall take that.” That spoils everything. There is neither sincerity nor purity. It is bargaining. Nothing must be mixed with your sincerity, your aspiration, your motive. You do things for love of the Divine, for truth, for perfection, without any other motive, any other idea. And that brings results.

CWM, Vol. 5, pp. 19-20

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To see previous post in the series, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, click here.
To see all posts in the series, click here.

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Linking this with ABC Wednesday: V, V is for Vibration, Victory 

Troubling Scribbles

A new post in the series - When a Picture Leads

Going through my old pictures I came across this. I don't know about you, but seeing something like this troubles me a lot. 

A painting that is perhaps 800-1000-years-old
On display in the Thousand-Pillared Hall at Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

I have seen such ugly and distasteful scribbles at so many places of deep cultural, historical and even ecological significance. On walls of ancient temples, murals, paintings, sculptures, caves, architectural wonders, natural wonders, even the walls of the pathway to the ferry on Vivekananda Rock Memorial! I generally take pictures of such troubling sights just to remind me of....well, the troubling scribbles.  

What troubles me most is this question - Why o why? 

Why do some people think that they must leave their 'mark' on every place they have visited? Why is there this tendency among some people to spoil and soil everything that is beautiful or of cultural value? Why do we refuse to learn how important it is to protect and preserve, to respect and revere? 

"When a country forgets to take care of its cultural riches, it begins to lose its cultural foundation. It is high time we recognise this truth."

(Ref: My new ebook, The Thinking Indian: Essays on Indian Socio-Cultural Matters in the Light of Sri Aurobindo)

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To see previous post in the series, click here.

To see all posts in the series, click here.

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Linking with ABCWednesday, T: T is for Troubling

Also linking with Wordless Wednesday #86

 

एक दिन ऐसा भी...A Day Like This

Photo by Monica Denevan, Source

कभी कभी जब घर बाहर सब बेतरतीब सा बिखरा-बिखरा हो, दिल-ओ-दिमाग भी कुछ विचलित सा हो, मन किसी काम में न लग पाए, और तब एक ऐसी कविता आप के सामने आ जाए तो शुक्रगुज़ारी का एक बहुत प्यारा एहसास होता है। आज कुछ ऐसा ही दिन है।

बाकी बात सब बाद में, पहले कविता का आनंद लें....

जीवन-यान
रचनाकार: सुमित्रानंदन पंत (जन्म - २० मई १९००)

अहे विश्व! ऐ विश्व-व्यथित-मन!
किधर बह रहा है यह जीवन?
यह लघु-पोत, पात, तृण, रज-कण,
अस्थिर-भीरु-वितान,
किधर?--किस ओर?--अछोर,--अजान,
डोलता है यह दुर्बल-यान?

मूक-बुद्बुदों-से लहरों में
मेरे व्याकुल-गान
फूट पड़ते निःश्वास-समान,
किसे है हा! पर उनका ध्यान!

कहाँ दुरे हो मेरे ध्रुव!
हे पथ-दर्शक! द्युतिमान!
दृगों से बरसा यह अपिधान
देव! कब दोगे दर्शन-दान?

.... और अब इस कविता के बाद कुछ कहने को रहता ही कहाँ है?

बस केवल अंग्रेजी में अनुवाद करने का प्रयास कर सकती हूँ, अपने हिंदी न जानने वाले पाठकों के लिए।

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This happens to be one of those days....

When everything around you, in your home and surroundings is scattered all over, nothing is in place, outside and within, your mind is unable to concentrate, your thoughts are running here and there....And then suddenly a poem like this comes in front of you.

Who wouldn't be grateful to the Universe for this blessing?

Here is my humble attempt at English translation of a most beautiful poem by the world-famous Hindi poet, Sumitranandan Pant (Birth: 20 May, 1900)


Life-boat

O Universe! O, World-weary-mind!
Whither sails this life of mine?
This little vessel, this volley of hail,
On fickle-fearful-vastness amber-silver assail
Whither? -- Where to? Endless,-- Unknown,
Swerves this weak 'n feeble my life alone?

Hushed, fizzy, in rhythmic waves
Spring these little verses of mine
Lifeless, anxious as they are
But ha! Does anyone really mind?

Where do thou hide, my Dhruv-star?
O navigator, my radiant star,
Unfasten this covering from my eyes,
Deva, when will Thou reveal Thy Light?

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Linking this with ABC Wednesday, S: S is for Sumitranandan Pant

Current Events 9: Poverty is Not Romantic

A new post in the series - Current Events

A strange political drama is unfolding in India these days. Opposition to most of the proposals put forth by the current government is happening not because of any substantive merit but simply because the opposition's role is to oppose. Controversies are being created, simply to derail any effort to initiate and put together any developmental projects that may have some potential to alleviate mass poverty in rural areas.

Speeches after speeches, hyperbole after hyperbole, protest marches after protest marches....the so-called champions of the poor are busy ensuring that poor are always kept at the mercy of the governmental handouts, that they never get to really be part of the national growth story. Basically, the poor should remain poor in order to fulfill some parties' twisted political agenda.

A certain section of Indian intellectual class with its weird romantic notions of poverty provides the ideological support for these political games. They are quick to characterise every proposed development plan as anti-poor through their continued hold in the Indian mainstream media. The opposing noise is becoming louder and the truth is beginning to get buried in the shrill discourse.

After a decade-long lull in India's economic prospects a new hope is beginning to emerge with a strong central government which, unlike several previous governments, is not weighted down by the pressure of coalition-politics. There is a renewed sense of doing something substantive for the country's economic growth, a focused push for efficiency and effectiveness, a greater degree of accountability and responsibility.

No national economy, especially one like India's which is responsible for the material sustenance of 1.25 billion people can prosper or even survive in the long run without massive and well-planned industrialisation. All economic common sense tells us this. In the last six decades since India's independence good beginning has been made in the industrial sector, but a lot more, really a lot more needs to be done if India has to bring out its rural masses out of the vicious cycle of extreme poverty, indebtedness and financial misery.

The changed world economic scenario of the past several decades has made it even more critical that India's manufacturing and industrial sector is revived big time. Over-dependence on service sector and a miserably failing agricultural sector can't bear the burden of pushing economic growth in the times to come. Serious efforts must be made now.

Surely, no sane person expects any miracle overnight when it comes to a mammoth task like alleviating massive poverty in rural India. But effort has to be made, one small step at a time. Developmental projects have to be started, infrastructure has to built, irrigation projects have to be planned, investment has to be secured. Some plans will pan out, some may not, but some serious dent has to be made. This requires careful planning, detailed rethinking, strategic reforms, as well as committed and sustained action over time. A task of such proportions necessitates collaborative efforts by those interested in the national economic revival rather than selfish politicking and mindless propagandizing by those whose interest only rests in blocking and hindering.

It is naïve to go on romanticising poverty, it is downright insulting to the poor.

Back in 1926 in one of his evening talks with close disciples and sadhaks, Sri Aurobindo had expressed his views on a related matter. It might be relevant to revisit that extract in the light of the current events being played out in Indian polity.

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8-9-1926

Disciple: What are the possibilities of industrialism in India?

Sri Aurobindo: About that you can say as much as I. What do you mean by industrialism?

Disciple: I mean the system of large-scale production through big machines.

Sri Aurobindo: Big machines are bound to come. The poverty of the people can only be removed by large-scale production.

Disciple : The real question is : how to prevent life from being mechanised?

Sri Aurobindo: That is a different question. But big machinery does not necessarily imply all the evils of industrialism.

Disciple: Even in cottage-industries men are mechanized to a certain extent.

Disciple: Yes, but cottage-industries leave the social life intact.

Sri Aurobindo: Why should the present form of social life remain intact? New forms of social organisation will rise with the advent of large-scale production. It is the tendency of Indians towards poverty which is really responsible for their cry against machinery.

Disciple: The problem is: how to introduce big machinery and yet avoid all the evils arising out of it?

Sri Aurobindo: The evils are bound to disappear. The different ideas and schemes suggested in Europe* show that people are trying to correct the defects. Unless one enters into industrialism how can the evils be overcome?

Disciple: Will India have to pass through all the evils of industrialism?

Sri Aurobindo: But why should India wait till other countries solve the problem, so that it may imitate them afterwards?

Disciple: How will India avoid the evils?

Sri Aurobindo: Let her first acquire wealth. Without wealth they cannot expect to make any progress.

~ A. B. Purani (2007, 4th ed, revised). Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo, pp. 298-299

* (Today we may substitute West for Europe).

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To see previous post in the Current Events series, click here.
To see all posts in the Current Events series, click here.

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Linking this with ABC Wednesday, P: P is for Poverty, Politics

Engineer, Doctor, MBA, CA – Choose One; NOTA Not an Option

Sometime ago, fellow blogger and friend Shailaja, the Doting Mom and the Bite-sized story-weaver asked me if I would be willing to write a guest post for her super-famous blog on parenting. She suggested that I write something on Education. Of course, I said yes. How could I let go of an opportunity to write on a topic that is close to my heart? And also for a blog read mostly by parents, the perfect audience. 

Thank you, Shailaja for the opportunity to write for your blog. 

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A good mental education aims to help prepare the mind, the key instrument of learning. According to Sri Aurobindo, a true and living education is that in which the mind is consulted in its own growth. He reminds that each individual has a unique temperament and nature, and also a unique life-purpose, and that education must be able to tap into this uniqueness of each learner. He further explains:

“To force the nature to abandon its own dharma is to do it permanent harm, mutilate its growth and deface its perfection…The chief aim of education should be to help the growing soul to draw out that in itself which is best and make it perfect for a noble use.” 

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It has been more than 30 years. 

But I can clearly recall the time when I passed out from my tenth grade, and the conversations I had with my parents, school principal, a few teachers and friends about what subjects I should study in grades 11th and 12th. I recall the similar conversations that took place two years later after I graduated from high school and was applying for colleges. I recall similar conversations when my sister was applying for colleges three years later. What pressure – overt and covert – most youngsters in situations similar to mine had to and still have to deal with! 

Our parents and well-wishers want the best for us, or so they think. They want us to pursue those areas of study that can help secure our economic and professional futures, which can help us get decent jobs and a ‘good’ standard of life. So back in my high school days I successfully argued with and convinced my parents and teachers that I didn’t want to study sciences and become a doctor or an engineer. I simply couldn’t be. 

To read rest of the post, visit Shailaja's blog here. 

(NOTA: None of the Above)

Image source

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Linking this with ABC Wednesday, O: O is for Option.

Being Two, and in Other News

Baisakhi, April 14, 2013 was when it started.  On this day that marks the beginning of the New Year in the traditional Hindu Solar Calendar, celebrated under different names in different parts of India, this blog took its form with a simple beginning.

Two years, 240 posts later, I am still figuring out, sometimes struggling with, how to express the ideal which led me to start this blog. In this process I have realised that instead of figuring out what the blog really wants to be, if I can be more certain of what this blog does not want to be (as mentioned here, here, and here) I will be perhaps able to draw closer to the true form that this blog is meant to express. Of course this will happen slowly, over time.

But as I said in my first anniversary post on this blog, there is always more to come still....

Since the truer reality is always the inner one, I can say with certainty that the last two years of blogging have given me plenty of opportunities to work on my inner attitude. There have been many moments of recognition, acceptance, denial, frustration, letting go, surrender, struggle and many other things that help us see our shortcomings, inadequacies, imperfections, all of which help us grow in humility and encourage us to strive for further progress and greater perfection.

To reiterate, I am speaking not only of the outer work but more importantly of the inner work that we must do via the outer work. And in that sense the outer work on this blog has been extremely helpful in providing ample opportunities for the inner work.

The second anniversary of the blog also gives me an opportunity to once again express my sincere gratitude. To That which is the source of everything, the beginning, the middle and the end; the Source from where everything emerges and to whom everything eventually reaches; the Force which makes everything possible; the Infinite that is behind and beyond everything that manifests and expresses.

I am deeply thankful for all the support and encouragement I have found through my readers -- those who share their thoughts about my posts either in the form of comments or private messages, and also those who engage with the content in silence. Thank you!

Since we are two, this is also an opportunity to share two other items of news that are closely connected with this work of writing and blogging.

NEWS I: A new blog

Yes. You read it right. I have started a new blog. With my husband. Yes, you read that right too.

But it is not really a blog in the conventional sense of the blog. There you will not find too many 300- or 500-word posts. Matriwords is more of a place for us to compile and share some of our longer writings, essays, research commentaries that are inspired by the social-cultural-political thought of Sri Aurobindo.

In addition to our own writings, we'll also be featuring there writings by some of the other thinkers and scholars whose works have inspired us and who continue to guide us in our ongoing study of Sri Aurobindo.

Because of its more academic nature, the content on matriwords will be updated at a bit slower pace than is typical with most blogs. In addition to an introductory post, already there are three essays and papers shared there: one written by yours truly; other that I had co-authored with my husband, and yet another written by a well-known scholar and practitioner of Integral Yoga.

I hope some readers will be interested to explore some of the content on matriwords.

NEWS II: A new review

I am happy to share another wonderful review of my book, ABC's of Indian National Education. It is a very special review because it is written by someone who is not only a dedicated intellectual and spiritual aspirant in his own right, but is also completely in sync with the deeper purpose and intention which guided my book in the first place.

Anurag Banerjee has several degrees in Commerce and Business Administration and has taught at a few insitutions. But his real work revolves around researching, writing, archiving and publishing important works in the field of Sri Aurobindo Studies. As the founder-chairman of Overman Foundation, a non-profit organization which he started in 2010 and which runs India’s only online research centre focusing on the vision, mission, thought and works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Anurag has been working tirelessly to bring to the readers several hitherto unknown or lesser-known works comprising of intellectual, biographical, anecdotal nature as well as several interview-based and photographic works that shine new light on the life and work of the Masters.

Anurag is also a poet, translator, and a well-published author in Bengali and English. At the age of twenty, he penned a biography of Dilip Kumar Roy titled Achinpather Dibyapathik, and at the age of twenty-one he translated one hundred poems of Sri Aurobindo into Bengali titled Debotar Shrom. Both these books were published in 2008. His first book in English, Nirodbaran: The Surrealist’s Journey, was published in December 2006 when he was twenty-two years old.

So it was a matter of great honour and happiness for me when Anurag agreed to write a review for my book. In his review, he writes:

Though the author has referred to the works of Rabindranath Tagore, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Shashi Tharoor, Pavan K. Varma, Makarand Paranjpe and others, the inspiration behind ABC’s of Indian National Education is certainly the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The author has delved into the ocean of their writings and presented before the reader a number of invaluable pearls of wisdom related to the theme of education.

The academic scenario of the country would have been quite different had Sri Aurobindo’s concept of education was put to practice. The path to progress has been showed by Sri Aurobindo and his spiritual collaborator, the Mother, but the author has shown—in ABC’s of Indian National Education—how to tread on it successfully. It would be an error to assume that this book is only for the members of the academic world. Nay, on the contrary, it is for the general reader as well. One cannot help but appreciate the author’s lucid style of writing and her thought-provoking insights and observations on how the academic model should be. She has hinted how we can have a modern outlook on education as well as a modern method of educating without ignoring the rich cultural heritage of the land. The author has also successfully explained how the system of education in India could be appropriately Indianized.

To read his full review, click here.

I am very grateful to Anurag for taking the time to review the book.


NEWS III:  More to come still....

While there is always more news to share, but I stop now for the time being.

And as I begin the third year of this blog, all I can say is that my sincere aspiration and hope is that my work on this blog becomes a means for truer inspiration and a deeper engagement with ideas and thoughts in the years to come.

Like with everything else in life, there may be some new changes on this blog too in the coming year. Stay tuned!

Thank you, everyone. Happy reading. Happy writing. Happy thinking.

Photo credit: Suhas Mehra

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Linking this with ABC Wednesday, N: N is for News, New

Managing the Noises

A new post in the series - Reminders to self

Always good to start with examples.

1. A wanna-be-in-news-for-a-day politican makes a comment about the slavish mentality of a political party, by giving an example that in all honesty is not far from one of the many uncomfortable truths of our larger society. Now he is not one of the usual English-speaking types that the elite sections of our mass media and their followers seem to endorse, so he ends up blurting out his thing in a somewhat crude or crass manner. Resulting in offending the oh-so-delicate sensibilities of our social elite. How dare he? All hell breaks lose. Noisemakers get busy doing what they do best. For a day or maybe two. Till the next opportunity arrives, and arrive it will soon enough.

2. A reporter twists some words of a decorated army general, giving a totally different spin on the intent of the words. A full-blown war of words is on. Who cares about the important work that the general has been doing for the nation's citizens for the past several days, as long as the noisemakers are busy with their noises.

3. In between 1 and 2 there were many other opportunities well utilised for making more noises. The curious case of an MIA reluctant politican, the inscrutable case of the unraveling of a new political outfit, and a few more. Not to forget there were also some celebrity videos, some celebrity disclosures, some celebrity this or that, for a fair amount of other entertainment. 

The 21st century political democracy is full of such noises. And more. Led by the mass media and supported by an increasingly vocal 'educated' and 'wired' sections of the middle classes, this version of democratic discourse is loud, noisy and unrelenting.

The other day I found myself reflecting on this 'noisy' phenomenon of our times and the need for 'managing' the noise. Unless one is living in a cave somewhere, these noises do have an impact on us, in different ways, to different degrees. So managing them and navigating one's way through them becomes important. 

What do you do when the outside noises become too loud? Especially when you also find that many of these noises are simply too silly, too frivolous, with no real substance, with no serious thought. Of course, the easiest thing is to ignore all those noises which you consider frivolous, devoid of any substance or just plain silly. But we know that such terms like silly, frivolous, substantive, serious are subjective. What seems mundane or frivolous to some could be quite important or interesting for others.

Subjective are and must also be the ways to deal with these noises -- mundane or significant. Different people do different things.

Some just shut out the outer world and its noises and go back into their little safe worlds of domestic joys and concerns, of their personal achievements and struggles, personal cocoons where they can better control and check the noises entering their environments.

Some try to engage with some of the noises they consider significant, but do so on their terms, selectively, thoughtfully, being mindful of how much to engage and when to withdraw.

Some withdraw into their inner worlds where they are able to neutralize any impact of the outer noises and arrive at a quieter place with the help of silent contemplation.

And some others do a combination of two or all of these things -- a bit of mindful engagement with some of the noises (even if the engagement is sometimes limited to an inner mental churning for personal understanding which doesn't express itself outwardly), a bit of physical withdrawal, a bit of emotional-mental withdrawal, and whatever else that helps them overcome, dull, reduce, transcend the noises.

When reflecting upon my pattern of responses, I found myself doing any one or more of these things, depending on my mood at the time.

But it is important to go beyond this idea of merely 'managing the noise' and ask some critical questions -- what is/are the reason(s) for all the noise out there? Is it something that has always existed and for some reason I was just not aware of it? Or has this noise become more shrill, more annoying, more loud in the recent times? What could possibly be the reason(s) for this? Is it that I have become more sensitive to the noise?

It is even more important to ask: Are we allowing the loud noises to sway us in one direction or another? Are we slowly losing our independent ability to weigh the arguments, assess the reasonings and come to our own understanding?

I am not sure I have all the answers yet, but I am pretty convinced of the need to ask these questions.

Because unless we ask these questions, we may simply be drowning in the sea of noises out there. We may simply be allowing others to tell us what should be our 'right' reaction to a particular noise, a particular happening, a particular situation.

But that's not all.

It is perhaps even more important to remember a much deeper truth. A truth beyond all the noise.

The truth that the noises are not only out there, the more damaging ones are the noises inside us. How do we deal with the noise that is in here, in our minds? Where does this noise come from? How can I move beyond this noise to a better place of quietude?

Sometimes the answer surprises us. Because the answer isn't separate from the question, it is rather hidden in the question itself. We don't 'deal with' or 'manage' the noise in here. We simply recognise it, identify it, and through that process itself the noise begins to lose its 'hold' upon us. We can slowly begin to walk away from the possible impact of the mental noise and inch toward a truer voice that had been hiding under all the noise.

If only you become conscious of your physical mind in itself... Some people have called it a public square, because everything comes there, goes across, passes, comes back.... All ideas go there, they enter at one place, leave by another, some are here, some there, and it is a public square, not very well organised, for usually ideas meet and knock into one another, there are accidents of all kinds. But then one becomes aware: “What can I call my mind?” or “What is my mind?” One needs years of very attentive, very careful, very reasonable, very coherent work, organisation, selection, construction, in order to succeed simply in forming, oh, simply this little thing, one’s own way of thinking! 

One believes one has one’s own way of thinking. Not at all. It depends totally upon the people one speaks with or the books one has read or on the mood one is in. It depends also on whether you have a good or bad digestion, it depends on whether you are shut up in a room without proper ventilation or whether you are in the open air; it depends on whether you have a beautiful landscape before you; it depends on whether there is sunshine or rain! You are not aware of it, but you think all kinds of things, completely different according to a heap of things which have nothing to do with you! 

And for this to become a coordinated, coherent, logical thought, a long thorough work is necessary.  

~ The Mother, CWM, Vol. 6, pp. 258-259 

Image source

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To see previous post in the series, Reminders to self, click here.
To seel all posts in the series, click here.

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Linking with ABC Wednesday, M, M is for Managing