Sri Aurobindo Quotes

Powerful Sri Aurobindo for Daily Growth

About Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo (15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950), born Aurobindo Ghose, was a renowned Indian philosopher, poet, and yogi who played a significant role in India's struggle for independence as well as in the development of Indian spirituality. Born into a family of scholars and philosophers in Calcutta, Sri Aurobindo initially pursued a career in academia and law. In 1893, he went to Cambridge University but returned to India two years later without a degree. He later became professor of English at Baroda College. In 1896, while working as a lecturer in Bangalore, Sri Aurobindo was drawn towards Indian nationalism and resigned from his position to become one of the leading figures of the Indian independence movement. In 1908, he moved to Pondicherry where he established a revolutionary newspaper, 'Bande Mataram.' His patriotic verses for this paper became famous. In 1910, due to political reasons, Sri Aurobindo was arrested and imprisoned in Alipore Jail, Kolkata. During his incarceration, he had a spiritual experience that led him to abandon politics and turn towards yoga and spirituality. Upon his release from prison in 1910, Sri Aurobindo moved permanently to Pondicherry, where he spent the rest of his life engaged in meditation, writing, and teaching. He founded the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which continues to thrive today as a spiritual community. Sri Aurobindo's major works include 'The Life Divine', 'Synthesis of Yoga', 'The Secret of the Veda', and 'Savitri', an epic poem. His philosophy integrates yoga, Indian spiritual traditions, and modern scientific thought to propose a synthesis of yogic integration that he calls 'Integral Yoga.' This system aims for the unity of the spiritual and material, the divine and the human, in individual life and collective existence. Sri Aurobindo passed away on 5 December 1950, leaving behind a rich legacy of philosophical and spiritual thought that continues to inspire seekers worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The future is in our hands; let us shape it with love and wisdom."

This quote by Sri Aurobindo emphasizes that humans have the power to determine the course of our collective future. He encourages us to use not just logic (wisdom), but also compassion and empathy (love) as our guiding principles in shaping this future. Essentially, it's a call to action for thoughtful, caring decision-making with long-term impact.

"Life is Yoga: the discipline of self through self for self."

The quote suggests that life itself is a spiritual practice, or yoga. In this perspective, an individual's journey through life involves constant self-discipline and growth, with the ultimate goal being personal transformation. Here, "self" refers not only to our physical and emotional selves but also our higher spiritual potential. The process of this transformation occurs as we strive to better understand ourselves and to align our actions and behaviors with our highest aspirations. In essence, this quote encourages us to live intentionally, using life's experiences to grow spiritually and to fulfill our individual destinies.

"The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Sri Aurobindo's quote emphasizes that a significant hindrance in acquiring true knowledge isn't simply being unaware or ignorant, but rather the delusion that one already possesses thorough understanding or knowledge on a subject. This delusion can lead to stagnation and prevent further learning and growth, as it closes the mind to new perspectives and possibilities.

"Love is the only reality: all else is a mere dream and delusion."

This quote by Sri Aurobindo suggests that love, as an essential emotional connection between beings, is the fundamental truth or reality in the universe. He implies that everything else we perceive - our thoughts, ideas, sensory experiences, and even tangible objects - are fleeting illusions or dreams compared to the enduring power of love. In essence, he is emphasizing the primacy and profound significance of love in understanding life and existence.

"The more perfect we become, the more God uses us."

This quote by Sri Aurobindo suggests that as individuals strive for personal growth, self-improvement, or spiritual development, they become increasingly capable of being instruments for a higher power, or God, to express and manifest His will. In essence, the more aligned we are with our true nature - which is perfection in its divine sense - the more we can be effectively used by the universe for its purpose. This idea underscores the interconnectedness between personal evolution and spiritual service, as well as emphasizes that our potential for greatness lies in our commitment to becoming our best selves.

To listen to some devout people, one would imagine that God never laughs.

- Sri Aurobindo

Never, Some, Imagine, Devout

She saw the myriad gods, and beyond God his own ineffable eternity; she saw that there were ranges of life beyond our present life, ranges of mind beyond our present mind and above these she saw the splendors of the spirit.

- Sri Aurobindo

Mind, Eternity, Gods, Present Life

India is the meeting place of the religions and among these Hinduism alone is by itself a vast and complex thing, not so much a religion as a great diversified and yet subtly unified mass of spiritual thought, realization and aspiration.

- Sri Aurobindo

Thought, India, Mass, Diversified

Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage.

- Sri Aurobindo

Own, Idea, Advantage, Conception

Spirituality is indeed the master key of the Indian mind; the sense of the infinitive is native to it.

- Sri Aurobindo

Mind, Sense, Native, Indian

Indian religion has always felt that since the minds, the temperaments and the intellectual affinities of men are unlimited in their variety, a perfect liberty of thought and of worship must be allowed to the individual in his approach to the Infinite.

- Sri Aurobindo

Thought, Perfect, Always, Indian

Metaphysical thinking will always no doubt be a strong element in her mentality, and it is to be hoped that she will never lose her great, her sovereign powers in that direction.

- Sri Aurobindo

Strong, Always, Metaphysical, Sovereign

That which we call the Hindu religion is really the Eternal religion because it embraces all others.

- Sri Aurobindo

Call, Which, Eternal, Hindu

She saw too that man has the power of exceeding himself, of becoming himself more entirely and profoundly than he is, truths which have only recently begun to be seen in Europe and seem even now too great for its common intelligence.

- Sri Aurobindo

Exceeding, Becoming, Truths, Entirely

India of the ages is not dead nor has she spoken her last creative word; she lives and has still something to do for herself and the human peoples.

- Sri Aurobindo

Last, Still, Lives, Herself

India saw from the beginning, and, even in her ages of reason and her age of increasing ignorance, she never lost hold of the insight, that life cannot be rightly seen in the sole light, cannot be perfectly lived in the sole power of its externalities.

- Sri Aurobindo

Beginning, Reason, Perfectly, Increasing

The Gita is the greatest gospel of spiritual works ever yet given to the race.

- Sri Aurobindo

Ever, Given, Works, Gospel

Hidden nature is secret God.

- Sri Aurobindo

Nature, God, Secret, Hidden

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