Gita Satsangh, Chapter 9 Verses 4 to 6 - From Aurobindo: 3 of 4

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

(Please read the brief introduction and Important note at the

beginning of No.1 of 4 - Post #14995 - if you have not

already read it)

 

(AUROBINDO NOW SUMMARISES FOR US ALL THE FOUR FACETS OF EMPHASIS

OF THE GITA MENTIONED JUST AT THE END OF No.2).

The Supreme Godhead (FACET 1), the Self Immutable behind the

cosmic consciousness (FACET 2), the individual divinity in the

human being (FACET 3), and the Divine secretly conscious or

partially manifested in Nature and all her works and creatures

(FACET 4), -- are all (ALL FOUR OF THEM) then one reality, one

Godhead. But the truths that we can put forward the most

confidently of one, are reversed or they alter their sense when

we try to apply them to the other poises of the one Being. Thus

the divine is always the Lord, Ishvara. But we cannot therefore

crudely apply the idea of his essential lordship and mastery in

exactly the same way without change in all four fields.

(AND HERE FOLLOWS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PASSAGES OF

AUROBINDO WHEREIN HE HARMONISES AND UNIFIES IN ONE ‘SUPRAMENTAL

INFINITE’ THE DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES. ACCORDING TO HIM

THE MAYA ARGUMENT OF ADVAITA IS ONLY AN ‘EXAGGERATED EMPHASIS OF

A RELATIVE UNREALITY’. THOSE OF US WHO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO

DIGEST THE MAYA CONCEPT AS PER THE ADVAITIC TEACHINGS, MAY FIND

IT INTELLECTUALLY SATISFYING TO GO THE AUROBINDO WAY)

As the Divine manifest in cosmic Nature (FACET 4) he acts in

close identity with Nature. He is himself then Nature, so to

speak, but with a spirit within her workings which foresees and

forewills, understands and enforces, compels the action,

overrules in the result.

As the one silent self of all (FACET 3) he is the non-doer, and

Nature alone is the doer. He leaves all these works to be done

by her according to the law of our being, ‘svabhAvastu

pravartate’ and yet he is still the lord, ‘prabhu vibhu’ (FACET

2) because he views and upholds our action and enables Nature to

work by his silent sanction. He by his immobility transmits the

power of the supreme Godhead through the compulsion of his

pervading motionless Presence and supports its workings by the

equal regard of his witness Self in all things.

As the supreme supracosmic Godhead (FACET 1) he originates all,

but is above all; he compels all to manifest, but does not lose

himself in what he creates or attach himself to the works of his

Nature. His is the presiding Will of being that is antecedent to

all the necessities of the natural action.

In the individual he is during the ignorance the secret Godhead

in us who compels all to revolve on the machine of Nature on

which the ego is carried round as part of the machinery, at once

a clog and a convenience. But since all the Divine is within

each being, we can rise above this relation by transcending the

ignorance. For we can identify ourselves with the one Self

suppporter of all things and become the witness and the

non-doer. Or else we can put our individual being into the human

soul’s right relation with the supreme Godhead within us and

make it in its parts of nature the immediate cause and

instrument, ‘nimitta’ and in its spiritual self and person a

high participant in the supreme, free and unattached mastery of

that inner Numen. This is a thing we have to see clearly in the

Gita. We have to allow for this variation of the sense of the

same truth according to the nodus of relation from which the

application comes into force. Otherwise we shall see mere

contradiction and inconsistency where none exists or be baffled

like Arjuna.

(TO BE CONTINUED AND CONCLUDED in No.4 of 4)

praNAms to all advaitins

profvk

 

=====

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.

 

 

 

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