Sri Aurobindo Biography Quotes 13 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Sri Aurobindo, born Aurobindo Ghose on 15 August 1872 in Calcutta, emerged as a leading figure in Indian nationalism and modern spiritual philosophy. His father, Krishna Dhan Ghose, sought an English education for his children, and Aurobindo was sent to Britain at a young age. He studied at St Pauls School in London and later at Kings College, Cambridge, where he excelled in classical studies. Although he passed the competitive examinations for the Indian Civil Service, he resigned his candidacy rather than enter imperial service, choosing instead to return to India in 1893.

Baroda Years and Intellectual Formation
From 1893 to 1906 Aurobindo served in the Baroda State, initially in the administrators office and later as a professor and acting principal at Baroda College. These years were formative: he mastered Sanskrit and Bengali, immersed himself in the epics and the Upanishads, and began to articulate a vision for Indias cultural renaissance. He married Mrinalini Devi in 1901. His association with Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, his colleagues at Baroda College, and young nationalists who visited him helped shape his evolving public role. He began contributing essays that reassessed Indian civilization and argued for political self-determination.

Rise in the National Movement
After the partition of Bengal in 1905, Aurobindo moved to Calcutta and quickly became a central voice of the Swadeshi movement. As editor of Bande Mataram, he wrote incisive articles calling for swaraj, boycott, national education, and passive resistance. He worked alongside figures such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai, who collectively pushed the Indian National Congress toward a more assertive stance. He helped launch a National College in Calcutta to promote indigenous education and inspired many young activists, including his brother Barindra Kumar Ghose. Sister Nivedita and other public intellectuals in Calcutta supported the cultural and political currents that intersected with his work.

The Alipore Trial and Spiritual Turning
In 1908 Aurobindo was arrested in the Alipore Bomb Case, a sweeping colonial prosecution of revolutionary activity. The trial lasted a year, at the end of which he was acquitted, with Chittaranjan Das serving as his defense counsel. During his imprisonment he underwent profound spiritual experiences, later described in his Uttarpara speech of 1909, in which he affirmed an inner realization that redirected his life. After a brief period in Chandernagore, he left British India for the French enclave of Pondicherry in 1910 to continue his work free from political harassment.

Pondicherry and the Birth of Integral Yoga
In Pondicherry, Aurobindo withdrew from active politics and devoted himself to sadhana, writing, and the development of an integral yoga that united the insights of ancient spirituality with the needs of modern life. In 1914 he began publishing the monthly review Arya with the assistance of Paul Richard and Mirra Alfassa, a French spiritual seeker who would become his closest collaborator and later be known as The Mother. Through Arya he serialized major works laying out a comprehensive spiritual philosophy.

Major Works and Philosophical Vision
Aurobindos writings from the Pondicherry period include The Life Divine, which presents a metaphysical account of evolution as a progressive manifestation of consciousness; The Synthesis of Yoga, a practical and theoretical exposition of paths of yoga harmonized into an integral discipline; Essays on the Gita, his interpretation of the Gitas spiritual psychology; and The Ideal of Human Unity and The Human Cycle, which explore social evolution and the future of human society. He also composed Savitri, a monumental epic poem that gives poetic form to his spiritual vision. His ideas attracted disciples and admirers such as Nolini Kanta Gupta, Dilip Kumar Roy, K. D. Sethna, Pavitra, and Nirodbaran, who helped preserve and disseminate his teachings.

The Mother and the Ashram
Mirra Alfassa returned to Pondicherry in 1920 and, together with Aurobindo, gradually organized a community of seekers. In 1926, after what his circle regarded as a decisive inner realization, Aurobindo withdrew from public contact, entrusting the organization and guidance of the growing Ashram to The Mother. Under her stewardship, the Ashram developed schools, laboratories, and a disciplined collective life dedicated to spiritual practice in daily action. Aurobindo continued to write, revise, and correspond with disciples, offering guidance on sadhana and commentaries on world events.

Relations with Contemporary Figures and Public Stature
Though he no longer engaged in party politics, Aurobindos thought remained influential. Rabindranath Tagore visited him and offered public tributes to his spiritual stature. Leaders across the spectrum took note of his earlier nationalist role and his evolving vision; even as Mahatma Gandhi reshaped the freedom struggle, Aurobindo maintained an independent perspective grounded in his spiritual understanding of Indias destiny. He also offered nuanced public statements on the world crisis during the two World Wars, emphasizing the role of spiritual evolution within global upheavals.

Indias Independence and the Five Dreams
On 15 August 1947, his seventy-fifth birthday, Aurobindo issued a message greeting the birth of independent India and outlining his Five Dreams: a free and united India; the resurgence and unity of Asia; a world union that would prevent war; a spiritual transformation of the human race; and a new step in evolution bringing a higher consciousness into earthly life. The message linked his early nationalist work with his mature spiritual vision, showing continuity between outward freedom and inner transformation.

Final Years and Passing
In his final years Aurobindo concentrated on Savitri and revisions to his philosophical works, while the Ashram community continued to grow under The Mothers care. He passed away on 5 December 1950 in Pondicherry. His physical departure was marked by a quiet vigil maintained by disciples and close associates, and he was interred in the Ashram courtyard, where The Mother would later also be laid to rest. His legacy endures in the writings he left behind, the community founded with The Mother, and the many thinkers and practitioners who continue to explore the implications of integral yoga for culture, education, and the future of human society.

Our collection contains 13 quotes who is written by Sri, under the main topics: Wisdom - Meaning of Life - Hope - Faith - Equality.