The Lives of Sri Aurobindo and the Recycle Bin:

[Lalit Kumar]

R.Y. Deshpande :- Here is a thoughtful private observation from an American friend, and she as an academician deeply studied in Philosophy:

I know how upset you are with the book, The Lives of Sri Aurobindo, but people of limitation are always trying to explain the experiences of great people—with no success because they haven't received the intuitive, overmind and supermental identity. I wonder if most people who read this book look at the details as you do. You are an Aurobindian scholar and beautiful poet. Peter is neither. Why not let the book die a natural death? Why keep it alive? I read it and having studied Sri Aurobindo since 1964, realized that the author of Lives and I didn't agree on many (most) points. In my opinion, Sri Aurobindo is one of the great masters of all time. I consider him the Plato of the East and really of the world. Peter's book will one day land in the recycle bin. Sri Aurobindo's work will last forever.

I think anyone deeply involved with Sri Aurobindo's work will take this so-called biography with a grain of salt. Of course, that's just an opinion.

[Barindranath Chaki]

I don't think Peter Heeh and his so-called biography should be of any consideration, any value. The book "Lives of Sri Aurobindo" is an anti-Divine move and it will be lost soon in the darkness, as will Peter do.

Sri Aurobindo is not only a great Thinker or a Great Master, He is the Forerunner of the New World, the Turning Point for the Human Race, the Leader of the Next Evolutio. He is truly the Avatar.

[kalpana]

I see no point in giving mention to this particular writer and his book.
This has been discussed ad nauseum on numerous sites.
I have not read it, neither do I wish to. I am not interested in reading biographies of Mother and Sri Aurobindo by anybody else, with exceptions. Why?
Because Sri Aurobindo and Mother have written clearly, in -depth and in English about their experiences, and when asked, They answered particular questions from those who were seriously interested in being fellow-scientists on their path
As to whether their Lives and Biographies by others are worth reading, you only have to read what Sri Aurobindo and Mother have said: in one word NO'.
It is a peculiarly Western post-freudian preoccupation to get knotted up in the mud that feeds the lotus.
As far as Sri Aurobindo being an Eastern Plato, how we Easterns still crave for Western validation! How many times have you ever heard the reverse?
Let us not get dragged into it here at ASPIRATION.
Have we lost a sense of urgency and purpose?
The task ahead demands undivided attention and easy to get distracted by trivia.

[Barindranath Chaki]

Biographies of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo

Besides the book On Himself written by Sri Aurobindo, there are some highly valuable biographical books written by several well-known devotees, which I am mentioning below. The books are highly valuable and sufficiently inspiring and enlightening. And never was there any upheaval or dissatisfaction or controversy with any of the following books. And many of these books have been welcome highly.
And I have never come across any advice of The Mother or Sri Aurobindo, asking us not to read any biographical writings about Them.

Basu, A, Sri Aurobindo, A Garland of Tributes
Chaudhuri, Haridas, Sri Aurobindo: The Prophet of Life Divine
Das, M. Sri Aurobindo in the First Decade of the Century
Iyengar, K.R.S. Sri Aurobindo. A Biography and a History
Kumari, Shyam, How They Came to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (Vols. 1-3)
Kumari, Shyam, Vignettes of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
Kumari, Shyam, More Vignettes of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
Nirodbaran, Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo
Pandit, M.P. Tell Us of the Mother
Purani, Sri Aurobindo In England
Purani, The Life of Sri Aurobindo
Richabhchand, Sri Aurobindo: His Life Unique
Roshan and Apurva, Sri Aurobindo in Baroda
Roy, Dilip, Sri Aurobindo Came to Me
Satprem, Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness
Satprem, Mirra
Satprem, Mirra the Artist
Satprem, Mirra the Occultist
Sujata Nahar, Mother’s Chronicles

Sri Aurobindo. A Biography and a History by K R S Iyengar was published by the Ashram [SABDA] in 1945. And the third revised edition was published in 1972, when The Mother was physically present amongst us.
Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness by Satprem was first published by the Ashram [SABDA] in 1964.

Let me quote fro Wikipedia about this book :
Also, under The Mother's guidance he wrote Sri Aurobindo, ou l'Aventure de la Conscience (Sri Aurobindo, or the Adventure of Consciousness) , which became the most popular introductory book to Sri Aurobindo and The Mother (published 1964).Anybody reading this book will certainly find it to be highly valuable and inspirational and also properly leading on the Way.[I have the opportunity of translating this book in Bengali, which was published by Mira Aditi Centre. Mrs. Mamata has also translated this book in Oriya, published by Mira Aditi Center.]

Sujata Nahar’s books are also equally exceptional and inspiring.

Barindranath Chaki
26-08-09

[Jordi Valero]

"I see that you have persisted in giving a biography -- is it really necessary or useful? The attempt is bound to be a failure, because neither you nor anyone else knows anything at all of my life; it has not been on the surface for men to see"


Volume 26, Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, "On Himself"

p. 378


Jordi
27-08-09

[kalpana]

on pages 45 and 46 [words of Mother on Herself and Sri Aurobindo] in which She is saying:
'Let it be the last timesomething is publicly mentioned about my past life!- this body does not want to be spoken of- ...'from p.http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/ashram/mother/writings.php
vol.13 'Collected Works of the MOTHER'

[Gopal]

i first of all need to apologize for a late reply on this matter.

there have been discussions everywhere regarding this incidence. while Peter claims that he has tried to give a view of Sri Aurobindo from a neutral ground, which he felt as necessary, he has actually tried to give a big blow to the belief of all of us and especially to those who are the beginners on The Path.

probably this is our indian tradition of going through the biography of our leaders, which initiates all this activity of writing the biographies.

there is always a question that do we actually need a biography when The Mother and Sri Aurobindo themselves have given us each and every details of Their Life to us? why rely on some other persons views? even if he is a devotee of Theors, there will some personal influence and he or she tries to picturize The Masters as he or she has seen or want see, but missing the Real?

the references and citations from Him and Her are certainly eye openings here...

but there is another dimension to this whole issue.

most of the people, even those who are old enough now, do not know much about the literature of The Masters. going through the complete works of Theirs is like drinking the whole of an ocean. therefore to know about Them, is a little difficult task. also there is another section of devotees who feel it hughly difficult to "understand" the works of The Masters, and they tend to avoid reading them and just reserve themselves to be associated spiritually with Masters. there could be many other examples also.

for such people, it becomes a little necessary to have biographical notes, in a simple and lucid manner. but care must be taken that one is not misguided while he or she reads such bio graphies.

what barin da has cited here about some of the books by devotees, they can be helpful.

Twelve Years with Ari Aurobindo, by Nirod Da, was a great reading experience for me. mainly because Nirod da has written what he has experinced with Sri Aurobindo. not what Sri Aurobindo was/is?

there is another great book here. The Supreme which is again a collection of conversation with The Mother by Mona Sarkar.

all these experiences, certainly inspire us by letting us know how The Masters acted in certain situations in th elife of devotees. also giving us some glimpses of Their true nature. off course not complete, a glimpse.

the Whole of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo has to be experienced personally.

this is what i felt to contribute to this discussion.

as usually i am not a flawless person. i may be having some eccentirc approach here. please correct me if i am wrong somewhere.


Dedicated to Her Feet,

Gopal.

[Gopal]

when i pondered over this issue for one more moment after writing the previous reply...

The Masters have always been careful to not to disclose themselves openly and completely to all of the people.

for example the Sidhi Day. it was not Sri Aurobindo or The Mother who announced that the Overmental consciousness of Lord Sri Krishna has manifested. it was some other devoteee who felt it and announced it to the world, because he or she experinces it.

similarly The Masters have disclosed Themselves completely to only those who have realized Them. for example if you read The Supreme, in the very first chapter itself that The Mother says that She is The Supreme to Mona Sarkar because Mona Sarkar experienced the fact and no where else The Mother has openly said to "public" that She is The Supreme.

it is only through such biographical notes that we come to "know" such facts, and which help us on our Path.

facst apart, certainly we do not need a biography like the one written by Peter. we must be careful enough to choose.

after all...it is not our abilities which show what we are....it is our choices...(from Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets!)

[kalpana]

Gopal, thank you for your two posts- they have considered the matter of biographies very carefully and you have made a lot of really good points, especially the need to be careful about what one chooses to read.
It is very useful to point out as you have done, that those senior, respected sadhaks who have written about the Masters, have made it clear that it is there personal views and experiences, not 'authorised biographies'.

Some where Sri Aurobindo wrote in one of his letters that His Yoga is not some kind of 'yoga made easy'!

Gopal said:

when i pondered over this issue for one more moment after writing the previous reply...

The Masters have always been careful to not to disclose themselves openly and completely to all of the people.

for example the Sidhi Day. it was not Sri Aurobindo or The Mother who announced that the Overmental consciousness of Lord Sri Krishna has manifested. it was some other devoteee who felt it and announced it to the world, because he or she experinces it.

similarly The Masters have disclosed Themselves completely to only those who have realized Them. for example if you read The Supreme, in the very first chapter itself that The Mother says that She is The Supreme to Mona Sarkar because Mona Sarkar experienced the fact and no where else The Mother has openly said to "public" that She is The Supreme.

it is only through such biographical notes that we come to "know" such facts, and which help us on our Path.

facst apart, certainly we do not need a biography like the one written by Peter. we must be careful enough to choose.

after all...it is not our abilities which show what we are....it is our choices...(from Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets!)