SRI AUROBINDO GHOSH

Aurobindo,
described by Romain Rolland as
Sri
thinkers was a versatile
Indian
the prince of
person, a great poet, a great metaphysician, a great
great patriot and
above all a great systematie
seer, a
15th August 1872. His
thinker. He was born
on

who spent some years

father Krishnadhan Ghosh,
was a great admirer of the
at Aberdeen University,
therefore tried
western habits, ideas and ideals. He
of education to Aurobindo
to impart European type
Loretto Convent School at
and sent him to
Aurobindo was
At the age of seven
Darjeeling. under the
taken by his parents to England
and put
family. Aurobindo remainea
careofan English receivedh
and
England for about fourteen years Cambridge

education atManchester, London and

divorced iro
hus Aurobindo was completely not know anyn
Indian culture and did
language except Bengal1. in 1893 de
India lul
Aurobindo returned to f e r v o u r
and
ther

imbued with the nationalistic that h

fact
to the
b e e n g r e a l l

patriotiSm. This was due

st Krishnadhan Ghosh. who had
Or
 POLITICAL THOUGHT
disillusioned with the way of ihe British other political
leaders. He saw a very
intimate
Government in India. used to write regularly to
relationship between spirituality and politicsl As
Aurobindo about the maltreatment of the Indians Dr. Karan Singh has observed his
He also sent hiin cuttings from
thought "was
hy the Englishmen. firmly grounded in and grew out of his deep
the Bengalce (an Indian newspaper) containing
spiritual convictions. Politics for him were an
details of the maltreatment of the Indians by the extension. as it were, of his theory of personal.
Englishmen. All this contributed to the growth of national and universal spiritual development".
patriotism in his heart. In addition the patriotic Aurobindo held that India had a mission -the
activities of the Irish freedom fighters like Parnell, mission of giving spiritual lead to mankind and
andthe writings of Mazzini and other Italian showing it the path leading to a new creaive
patriots also left a deep impact on his mind. While synthesis of the march of human civilization. He
at Cambridge, Aurobindo became a member ofthe asserted that a subject and dependent India could
Indian Majlis and acted as its Secretary. He also not deliver the message of spirituality to the world
joined a secret revolutionary society known as The and act as the guide and helper of mankind. She
otus and Drgger and took a vow to liberate the could accomplish this mission only if she shook
country. In short, though he spent long years in off bondage to the foreign yoke and hecame
England his faith in European civilization was he set his goal as freedom of
greatlyshattered.
independent. Thus
the country rather than self-government of the
Aurobindo in India: Aurobindo returned tocolonial type. In other words, Aurobindo treated
India in 1893 and worked in various
capacities. national independence not as an end in itself but
First of all he took up job under Gackward of
Baroda. He served him in different
as a means
to a higher end viz. to provide spiritual
capacities tor leadershipto the world. He wanted India to be free
about thirteen years. First he was
given certain and strong not merely
with a view to the
administrativeassignments. Then he took up job material welfare of the people and promote
occupy an
as
Lecturer in French at Baroda College. Later, he honoured place in the community of nations, but
became Professor of English and Vice-Principal. with a view to ensure that her ancient
spirituality
WhileAurobindo was in the service of Gaekwad should triumph and may become a guide and
of Baroda he studied Indian languages and helper
to the whole of the human race. He warned
Sanskrit. This provided him an India
know about the opportunity to
ancient Indian culture. Aurobindo,
against yielding to the temptation of becoming a
who had been strong nation in terms of industrial development,
exclusively subjected to
Cducation during the childhood and youthEuropean
became
military strength etc. and warned this way India
would lose her soul and
re-Indianised and gained an insight into the soul spiritual heritage and
of India. He also started become one more nation like others. Aurobindo
his stay at Baroda. The practising yoga during laid emphasis on the
preservation of ancient
Indian
is Soul to blossom and he took
practice
of yoga helpedspiritual heritage.
e concrete steps Tor The scholars have tended to take the view that
realisation of his life's mission. In 1906 when Aurobindo took part in politics only for a short-
nOVement against partition of Bengal started he
Jolned the while and then withdrew to devote himself
national movement. However, he spiritual pursuits.
to
remained in
ed politics only till
in
But this view is not correct.
1910
when he Aurobindo did not completely quit
politics and
himlnimself
himself from politics and devoted merely changed his methods/He was convinced
to
spiritual pursuits. that the liquidation of the
foreign rule and the
ideaspiritual
of
Basis of Aurobindos Thought: The
Sri Aurobindo improvement of the social and economic
were quite different from conditions of the people would not by themselves

639-
 Congress based on the providentiat eh
awaken
to
woyld be
inorc
imporlant
soul of thepolitical link between India and
lair-play oftheand
It in the
be enough. lying
dorinant
in sense of justice and
power of full spiritual
the spiritual position
raise her
the
to should not people, and efticacy of constitutional
india and
Aurobindo's
spirituality
did Aurobindo said that the Britishers neth
leader Thus from life. He
his
withdrawal

ordinary people who were were vere

be taken to
mean

the world as
unreal or illusory and sought managing aliairy
Indian Empire for their selfish ends
the
not decry
a higher level throught the and nou
to
to raise mankind the good of the people. le did not
man's life. believe in
Supermind in
descent
ofthe after his return efficacy of constitutional methods and hed
Criticism ofCongress: Soon
adopted a highly since the interests of India and
in 1893,
to Indiaattitude
critical
Aurobindo
towards the
Congress. He wrote
Britainv
radically different, it is futile to hope thatththe Bris
which he would be willing to share power with the
anonymous articles in ndu Prakash in On the contrary, they would like to avoid ladia
bitterly Congress for its narrow and
criticised the it as l
restricted aims, defective and futile methods and as they could help it. Aurobindo also criticized t
its leadership. Aurobindo said about Congress "its Congress leadership and alleged that they wer n
aims are mistaken, that the spirit in which it inspired by the longing for national freedom a
proceeds towards their accomplishment is not the their main aim was only to make the burden d
spirit of sincerity and whole-heartedness. and that English yoke, light. He said "the mo
the methods it has chosen are not the right methods,
disheartening feature in the present politica
and the leaders, in whom it trusts are not the
right leadership...is an almost utter absence ofthis ses
sort of men to be leaders: in brief, that we are at
(longing for emancipation). Our leaders are nata
present the blind led, if not by the blind, at any all conscious of their own country and thes
rate by one-eyed. "Aurobindo held that our
real country's present political bondage. They dom
enemy was not the British government and the
bureaucratic system but "our notwithstanding all their ravings against
own crying weakness Government, really feel the utter degradation
for cowardice, our
selfishness, our hypocrisy, our misery of their present position in the constiun
purblind sentimentalism"| He emphaised the need of their State." He criticised Congress leu
of
developing the
manhood fellow feeling for the
and for lack of sense of humiliatjon in
poor and down-trodden
not to hanker
people ofthe country and Subjection to fornrule and theiprotession
after the soiled crumbs which ovalty to the Brutisn Crown. Aurobindo sanu
England may cast to us from her table. In the attitude of the Congress leaders towards
Words, we can say that whereas simple British Government was influenced by pue
time believed in Congress at ihat p e r s o n a l and seltish considerations. To
otehi
getting concessions convincing
by They complain
quoc
the
Government of British India and British They complain beczuse
because they are
they dre not appoiln
not app
are not
in
high offices the
Parliament about the justness of their
demand
to
administration.
appointment of a Bengali as the Chid Justice
n d

urobindo pleaded for

of national
self-help for the realizauo the Calcutta igh Court, or of a 1 a d r a s e e
independence. As one writer na> Advocale General in Madra
ends up a cno
observed the greatest service rendered by congratulatio
fron the whole of
of of the
theInd
lh
Aurobindo to Indian nationalism was tha he who have not
nationalism"
placed before the people of India the deal ideal ofof
enlary truth
ofelementary
as
yet arisen to a
truth that such
that such isolated
Percept

them isolated instane

inst
s t a n c e s e

conplete national independence and n made

ed in
vancement do not
otlicial ädva
1nd
and cacan ne
conscious of the moral degradation in sale for the serious
compensale

intellectual mor

which govern1nent of one andople

wrong Which the
the
subjection to foreign rule. methods
of peo
Aurobindo also criticised the
 POLITICAL THOUGHT

people. always
inflicts. The leader quite diflerent from the nationalism advocated
by
on the the other nationalist leaders like Dadabhai
most violent attack
aa lien
a n o l h e ra n

a a , Naoroji,
Ieads that Gopal Krishan Gokhale. Surendranath Banerjee
c a d s

tound, the moment

therefore
t o d a y

Govemment.iiss
who

i n into its
into counsels or woos etc. No doubt the earlier nationalist leaders loved
dmits hhim a d m i l s

their, country and suffered nuch hardship for this

and preferment, to
ofhonour
Government

offers
cause, but they were not inspired by the idea of
with most enthusiastically".
him
S u p p o r t
a n dd e f e n d

defend il Aurobindo kindling in the nation a consciousness of its own

on which
ground
other genius or awaken the soul of India. They pleaded
Yet was that it
completely
Congress
for political rights for the Indians on the plea of
of the proletariat and
eriticised i n t e r e s t s
c r i t i c i s e d
was

the their being British subjects and not as Indians or

glected
elamiddle-class
organisation. He asserted
force and human beings. Aurobindo raised nationalism to
e s e n t i a

was a potenti
the
that the
proletariat and lofty heights. He said "Nationalism is not a mere
of their upliftment
emphaised
the need
wanted to elevate the proletariat political programme: is areligion that
N a t i o n a l i s m

enmenl. He
enlightenment.He
divine fire that lay dormant hascome from God: Nationalism is creed which
them feel the are going to be a
dmake
first Indian thinkers you shall have to live If you
he was one ofthe
in them.
Thus
the need of educating
and Nationalist; if you are going to assent to this
must do it in the
to emphasise religion of Nationalism, you
enlightening t h e m a s s e s .
You must remember that you are
Br itish Government: religious spirit.
Criticism of the is not going
criticised the British the instruments of God...Nationalism
Aurobindo also bitterly
to be crushed.
Govemment. At times
his criticism of the British
bitter that it ran the risk of Nationalism thrivesin thestrength of God and
Government was so weapons are
being branded as sedition and consequent itis not possibleto crush it, whatever
immortal". Thus
is
British with brought against it. Nationalism
prosecution. Aurobindo criticised the Aurobindo provided an element of spiritualism
to
two objectives. Firstly, he wanted to undermine nationalism
nationalism. It may be noted that the
the faith ofthe Indians in the superiority of the
Aurobindo was not narrow or
Britgsh institutions. He asserted that the British preached by
chauvistic. It was world wide and a part of the
political did represent the best in
institutions not
He wanted India to be free so
that
e Occidental culture and civilization and Divine plan.
she could serve the cause of humanity and carry
onsidered the Frenchinstitutions much better.He
Said "owing to the accident of British domination the will of God.
Aurobindo
Aurobindo on Human Unity:
ur nellects have been carefully nurtured on a
believed in the ideal ofhuman uhity
and considered
purely English diet.
Hence, we do not care to number of
purchase an outfit of political ideas properly the division of mankind into large
hostile sovereign nation
adusted to our natural temper and urgent require- mutually suspicious and
Dene
ENIS but eke out our scanty wardrobe with cast states as the sole of horrors and disasters of
cause

ags and threadbare leavings world war 1. In his treatise he of Humo

of our English human unity was
DSSecondly, he wanted to assert that the Uny he argued that the ideal of
British a part ofthe Nature's
eventual scheme. He asserted
theIndi ministrative system was not suitable for realised either
Ipdian
nditions. He also condemned the that this ideal of human unity can be
British
He officials for this arrogance and rudeness. through the formation ofworld-state or byuniting
even
criticised the British system of education the nation.states into some sort of
federation.He
because
ecause it
killed the very soul of people. also envisaged the possibility of achieving world
Aurobindo on Nationalism: Aurobindo unity through some type of a confederation
advocated a new type of nationalism, which was Aurobindo said "the ideal unification of
mankind

64)
 as a first rule of
West and ofthe East". He was not only
would be a system in which. a
common and harmonious life,
the human peoples
but also a yogi and saint who showed thinker
the hink
would be allowed to form their own groupings New Heaven and a New Earth.
Since pathweeare
primarily concerned with Aurobindo as a politica
We a
toa
according to their natural divisions of locality,
race,
thinker, we shall concentrate on his coliig
culture, economic convenience and not according
to the more violent accidents--of bistory of the to the political thought. In the first place he
1e first contribution
place,
was
egoistic will of powerful nations"l He held that if the first thinker to place before his countru
countrymen
of frec and natural groupings was the ideal of complete independence and
the principle
the degradation and humiliation
highli
accepted there would be no room for internal involved
discords, conflicts and incompatibilities which mar subjection to foreign Secondly, he imparteind
rule.
the human relations at present. a new direction to the nationalist
movement
ent by
Aurobindo was however, quite conscious of lifting it from the low material plane to highes
the difficulties in the way of the realisation of the spiritual level.He did
not merely lay emphasis on
free world union in the nature of selfishness and attainment of social, economic and
politica
egoism of the states, but hoped that these could be freedom but also their spiritual emancipation
overcome by placing before the mankind at Thirdly, Aurobindo was the first to emphasise the
large
the spiritual religion of humanity. He was confident need of
that the realisation of the spiritual oneness of all
involving
the masses in the
national
movement. Before him the national movement
humanity will produce, the feeling of was
essentially a middle-class movement. He roped in
psychological oneness/which is so essential for the the masses in this movement, and transformed
attainment of the human unity. Aurobindo said the
national movement into a mass-movement.
"The increase of human
unity, on which the very idea of mass involvement was further
The
survival of the human race
depends, can be attained developed
by leaders, like Tilak and Gandhi. Fourthly, he
only as we realise within ourselves that deep truth descrves credit for
of our being, the oneness
of creation and the advocating the doctrine of
essential unity of mankind and live out passive resistance long before Gandhi started his
its non-violent
implications in all our relationships. It is within non-cooperation and civi-
ourselves that we shall find the disobedience movements. Fifthly, he also provided
altruism springs of creative inspiration to the revolutionary movementn
or resourceful brotherly love". Thus
Aurobindo emphasised the
Bengal and asserted that every nation has the right
people of the
principle that the to resort to violence to
attain independence if other
world must learn to live
brothers. together as methods failed. Finally, he advocated
the
Evaluation of Aurobindo: Aurobindo of human unity. He said "Our ideal of concept
been described by Romain has proceeds on the basis of love and patriotism
Rolland as "the ultimate unity of envisages te
foremost of Indian thinkers who has mankind...it is a unity of
most complete synthesis between the
realized the equal and free men that we seek, not thebrothers
genius of the master and serf, of unity o
devourer and devoured".