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Saturday, February 7
Udar: One of Mother's Children—Edited by Gauri Pinto
by
RY Deshpande
on Sat 07 Feb 2009 06:26 PM IST
This book commemorates the birth centenary of Laurence Pinto (1907–2001), who was given the name Udar by Sri Aurobindo in 1938. Printed on art paper, it is a collection of anecdotes, facts, stories, and over 400 photographs that reveal the story of Udar’s life. Educated and trained as an aeronautical engineer, his talents and skills were used by the Mother in the creation of Harpagon Workshop and the construction of Golconde, the organisation of the Physical Education Department, and the development of the Handmade Paper Unit, the Laboratoires Senteurs, Coco Garden Concrete Works, and Honesty Engineers and Contractors. The photographs and memories recorded here give vivid testimony to Udar’s dynamic presence in the daily life of the Ashram over a span of many years. more »
Beyond Religion: Perspective of the Realistic Adwaita—by Ranajit Sarkar (C)
by
RY Deshpande
on Sat 07 Feb 2009 04:33 AM IST
Religion with all its imperfections, bigotry, arrogance and intolerance reflects nonetheless the spiritual yearning of man. It ought to be a supra-rational expression of evolving conscious life, but is unfortunately supported by infra-rational belief-systems or abuses reason for establishing a solid theological framework. If we seek a higher truth of knowing, living and loving we cannot admit of anything that is sub-rational or founded on instincts, vital demands, selfish desires and impulses…
Reason is an effective means of making ourselves free of our sub-mental propensities and superstitions. But it may also be used to justify as effectively our infra-rational beliefs and lower natural inclinations. The essential part of religions, purged of dogmas, creeds, rituals, intolerance and blind, absurd and crude beliefs, is the evolutionary urge of the growing consciousness-force towards a spiritual fulfilment… The luminous growth of the human soul is something that reason cannot understand. It becomes an obstacle to the spirit’s evolution. Religion has perceived in its highest moments of lucidity that it has to rise above reason to intuitive spiritual heights, or plunge mystically deep into the soul’s blissful cavern to discover its true essence… The spiritual aspiration in religious life “is to discover the Infinite, the Absolute, the One, the Divine, who is all these things and yet no abstraction but a Being.” Reason does not possess either the vision or the power to make such a discovery. Nevertheless it has a part to play even in this exploration. Its only legitimacy in this is to explain to the intellect of man the truth and law of spiritual existence. Taking its premises from the direct spiritual experiences of the truth-seers, reason, in India, has produced a spiritual philosophy which has given a rational justification of spiritual truths to the enlightened intelligence. However philosophy is only a preliminary aid... For man, the mental being, this spiritual intelligence is a bridge between reason and spirit. And religions which have been able to get rid of the rational objections and irrational beliefs, dogmas and creeds, have prepared some for the pursuit of the free spiritual goal. Religion thus purified is the native form of spiritual urge… The value of religion lies in its capacity to be the soul’s guide in its ascension and expansion so that the spirit may manifest its knowledge, power and harmonious joy. more » |
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