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Sri Aurobindo and Hi...
Sri Aurobindo and His Contemporary Thinkers
by: Indrani Sanyal , Krishna RoyThe book studies the contributions of some of the illustrious persons like Rammohan Roy, Gandhi, Tagore, Gokhale and Satish Chandra to the socio-cultural and spiritual life of late eighteenth to nineteenth century, and aims at situating Sri Aurobindo’s thoughts vis- -vis those of his contemporaries.
$24.00
ISBN: 9788124604281
Year Of Publication: 2007
Edition: 1st
Pages : ix, 350
Bibliographic Details : index
Language : English
Binding : Hardcover
Publisher: D.K. Printworld Pvt. Ltd.
Size: 23
Weight: 700
The period spanning the latter half of the eighteenth century and the nineteenth century in India was marked by a reawakened national spirit to reinterpret Indian traditional values in modern light. This book, comprising deliberations presented at a national seminar, discusses some of the illustrious persons of that period who by their ideas and actions enriched the socio-cultural and spiritual life of the period. Researchers study the period of Sri Aurobindo, his contributions as well as those of his contemporaries including Raja Rammohan Roy, Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore, Gokhale and Satish Chandra. The aim is to situate Sri Aurobindo’s thoughts in its socio-cultural background and study the contributions of his contemporaries to bring out the distinctiveness of Sri Aurobindo. The essays deal with Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of nationalism, his view of Indian renaissance and Ireland’s national and cultural renaissance and his attitude towards national education. They take up interpretations of violence and non-violence by Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda’s outlook about morality, caste system and dharma, and response of Aurobindo, Tilak and Gokhale to Western imperialism. An interesting effort is made to compare the thoughts of Sri Aurobindo and Tagore towards the revolutionary movement and reveal Aurobindo’s perception of Tagore’s poetry. The book will be useful to historians, political and social thinkers, besides the general readers.
Preface
Introduction
1. Sri Aurobindos Philosophy of Nationalism, Internationalism and Contemporary Crisis
— Kireet Joshi
2. The Distinctiveness of Sri Aurobindos View on Indian Renaissance
— D.P. Chattopadhyaya
3. The Bengal Renaissance : Different Interpretations
— Rakhal Chandra Nath
4. Sri Aurobindo on the Possibility of Renaissance in India
— Dilip Kumar Roy
5. Sri Aurobindo and Ireland : A Critical Study
— Dilip Kumar Chatterjee
6. National Education Movement and Satis Chandra
— Rama Prasad De
7. Bengals National Council of Education and Sri Aurobindo
— Amal Kumar De
8. History As Applied Metaphysics
— Indrani Sanyal
9. Some Renaissance Aspects of Vivekanandas Thoughts
— Tirthanath Bandyopadhyay
10. The Western Imperialistic Challenge: Aurobindo, Tilak and Gokhale
— Aparna Banerjee
11. Significance of Tagores Poetry in the Indian Renaissance : Sri Aurobindonian Perspective
— Supriyo Bhattacharya
12. The Revolutionary Movement : Tagore and Aurobindo
— Manjula Bose
13. Philosophy of Krishna Chandra Bhattacharyya
— Tara Chatterjea
14. Acharya Brojendranath Seal : His Aesthetic Ideas
— Sudhir Kumar Nandi
15. Outlook Towards Women : Influence of Indian Renaissance
— Madhumita Chattopadhyay
16. Raja Rammohan Roy : Forerunner of Womens Liberation Movement
— Krishna Roy
17. Violence or Non-violence : Interpretations by Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi
— Sushmita Bhowmik
18. Sri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi and Indias Freedom Struggle : From Swadeshi
to Non-cooperation
— Sujata Mukherjee
The Contributors
Index
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Modern Civilization $32.00
The crisis of the age inheres in this, that notwithstanding the century’s mind-numbing disasters, it persists in subscribing to propositions which have logically led to the atomization of the whole cloth of human experiencing, and being. Great indeed is the value which is placed on the procedure of analytic dismemberment. While the method has certainly been result-producing, materially, in its wake it has brought immense suffering – both physical and spiritual. The price paid for a lopsided advance is thirty major wars – with their toll of one hundred and thirty million lives, and the irreparable destruction of the natural environment. The time demands a reappraisal of the basic paradigms of human existence, but the hegemony of well-entrenched vested interests – material or intellectual – would seem to preclude this.
The “advanced” people among the mankind of the day become suicidally specialized. For, if the mechanical model of thought has been of advantage in man’s preceding unfolding, the same, what may be called the “survival” paradigm, now creates dangerous dualities, binary oppositions (you–me, body–mind, East–West, etc). The model has outlived its usefulness merely enforcing dormancy on a major part of the human brain.
It behoves mankind to choose wisely right now – since parallel to the socio-economic, scientific and technological revolutions there has got to be the overdue radical psychic transformation. The first step towards clearing the fateful crisis would therefore be to be aware and end the hold of the linear, causal, mechanical thought orientation over the intellectual culture of the times.
Delving deep into the epistemological cum ontological causation of the emergency confronting the being and becoming of man, this volume provokes the thoughtful lay reader to a serious engagement with his or her self. -
First Five Brahmasūtras (विज्ञानभिक्षोः ब्रह्मसूत्रपञ्चचसूत्रीभाष्यम्) $40.00
This is an annotated English translation of Vijñānabhikṣu’s commentaries on the first five Brahmasūtra (BS) of Bādarāyaṇa called the Vijñānāmṛtabhāṣya (VijBh). This is a pioneering work as no translation of the VijBh has been done so far. Bhikṣu is perhaps the only known Vedānta scholar who has argued for Brahman along with his prakṛti-śakti being the cause of the world. He calls his Advaita philosophy as Avibhāga-Advaita and sets himself against Śaṅkara’s Advaita which argues for Brahman alone being the material and efficient cause of the world. Bhikṣu is also an unique Advaita scholar as he interprets Vedānta using Sāṁkhya/Yoga principles. One of the reasons for choosing to comment on only the first five sūtras was because the VijBh is a huge work and also because Bhikṣu’s Avibhāga-Advaita can easily be understood from his commentaries on these first five sūtras of the BS. Even though the real reason for Bhikṣu’s commentary on the fifth sūtra (BS I.1.5) should be clear to anyone familiar with Vedānta’s objection to prakṛti being the cause of the world, it needed to be seen as to how Bhikṣu, as a committed Sāṁkhya-Yoga-Vedāntācārya, defends prakṛti’s role in being the cause. Just as writing commentaries on the first four sūtras of Śaṅkara’s BSBh done by some eminent scholars present the main features of Śaṅkara’s Advaita, the commentaries on the first five sūtras of the BS by Bhikṣu could adequately present Bhikṣu’s Avibhāga-Advaita Vedānta.
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Reflections on Indian Thought $34.00
This anthology, consisting of fourteen essays, deals with a variety of themes that are of central importance for an authentic appreciation of the philosophical core of the Indian culture. The readers will find here illuminating discussions on various issues that bear witness to the critical thinking and deep reflection on the part of the author that have enabled her to carefully expose the subtle internal divergences that nourish the Indian conceptual world.
Based on arduous and painstaking research, these essays focus on a range of topics. There are several essays on multiple aspects of the large themes of time and consciousness, penetrating analysis showing how in the ancient discourse ideas of klesha (affliction), abhyasa (practice) and karuna (compassion) as well as on women and values are dealt with. There are also deliberations on the themes of religious diversity and the need for an encounter of world religions along with the attempt to explore India’s self-image. All these have contemporary relevance, as these essays clearly bring out the distinctive character of a living culture. -
Sapiens and Sthitaprajna $32.00
Sapiens and Sthitaprajna studies the concept of a wise person in the Stoic Seneca and in the Bhagavadgita. Although the Gita and Seneca’s writings were composed at least two centuries apart and a continent apart, they have much in common in recommending a well-lived life. This book describes how in both a wise person is endowed with both virtue and wisdom, is moral, makes right judgements and takes responsibility for actions. A wise and virtuous person always enjoys happiness, as happiness consists in knowing that one has done the right thing at the right time.
Both Seneca and the Gita demand intellectual rigour and wisdom for leading a virtuous and effective life. They provide guidelines for how to become and be wise. Both systems demand a sage to be emotionally sound and devoid of passions. This leads to mental peace and balance, and ultimately tranquillity and happiness. While surveying these similarities, this study also finds differences in their ways of application of these ideas. The metaphysics of the Gita obliges the sage to practise meditation, while the Stoics require a sage to be a rational person committed to analysing and intellectualizing any situation.
This comparative study will be of interest to students of both Ancient Western and Ancient Indian Philosophy. Practitioners of Stoicism and followers of the Gita should find the presence of closely-related ideas in a very different tradition of interest while perhaps finding somewhat different prescriptions a spur to action. -
Seven Weeks In ‘Little Tibet’: Philosophic Travelling in Ladakh $10.00
A German lady, a veteran Yoga practitioner, travels to Ladakh, also known as ‘Little Tibet’. There she dives as much into life in its bustling capital Leh as into moonlike landscapes and Buddhist locales. She spends a week in a solitary meditation cabin, goes on a trek and meets not just Ladakhis but also interesting fellow travellers from all over the globe.
So is this a travelogue? Or are these musings in a journal? Yes, but also much more. Charmed by her chatty narration, spiced with irony and humour, you are gently led to contemplations on life and living, changes wrought by globalization, man-woman relationships, cultural differences, loss of identities, fear as an inherent part of the human psyche and the burgeoning objects of enjoyment versus the diminishing capacity to enjoy.
Before you know it, you realise that HellaNaura’s deep reflections have awakened in you a need to integrate some spiritual viewpoints into your busy modern life. Why? Because her experiences and many joys, in spite of several difficulties, are a proof that a ‘spiritual’ outlook is an effective antidote to the crafty seduction by material and sensual gratifications. And, as she notes, even parts of Ladakhi society – formerly happy, prosperous and woven tightly together with warmth and intimacy – seem to be succumbing to its lures.
