Sri Aurobindo's Uttarpara Speech

July 31, 2011

Just came across the speech by Śri Aurobindo (at that time was Śri Aurobindo Ghose) at Uttarpara. Here is the wiki link.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Uttarpara_Speech

First some context. Śri Aurobindo was actively involved in the movement for India's independence. Like his own hero, Shri Lokamanya Tilak, Śri Aurobindo did not have much tolerance for the moderate wing of the Congress part in the early part of the 20th century. The British Viceroy had once referred to Śri Aurobindo as the "he is the most dangerous man we have to reckon with". He was arrested in 1908 and charged with sedition. He was placed in solitary confinement and following a prolonged trial Śri Aurobindo was acquitted. Śri Aurobindo was released after a year. It was at this time, he gave a speech speaking about his journey of spiritual transformation.

I am particularly struck by a few lines:

When the case opened in the lower court and we were brought before the Magistrate I was followed by the same insight. He said to me, "When you were cast into jail, did not your heart fail and did you not cry out to me, where is Thy protection? Look now at the Magistrate, look now at the Prosecuting Counsel."

I looked and it was not the Magistrate whom I saw, it was Vasudeva, it was Narayana who was sitting there on the bench. I looked at the Prosecuting Counsel and it was not the Counsel for the prosecution that I saw; it was Sri Krishna who sat there, it was my Lover and Friend who sat there and smiled.

....

The arrangements which had been made for my defence were suddenly changed and another Counsel stood there to defend me. He came unexpectedly, a friend of mine, but I did not know he was coming. You have all heard the name of the man who put away from him all other thoughts and abandoned all his practice, who sat up half the night day after day for months and broke his health to save me, Srijut Chittaranjan Das.

When I saw him, I was satisfied, but I still thought it necessary to write instructions. Then all that was put away from me and I had the message from within, "This is the man who will save you from the snares put around your feet. Put aside those papers. It is not you who will instruct him. I will instruct him."

From that time I did not of myself speak a word to my Counsel about the case or give a single instruction... I had left it to him and he took it entirely into his hands, with what result you know. I knew all along what He meant for me, for I heard it again and again, always I listened to the voice within; "I am guiding, therefore fear not. Turn to your own work for which I have brought you to jail and when you come out, remember never to fear, never to hesitate. Remember that it is I who am doing this, not you nor any other."

I have just started listening to Pujya Guruji's talks on Geeta Chapter 7 delivered last year in Australia. The description of a jñāni in chapter 7 bears a direct parallel to what Śri Aurobindo said.

वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ||७-१९||
vaasudevaH sarvamiti sa mahaatmaa sudurlabhaH .. 7-19..
Such a great soul who realizes that all this is Sri Kṛṣṇa alone(Vāsudeva - the innermost self) is very hard to find

We can't forget chapter 6-30.
यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र सर्वं च मयि पश्यति |
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति ||६-३०||
yo maaM pashyati sarvatra sarva.n cha mayi pashyati .
tasyaahaM na praNashyaami sa cha me na praNashyati .. 6\-30..
He who sees Me everywhere and everything in Me, he never gets separated from Me, nor do I get separated from him

Knowing how Śri Aurobindo's lived his life after that speech, it is obvious that Sri Aurobindo was never separate from the Lord of the Universe.

Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post