Collated by Tusar Nath Mohapatra
Highlighting Sri Aurobindo's views without reference to The Mother is fundamentally erroneous and incomplete, as their philosophies and work are inextricably linked and represent a single, unified supramental mission. The Mother was not merely a disciple or a follower; she was his spiritual equal and closest collaborator, essential to the theory and, especially, the practical manifestation of his Integral Yoga.
Key reasons why omitting The Mother is an error:
- Unity of Consciousness: Both Sri Aurobindo and The Mother explicitly stated that they were "One consciousness" working together to bring down the Supramental Consciousness to Earth. To understand one without the other is to miss this central truth of their shared work.
- Integral Yoga in Practice: While Sri Aurobindo provided the extensive philosophical and theoretical framework for Integral Yoga in his writings (like The Life Divine and The Synthesis of Yoga), The Mother was responsible for the practical, day-to-day implementation and development of the path within the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and later Auroville. Her talks and writings (the 17-volume Collected Works of the Mother) detail the practical application of his abstract philosophy to daily life, education, and community building.
- Administrative and Spiritual Head: After Sri Aurobindo retired into seclusion in 1926 to focus on the descent of the Supermind, he entrusted the entire spiritual and material charge of the Ashram to The Mother. Her guidance and force were the engine that ran the ashram and nurtured the disciples, making it impossible to understand the development of the work without her.
- Complementary Roles: Their relationship is often described in the Mother's words: "Without Him, I exist not; without me, He is unmanifest". This highlights their complementary, interdependent roles in the divine manifestation on Earth. Sri Aurobindo even referred to the Second World War as "Mother's war," indicating her active participation in world events at a subtle level, in alignment with their shared vision.
In essence, The Mother is the living embodiment and dynamic force of the truths that Sri Aurobindo articulated intellectually; separating them results in an intellectual but incomplete understanding of their full message and mission for human evolution.
- GoogleAI
Sri Aurobindo and The Mother's mission is rooted in a universal spirituality and is not based on any single religion, though it draws from and synthesizes spiritual and philosophical traditions, including Hinduism. They saw their mission as a unique path to a new creation, which they stated was a spiritual ideal beyond the confines of religion and nationality, focusing instead on the "Truth of the Divine" which is behind all religions.
Connection to Hinduism
- Synthesizes Hindu principles: Their teachings integrate and build upon concepts from Indian philosophical and spiritual traditions, with Sri Aurobindo himself citing the necessity of linking "Vedanta brain and Islamic body" for the future of India.
- Rejects religionism: While drawing from traditions, they explicitly disavowed their mission as being solely for Hinduism or any single religion, stating that their Ashram would not be for Hinduism if that were the case.
- Emphasizes the Divine: Their foundation is the "Truth of the Divine" which they see as the spiritual reality behind all religions, and they focused on a spiritual goal beyond sectarianism.
Connection to other religions
- A synthesis of world traditions: Their philosophy is an original synthesis of both Indian and Western traditions, aiming for a universal spirituality that encompasses the spiritual essence of all religions.
- Focus on a world beyond religion: While acknowledging the spiritual essence in all religions, the ultimate goal is a spiritual seeking that serves as the basis for human unity, a vision of a world moving beyond religion itself.
Conclusion
- Not a religion, but a spiritual philosophy: The mission can be seen as a spiritual philosophy with a practical and social dimension. The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the teachings represent philosophy, not a religious denomination.
- Trans-religious or supra-religious: Rather than connecting to one religion, it seeks to transcend all religions to establish a universal spirituality based on a new consciousness and a new creation.
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