Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Mailing Address- C- 29, Swaraj Nagar, Panki, Kanpur- 208020, Uttar Pradesh, India

 

Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi

Shri Aurobindo was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi and poet. He was born on 15 August 1872 and died in 5 December 1950 at aged 78. He studied for Indian Civil Services at King’s College Cambridge. He was the first Indian to create major literatures in English. He was imprisoned by British for writing article against British rule. He had spiritual experiences in jail. He moved to Pondicherry for spiritual work after releasing from jail. His spiritual theme was the evolution of human life into a life of divine. He gave message that the sprit shall took out through matter’s gaze and matter shall reveled the sprite of face.

I visited Pondicherry. I could see nobody there. Mother didn’t reply at all. But Govindbhai came and saw me when I was in another place. He told me the whole story. The Ashram is being watched, and so there was some risk even in letting me visit the place. Half the number of the inmates is Gujaratis. Govindbhai was also in the Ashram formerly. The daily routine in this Ashram is as follows: They get up at five in the morning. Every sadhaka has a separate room for him. There are about 150 sadhakas. They come from everywhere. Among them are Dilip and Harin Chattopadhyay, the husband of Kamaladevi. The Ashram has rented about 40 houses. The food is similar to that provided in our Ashram. Shri Aurobindo comes out only on three days in the year. Shri Aurobindo and Mother don’t sleep at all. Shri does recline in an armchair between 3.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m., but he does not sleep. The sadhakas have to send up their diary every day. They can ask questions. Letters from Shri and Mother are delivered to them four times a day. Between them, they write about 200 letters daily. No letter remains unattended to. Shri knows innumerable languages. He reforms sadhakas through secret influence on their minds. Harin Chattopadhyay has given up drinking, etc. Liquor and meat are forbidden in the Ashram. This is the description given by Govindbhai, and he has invited me to join the Ashram. I hope you will be satisfied with this. 1

But you must also know about the Aurobindo Ashram. As it is, there is a continuous stream of visitors to the Ashram. A large number of people go there. Shri Aurobindo has many devotees. There is no hatred for anyone there, whether Hindu or Muslim or somebody else. I have seen that the late Sir Akbar Hydari used to visit the Ashram every year. Shri Aurobindo is a humble devotee. He does not meet anyone. But people visit him, whether they can or cannot have his darshan.

 

References:

 

1. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel, February 19, 1934
2. Speech at Prayer Meeting, October 29, 1947