Nirodbaran – Selected Essays and Talks

“Kanchipuram is a very old city of ancient India. It was a city of culture and learning and the seat of various religions. It has seen many kings, many dynasties, many wars and political upheavals.

The world is racked with violence: life has lost its sanctity, a dark Power has eclipsed the light of faith, truth and love. At this critical juncture, the Matrimandir is rising like a tower of peace and harmony....

Many times in the past as well as recently, some serious physical problems have affected a few of the older sadhaks, making me wonder what the occult reason for this might be. Material science would scoff at such a concern. But, in the Ashram, spiritual science must take the occult into account....

How the Ashram also contributes to the material welfare of the town can be realised from the present story. This story is about a very practical piece of work resulting from the Yogic life pursued in the Ashram under the guidance of the Mother.

Sri Aurobindo said that when He was in jail the Gita was put into His hand. ... So He told us that this Gita was given to Him by Sri Krishna; and if you read Essays on the Gita, which I recommend very strongly to all of you, those particularly who are grown up, you will have no doubt that it was Sri Aurobindo Himself who was Sri Krishna.

Swami Brahmananda said: ‘Next to Vivekananda nobody else ever loved India so much.’ ‘I see Nivedita as the Mother of the masses,’ said Rabindranath. ... Vivekananda knew and said that Nivedita would awaken nationalism among the Hindus and had directed her to dedicate herself to that end.

Sri Aurobindo had, ... a high esteem for Nivedita on several grounds and has told us India cannot be too grateful to her for what she did for our country.

Since childhood, he had been brought up in Shanti Niketan. Poet and artist, he became at once Tagore’s favourite. Tagore initiated him into the subtleties of Bengali literature with care and affection. In Art, Abanindranath and Nandalal were his masters.

Seeing Sahanadi’s example I realise that one need not have knowledge of Sri Aurobindo’s great philosophy to do his Yoga. There is a path of Love and Devotion which can unfold all the mysteries of the Divine