text: Samia wrote: > As far as Egyptian food, there are at least two cookbooks from Egypt in > the period. AFAIK, neither has been translated in its entirety into > English. Lilia Zaouli has a few of those recipes translated in /Medieval > Cuisine of the Islamic World,/ but it's good to know that these were > translated from Arabic to Italian (?) to English. Charles Perry did the > Forward for the English version, so it has some good kudos. The cookbook you mention, from the 13th C. Egypt, Kanz al-fawa'id fi tanwi' al-mawa'id, has not been fully translated into English, sadly, but 37 of its recipes are published in "Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World" by Lilia Zaouali (note spelling), out in paper since 2007 - and i think 3 dozen is more than a few :-) Perry was less enthusiastic to me in private e-mail. I wrote a review for this list when i got my copy not long after it came out in hardcover. And we actually do have a complete cookbook from Mamluk-period Egypt, fully translated by Charles Perry and published in "Medieval Arab Cookery". It is al-Kitab Wasf al-At'ima al-Mu'tada (The Book of the Description of Familiar Foods), written down in 1373 in Cairo. It is a compendium, as many "period" Arabic language cookbooks are, with parts taken from a number of other sources. It includes what Perry refers to as an expanded version of al-Baghdadi's cookbook, with more than twice as many recipes as al-Baghdadi's original, plus a confectioner's manual (LOTS of white sugar), plus a chapter titled "Dishes for Invalids, and What Monks and Christians Eat in Lent" taken from another, now lost, book. I have recipes i cooked from this chapter on my website, when i cooked Lenten food as part of a challenge from this list. > On Middle Ages Egyptian culture, the gal/guy could look up Abbasid, > Fatimid, Ayyubid, and Mamluk cultures. They all took turns controlling > Egypt. Research into the Cairo Geniza yields spectacular results on > these. (The Fatimids created Cairo next to Fustat). And eventually Cairo subsumed Fustat. For those who don't know, a Geniza is a part of a Jewish synagogue where all sorts of papers are kept, walled up, because if a name of god is written on one, it cannot be merely discarded, but must be treated respectfully. The Geniza in question has an amazing wealth of information on life in the Fatimid period. S. D. Goitein wrote the six volume set, "A Mediterranean Society: The Jewish Communities of the Arab World as Portrayed in the Documents of the Cairo Geniza", analyzing them and organizing much of the information. It tells about more than just the lives of Jews. So if anyone is interested in medieval Egypt, Goitein's books are an excellent source. > It's also important to know that in the Middle Ages there was a cultural > blanket on the Middle East/Islamic Mediterranean. Yedida Stillman calls > it the Pan-Islamic Culture. With minor territorial variations, the culture > is largely the same in the Middle Ages (specifically excluding Persian) > because of the strong trade. Knowing this, people can borrow pretty > confidently from al-Andalus, Baghdad, and Damascus to fill in gaps > of knowledge of Cairo/Fustat. Well, yes and no. This is true to some extent, but some of the regional variations are not so minor... Still i agree that it is useful to read up on both Eastern Dar al-Islam (what are now Iraq, Syria-Lebanon-Israel-Palestine, Anatolia, etc.) and Western Dar al-Islam (al-Andaluz, and most of North Africa). > You could also direct the person to my blog: > http://idlelion.blogspot.com/ > I'm slowly putting up recipes and redactions from my first feast this > past weekend. There is a lot of excellent information on your blog. I highly recommend it. And i look forward to seeing your recipes. However, i am not a big fan of blogs as a way to "organize" information, as they tend to be rather diffuse. They are great as journals to jot down daily notes on experiences and projects. But it is generally not very easy to find info, the way it would be a well organized website. I assume they are a little easier to update for many people. But trying to search for info in a blog is not always particularly easy - did the user tag everything? what tags did they use? how different are they from your own search terms? etc. Whereas a stable index page can direct readers to every section with information on specific topics. Having to troll a blog looking for tags is much less efficient. -- Urtatim (that's urr-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita not as cranky as she may sound, she's just down with some yucky virus


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Posted: 08/23/2013 by Elaine Ryan | Comments
Last month, we heard the news about the City of Detroit filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in federal court, becoming the largest city to ever do so. The city's financial crisis threatens the retirement security of more than 30,000 active and retired employees, and almost immediately, lawsuits were filed in state court to protect Detroit's two pension funds during the city's restructuring. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schulte has said that, under the state constitution, pension obligations to state and …
Posted: 08/06/2013 by Gary Koenig | Comments
Americans need to save more for retirement, and more employees need to have access to a workplace retirement savings plan. These were the major themes at a recent AARP-U.S. Chamber of Commerce forum (watch it here), where these two organizations – often on opposite sides of policy issues – issued a joint call to action for policies to encourage more savings. In the joint statement, the AARP and the U.S. Chamber urged Congress and the president to: (1) Expand the …
Posted: 07/16/2013 by Elaine Ryan | Comments
Are you saving (enough) for retirement? The numbers paint a worrisome picture – for Americans, our families and the nation. Three-quarters of Americans age 55-64 had less than $30,000 in their retirement accounts as of 2010. And, more than 70 million American workers do not have any type of employer-sponsored retirement plan. Clearly, we need some help to get on the road to retirement savings – and more effective ways to save money for our future. This is where the …
Posted: 04/30/2013 by Mikki Waid | Comments
The writer Oscar Wilde said "When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is." This is a great insight into how vital money can be at older ages – when we have a much more difficult time earning money or just can no longer work. A recent report from AARP's Public Policy Institute, An Uphill Climb: Women Face Greater Obstacles to Retirement Security, highlights …
Posted: 07/20/2012 by Carole Fleck | Comments
After presumably agonizing for weeks over whether to keep their lifetime pension benefit or take a one-time lump-sum payment, some 42,000 General Motors retirees are faced with making that critical decision today. And there is no turning back. No do-overs. GM set Friday as the deadline when it offered its former employees and surviving spouses the choice to retain their monthly pension, which will be switched to an annuity provided by Prudential Insurance, or receive the lump-sum equivalent in one …
Posted: 06/19/2012 by Elizabeth Nolan Brown | Comments
Economists say state retirement systems should have enough in assets to cover at least 80 percent of the pension money they owe retirees, but few states meet the 80 percent requirement–and some fall far shorter. A new report from the Pew Center on the States looks at the 10 states with the biggest pension gaps as of 2010:
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps people 50 and older improve the quality of their lives.

subset: commoncrawl


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7 Things Houstonians Don't Care About
By Chris Lane
The Weirdest Texas School Mascots
By Jeff Balke
By Aaron Reiss
By Angelica Leicht
Behind the Doors of the Spy Store
By Dianna Wray
The Best Things in Houston Pawn Shops
By Aaron Reiss
Ten Underrated Things About Houston
By Camilo Smith
Pet Products for the Rich and Insane
By Craig Malisow
The pans have been floured, the ballots cast. It's time to announce the winners for the July and August installment of our photojournalism contest for Houston-area high school students. The theme was food, glorious food.
Marielle B. Reiersgard of the Tenney School takes home first place for her absolutely exquisite photograph of a strawberry. She also won our online Readers' Choice award. Yasmeen Smalley of Bellaire High School grabs second for her fruity still-life. Whitney Pavlas of Cypress Creek High School gets third for her shot of tomatoes from her grandmother's garden.
Winners get bookstore gift certificates and are eligible for a $1,000 college scholarship, not to mention the chance to have their work presented by local arts nonprofit FotoFest.
The theme for September is "Back to School" — anything that has to do with teachers, books, classes, lockers…you know, school. For more information, visit blogs.houstonpress.com/houstoned/high_school_photo_contest.


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Posts tagged: Washington Liquor Control Board
The state Liquor Control Board, responsible for regulating and taxing marijuana in Washington state, estimates the price of legal pot will average $12 per gram.
That's among the interesting tidbits in this Liquor Control Board fact sheet, which the agency has posted to a new web page designed to help Washington residents keep track of progress to develop regulations for growing and selling marijuana.
In addition to licensing fees, there's a 25 percent excise tax at the wholesale level and another 25 percent excise tax at the retail level. Estimates vary on the amount of tax revenue expected to be generated.
Two downtown bars were cited by the state Liquor Control Board for over-serving a man who, while drunken driving, allegedly caused a fatal accident on Interstate 90 in December.
The driver, Sterling N. Kruger, 22, of Davenport, Wash., died after entering the eastbound highway going the wrong way, and collided with an eastbound vehicle killing both the driver James Roscoe Bolton, 61, of Spokane Valley; and his passenger, Trina Louise Erickson, 47, of Spokane Valley.
After an investigation, the liquor board discovered that Kruger had visited three downtown nightclubs that night, two of which were cited for allowing an intoxicated person to consume/possess alcohol.
The Lion's Lair, 205 W. Riverside Ave., faces a five-day liquor license suspension or a $500 fine, while the BLVD House of Music faces a 30-day license suspicion. This is the third violation for the BLVD within two years, officials said.


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About this recipe: I hate shop-bought chicken Kiev so I make my own. I make up my own garlic butter with fresh chillies (add as much or little chilli according to your taste) and freeze it, then use it as I need it for this recipe and for homemade garlic bread!!!
This was really nice and much better than shop bought will be making this one again, everyone enjoyed it. thanks - 22 Feb 2010
everyone loved it sooooo much better than shop bought will defo be making it again (little tip i toasted my breadcrumbs a little before i put them on the chicken makes the crumb stay on better i think )and also iv added some herbs to the breadcrumbs just to try somehting different luvly both ways - 18 Apr 2013


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Monday, November 24, 2014
Sri Aurobindo translated several Sanskrit texts
Moments and not men generate ideas and hence no talent is permanent and it's a mistake to expect someone to go on offering top rate output.
No one is willing to accept the past as it is. Everybody conjures up an imagined scenario propping his own pet heroes playing stellar roles.
Gandhi, Nehru, and Tagore have ruled the mind of Indians for too long but RSS is no sound substitute. Sri Aurobindo is the real alternative.
Those clamouring for Sanskrit would be shocked if they come across Sri Aurobindo's interpretations of the Veda, Gita, and select Upanishads.
Clinging to Mythology is nothing but lethargy. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo invite braves for Adventure of Consciousness through Integral Yoga.
Those who are unable to value Sri Aurobindo's poetry, philosophy or prophecy are hardly entitled to be regarded as intellectuals. #FiveDreams
Sri Aurobindo's major works were written between 1914 and 1921 but RSS, born in 1925, has never shown any interest in understanding them.
Reading Sri Aurobindo's teachings can free one from the clutch of Mythology, rituals and superstition. Indian children deserve this minimum.
Many expressing free thought on Twitter are not free in real life to actually say it. Longing for Freedom, however, is an aid for Evolution.
Books on fictional characters abound as a neat boundary is available but the nature of a real person is as unfathomable as is unpredictable.
Defending Indian tradition and justifying its tenets are two different enterprises. Critical scrutiny or rigorous tests must not be eschewed.
Indian Constitution gives the option not to feel oppressed by the burden of tradition nor harbour a sense of being buried under old history.
Many important texts in India express their indebtedness to the tradition while diverging at the same time on some very crucial propositions.
Collective approach is always to impose & direct while respect of Individualism values subjective choice & creativity including aberrations.
Individuals deserve protection from the overpowering rhetoric of a great nation, a great leader, a great language or such other bamboozling.
An individual needs to be seen as one since he was born and not in terms of his supposed great grandfather or similar historical assumptions.
Claiming independence of individual citizens from collectivist and totalitarian mindset is the greatest challenge for Indians now in 2014.
Sri Aurobindo translated several Sanskrit texts into English but avoided being seen as a votary of either languages. The Mother spoke French.
Human origin and civilizational journey is a continuous whole which different people prefer to study under lens of different isms & epochs.
All apparently opposing ideologies are, in fact, somewhat complementary phenomena which depend for their origin and growth upon each other.
Reading Sri Aurobindo helps one to get over the East-West or Socialism- Capitalism dichotomies & regard things as part of a larger Ontology.
Indians have enjoyed the luxury of blaming the British rule but the real culprit is excessive dependence on Mythology, Astrology, & Rituals.
Greatest intellectual challenge in India today is that your political or ideological pursuit doesn't prevent you from reading Sri Aurobindo.
Words of Sri Aurobindo works at various levels & at various stages of life. World has not seen a more versatile teacher of such Integrality.
Learn from Sri Aurobindo when you are young & argumentative, passionate & curious. It'll stand in good stead through the rest of your life.
Many find Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy and Yoga too technical and his Poetry too otherworldly. True, but his words hide a world of treasure.
Everyone learns differently from The Mother & Sri Aurobindo according to his or her age and temperament; need, aptitude, and circumstances.
Lies perpetrated by religions are not outside the overall Ontological framework and hence need to be investigated with adequate diligence.
No matter whether you are secular or religious, reading Sri Aurobindo gives a firm grounding in the dynamics of rebirth and personal destiny.
Neither education nor indoctrination can solely make a man. The genetic built as necessitated by a preconceived personality holds the clue.
Integral Yoga is an on-the-job affair and doesn't defer the task-in-hand to some special realisation. All life is Yoga, says Sri Aurobindo.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo laid down elaborate route map for liberation from rituals and tradition to tread the path of yoga and aspiration.
Sri Aurobindo stressed upon stepping to a higher rung of consciousness instead of superficial logic for better organisation of human affairs.
Mere Development or Governance is not the aim. Embodying the Spirit of Constitution is as much an Enlightenment challenge as of Vedic values.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo believe in Evolution and steady Transformation of human nature through volitional force released by Integral Yoga.
The Mother's conversations are an excellent link to understand modern day concerns in Sri Aurobindo's light after his passing away in 1950.
No amount of prosperity can be a substitute for Democracy. Human nature vitiates politics at present but also can raise it from perversity.
A genuinely democratically elected Govt eludes India. All patriots must strive for creating a Party that runs in the spirit of Constitution.
First monolithic non-Congress Govt in the saddle at Centre but an extra-Constitutional authority like RSS with remote control mars the show.
The reigning misconception that Hindutva & Nationalism are synonymous and coincide with Modi is the greatest misfortune that India suffered.
Following Gandhi in the pre-Independence days was as anti-Evolutionary as supporting RSS, BJP, & Modi currently by neglecting Sri Aurobindo.
Just because Sri Aurobindo had political association with Lal-Bal-Pal, they are not without blemish from Evolutionary standpoint. Caution!!!
Human nature determines economy but higher aspiration introduces the chaos factor. So, nothing Eastern or Western about economic endeavour.
Vedic ideals of striving after Light and Force must translate into our seeking Democracy and Transparency in collective existence in India.
Evolution and Perfection drive human progress in which Democracy is a crucial aid. Present political parties are a barrier in India's march.
Though not perfect, Democracy constitutes a significant advance in the realm of collective conduct but Indians are still far away from it.
The first word The Mother & Sri Aurobindo teach is ASPIRATION. Indians must aspire for a Democratically functioning Party before having one.
No one represents India better than Sri Aurobindo. Be Indian, be Sri Aurobindian http://t.co/GeVZCXlARF #FiveDreams http://t.co/hRorVNade9
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Sri Aurobindo rids Veda of Mythology and Rituals
Sri Aurobindo translates 'go' as light and revolutionalises the understanding of the Veda. Pity that Hindutva brigade is promoting crackers!
Sri Aurobindo rids Veda of Mythology, Rituals, and Superstition and that sends shivers down the spine of the Hindutva bandwagon. So sad!
Why Pracharaks don't study the Veda or propagate it is a mystery. Very few know Sri Aurobindo wrote "The Secret of the Veda" 100 years ago.
Ask any "proud Hindu" about the Veda and he will draw a blank but would immediately turn the discussion to some passages of Koran or Bible.
Nothing can be more foolhardy than Hindutva brigade mobilising the loudest crackers for self-determination and heal centuries of victimhood.
Political power can scarcely mean intellectual legitimacy but a lot of average people are swayed by the show. Hindutva is anti-Evolutionary.
Hindutva abstained from the Freedom Struggle and as a result missed intellectual growth. Even today, it's under a time-warp and anti-Modern.
Most of our youth are unaware of the political discourse going on a century back. Bande Mataram editorials by Sri Aurobindo are very helpful.
Hindutva, Sangha, and Swadeshi are good instruments of dumbing down. Indians must be vigilant to preserve Democracy, Freedom, and Modernity.
Western Political Theory played a big role during India's Independence Struggle. Hindutva is no substitute for that and must be resisted.
Indian Constitution empowers you to be your own person and independent. Never surrender this right before Hindutva collectivist stipulations.
Social ills and superstitions must not be perpetuated in the pretext of promoting Hindutva. Modern political ideals are a must for citizens.
Fighting large-scale lack of education, reliance on superstition, and injustice against women and dalits remain challenging tasks in India.
With increasing prosperity, caste-based appeal would diminish. But secular question will be in currency to which Sri Aurobindo is the answer.
Extreme Marxist and Nehruvian positions are responsible for rise of Hindutva as a reaction but Sri Aurobindo offers the moderating solution.
Hindutva hubris spawns medievalism while Sri Aurobindo helps to shed anti-Modern outlook and embrace the Judeo-Vedic Evolutionary dialectic.
Liberation from rituals brings freedom of thought and zeal for self-perfection in line with the Vedic Evolution ushered in by Sri Aurobindo.
Mythology, with its confusing multiple narratives, can often be misleading or demotivating. Sri Aurobindo hews a new path towards the future.
Mythology takes you back in time and forces repetition while Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo invites your participation in crafting Evolution.
Studying Ethics orients to the Ontological indispensability vis-a-vis Pragmatic implementation of individual preferences & social standards.
A Minister or a street vendor, a mechanic or an industrialist, moral tenets are equal for everyone; they are so simple and straightforward.
It's amazing that India has become corruption-free during the last five months as no Dharma defender has ever complained of any such anomaly.
Dharma defenders might employ ornate rhetoric and jugglery of words to justify financial misappropriation but there is no escape from Karma.
Modi-rallies and evening-TV-fights are two extremes of current mode of Democracy catering more to big businesses than the people's interest.
Phrases like Crony capitalism and Delhi punditry are quite safe for claiming the moral high-ground without going into inconvenient specifics.
BJP-hating is no inborn trait but precipitates when not a single person from the Dharma defender brigade objects to the alleged Adani-nexus.
Situating Modi between Madison and Modiano involves wide-ranging awareness & alertness that our instant psephologists are ill-equipped with.
Youth being deprived of adequate grounding in Political Theory is a very regrettable fall out of present emphasis on Professional education.
A powerful brand like Congress won't vanish easily but Sri Aurobindo is a much secure ideological avenue than the Gandhi-Godse divergences.
If India must rise and lead the world, then following the towering figure of Sri Aurobindo is the answer and not building a statue of Patel.
Many are put off by religion in politics but given human vulnerability, politics can't be left safe and sound in the hands of men and women.
The way most Parties are mired in corruption, it's apparent that their present ideals are not effective. Sri Aurobindo is better inspiration.
Weaving inspiring narrative involving virtues practiced in imagined glorious past of the country would mean little if one falters here & now.
How many seats a party wins should never be the be all and end all of politics. Larger goals and ideals must be the compass and touchstone.
Permit BJP enjoying the pleasure of 33% win but the truth is that two third people of this country are firmly against its divisive politics.
Election results, more or less, reflect the complex mosaic that is India and how Modi, BJP, RSS are singularly incapable of dealing with it.
RSS capitulating to Modi is a far-reaching development than the electoral success of BJP. Even the party President is a yes-man of the PM.
The more Modi wins elections, the more RSS shrinks and loses clout. Mass entry is sure to dilute ideology and spur amnesia among faithfuls.
RSS is already under attack by über-Modi-fans and would increasingly be seen as a hindrance to the larger electoral appeal of BJP in future.
@GuruuGhantaal If BJP builds on 2014, then it's no longer BJP and becomes Congress. That, of course, is a good sign but RSS can't digest it.
Clarity at last: Hindutva won't award you power; toeing the Congress-line is the most assured formula in Indian politics, be it BJP or NCP.
With Modi at the helm, it's like The Congress is dead, long live The Congress! Kulkarni Doctrine eventually getting a renewed lease of life.
Most are prone to analysing the election results in Hindu-Muslim terms but the real fight taking place is between Hindutva and Kulkarnitva.
Modi hates coalitions and Maha debacle has rattled him. Getting nervous by the thought that compromising in States would erode his autonomy.
Both Lok Satta and AAP, despite all good intentions, fell prey to the Great Leader (derided as Yugpurush) trap which thwarted their growth.
Fate of AAP and Lok Satta shouldn't be a reason for despair. Sri Aurobindo's Evolutionary vision can be a base for a sound Party programme.
AAP abstaining like Mayawati in UP bypoll has surely contributed to limiting BJP seats in both the States denying a fresh round of Modiwave.
By taking a leaf from Mayawati, Uddhav has the best opportunity to become the CM both ways. And he must not lose his chance to adorn the top.
Rise of Uddhav is the most significant contribution of this election who has the potential of injecting drastic change into Indian politics.
Uddhav in exceptional bargaining position and must earn the permanent designation of a "former Chief Minister" no matter how early happening.
Evolution proceeds in strange sequences! The way Uddhav is pitted against Modi now is no less epic in significance as well as consequences.
@Sheks65 Am merely a commentator and a pedestrian interpreter; would be too much to claim to remote control the move of various leaders :-)
If it's true that AAP fellows are leaving the party in hordes they are welcome to support & work for Savitri Era Party to serve the country.
A new party - with freedom, democracy, and transparency as core operating principles - can win people's faith if it proceeds with sincerity.
Unique political affections are turning each State into a different nation. A new pan-Indian Party is the need of the hour for integration.
Voters have no other option than to support existing parties with outdated policies. New all-India party needed in the wake of AAP caving in.
AAP is perhaps waiting for the day when all prominent Parties join BJP in some alliance so that it could solely occupy the Opposition space.
Theoretical viability of a new all-India party should attract attention of intellectuals so that the mistakes AAP committed can be avoided.
@Sheks65 You are right, for once; but ideological issues with regard to Sri Aurobindo poses a wall. AAP is a hostage of the Left, right now.
@Sheks65 Let's see, if Twitter can facilitate to shape such a career at 60.
@Sheks65 Thanks for the good wishes. The Mother has been very much in command throughout and it won't be otherwise in future too.
Nothing is more pitiable than relying upon Ramdev as a saviour of Savarkar's Hindutva as if lay Indians are nothing better than vegetables.
SRG-RS were merely the Finger but many mistook them for the Moon. Neglect of Sri Aurobindo by a whole generation has cost the nation dearly.
Fighting Fascism and defending Freedom should be the default moorings of any educated person. All other pursuits are certainly negotiable.
@SMarrtnoj Freedom should be touchstone for every phenomenon and I don't think advising citizens to cast their vote be one's responsibility.
@krsnakhandelwal Promoting Mythology, Astrology, and Rituals goes against nascent scientific spirit among children reinforcing superstition.
Eulogising emperors for building grand architecture or upbraiding sovereign kings for destroying some of them constitute a fruitless pastime.
Lambasting foreign invaders by Hindutva supporters sadly eclipses ills pervading Indian society through centuries and their legitimisation.
Democracy is good for electing the ruler but not as effective in getting rid of a power greedy maneuverer. The 8 year cap restricts decay.
Sri Aurobindo's The Human Cycle offers an alternative Ontological framework tracing common source of will & intellect http://t.co/U7OLOBhrlQ
Coleridge, Bergson, and Sri Aurobindo: Politics, Poetry, and Morality http://t.co/mB36RrOXzw
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Lessons and skills for the future
Tusar Nath Mohapatra says: Responses to "Mindful love: On Thomas Pfau's critical appropriation of Thomist moral theory" October 18, 2014 at 4:41 am
Sri Aurobindo wrote a series of essays a century back, later published under the title, "The Human Cycle," offers an alternative Ontological framework tracing the common source of will and intellect and their role in the ongoing Evolution. Understanding the past is surely important but the lessons and skills for the future needs to be sought elsewhere. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 2:17 PM 1 comment: Links
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Sri Aurobindo echoes Vico, Herder, and Hegel
While browsing through "Indian Philosophy and the Consequences of Knowledge" yesterday, I noticed that reference to Sri Aurobindo is absent while Gandhi (as mandatorily) is there. Even the chapter on Consciousness, though alluded to certain notions Sri Aurobindo has foregrounded, doesn't mention him. While this reticence and exclusion is not uncommon, neglecting Sri Aurobindo's Supramental Evolutionary theory doesn't do justice to the treatment of the subject. Transformation through Knowledge has also a bearing on our bodily existence and the hope of surmounting Death. Regrettably, such profound applications of Philosophy is being downplayed by current commentators. [TNM55]
Sri Aurobindo, in SAVITRI, confronts the ultimate human question of Death and explores ways and means to surmount it. http://t.co/5aLgfmMFiw
@kshetragnya @Mahaakaala001 @AgentSaffron Also, there's no reason to believe that Buddha existed.
No dearth of scholarly articles and books on Sri Aurobindo but the challenge is how to wean the youth away from Current Affairs & Mythology.
Children learn from the TV & their friends
Adventure, Cricket, and sundry tales
Who'd tell of Adventure of Consciousness
Than Sri Aurobindo?
Economy, Politics, and Foreign Policy
All grist for the Twitter mill
Sri Aurobindo foregrounds the unfathomable
Buried in the Vedic deities.
Tweeting is part activism & part entertainment
Direction is far more important than Content
No other way than Sri Aurobindo at the moment.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have laid the foundation for a perfect and harmonious human society the faint contours of which must be our focus.
In Sri Aurobindo, India has a formidable thinker to guide it beyond the Hindutva, Nehruvian, or Marxist worldview that have pervaded so far.
All Life is Yoga is alright, but learn the right perspective on various political and sociological dimensions in the light of Sri Aurobindo.
The intellectual and political correctives Sri Aurobindo provides is missed by the youth due to the Ashram's emphasis on Yoga & Spirituality.
Sri Aurobindo prepares us to shed fond hopes and pet ideas when need be. India can't progress into the future with Mythology as the vehicle.
Continued neglect of Sri Aurobindo by RW organs like @SwarajyaMag exposes their intellectual bankruptcy, myopic ontology, & shallow notions.
Indian Renaissance encompasses numerous voices drawing inspiration from Comte, Mill, and Mazzini but Sri Aurobindo brings its culmination.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo strived to build highways to the future and, hence, harking back to ancient Philosophy or Mythology is redundant.
Issues like conversion or immigration will not evaporate but Sri Aurobindo's World Union provides a plan-view of the future as a reference.
As many economic operations are international & are crucial for human welfare, Sri Aurobindo's call for World Union is the logical outcome.
It seems that neither Congress nor RSS can be wished away; even AAP is showing no sign of vanishing. Let's hope people turn to Sri Aurobindo.
The Judeo-Vedic synergy fermented by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo forms the inner core for transformation of the whole humanity into Harmony.
Now that signs of ideological vacillation is visible within ruling dispensation Sri Aurobindo's epochal utterances will stand in good stead.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo built the Ashram in Pondicherry and Auroville to experiment harmonious living on beyond mere economic principles.
International realignments will be through ideology for which The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have laid firm foundations through Judeo-Vedic tie.
Colonialism needn't blind us to the brighter side of the West of which the Indian Constitution is a direct descendant. Sri Aurobindo guides.
Sri Aurobindo's Integral vision far supercedes that of Gandhi, Tagore, and Vivekananda, or for that matter, of Bankim, Tilak, and Dayananda.
Sri Aurobindo's #FiveDreams Manifesto broadcast on August 14, 1947 forms the bedrock of future Evolution in India as well as the World.
Unless you differentiate between Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo so as to respect Quality any talk of RW intellectual ecosystem is infructuous.
@nupur1210 @ThinkersPad Read from page 101 or 361 as they are earlier and relatively easier commentaries. Isha Upanishad by Sri Aurobindo
Traditional Indian Philosophy fetches bread and butter for many scholars and academicians and so they are averse to entertain Sri Aurobindo.
Sri Aurobindo echoes Vico, Herder, & Hegel while formulating a unique teleological account of History & Evolution defying Indian tradition.
Gita, Upanishads, or Veda mean nothing if not accompanied by Sri Aurobindo's commentaries. Indians are yet to understand this simple truth.
The path of Sri Aurobindo is truly Integral since it encompasses Psychology and Philosophy, Poetry and Politics, Education and Literature.
Sri Aurobindo phobia is the hallmark of our born-again right-wing theoreticians-rhetoricians. Surely a sad spectacle! http://t.co/wmr1baHejt
The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo forces to think in terms of Human race & not past Empires, present Nationalities, or future Economic blocks.
Many assume that Development is not dependent upon Philosophy or Ethics but an intellectual conviction is at the base of any human progress.
Sri Aurobindo established new benchmarks in Philosophy but most Indians are still under the spell of Mythology without any quest for Quality.
Savitri Era of those who adore, Om Sri Aurobindo & The Mother
Sri Aurobindo decodes Vedic utterances to add coherence http://t.co/1mGHlyh2U4
Nitish Kumar lacks an all India vote base but compared to Modi and Kejriwal, he still remains the best bet as a PM candidate symbolizing JP.
Bypolls have proved the shaky hold of Modi regime and by projecting a Central leader like Nitish Kumar, a credible alternative can be built.
Congress, AAP, and the Left must accept the supremacy of Nitish Kumar and declare him as the next PM candidate. Other Parties would follow.
October 30, 2013 Delhi Convention didn't yield much result due to leadership tussle. Nitish Kumar's deft move in Bihar has startled all now.
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 2:51 PM No comments: Links
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Sri Aurobindo decodes Vedic utterances to add coherence
Reading Sri Aurobindo's writings is indispensable for understanding India's past, present and future. Those neglecting can't reach anywhere.
Sri Aurobindo gets just a couple of pages but a masterly treatment in "India and Europe" by Wilhelm Halbfass. http://t.co/916GVWgqpe @amazon
Ambedkar overlooked Sri Aurobindo and hence his lifelong quest for reforming Hinduism from within failed miserably. Conversion proved futile.
Mayawati has discovered the limited use of Ambedkar. If she can fall back upon Sri Aurobindo then a new electoral history could be unveiled.
@kuffir The article fails to articulate how Dalits alone can't take their movement too far and require to build synergy with other sections.
Sri Aurobindo has left behind enough study material to subvert Mythology-based intellectual-empires. Words have power & Evolution is at work.
The Party comes first and not the country; that's the reality & there is no rationality. Choosing the right party, therefore, is a priority.
Political parties are like mini-Nations and nurture a well-oiled, self-sufficient economic-system involving the rank & file. A religion too.
Hindutva flirting with Vivekananda is as mischievous as mixing Gandhi & Tagore. Sri Aurobindo is the only escape route from present impasse.
Sri Aurobindo has set right the Indian thought a century back & no need for further hair splitting or renaming of civilizational imperatives.
As Mythology is the mainstay, theoretical neatness has never been RSS' forte. Hindutva can no longer survive by colourful spectacles alone.
If there is any noticeable difference between Advani and Adityanath within one Hindutva stable then it shouldn't be pushed under the carpet.
RSS supporters fear to debate, define, & desilt Hindutva. Sri Aurobindo helps in removing cobwebs and sedimentation gathered over centuries.
No point in complaining about persons in the past, they all have played their roles well. The strangest behavior now is by Modi supporters!
Modi's functioning so far is Kafkaesque and lacks transparency, yet his fans attribute all kinds of virtues and brainwaves to glorify him.
@DrunkVinodMehta Modi is smiling too in secret. He has been successful in dwarfing Adityanath who was seen growing bigger than his shoes.
Strange that smart and intelligent Modi supporters are dismissive of others in BJP and RSS and show no concern for democratic functioning!
After 90 years of its birth, RSS got a majority to rule at the Centre but within 90 days it displayed that it is unworthy of such a mandate.
Those sold to Mythology and yet claiming to be scientists are a misguided lot. Sri Aurobindo decodes the Vedic utterances to add coherence.
India's future must be thought of on the basis of realities today & not on texts belonging to 2014 BCE. Sri Aurobindo stresses on Evolution.
BSP, AAP and Lok Satta Party are great experiments in Indian politics and their directionlessness proves how a core ideology really matters.
Those who don't like the Congress, RSS, and anarchy of AAP constitute a huge majority for whom Sri Aurobindo can be a fine ideological glue.
AAP, BJP, and Congress can never grow as a true national Party due to remote control. Sri Aurobindo's vision should be the rallying point.
Commerce begets courtesy and RSS' unquenchable thirst for money forces it to keep myriad streams of opinion across continents in good humour.
The present Hindutva model is incapable of surpassing 31% vote-base. Redesigning is the only option & Sri Aurobindo can lend a helping hand.
Your admiration for Adityanath to Vivekananda is well justified but don't toss Sri Aurobindo to the mix. His Evolution thesis is aeons apart.
@RajeevSrinivasa @ScorpiusMaximus @tweetingsourav @db_is_db @sarkar_swati Fine print would force to segregate Sri Aurobindo from Vivekananda.
No fixed methods in the Yoga of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo apart from exclusive loyalty to them and some amount of reading their works.
@ngc1729 There is a book by Sri Aurobindo titled, The Problem of Rebirth. The link is for a blog post while TNM55 my initials+year of birth.
Sri Aurobindo also shares concern on the Problem of Rebirth with Emerson. [TNM55] Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra http://t.co/DuQN3252zM
[Sri Aurobindo was by and large indebted to the critical insights of Cousins' New Ways in English Literature.] http://t.co/CKWd1BmxJw
[tension between Hegel & Nietzsche or that between historicism & will is a constant & living dialog in Sri Aurobindo] http://t.co/q8tVtquQxK
[Kireet Joshi Archives - Lecture Series by Prof. Kireet Joshi on Sri Aurobindo's "The Life Divine" - Chapters 1 to 7] http://t.co/E1dInqF3db
[@LarvalSubjects: I see figures like Adorno as betrayals of Marx because they turn away from Marx's materialism and return to idealism.]
[Badiou will read differently after I read Derrida than he would have had I read him first.] by @LarvalSubjects
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 11:18 PM No comments: Links
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Emerson, Nietzsche, and Sri Aurobindo
Emerson and the Light of India by Robert C. Gordon has a chapter on Sri Aurobindo where the author notes that Sri Aurobindo doesn't appear to have read even a page of Emerson. However, he enumerates several commonalities between their philosophies and hastens to add that Emerson precedes Sri Aurobindo as far as Evolution is concerned.
Reviewing Cousins' book Sri Aurobindo commented, "Each essay is indeed excellent in itself; that on Emerson is a masterpiece of fullness in brevity, for it says perfectly in a few pages all that need be said about Emerson the poet and nothing that need not be said..." Of course, the essay deals more with poetry than philosophy.
Lastly, Emerson's influence in shaping Nietzsche's thought is a crucial point. Besides, Sri Aurobindo also shares concern on the Problem of Rebirth with Emerson. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 8:58 PM No comments: Links
Saturday, September 06, 2014
Sri Aurobindo Ashram must be purged of imposters
Ontological intricacies are beyond the common people but Sri Aurobindo foregrounds it to liberate Indian masses from Mythology and Astrology.
Hindutva bandwagon talking of Education is a paradox. Sri Aurobindo holds the key to Modernity by abandoning Mythology-Rituals-Superstition.
Mythology is perpetuated through stone or bronze artworks but children's brain shouldn't be petrified by mythological fiction & superstition.
Estimating Sri Aurobindo in conjunction with Vivekananda is as erroneous as clubbing Gandhi and Nehru or Radhakrishnan and Tagore together.
While one group endeavors to rob Sri Aurobindo of any imputation of Divinity, a rival team in the Ashram strives to reinforce Hindutva mode.
Savitri Era Religion discards claims of both the groups and retains faith in The Mother & Sri Aurobindo as Supreme Divine leading Evolution.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram must be purged of imposters who don't accept the Masters as Supreme Divine or prefer to worship other gods & goddesses.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram is not an old-age home and those who exhibit questionable devotion to the Masters must shift to Auroville or elsewhere.
It's an irony that hardcore devotees are at the margins whereas imposters & conspirators are at the helm of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry.
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra, President, Savitri Era Party and Director, Savitri Era Learning Forum, Ph: 96500-65636 http://t.co/FOlXx7LCvL
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 10:07 PM No comments: Links
Friday, September 05, 2014
Sri Aurobindo shows how to bypass Hindutva trappings
@Sheks65 You are free to disseminate your own interpretations of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's words instead of bothering about what I write.
@kirchan9991 Not much on the ground now as supporters are scattered. You are free to take initiative at the local level to convince others.
Peddling Mythology and Astrology in the name of Swadeshi and Nationalism is a crime against Mother India and the future of her inhabitants.
The Life Divine is a difficult book but Sri Aurobindo packs it with ammunitions to fight Hindutva, Shankara, Vivekananda, and Radhakrishnan.
Hindutva intellectual bankruptcy is responsible for proliferating Marxist scholarship whose analyses worth pondering over but not inferences.
The Science of Living laid out by The Mother forms the backbone of Integral Yoga which has been ably elaborated by Sri Aurobindo in SAVITRI.
Science and Philosophy are signs of intellectual height while Mythology subverts individuality. Read Sri Aurobindo's works for illumination.
Mythology enters a child's mind before his schooling starts & it's a life-long struggle to get rid of its ill-effects. Sri Aurobindo guides.
Those who take pleasure in propagating Mythology, Astrology, and Rituals may carry on but Sri Aurobindo will guide the modern generation.
It's not easy to escape the hegemony of huge temples and elaborate festivals but a visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram teaches essence of religion.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo show the way out how to bypass Hindutva trappings without falling prey to the atheist Marxist or Nehruvian traps.
Modern Indians must escape from the Mythology and Rituals industry that is designed to suck them as helpless voters for the Modi machine.
Reading Sri Aurobindo's works can empower the members of new generation to respect Science & Technology and eschew rituals & stones-wearing.
May everyone follow Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy of Unity, Mutuality, and Harmony by abandoning Mythology, Astrology, and Miracle-mongering.
Savitri Era Religion deflates present confusion & controversies surrounding Mythology, Theology, & Astrology in the light of Sri Aurobindo.
Sri Aurobindo's The Secret of the Veda busts many myths and superstitions that have been in currency in this country for centuries together.
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 5:03 PM No comments: Links
Thursday, September 04, 2014
Savitri Era Religion demands legal recognition
Two recents Posts elsewhere, The Rationalised Ashramite – by An "Irrational" As... and The "No Religion" Refrain – by Baikunth grapple with the religion issue. But still it's too late and too little. There are apparent confusions too which we may point out in a nutshell.
Religion has been characterized as a set of devotional practices and rituals (specific to a dominant Religion) whereas the real issues are sociological and political. Further, it's not simply a question of what happens within the protected environs of the Ashram or Auroville but rather about the identity crisis of thousands of devotees scattered all over the Globe. Marriage and Minority-Education are two specific fields in India where a categorical legal sanction as a separate Religion can help the followers of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo immensely.
A further point to note is that although Sri Aurobindo was involved with many of his contemporaries tangentially, none of them schould be accorded any importance. Literary and Philosophical comparative studies may be in order but when it comes to his Divine Manifestation and Yogic Vision, bringing in other names is wholly absurd. Jettisoning past baggage is also a crucial element in Integral Yoga. The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo enables the modern generation to imagine a Universe sans any assistance from arcane Mythology or Astrology.
Now that the Hindutva bandwagon is in power, there would be immense pressure on our Centres and Schools to abdicate our specialities and introduce Mythology. Such attempts need to be resisted with firm hands and steadfast conviction. For this, political identity and unity is also important since Courts are not helpful always. In this context, it's hoped that spontaneous support builds up for Savitri Era Party and Savitri Era Religion. We must expose all those who are eager to brand us as nothing more than just another Hindu sect. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 10:58 PM No comments: Links
Isha, Gita, and Savitri
Death is the progenitor of all questions, interrogations, and philosophy; all the rest are beating about the bush. Sri Aurobindo attempts to understand Death in his philosophical epic Savitri and it's worth consulting. [TNM55]
The 18 verses of the Isha Upanishad are far more pregnant with wisdom than the Gita. Sri Aurobindo weaves an astounding Ontology around it.
Sri Aurobindo embodied Evolutionary vigour while Hitler represented wanton destruction reenacting the Vedic Indra vs. Vritra fight in 20thC.
A bottom-up view of Evolution would present diverse contradictions but Sri Aurobindo's top-down thesis constitutes a neat piece of Ontology.
Humans, opines Dunbar, are different because of religion, storytelling, and music for which they have arrived at present stage of Evolution.
Indians are memorizing the same Mythology for generations and undertaking the same pilgrimages for ages. Sameness is so fascinating a force!
How religions have metamorphosed and civilization has undergone countless peregrinations cannot be delinked from Evolutionary plans ahead.
Building Bridges or Statues are not lone indicators of growth. Attuning culture and education to demands of Evolution is the key to progress.
Forget Nalanda. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo offer a free online University for your self-study and Self-culture. Click http://t.co/esiplNnELc
Nalanda had no bicycles, no cars, no electricity, no fans, no printed books, no microscopes, and no computers. So what's the brouhaha about?
Sri Aurobindo: Saga of a Great Indian Sage by Wilfried Huchzermeyer is a concise & brilliant introduction http://t.co/e2PSEMyvma via @amazon
Visiting Sri Aurobindo Ashram has nothing much to do with understanding Sri Aurobindo, rather, there is a likelihood of getting prejudiced.
Popularity is never a sign of true worth & Indians discovering Sri Aurobindo's work through sincere quest for quality will be the real test.
The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, The Secret of the Veda, The Human Cycle, The Future Poetry, and Savitri are gems by Sri Aurobindo.
Reinventing the Veda & assigning a superior role for the body under an Evolutionary schema constitute signal contributions of Sri Aurobindo.
Sri Aurobindo resolves age-old discords between Sankhya and Yoga, Advaita and Visistadvaita, Vaishnavism and Tantra, and Buddhism and Veda.
Nagging victimhood of Hindutva votaries is a serious psychological disorder which can be remedied by Sri Aurobindo's Evolutionary optimism.
Sri Aurobindo can be safely regarded as an authority & he would seem to concur with Muller but not fully with Besant. http://t.co/4cOeqk1hPd
Irrespective of Party or Coalition the Govt. always speaks the same language and the Opposition barks in the same way. Democracy is amazing!
Even Leftists who inveigh against the System and rubbish the State follow a paradigm of street protests and killings when Police is at rest.
Sameness is surely boring but, strangely, the TV and Movies have made dishing out the same formula highly entertaining for decades together.
The kind of rapturous feeling that every move of Modi evokes among such a large number of people as a coping mechanism against ennui is good.
A group of transgenders have descended in our colony and are singing some lilting numbers. Very few occasions now to listen to live music!
The taste of a South Indian thali went sour when the restaurant charged INR 110 + taxes for the water bottle. India has really progressed!
Old books for 100 rupees each from the Delhi Book Fair. Most of the stalls were doing good business out of such sales http://t.co/ZzJqCEPPtQ
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 3:44 PM No comments: Links
Monday, September 01, 2014
Rediscovering Sri Aurobindo is the safest destination
Scope for juxtaposing incongruences in arguments by commentators is limitless unless a firm point of reference is affirmed. As regards the specific issues raised here, Sri Aurobindo can be safely regarded as an authority and he would seem to concur with Muller but not fully with Besant. The Life Divine remains a repository of knowledge on such matters. [TNM55]
Savitri Era Religion is a new adventure of synthesizing faith with rationality, tradition with modernity and mundane matters with sublimity.
Amidst noise on Teachers Day, let's not forget that even a brilliant mind like S. Radhakrishnan failed to fathom greatness of Sri Aurobindo.
Ministers are chosen as administrators and are not supposed to be role models for students. Only Sri Aurobindo is the Teacher of the nation.
The West now posits Whitehead as its head-note but Sri Aurobindo is head and shoulders above him in formulating an Evolutionary Philosophy.
From strains of music to motifs on fabric, logic is everywhere. Neglecting Vedic Ontology of Sri Aurobindo will lead to Buddhist Nihilism.
Someone asked about Ganesha and the drinking-milk squad preferred to rant. A basic acquaintance with Sri Aurobindo would have helped answer.
Learning is the engine of progress and spurs innovation but unfortunately the current rulers of India celebrate mediocrity and pedestrianism.
Since when begging bowl has become so honourable? India must value its own assets & Soft Power to win the world as per Sri Aurobindo's Dream.
Scientific attitude & questioning spirit is the cornerstone of human civilisation. No nation can be great by perpetually parroting Mythology.
Skirting arguments and peddling slogans is a hallmark of Hindutva votaries. India can't develop as long as such disregard for logic persists.
@avenger_D You are off-track as I didn't criticise Modi. The question is how anti-Hindus among the Hindus should be dealt with or persuaded.
@avenger_D FPTP-based electoral victory is not the issue I'm discussing. Those numbers are mere indicators of size of Hindutva supporters.
@avenger_D Let's not forget that this victory doesn't have the sanction of 66% sickulars who still form a huge majority and counter-factor.
Savitri Era Religion is a reality today apart from many other offshoots which are clear Hindutva failures. Hold of Mythology falling apart!
Those who have fought against the Congress for over 50 years have reason to be happy but uncritical support to Hindutva impairs credibility.
Hindutva has long privileged spectacles over rational basis of its strengths like Leftists. Sri Aurobindo acts as an umpire as well as coach.
BJP win is hawa-based and any euphoria over interpreting it as victory for Hindutva is utterly myopic. Engaging with "sickulars" is crucial.
Befriending the Chinese and Japanese is appreciated but snubbing fellow Hindu citizens for their alternative views is a Hindutva-downside.
By constantly accusing them as sickular, Hindutva brigade further alienates a section of their own brethren instead of any remedial measures.
Hindutva votaries never care or dare to probe why there is such a huge percentage of anti-Hindus among the Hindus who may not be atheists.
Secular (or sickular) is an euphemism for anti-Hinduism in India which even the Hindutva folks use so approvingly to avoid the stark reality.
Devotees from all over the world visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry & Auroville regularly. So the administration needs to be streamlined.
Several petitions pertaining to alleged malpractices by the Trustees of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry are pending now before the Courts.
Nationalism is not anti-intellect nor synonymous with Mythology. Sri Aurobindo offers balanced food-for-thought curing mental-malnutrition.
Many fail to make any sense of Sri Aurobindo's Evolution. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach is very helpful http://t.co/kMkI1q5ScE
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo strove to bring the East and the West together. Their writings apart, Auroville marches on in its embryonic form.
The Mother met Sri Aurobindo in Puducherry in 1914 and through their spiritual collaboration arose a new adventure of Divine Consciousness.
Migrating to Puducherry in 1910, Sri Aurobindo took leave from political activity and published ARYA in 1914 spreading Synthetic Philosophy.
Sri Aurobindo was in a prominent position when the Congress split in Surat in 1907 and wrote fiery editorials in BANDE MATARAM in Kolkata.
On returning to India in 1893, Sri Aurobindo wrote a few essays in a journal lambasting the weak-kneed policies of Congress against British.
Very few people would be aware of today that Sri Aurobindo had his entire school and college education in England between 1879 and 1893.
Identifying Nationalism with Hindi or Sanskrit is foolishness. Reciting daily a page from SAVITRI by Sri Aurobindo can heal many prejudices.
Much before Peter Heehs' The Lives of Sri Aurobindo (2008), Anita Desai's novel Journey to Ithaca was responsible for indecent insinuations.
Sri Aurobindo never considered various alien rules in India as sheer aberrations and rather emphasized upon their cross-cultural dimensions.
Sri Aurobindo's conversations with disciples are a goldmine of rare insights into historical events & civilizational Evolutionary trajectory.
Sri Aurobindo, not only wrote Philosophy, Poetry, and Literary criticism, but also enough material on himself and his contemporaries for us.
@kirchan9991 It's more about the thrust of what @RajivMessage writes which is patently divisive while Sri Aurobindo calls for World Union.
@kirchan9991 Very much. Ideologically, we are against BJP-RSS, Congress, AAP and the Left but support the legacy of the JP movement of 1974.
@kirchan9991 I don't consider @RajivMessage a worthwhile teacher as his polemical arguments tend to spawn hatred and prejudice among young.
Knowledge won't descend by feeding fish or elephant. Sri Aurobindo has churned the oceans of the East & the West. We must read what he wrote.
Sri Aurobindo will direct you to Shelley, Blake and Coleridge. He will also encourage you to consult Mazzini, Nietzsche, Emerson and Bergson.
Savitri Era Religion doesn't rest on the oars of past glory or pastoral life. Technology must keep pace with Ontology, advises Sri Aurobindo.
Comte, Mill, & Mazzini inspired early Nationalists and Theory has a place even today. Rediscovering Sri Aurobindo is the safest destination.
Swami Vivekananda & Yogi Adityanath in news today for different reasons. Time to remember Sri Aurobindo's #FiveDreams http://t.co/n1m4iWoiMq
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 8:12 PM No comments: Links
Saturday, August 16, 2014
History of Indian culture and the place of Sri Aurobindo
History of Indian culture and the place of Sri Aurobindo in it is likely to attract more and more attention in the days to come and many superficial observations are sure to add to the confusion. A few points, therefore, need to be borne in mind in order to cut the clutter away.
Sri Aurobindo has almost been firmly appropriated as a co-progenitor of Hinditva ideology which is not correct. He is also accused of introducing an Anglicised or Westernised version of Hinduism by some. But Sri Aurobindo was not interested in any reform movement of Hindu Religion. Further, aligning Sri Aurobindo's name with other great men of the period presents a twisted picture of him. In fact, most of Sri Aurobindo's writings were meant to be motivational or expository and hence can hardly represent his firm opinions.
Despite all these difficulties, certain lines of argument should be treated as the central thread of his thought. For instance, a conscious Evolutionary Force guiding world-action and a Psychic Being driving individual endeavor. This is the basic Ontological truth by which he transforms Religion into Spirituality and binding Sri Aurobindo to any specific Religion or Nationality, therefore, becomes untenable. Besides, discarding familiar categories of the past to understand and accept the future becomes an inevitability. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 8:20 PM No comments: Links
Thursday, August 14, 2014
ARYA was unfurled on August 15, 1914
The ARYA was unfurled on August 15, 1914 in Puducherry by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo to give the world a new direction, new message of hope.
As more and more people come under the influence of Savitri Era Religion, the whole world will move towards Harmony & Supramental Evolution.
Human life and society is all about right education and India hasn't produced better teachers than The Mother & Sri Aurobindo. #FiveDreams
Many find fault with wrongs done in the past but with Sri Aurobindo, it's the Evolutionary force which is leading us to a brighter future.
Spirituality and Yoga come later; getting oriented to Modernity and Human Rights are the preliminary lessons by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo.
No one can escape cultural inheritance but by reading The Mother & Sri Aurobindo remoulding the personality and thinking can be facilitated.
The way Marxists have defended Modernity is praiseworthy but their opposition toward Sri Aurobindo is symptomatic of intellectual bankruptcy.
Southerners should be proud of the fact that Sri Aurobindo's speech was broadcast over AIR, Tiruchirapalli in the evening of August 14, 1947.
By ignoring Sri Aurobindo, both Congress & RSS have created two unbridgeable ideologies in the country which are total failures. #FiveDreams
Humanities cover a vast spectrum and lack of college education is making people ignorant about these. Reading Sri Aurobindo can compensate.
Celebrity endorsement has atrophied thinking and spawned fanaticism. Sri Aurobindo can rescue our mind from inertia and make fit for growth.
Social structure is more important than who's in Power. Supporting Market, Modernity, English & #FiveDreams of Sri Aurobindo is a great duty.
Modernity is far away from Indian society and fresh attempts to subvert it further is gaining momentum. Sri Aurobindo shows the right path.
Suspect all those who are peddling Mythology & Monarchy in the guise of Development. Sri Aurobindo empowers to fight for Modernity & Market.
Follow The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and say yes to Freedom and Modernity by opposing Mythology, rituals, miracles, Monarchy, and Marxism etc.
Stop extolling rule of Kings or such a model in Democratic facade. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have ushered in Unity, Mutuality, and Harmony.
Mythology and Monarchy has kept Indians subjugated for ages. Reclaim your freedom for Self-assertion through Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo.
Religious rituals were for keeping the subjects loyal to Royalty while in Modern age the focus, as per Sri Aurobindo, is on Self-discovery.
What were considered good for India during long periods of multiple Monarchies are obsolete in Democratic milieu. Savitri Era is the future.
Respect for rock-edicts and palm-leaf manuscripts is fine but don't miss the Collected Works of Sri Aurobindo online. http://t.co/S7aWJUENTD
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's massive contribution to Consciousness Studies is a landmark in the realm of Philosophy, Biology & Neuroscience.
Sri Aurobindo's vision of future Evolution has no democratic, majority-backup at present. It's for the discerning to follow his lead & move.
Don't invest your future in the past. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have enunciated a harmonious course for humanity transcending nationality.
Evolutionary fight against old ideas & religions is on. Younger generation must launch crusade against Mythology, miracles, & superstitions.
What India needs today is a firm and futuristic ideology like Sri Aurobindo's Judeo-Vedic Evolutionary Dialectic and #FiveDreams Manifesto.
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 7:43 PM No comments: Links
Monday, August 11, 2014
Sri Aurobindo should be studied on his own terms
Does the Veda fall under ancient Indian Philosophy? Since it's considered older than the Vedanta and source of many other texts, locating its exact position between religion and philosophy should be a priority. [TNM55]
The part played by ageing in this journey is generally overlooked and should receive adequate attention for a more realistic grasping of the phenomenon. [TNM55]
Most philosophers in India barring Sri Aurobindo don't understand the Veda and so their works are likely to misguide. http://t.co/hdX46H92Ek
The works of Sri Aurobindo need to be studied on his own terms and not under erroneous rubrics like Commie or Sanghi. http://t.co/GtqnnVf5gO
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 1:03 PM No comments: Links
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Savitri Era Party tweets against Mythology
Media attention mostly restricted to Auroville & Ashram visit in Puducherry. Rarely anyone talks about Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy or Poetry.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo visualize advent of Harmony transcending race, religion or nationality and assure its Evolutionary inevitability.
Elevating the individual as key to Evolution, Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga steers clear of relying upon Mythology, miracles, and rituals.
Sri Aurobindo deciphered the true import of Vedic terminology so that nomenclature of the Deities turn a coherent indicator of Yogic pathway.
As we approach 100 years of Arya on August 15, 2014, the words of Sri Aurobindo become ever more relevant for human unity and world peace.
The concept of Development for Sri Aurobindo amounts to individual perfection leading to Supermind and physical Immortality on Vedic lines.
Sri Aurobindo, who understood India and the West equally well, has left behind encyclopedic writings critical for the future of humanity.
Apply your conscience and encourage children to respect Science & Modernity instead of dependence on Mythology & unsubstantiated traditions.
Modernity, and not Mythology, can drive India towards prosperity. Follow The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for freedom from the burden of the past.
The Mother & Sri Aurobindo have laid out lofty ideals for children's education and how they need freedom for flowering of faculties of mind.
There can be no greater injustice than polluting the minds of your young children with Mythological superstitions and meaningless rituals.
Education is meant for finding the truth on our own (for which Sri Aurobindo is an excellent guide) and not for blindly following tradition.
Reading The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo can convince of the futility of Mythology-oriented festivals & rituals observed by Indian families.
The general aim in academics is to encourage learners to reach farthest ends of inquiry and curiosity while it's moribund in the case of RSS.
Slim electoral victory is no assurance of legitimacy or indicator of popular acceptance. If RSS agenda continues, then BJP will go downhill.
Not recognizing that there exists a large ideological space opposed to it, BJP-RSS are following an ostrich-like policy which will backfire.
Sri Aurobindo's Evolutionary vision far supersedes the RSS and Congress focus. August 15 is the occasion for a thorough reevaluation of him.
@nesoron The Dynasty is surely not the alternative and AAP has floundered. So, what's the choice before the people? Should ponder over that.
There were many stalwarts in the Freedom movement but the role of Sri Aurobindo & his writings are the most relevant for today's generation.
The ARYA came out on August 15, 1914 heralding a new era of Integral Philosophy woven by Sri Aurobindo braiding the East and the West.
Life is a short opportunity to understand its meaning and mystery. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo met on March 29, 1914 to make us aware of it.
Reading Sri Aurobindo takes a life-time. Those who have not been able to discover his significance are obviously a deprived lot. #FiveDreams
Political affiliation need not dictate your intellectual trajectory. Reclaim your freedom and autonomy to study Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy.
Sri Aurobindo guides us to travel to the true source of Religion where Philosophy, Psychology, and Science converge and Universalism emerges.
Once you read "The Life Divine" by Sri Aurobindo, the long-held worldview based on mythological fiction and popular imagination will vanish.
Study the essence of Veda and Upanishads from Sri Aurobindo to avoid falling in the trap of misleading interpretations marketed aggressively.
There is no better interpreter and commentator of ancient Indian wisdom than Sri Aurobindo who synthesizes them with modern day assumptions.
Sri Aurobindo empowers you to withdraw from rituals and miracles, mythology and superstitions and rely upon Science, Market, and Modernity.
Sri Aurobindo is the first to theorise about Evolution of Consciousness and propose an Integral method of Yoga to accomplish the same by us.
Sri Aurobindo bypassed Freemasonry, Theosophy, Transcendentalism, and Traditionalism or Perennial Philosophy to chart a Judeo-Vedic course.
Sri Aurobindo wrote in English and has commented extensively on European culture and literature. Expand your mental horizon by reading them.
Without reading the Essays and Letters of Sri Aurobindo one can never enter the core of his thought and taste supremely revolutionary ideas.
Stand by English, stand by Science, stand by Market, and shun Mythology. Then you can consider yourself as a true son of Mother India today.
English is our window to the world and those who foolishly lend force to campaign against it are like enemies of India's future generations.
The role of Bollywood, despite stereotypes, in spreading modernity and awareness before the TV era is enormous; the art aspect commendable.
No one is free from prejudices but overlooking influences imbibed from mythology & imagining a pastoral paradise is a crime against country.
Historical data apropos march of science or commerce are no assurance of akin future performance. Evolution has many a secret up its sleeve.
India has progressed much in its march towards modernity during the last half-a-century. Any move to thwart it would be absolute treachery.
@BHPanimalwatch You perhaps love labels but the age of understanding the world through strict isms is gone. Postmodernism is great eyeopener.
@BHPanimalwatch Not for me, it lives for ever as a philosophy and alternative view of life. Not to speak of the embedded poetic aesthesis.
@BHPanimalwatch No means to know Sri Aurobindo's stance but it's up to us to think about solutions to problems obtaining in our own times.
Many spread the disinformation that India's traditional Wisdom is available only in Sanskrit without reading Sri Aurobindo's English books.
If language is the question, then English wins hands down. Sri Aurobindo's Savitri and The Life Divine prove it so conclusively. #FiveDreams
@Janamejayan Please write "Sri Aurobindo" the name he assumed in later part of his life and signed in same style & spelling. @Bengalination7
@DigestionResist @ChampakRoy @IntegralUnity Fine, I'd prefer "Prabhu Sri Aurobindo" and omission of Sri is a serious blunder. @artwaniparas
@ChampakRoy @IntegralUnity @DigestionResist The name "Sri Aurobindo" was adopted by him and referring to him Lord is a devotee's prerogative.
@BHPanimalwatch Freedom spurs Market through operation of all human emotions including envy and greed. It's difficult to put a leash on them.
Despite all their defects, Democracy, Market, and Science have no other alternative. Indians must learn to respect them and thwart Swadeshi.
The beauty about the Market is no one need to understand it or direct it. Govt. job is just like removing hurdles for free flow of traffic.
A party in power is particular about collecting funds for next election effortlessly while taking various decisions under the garb of policy.
Mock fights were a regular feature during UPA. The same continues now to keep Twitter wars warm. Manipulating emotions is the whole secret.
A semi-educated as HRD Minister and rescinding a futuristic FYUP are the first sins. With the furore against GM, Govt to slide backward now.
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 12:44 PM No comments: Links
Tuesday, August 05, 2014
Sri Aurobindo is the only authority as a philosopher
Ganeri may be a granary of knowledge but he errs on giving an academic, artificial, or abstract representation of being a Hindu. What he enumerates are regrettably absent in the ground level practices and their justifications. I may be frowned upon again, but Sri Aurobindo is the only authority as a philosopher to bust the myths of Hinduism and disagree with the so called six Darshanas. He differs with the tradition and sides with Evolution; transcending the past categories is a must to partake of his vision. [TNM55]
English is under debate again and we should be thankful to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for their epochal initiative in launching the ARYA journal on August 15, 1914. Synthesizing the knowledge of the East and the West, Sri Aurobindo has left behind a huge corpus of writings for studying which adequate familiarity with English is essential. Besides new ideas, Sri Aurobindo introduces us with hundreds of Western poets, philosophers, and playwrights spanning millennia. His own work, fortunately, gives us firm guidance and weans away from their possible influence. This is the most crucial contribution of Sri Aurobindo for the Indians.
Scholarly estimation of Sri Aurobindo is on the rise as a steady stream of new books and journal articles testifies. But the tradition-worshipping milieu is preventing most educated Indians to benefit from them. Independent intellectual culture is a rarity and politically induced theories are considered more credible. Doctored history in curriculum is also responsible for eclipsing Sri Aurobindo from the mindscape of our countrymen. Let's hope that the Nation remembers him on August 15 with renewed vigour. [TNM55]
English is under debate again and we should be thankful to The Mother & Sri Aurobindo for their epochal initiative in launching the ARYA journal on August 15, 1914. Synthesizing the knowledge of the East and the West, Sri Aurobindo has left behind a huge corpus of writings for studying which adequate familiarity with English is essential. Besides new ideas, Sri Aurobindo introduces us with hundreds of Western poets, philosophers, and playwrights spanning millennia. His own work, fortunately, gives us firm guidance and weans away from their possible influence. This is the most crucial contribution of Sri Aurobindo for the Indians.
Scholarly estimation of Sri Aurobindo is on the rise as a steady stream of new books and journal articles testifies. But the tradition-worshipping milieu is preventing most educated Indians to benefit from them. Independent intellectual culture is a rarity and politically induced theories are considered more credible. Doctored history in curriculum is also responsible for eclipsing Sri Aurobindo from the mindscape of our countrymen. Let's hope that the Nation remembers him on August 15 with renewed vigour. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 1:33 PM No comments: Links
Monday, August 04, 2014
Democracy, Market, and Science have no other alternative
The beauty about the Market is no one need to understand it or direct it. Govt. job is just like removing hurdles for free flow of traffic.
The question is whether to wait for half-a-Century for Percolation taking effect or unleash brute Market forces to harrow within a decade?
Existing structure of Indian economy must undergo a severe churning and that includes harsh times for many. Avoiding that prolongs poverty.
Despite all their defects, Democracy, Market, and Science have no other alternative. Indians must learn to respect them and thwart Swadeshi.
People matter only during Election and not on a daily basis. Govt must not dither from taking hard, unpopular decisions in national interest.
A semi-educated as HRD Minister and rescinding a futuristic FYUP are the first sins. With the furore against GM, Govt to slide backward now.
Many spread the disinformation that India's traditional Wisdom is available only in Sanskrit without reading Sri Aurobindo's English books.
If language is the question, then English wins hands down. Sri Aurobindo's Savitri and The Life Divine prove it so conclusively. #FiveDreams
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 7:38 PM No comments: Links
Sri Aurobindo conceived the future on an enlightened scale
The 15 people who have become the Prime Minister of India represent diverse backgrounds and characters. Without going into how certain cercumstances were responsible for their occupying the office, it's an interesting study to look at them as mere individuals who made history in their own right while on the job. Their claim to greatness or otherwise was thrown by their evolution through holding office and response to unique opportunities and crises. Needless to mention that what is ordinarily seen as their personal acheivement actually ensues from the genius of countless agencies that remain faceless and hence unsung.
Be it the individualism of Emerson or Nietzsche or the Vedic taxonomy of four Varnas as popularised by Sri Aurobindo, from whichever angle we judge these 15 persons, the Kshatriya aspect is found missing in all of them. Impaired mandate and Party stipulations are surely major barriers but the overall thrust of personality exhibiting a heroic stance has never been a priority. Gandhian simplicity and nonviolence rhetoric has been a dampner for a whole generation of politicians. (The present RSS model also borders on asceticism.)
Sri Aurobindo conceived the future of India on a much more enlightened scale where Wisdom, Power, Harmony, and Service are integrated. We have been prisoners of either wrong stereotypes of the past or the false dreams spread by the West. Sri Aurobindo has painstakingly constructed the right paradigm for the future citizens of the country. Politics and Economics, Ethics and Aesthetics, Sri Aurobindo guides us nicely in every domain of life and action. Besides, to be in consonance with the demands of Evolution is the most crucial aspect of his teaching. Now that Indians are fervently searching for the right path, Sri Aurobindo is right here with his works available freely online. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 4:27 PM No comments: Links
Sunday, August 03, 2014
Sri Aurobindo has probed the human condition very deeply
Mock fights were a regular feature during the UPA rule. The same continues now to keep Twitter wars warm. Manipulating emotions is the whole secret of political games. When we compare these mean modes of realpolitik with the lofty ideals of political theory, disillusionment sets in. Expecting high morality from an ordinary human being engaged in the most uncertain profession of politics is surely absurd. But a close scrutiny shows that every individual observes a certain level of morality contributing to the common bank and in collective situations these tend to go up.
Laws, customs, and social circumstances ensure this and then the person's need for recognition by practicing ethics takes over. Still, the chances of a most moral person succumbing to corruption is not ruled out. A more modern and sophisticated way is to derive maximum benefits through networking and nepotism in the guise of altruism. NGOs have perfected this art in recent years with the aid of MBA degrees to preempt any sense of wrongdoing.
Sri Aurobindo has probed the human condition very deeply and dwelt upon the solutions in a forthright manner. Instead of focusing on man's incapacities, he prefers proceeding towards the possibilities. As the Evolutionary force is in operation in our midst, concentrating on historical errors is meaningless. What we must aim at is an ideal society taking shape from within the present imperfections. A clarity of vision and conviction is needed to pursue such a programme and popularising it among the young generation. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 3:49 PM No comments: Links
Saturday, August 02, 2014
Sri Aurobindo has gifted us a sound philosophy of history
Time and again we have expressed our unhappiness with RSS but driving out Sonia from power is a great relief. Another plus point is you stop hearing RSS whining and victimhood litanies. Confronting real issues can metamorphose RSS into a more inclusive entity. That's, of course, a distant hope and a dream. But, by dealing with a wide cross-section of people would make it more practical and less reliant on Mythology, Miracles, or Medievalism. Reconciling the past affirmations with future aspirations will be the most challenging task for the RSS think tank.
Sri Aurobindo has gifted us a sound philosophy of History taking the whole human evolution into account. Unfortunately, his ideas are not taught in the Universities in India and hence people are ignorant about them. He wrote at a time when nihilistic and pessimistic sentiments were sweeping the Western world. The Mother & Sri Aurobindo ushered in the message of hope, of a sublime future for the mankind and its inevitability. That India will be at the forefront of such an adventure is a matter of immense pride and happiness for us.
Science and technology is only one aspect of progress, the other side being freedom and fulfillment. Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy not only endows us with knowledge but also leads us on the path of Yoga. No other discipline of study has this dual benefit. Many complain of difficulties at the outset but they emerge, The Mother assures, to be overcome eventually. Thus, the more the struggle or wrestling with impediments, the greater the scope for conquest and radical transformation of hostile forces. The final victory, however, is Immortality and Divinisation of Earth. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 1:40 PM No comments: Links
Friday, August 01, 2014
Differentiate Sri Aurobindo from others
Since I concentrate on Sri Aurobindo in my blogs and tweets, many accuse me of bias from time to time. Three words have been hurled at me as if I'm the sole culprit. Proselytizing is the most hated word although it is as old as the human civilization. Professing and changing religion is approved by the Indian Constitution and so it's surprising why proselytizing is looked upon as so undesirable or demeaning. Helping someone to think and judge for himself is certainly not an abhorrent act.
The second word is evangelism. If the term denotes religious advertisement, then the question is since when advertising has become a wretched job. The whole world thrives on advertisements and if I contribute my mite, then how does it become so negative an act. Besides, my focus has always been to invoke the rational inquiry and critical scrutiny. Not to accept blindly has been a constant refrain. So, such advertising should be welcome in a modern environment.
The third term is hagiography and those who speak against it perhaps consider themselves as Angels who have just dropped from the heaven. From the love of parents to being a fan of political leaders, hagiography is part and parcel of human life. So, writing about Sri Aurobindo who has left behind encyclopedic writings for the progress of human race can never be characterized same as run-of-the-mill hagiographies. Thus, it's for the discerning readers to apply some separate parameters to differentiate Sri Aurobindo from others. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 9:09 PM No comments: Links
Left fails to assimilate the enlightened views of Sri Aurobindo
Communists do understand the Tusar Nath Mohapatra, 31 Jul 2014 - Asian Age
Communists do understand the electoral reality but are uncompromising in their attitude. They deserve praise for standing by principles and for their belief in theory. 2014 is not the end of history and there are many battles ahead in which Communists will lead from the front. Thus their Death-wish is merely a wishful thinking. [TNM55]
The Left has many ramifications in the Indian polity ranging from Maoist terrorism to AAP in Delhi streets. Their presence in the realm of Art, Culture, Literature, and Academic writing is uncontested. The very bias towards the poor has been their core policy that spontaneously appeals to people's sentiments. But antipathy towards religion leads to their isolation. Unfortunately, they have not been able to assimilate the enlightened views of Sri Aurobindo as regards human evolution and destiny. Their international outlook is limited to economic sphere as they fail to see how higher aspirations can smoothen the rough edges of social hierarchy.
This, we must admit, belongs to the realm of speculation as Sri Aurobindo's prophecies are yet to be empirically tested. The Left, therefore, is within its rights to follow its considered ideologies. But its dependence upon the Muslim vote in India is a blot on its intellectual pretensions. Electoral decimation is bound to force the Left to rethink policy and engage with the majority psychology. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 11:36 AM No comments: Links
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Enthusiasm about Sri Aurobindo fades away
Religion in India is witnessing enhanced activity since prosperity and logistical support is on the rise. Political mobilisation and need for entertainment is driving more and more people into these celebrations. Live telecasts are responsible for excessive publicity and added legitimacy. Govt. support for smooth management spreads the impression of State sponsorship influencing public participation. But the kind of intellectual lethargy that these round-the-year events infuse among the young generation is a major cause of India's backwardness. Tourism industry gains to an extent but religious austerity prevents full scale spending and enjoyment.
It's common to notice on Twitter that many become enthusiastic about Sri Aurobindo for a couple of months or so and then it fades away. The glamour of current affairs and sports etc. are so overpowering that people tend to get bored with philosophy. Religious congregations offer an easy and entertaining escape. Being in a crowd prevents from ruminating over the meaning of life or such other serious propositions. Solitary activities like reading or meditation take a back seat. Many prefer and privilege discussions just to get rid of loneliness and boredom and, consequently, become a victim of inauthenticity as outlined by Heidegger.
It's true that it's impossible for any individual to unravel his own mystery within life's short span. Both Science and Philosophy have been a failure on this score as of date. So, the best course is to depend upon the words of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo instead of Schopenhauer and Eduard von Hartmann. But discovering the true worth of their teachings and being convinced of their prophecies is a long-term affair. The challenge for the young and educated adults, therefore, is to proceed with Sri Aurobindo's books in a slow and steady pace. Be Indian, be Sri Aurobindian. [TNM55]
Posted by Tusar Nath Mohapatra at 12:46 PM No comments: Links
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
The Mother's role in cementing a Judeo-Vedic project
From Magna Carta to Flipkart, the journey of human civilization is a long and interesting tale of intercourse between the East and the West. Those at the helm of affairs of our nation are grappling with the story of a glorious past and its relevance in the modern context. But, it's not an easy task as history merges with legends and Mythological fiction in many respects. Nevertheless, distilling timeless wisdom from our ancient texts continues to which Sri Aurobindo provided a great filip. The whole clue to the human future has not been monopolized by Science and Technology as of yet. Philosophy has a stellar role to play in moderating and reconciling disparate findings of Science emerging from time to time.
The West has made tremendous advances in all fields of human concern. But the Christian Mythology continuing is a shame for their scientific attitude. Even the best of Western Philosophy is simply a response to the Christian Ontology, either overt or covert. Most of Western Theory, similarly, are drawn from a limited geographical span and are constrained to that extent. For them, the rest of the world doesn't exist and this constitutes a serious handicap.
Sri Aurobindo was well aware of the importance of the West and sought to integrate its contributions with the ancient Indian wisdom. The Mother's role in cementing such a Judeo-Vedic project happens to be a landmark in India's history and this year, we are celebrating her arrival's Centenary. [TNM55]
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Ex-Brocade CEO Reyes gets 18 months for stock back-dating
Disgraced ex-Brocade CEO Greg Reyes, who appealed in 2007 against a 21-month prison sentence for stock option backdating, has been given an 18-month term in the slammer plus a $15m fine. Reuters reports that this was given to him by the same judge who had initially sentenced him three years ago, and it works out at $33,708 a …
Rich bastards
So... he's not in prison already? Why, with rich white-collar tossers like him, do they only seem to go to jail once every single possible avenue of appeal is exhausted, rather than being slung in there upon conviction, and then being LET OUT if an appeal succeeds? You know... the way it works with every other class of convicted criminal on the planet. What's the betting he gets a presidential pardon, or develops some unfortunate mental illness that would render jail time unconscionable, or disappears on his private yacht, if this appeal to his appeal fails.
The letters of leniency....
did they arrive after the verdict?
Can anyone remind me why they haven't gone after anyone at Apple on this issue?
Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied
When convicted felons defer their prison time with endless appeals they should be forced to pay interest. About a 20% rate seems fair. Defer a 1 year sentence with 2 years of appeals, earn an additional 146 days to be served. They all know the older they get the more sympathetic they appear. I was shocked Madoff was given effectively a life sentence but I'll bet he's released within 5 years under the guise of "health problems."
perphaps he can backdaten the sentence
he can use his skill in back dating? instead of another appeal
No Perjury charge on top`?
If he lied in court, why isnt there a perjury charge on top of everything else?
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Chasing wolves in the charcoal waters of Chile.
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SouthWest Service
|Metra SouthWest Service
SouthWest Service #827 leaves Union Station in 2011.
|Commuter Rail
|Union Station
|Daily ridership
|9,500 (Avg. Weekday 2009)[1]
|Norfolk Southern Railway (Leased to Metra)
|Metra, Norfolk Southern Railway
|Track length
|40.6 miles
|Track gauge
|4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
The SouthWest Service (SWS) is a Metra commuter rail line, running southwest from Union Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the SouthWest Service line are "Banner Blue," for the Wabash Railroad's Banner Blue passenger train.[2] The trackage is owned by Metra north of a junction with the Belt Railway of Chicago at Loomis Boulevard, and is leased from Norfolk Southern Railway south of the junction (NS has trackage rights over Metra's portion).[3]
The line south of the curve at the east end of the section aligned with 75th Street was built by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway, which opened in 1880 to Chicago. That curve was a junction with the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad, of which the Wabash owned one-fifth, and used to reach Dearborn Station in downtown Chicago.[citation needed]
After several reorganizations the Wabash Railroad was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway on October 16, 1964.[4]:145 After Amtrak assumed control of most intercity passenger trains on May 1, 1971, the Chicago-Orland Park commuter train was the only train which still used Dearborn. It continued to use a small platform and track on the property until 1976 when it relocated to Union Station, via a new connection at Alton Junction.[5]:71. Under N&W operation the train was known as the Orland Park Cannonball.[6] The Regional Transportation Authority began to subsidize the service in 1978. N&W merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1982, and for a while the line was known as the Norfolk Southern Line (NS). On June 1, 1993 Metra took over operations and renamed it the SouthWest Service.[3]
The rail line expansion project, which includes 11 miles (18 km) of new track and at least two additional train stations, was completed (except for the Laraway Road station) in January 2006. The number of trains per day increased from 16 to 30, 15 in each direction. For years, Pace operated Route 835, whose bus service enhanced the limited train service in the SouthWest Service corridor. With the rail service expansion, ridership on route 835 became so poor that Pace eliminated it on August 17, 2007.[citation needed]
Metra started Saturday service on March 21, 2009, with six trains between Union Station and Manhattan.[7]
In the near future, SouthWest Service trains will shift from Union Station to LaSalle Street Station via a new flyover connection that will be built near 74th Street. Additional mainline trackage will be also be built between LaSalle St Station and 74th to handle the increase in traffic. LaSalle St Station will also be expanded.[8] This would relieve congestion at Union Station and improve reliability for the SouthWest Service.[citation needed]
Service frequency[edit]
As of October 16, 2011[update], the last time Metra revised the timetable, the SouthWest Service has fifteen round-trips per day on weekdays and three on Saturday. There is no Sunday service. All Saturday trains run through to Manhattan. Of the weekday trains, one terminates at Orland Park 153rd Street, three at Manhattan, and the remainder at Orland Park 179th Street.[9]
Station stops[edit]
SouthWest Service trains make the following station stops:
- Union Station
- Wrightwood
- Ashburn
- Oak Lawn
- Chicago Ridge
- Worth
- Palos Heights
- Palos Park
- Orland Park 143rd Street
- Orland Park 153rd Street
- Orland Park 179th Street
- Laraway Road
- Manhattan
- ^ "Ridership Reports - System Facts". Metra. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- ^ "Did you know?". On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009.
- ^ a b Metra (2013). "SouthWest Service History". Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ Schafer, Mike (2000). More Classic American Railroads. Osceola, WI: MBI. ISBN 076030758X. OCLC 44089438.
- ^ Holland, Kevin J. (2001). Classic American Railroad Terminals. Osceola, WI: MBI. ISBN 9780760308325. OCLC 45908903.
- ^ Norfolk and Western Railway (July 3, 1972). "Suburban Passenger Service".
- ^ Hood, Joel (March 2, 2009). "Metra adding Saturday service to SouthWest line in March". Chicago Metra. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
- ^ "Metra Moving". Railway Track & Structures. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
- ^ Metra (October 16, 2011). "Southwest Service". Retrieved June 7, 2014.
External links[edit]


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- Written by Corwin Gibson
- July 11th, 2014
Village of Oak Creek resident Betty Bowell lived through the threat of bombings during World War II in England, and only recently decided to share her story.
Spurred on by a visit to her granddaughter's fourth-grade class, Bowell began writing down her recollection of the experience so that the children would have some insight, and Bowell said that now she wants to share it before it's too late for her.
"This is an area of retired people who were involved in the Second World War to some degree, and friends of mine always felt that I should share this," she said. "Maybe I should before it's too late."
Bowell's family lived in Coventry, England, where her father worked in a factory, and the city's status as a growing industrial center made it a target for air raids by Germany during the war.
To read the full story, see the Friday, July 11, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.
People in this conversation
Comments (1)
David Lewis
Very interesting, I worked in Coventry for many years as a Firefighter (now retired), and found this fascinating. My wife and I are moving back to Sedona next year. Dave Lewis0 Like


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Gift finder
The Birthday Surprise Song is a personal song dedicated to the birthday boy or girl. You determine the song lyrics by answering the questions below.
The name of the birthday boy or girl will be repeated three times throughout the song. Burned to CD printed with your photo and text.
In stock, ordered before 24:00, 4 - 10 days delivery time
More information about the birthday song:
Box measurements: 15,5 x 15,5 cm
Language: English
Voice: Female
Extra: Own photo or text printed to CD


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You wake up in the morning! Instead of just letting things flow you decide to plan things out. So what will you do?
Im am very sorry if this has already been done and i promise i wasnt aware of a previous thread similar to this one.
You wake up in the morning! Instead of just letting things flow you decide to plan things out. So what will you do?
Im am very sorry if this has already been done and i promise i wasnt aware of a previous thread similar to this one.
Kudos to Neodark for the best banner! AWESOME job!
Get up.
Swim some more.
Go home.
Do homework.
Go on Bulba.
Go to bed.
This is my day today. >__<
Once my school project partner is available I'm going back to homework.
Then I'll practise the piano.
Then I'll finish my painting and start a sketch for a new one.
Then math homework.
Painting class from 6 to 9 PM.
Then review for tomorrow's French quiz.
And finally, bed.
Eat dinner.
Eat something sweet.
Goof off while trying to finish my English assingment.
Finish my English assignment.
Draw. Hopefully.
Read manga(which I do all day, pretty much...).
Watch Death Note.
Go to bed.
Wake up
Have breakfast
Go to karate at 14:00 and finish at 16:00
Go to the pub with the people who also do karate
Have dinner
Do assignments
Play Pokémon Black version
Go on these forums
Go to bed.
Last edited by Water Max; 25th February 2012 at 02:20 PM.
Staff member of Bulbanews (Senior Writer). Original Poster of the Kingdom of Pokémon [v1.5]-[v5]. I've claimed Cacturne, Suicune, Hustle, Hydro Cannon and Gary.
All I will do today is increase my post counts, which seems to be on my mind at the moment.
Wake up- Eat- Bathroom- Laptop- Forums- Forums- Forums- Forums- Forums- More Forums- Even more Forums- Much more Forum viewing- Bathroom- Shower- Eat- Travel- Sleep.
Lurk in the forums all day XD
Check out my group: Talk to me!
My mom's classmate from college is coming over to our house from Bakersfield.
Serperior99 Fanclub | Bulbagarden's Californian Club | From the Serperior's Lair, My Blog
I've claimed Serperior, Overgrow, Bicycle, Poke Ball, & Pokemon White Version
Don't really have any. Surf the internet, I guess.
Crack some heads for me, darlings. Thank you, and good night.
Get up.
Go to swim meet.
Get JO times.
Go home.
Play on the internetz.
Wake up.
Frantically finish homework.
FCs- HG: 4426 5257 0152 Pt: 0131 7157 4821 W: 3095 6620 2000 W2: 1851 0568 6600