Sri Aurobindo:

Sri Aurobindo: Quick Notes

Early Life & Education

• Original name: Aravinda Akroyd Ghose
• Born: 15 August 1872, Kolkata
• Education: Schooled in India & England (King’s College, Cambridge); qualified for ICS but declined to serve British.

Career & Language

• Career: Joined Baroda State Service; vice-principal of Baroda College.
• Language: Learned Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit later (mother tongue neglected in childhood).

Political Journey

• Critic of Congress Moderates; called them loyalists to British rule.
• Active nationalist from 1905; led extremist group with Tilak after Surat split (1907).
• Arrested in Alipore Bomb Case (1908); released after one year.
• Founded publications: Karmayogin (English) & Dharma (Bengali).
• Shifted focus to spirituality; moved to Pondicherry (1910).

Philosophy & Ideas

• Advocated passive resistance (organized defensive resistance + constructive work + boycott of foreign institutions).
• Against violent revolt but supported defensive violence if legally oppressed.
• Criticized Gandhian idealism; argued politics can’t rely on saintly masses.

Nationalism & Culture

• India = divine, eternal force (not just geography).
• Nationalism = religious, divine mission; liberation = service to God.
• True nationalists must be fearless & ready to sacrifice all.

Social Views

• Condemned caste-based oppression; caste is a social function, not birth-based.
• Opposed political reservation/separate representation for lower castes to avoid division in Hindu society.

Key Works

• The Life Divine
• Synthesis of Yoga
• Essays on The Gita
• The Secret of The Veda
• Savitri (epic poem)
• Letters on Yoga