Sri Aurobindo
Autobiographical Notes
and Other Writings of Historical Interest
Part Three. On Indian and World Events 1940–1950
1. Public Statements, Messages,
Letters and Telegrams
On Indian Independence 1942–1947
The Fifteenth of August 1947 [1]1
August 15th is
the birthday of free India. It marks for her the end of an old era, the
beginning of a new age. But it has a significance not only for us, but for Asia
and the whole world; for it signifies the entry into the comity of nations of a
new power with untold potentialities which has a great part to play in
determining the political, social, cultural and spiritual future of humanity. To
me personally it must naturally be gratifying that this date which was notable
only for me because it was my own birthday celebrated annually by those who have
accepted my gospel of life, should have acquired this vast significance. As a
mystic, I take this identification, not as a coincidence or fortuitous accident,
but as a sanction and seal of the Divine Power which guides my steps on the work
with which I began life. Indeed almost all the world movements which I hoped to
see fulfilled in my lifetime, though at that time they looked like impossible
dreams, I can observe on this day either approaching fruition or initiated and
on the way to their achievement.
I have been asked for a message on this great occasion,
but 
I am perhaps hardly in a position to give
one. All I can do is to make a personal declaration of the aims and ideals
conceived in my childhood and youth and now watched in their beginning of
fulfilment, because they are relevant to the freedom of India, since they are a
part of what I believe to be India’s future work, something in which she cannot
but take a leading position. For I have always held and said that India was
arising, not to serve her own material interests only, to achieve expansion,
greatness, power and prosperity,– though these too she must not neglect,– and
certainly not like others to acquire domination of other peoples, but to live
also for God and the world as a helper and leader of the whole human race. Those
aims and ideals were in their natural order these: a revolution which would
achieve India’s freedom and her unity; the resurgence and liberation of Asia and
her return to the great role which she had played in the progress of human
civilisation; the rise of a new, a greater, brighter and nobler life for mankind
which for its entire realisation would rest outwardly on an international
unification of the separate existence of the peoples, preserving and securing
their national life but drawing them together into an overriding and
consummating oneness; the gift by India of her spiritual knowledge and her means
for the spiritualisation of life to the whole race; finally, a new step in the
evolution which, by uplifting the consciousness to a higher level, would begin
the solution of the many problems of existence which have perplexed and vexed
humanity, since men began to think and to dream of individual perfection and a
perfect society.
India is free but she has not achieved unity, only a
fissured and broken freedom. At one time it almost seemed as if she might
relapse into the chaos of separate States which preceded the British conquest.
Fortunately there has now developed a strong possibility that this disastrous
relapse will be avoided. The wisely drastic policy of the Constituent Assembly
makes it possible that the problem of the depressed classes will be solved
without schism or fissure. But the old communal division into Hindu and Muslim
seems to have hardened into the figure of a permanent political division of the
country. It is to be hoped 
that the Congress
and the nation will not accept the settled fact as for ever settled or as
anything more than a temporary expedient. For if it lasts, India may be
seriously weakened, even crippled: civil strife may remain always possible,
possible even a new invasion and foreign conquest. The partition of the country
must go,– it is to be hoped by a slackening of tension, by a progressive
understanding of the need of peace and concord, by the constant necessity of
common and concerted action, even of an instrument of union for that purpose. In
this way unity may come about under whatever form – the exact form may have a
pragmatic but not a fundamental importance. But by whatever means, the division
must and will go. For without it the destiny of India might be seriously
impaired and even frustrated. But that must not be.
Asia has arisen and large parts of it have been
liberated or are at this moment being liberated; its other still subject parts
are moving through whatever struggles towards freedom. Only a little has to be
done and that will be done today or tomorrow. There India has her part to play
and has begun to play it with an energy and ability which already indicate the
measure of her possibilities and the place she can take in the council of the
nations.
The unification of mankind is under way, though only in
an imperfect initiative, organised but struggling against tremendous
difficulties. But the momentum is there and, if the experience of history can be
taken as a guide, it must inevitably increase until it conquers. Here too India
has begun to play a prominent part and, if she can develop that larger
statesmanship which is not limited by the present facts and immediate
possibilities but looks into the future and brings it nearer, her presence may
make all the difference between a slow and timid and a bold and swift
development. A catastrophe may intervene and interrupt or destroy what is being
done, but even then the final result is sure. For in any case the unification is
a necessity in the course of Nature, an inevitable movement and its achievement
can be safely foretold. Its necessity for the nations also is clear, for without
it the freedom of the small peoples can never be safe
hereafter and even large and powerful nations cannot really be secure. India, if
she remains divided, will not herself be sure of her safety. It is therefore to
the interest of all that union should take place. Only human imbecility and
stupid selfishness could prevent it. Against that, it has been said, even the
gods strive in vain; but it cannot stand for ever against the necessity of
Nature and the Divine Will. Nationalism will then have fulfilled itself; an
international spirit and outlook must grow up and international forms and
institutions; even it may be such developments as dual or multilateral
citizenship and a voluntary fusion of cultures may appear in the process of the
change and the spirit of nationalism losing its militancy may find these things
perfectly compatible with the integrity of its own outlook. A new spirit of
oneness will take hold of the human race.
The spiritual gift of India to the world has already
begun. India’s spirituality is entering Europe and America in an ever increasing
measure. That movement will grow; amid the disasters of the time more and more
eyes are turning towards her with hope and there is even an increasing resort
not only to her teachings, but to her psychic and spiritual practice.
The rest is still a personal hope and an idea and ideal
which has begun to take hold both in India and in the West on forward-looking
minds. The difficulties in the way are more formidable than in any other field
of endeavour, but difficulties were made to be overcome and if the Supreme Will
is there, they will be overcome. Here too, if this evolution is to take place,
since it must come through a growth of the spirit and the inner consciousness,
the initiative can come from India and although the scope must be universal, the
central movement may be hers.
Such is the content which I put into this date of
India’s liberation; whether or how far or how soon this connection will be
fulfilled, depends upon this new and free India.
