Source: IE
Context: Prime Minister of India paid tribute to Sri Aurobindo on his birth anniversary (15 August 1872), highlighting his role as a philosopher, spiritual leader, and freedom fighter who linked nation-building with spiritual evolution.
About Sri Aurobindo:
- Who He Was?
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- Yogi, philosopher, poet, and nationalist leader.
- Propounded the philosophy of Integral Yoga, aiming at spiritual transformation of life on Earth.
- Early Life:
- Born: 15 August 1872, Calcutta (now Kolkata).
- Educated in England at St. Paul’s School, London, and King’s College, Cambridge.
- Mastered multiple European languages and developed interest in Indian culture.
- Contribution to Freedom Movement:
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- Radical Nationalism – First Indian leader to demand complete independence through his paper Bande Mataram.
- Revolutionary Role – Member of Anushilan Samiti and involved in armed resistance against British rule.
- Alipore Bomb Case (1908) – Arrested but acquitted and transformed spiritually during imprisonment.
- Advocated direct action over moderate politics.
- Literary Contributions:
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- Philosophical Works – The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Essays on the Gita.
- Poetry and Epics – Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol.
- Political and Cultural Writings – The Human Cycle, The Ideal of Human Unity.
- Other Contributions:
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- Founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 with Mirra Alfassa (“The Mother”).
- Developed Integral Yoga, blending material progress with spiritual growth.
- Advocated spiritual nationalism, linking India’s freedom with cultural renaissance.
