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He
easily dealt with the likes of Max-Muller who implied that only those
passages that could be grasped by the western mind in the Upanishads could
be considered valid. It was the orthodox schools in India that were a
bigger challenge to him who reduced the Upanishads to one set or the other,
each with their own interpretation.
The Advaita philosophy was largely accepted by Aurobindo, but he noticed
that even that had departed from plain sense of texts. This led him to
say that a student must “ refuse to follow even Shankara.. when his
interpretation involves ... so wide a departure from the recognized meaning
of words”. As his understanding of the Vedas grew he realized that
Shankara’s interpretation was not in perfect accord with the Upanishads
or the Gita which did not insist on the unreality of the world, nor did
the demand inaction.
Indian
philosophy does not merely speak of intellectual understanding but speaks
of spiritual experiences for those who seek it. Experience leads to realization
of the truths. In 1908 he started an English newspaper called ‘Karmayogin’
in which were printed articles on Vedanta, poetry,translations of the
Upanishads, studies of hypnosis, painting. He also started a Bengali weekly,
‘Dharma’ whose articles he wrote himself. He managed to all
this from a ‘Yogic state’ as he stated ‘ creative energy
used to run down my hand while writing’.
Aurobindo
believed in Sanatana Dharma ( eternal religion)and Karmayoga (Yoga of
Action).” The task we set before ourselves ismoral and spiritual.
We aim not at the alteration of a form of Government but at the building
up of a nation.. We shall devote ourselves not to politics alone, or theology
or literature, or science but to all these in one entity the dharma, which
is universal, and to make yoga the ideal.. by which she will get the strength
to realize her freedom, unity and greatness.”
Right
through his political career, Aurobindo was practicing yoga and pranayama.
As he himself observes, his was a side-door entry into the spiritual life.
Inspite of having had a number of spiritual experiences between 1893 and
1903, he did not immediately embrace such a life. He realized though that
he might be able to use the spiritual power which was one of the results
of Yoga to help carry out his political program. He began his days with
pranayama. The results were great fluency in writing, improved health,
and a general feeling of lightness.
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