Description
Indian philosopher, poet, mystic and Yogi, Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950), argued that human society has evolved throughout history. His aphorism ‘All Life is Yoga’ is in consonance with his evolutionary philosophy. His Integral Yoga encompasses every aspect of human life and society, the onward march of which do not stop at the present transitory formations. Sri Aurobindo did not deny the relevance of the transitory formations but emphasized that they have to be transcended as they are not the culmination in the evolution. Following Advaita Vedanta, he believed that there is a fundamental unity as the basis of existence and at the foundation of all things, and it is the Nature that moves to realize this unity. He described the Upanishads, the waning or lost knowledge recovered by Rishis through “meditation and spiritual experience” or recovery of the old truths in new forms by Rishis who used the Vedic Word as “a seed of thought and vision.” He expressed dissatisfaction that the modern individual, busy with his mundane life and outward activities, has to decrease interest in this ancient wisdom. The course would cover some aspects of Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and its applicability to contemporary problems. Despite the profundity of his philosophy and its wider implications, Sri Aurobindo and his ideas are relatively less explored. The course aims to fill this gap.
In this course the students will be able to:
- Discuss novel ideas like Ideal of Human Unity, Supramental Consciousness, Life Divine, and their significance.
- Explore Vedanta philosophy in the texts like The Secret of the Veda, Synthesis of Yoga, Savitri, etc.
- Explore the relevance of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga for the contemporary world.
Area of Study: Texts and Traditions
Required/Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Instructor: Dr. Debidatta. A. Mahapatra
