This memoir details the story of a sadhak (practitioner of spirituality), once a dyed-in-the-wool agnostic, who came to the practice of the Integral Yoga after a life-altering spiritual experience in his twenty-fourth year. Ignorant of spiritual literature at that time, he accepted conventional medical wisdom that put down the experience to a psychosomatic disorder. He continued to coast along as an agnostic for about a decade after this experience, believing all the while that medical attention was enough to 'manage the condition.' It was the contact with the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo that awoke him to the reality of the goings-on within. Until this first exposure to Aurobindonian philosophy and psychology, he had rejected the subjective truth of the realities of his inner experiences. This was simply because these realities did not 'fit' into the scheme of things that his rational mind could then construct. This book begins with a brief description of the spiritual experience alluded to, and goes on to explore the tensions between interpretations of it as a medical 'problem' and as a turning point in a life appropriated for a larger purpose. It is the author's hope that this book will be of use to those considering taking up a spiritual life. Moreover, it is for those diagnosed with psychosomatic disorders. The author would have achieved one of his main aims if the work throws new light on people with psychosomatic disorders.

Short biography of Sri Aurobindo, 1872-1950, Indian philosopher and nationalist.

This book brings to focus one of the prominent 20th century Indian thinkers, Sri Aurobindo, by providing an overview of his philosophy on life and yoga, and by elucidating his thought in the context of contemporary society. This text is unique in approaching Sri Aurobindo as a problem solver and from a conflict resolution perspective, the latter being the author’s expertise. Sri Aurobindo’s contributions such as Ideal of Human Unity, Integral Yoga, Life Divine and his poetic vision as embodied in his epic poem, Savitri, are explored in-depth. The book explores these ideas to seek possible solutions to the current predicaments of human life and society. This monograph attracts not only students and researchers in the fields of philosophy, religion, yoga, political science, international politics, Indian thought, and conflict resolution, but also general interest readers.

Biography of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh by Kaushal Kishore: Discover the life and teachings of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, a visionary philosopher and spiritual leader, in the insightful Biography of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. Delving into his early political activism, transformative spiritual experiences, and profound contributions to Indian philosophy, this biography offers a comprehensive exploration of Sri Aurobindo's remarkable journey. Key Points: Traces the life of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, from his involvement in India's freedom movement to his spiritual awakening and the establishment of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Explores Sri Aurobindo's integral yoga philosophy, emphasizing the synthesis of spiritual, psychological, and physical development as a means to achieve higher consciousness. Highlights Sri Aurobindo's role as a poet, philosopher, and social thinker, addressing topics such as education, society, and the evolution of human consciousness.In the insightful biography of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh authored by Kaushal Kishore, readers are taken on a transformative exploration of the life and teachings of one of India's most revered philosophers and spiritual leaders. This biography offers a profound understanding of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh's spiritual journey, his contributions to Indian philosophy, and his transformative vision for humanity. Kaushal Kishore provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of Sri Aurobindo's teachings and their relevance in the context of Indian spirituality and philosophy. The biography sheds light on his exploration of ancient texts, his engagement with Indian spiritual masters, and his integration of yogic practices into his spiritual path. Through Sri Aurobindo's spiritual guidance, readers are invited to embark on their own inner journey, embracing the path of self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment. The biography highlights Sri Aurobindo's emphasis on spiritual evolution, highlighting the transformative potential of spiritual practices and the pursuit of higher consciousness.

Aryadeva's Catuhsataka, along with the work of Nagarjuna, provided the philosophical basis for much of subsequent Mahayana Buddhism. Like Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarikas, it too was commented upon by Vijnanavada, or Idealist, thinkers as well as by those of the Madhyamaka, or Middle Way school. Thus the Catuhsataka was interpreted in very different, and yet philoslophically rich, fashioned by its sixth century commentators, Dharmapala and Candrakirti: the former saw it as only refuting ascriptions of imagined natures (parikalpitasvabhava) to phenomena while leaving real natures untouched; the latter interpreted Aryadeva's work as a thorough going rejection of all real intrinsic natures (svabhava) whatsoever. Tom Tillemans, in this reprint of his 1990 doctoral thesis, takes up the key themes in Dharmapala's and Candrakirti's philosophies and translates two chapters from their respective works on Catuhsataka. Both commentaries had a strong influence on subsequent Buddhism: Candrakirti's was important for Tibetan developments; Dharmapala's played a formative role in the increasingly marked differentiation between Vijnanavada and Madhyamaka philosophies.

An illuminating exploration of the life and philosophy of an uncommon visionary. Widely revered as a preeminent philosopher and spiritual leader, Sri Aurobindo’s teachings and legacy inspire millions across the globe. Yet, the true essence of his wisdom remains an enigma, intensified further by the mystique surrounding his life. In this comprehensive new biography, veteran historian Roshen Dalal sets out to demystify Aurobindo’s unique journey. From his early years and education in England to his consequential return to India during its embryonic freedom movement, his arrest in the infamous Alipore Bomb Case and subsequent spiritual awakening and ascetic life at his ashram in Pondicherry, she unravels the intricate events and relationships that shaped his thinking – particularly his collaborations with his spiritual partner, the Mother. Through meticulous analysis of his writings, she sheds light on Aurobindo’s radical path for the future – towards a harmonious world order and the awakening of a divine consciousness, culminating in the ultimate transformation of humanity. Drawing from over three decades of research, Dalal presents here the most accessible, lucid and insightful portrait of Sri Aurobindo to date. She underscores the pioneering ideas of a visionary thinker and the enduring power of his legacy.

This book presents contemporary perspectives of scholars working on different aspects of the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo- the idea of evolution, integral yoga, the transformation of the individual, society and earth, theories of nation and human unity, philosophy of emotions and ethics of the environment. Contributors examine Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy, its close conceptual relationship to classical Indian philosophy and its relevance. It sheds light on how his philosophy deals with the twenty-first century's fundamental problems and offers possible solutions. The book brings out the modern debate in Western philosophy involving thinkers like Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze, and their predecessors, such as Martin Heidegger and Friedrich Nietzsche. This book is an exercise in comparative Philosophy,one that unpacks the mind of Sri Aurobindo in the context of Indian, European and Anglo-American philosophical discourse. It is of great relevance for a new generation of students, scholars of Indian philosophy, politics, religious studies and those interested in knowing the thought and practice of the twentieth-century Indian, thinker and yogi, Sri Aurobindo.

Indian philosopher, poet, mystic and Yogi, Sri Aurobindo, argued that human society has evolved throughout history and is destined to move towards better organization of life. Applying his ideas to problems confronting the world today, this collection presents an in-depth exploration of Aurobindo's evolutionary philosophy and Integral Yoga. Written by an international team of scholars and practitioners, each chapter takes a theoretical aspect of Sri Aurobindo's philosophy, positions it alongside policy debates on the individual and the state and explains its practical and educational benefits. Contributors discuss his vision of unity in diversity, shed light on his poetry and offer a comprehensive view of his concept of ethics as well as his metaphysics of consciousness. They examine his contribution to the Indian response to post-Enlightenment modernity and reveal how his philosophy illuminates some of the fundamental problems of our times, offering possible solutions. By presenting the first sustained discourse between Sri Aurobindo and the contemporary world, this collection addresses the relevance of his philosophy for everyday life and highlights the lasting work of this important 20th-century Indian thinker.

Sri Aurobindo was the reveler of the Life Divine and prophet of the great epic Savitri. Both the unsurpassed titles bear divine messages but for those who could read them. But his stage-worthy plays teach his philosophical ideas through entertainments. Perhaps he wrote the plays to teach integral philosophy of life to all beings. Present work entitled Poetic Plays of Sri Aurobindo is an exhaustive study of his five blank verse drama maintaining the essential elements of drama and dramaturgy from Oriental to Occidental. In his plays, we could enjoy the dramatic art of Shakespeare and Shaw, Bhasa and Kalidasa. Sri Aurobindo was the deliverer of the whole human life and hence, this book enlightens - - how to deliberate one's own self along with the all. - how to bring hormony in individual, social, national and universal life. - how to attain Universal brotherhood by revealing oneness with all other beings. - how to build children's characters, so that, they can live a manly life, reveal universal friendship and enjoy a life divine on earth.

Since his death in 1950, Sri Aurobindo Ghose has been known primarily as a yogi and a philosopher of spiritual evolution who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in peace and literature. But the years Aurobindo spent in yogic retirement were preceded by nearly four decades of rich public and intellectual work. Biographers usually focus solely on Aurobindo's life as a politician or sage, but he was also a scholar, a revolutionary, a poet, a philosopher, a social and cultural theorist, and the inspiration for an experiment in communal living. Peter Heehs, one of the founders of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives, is the first to relate all the aspects of Aurobindo's life in its entirety. Consulting rare primary sources, Heehs describes the leader's role in the freedom movement and in the framing of modern Indian spirituality. He examines the thinker's literary, cultural, and sociological writings and the Sanskrit, Bengali, English, and French literature that influenced them, and he finds the foundations of Aurobindo's yoga practice in his diaries and unpublished letters. Heehs's biography is a sensitive, honest portrait of a life that also provides surprising insights into twentieth-century Indian history.