By Sri Aurobindo This article is in continuation of last blog. But the Gita’s teaching here has a still profounder significance if we take it not as a detached quotation self-contained in meaning, as is too often done, but as we should do, in connection with all that it has been saying throughout the work…

By Sri Aurobindo This article is in continuation of last blog. The ancient system of the four orders had a triple aspect; it took a social and economic, a cultural and a spiritual appearance. On the economic side it recognised four functions of the social man in the community, the religious and intellectual, the political,…

In the vast tapestry of Indian civilisation, the concepts of Varṇa and Jāti have often been misunderstood, oversimplified, or distorted. Colonial classifications and modern interpretations projected a rigid hierarchy onto a system that, in its original vision, was organic, ethical, and deeply spiritual. As historian Dharampal ji notes, even the term “Dalit” is largely a…

By A. K. Saran TODAY there is no living Hindu society in India. The process of the decay of Hindu society and religion (which must be distinguished from Hindu spirituality) began very long ago. It reached a decisive phase during India’s encounter with Islam and continued in a different form throughout the comparatively brief but…

Hinduism’s starting point is neither God nor the Creation (the universe, the world). It is the simple but inexhaustible question: Who am I? Before going further, it should be emphasized that the form and the logic of this question are profoundly different from a question that has often engaged the modern philosophical anthropologist, though apparently…

37. KARMA Jiva is beginningless because he is born of ignorance which is beginningless. During this existence. Jiva assumes different forms and goes through countless births and deaths. While in human form, the Jiva performs actions (Karmas) which are both good and bad. Whether an action is good or bad, is determined by the motive,…

37. कर्म (Karma) जीव अनादि है, क्योंकि वह अनादि अविद्या से उत्पन्न हुआ है। इस अस्तित्व के क्रम में जीव अनेक रूप धारण करता है और असंख्य जन्म-मरण के चक्र से गुजरता है। मनुष्य रूप में रहते हुए जीव विविध कर्म करता है — शुभ भी और अशुभ भी। कोई कर्म शुभ है या अशुभ,…

32. TAT TWAMASI (That Thou Art) 32. ननु साहंकारस्य किंचिज्ज्ञस्य जीवस्य निरहंकारस्य सर्वज्ञस्य ईश्वरस्य तत्त्वमसीति महावाक्यात् कथमभेदबुद्धिः स्यादुभयोः विरुद्धधर्माक्रान्तत्वात् इति चेत । But the Jiva is endowed with ego, and his knowledge is limited. (Whereas) Isvara is without ego and is omni-scient. (Then) how can there be identity, as stated in the Mahavakya TAT TWAM…

32. तत् त्वम् असि (तू वही है) 32. ननु साहंकारस्य किंचिज्ज्ञस्य जीवस्य निरहंकारस्य सर्वज्ञस्य ईश्वरस्य तत्त्वमसीति महावाक्यात् कथमभेदबुद्धिः स्यादुभयोः विरुद्धधर्माक्रान्तत्वात् इति चेत । परंतु जीव अहंकारयुक्त और सीमित ज्ञान वाला है, जबकि ईश्वर अहंकाररहित और सर्वज्ञ है। तब ऐसे में इन दोनों के बीच महावाक्य “तत्त्वमसि” (तू वही है) द्वारा अभेदबुद्धि कैसे संभव है, जबकि…

24. EVOLUTION OF THE TAMASIC ASPECT एतेषां पञ्चतत्वानां तामसांशात् पञ्चीकृतपञ्चतत्वानि भवन्ति । From the Tamas aspect of these five subtle elements, the grossified five elements are born. 24.1 पञ्चीकरणं कथम् इति चेत्। If it is asked how this Pachikarana (grossification) takes place, it is as follows: 24.2 एतेषां पञ्चमहाभूतानां ताम-सांशस्वरूपम् एकमेकं भूतं द्विधा विभज्य एकमेकमर्थ…

24. तामसिक पक्ष का विकास एतेषां पञ्चतत्त्वानां तामसांशात् पञ्चीकृत-पञ्चतत्त्वानि भवन्ति । इन पाँच सूक्ष्म तत्त्वों के तामसांश से पञ्चीकृत (Grossified) पंचतत्त्व उत्पन्न होते हैं। 24.1 पञ्चीकरणं कथम् इति चेत्। पञ्चीकरण (Grossification) किस प्रकार होता है, उसका वर्णन इस प्रकार है— 24.2 पञ्चीकरणप्रक्रिया (Process of Grossification) पञ्चीकरण की प्रक्रिया एतेषां पञ्चमहाभूतानां तामसांशस्वरूपम् एकमेकं भूतं द्विधा विभज्य…