In his Independence Day message for 15 August 1947, Sri Aurobindo declared that “a new spirit of oneness will take hold of the human race.” At that time, the United Nations had been in existence for just two years. More than sixty years later, the UN, with all its imperfections and political imbalances, still represents an opportunity for humanity to consciously affect its destiny, to deliberately embrace the spirit of oneness. One of the new books introduced below, Evolving Beyond Borders: The United Nations from the Perspective of Sri Aurobindo’s Philosophy, attempts a study and analysis of the evolution of the United Nations and its agencies and offers a look at the lessons of the European Union’s struggle to rise above national interests. In their study of the UN and its relevance to the future, the authors have selected some fundamental issues which they feel need to be closely examined in the light of Sri Aurobindo’s thought. In the final pages, they conclude that the experiment represented by the UN is not about its successes or failures, but the wider evolutionary process. The book’s final quote, from Sri Aurobindo’s The Human Cycle, written during the second decade of the twentieth century, rings clear and strong today:
Only when man has developed not merely a fellow-feeling with all men, but a dominant sense of unity and commonalty…only when he has learned to live not in his separate personal and communal ego-sense, but in a larger universal consciousness can the phenomenon of war, with whatever weapons, pass out of his life without the possibility of return. Meanwhile that he should struggle even by illusions towards that end, is an excellent sign; for it shows that the truth behind the illusion is pressing towards the hour when it may become manifest as reality.

Key to the progress of society is the individual’s progress. In The Life Divine, Sri Aurobindo wrote that “the great evolutionary periods of humanity have taken place in communities where the individual became active, mentally, vitally or spiritually alive.” Our next book is the story of one individual’s mental, vital and spiritual growth at the feet of the Mother. Living in The Presence records the experiences of a young woman who joined the Ashram in 1951. Her reminiscences are replete with both the simple joy and the occasional pain of becoming more conscious, as her inner life develops and she learns to mould her talents for music and dance into an expression of her inner self. She recounts how the Mother answered her request to study Indian classical music:
For learning classical music you need a very good teacher. We don’t have anybody of that level here. Besides, India is full of classical music. Now that you have come here, your primary purpose in life is the growth of this inner life. It is fine that you are learning music with Dilip and Sahana.

…Then with great force and firmness, She said, “What I want from you is music, but the music that flows from your soul. I want to see you create your own music.” As She said this, She tapped me hard on my chest two or three times and kept looking into me for a while in a most serious way.

The author concludes her book with the reflection that the call to transform the conventional ways of thinking, old habits, and outdated customs, the daily work of such change is our inheritance from the Mother, and reflects her continuing presence and action in our lives.



NEW PUBLICATIONS



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ENGLISH

coverEvolving Beyond Borders

The United Nations from the Perspective of Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy
— Kosha Shah and Dr S. Jacoby
ISBN: 978-93-5018-358-8
Publisher: Readworthy Publications, New Delhi
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 212
Price: Rs 495

Sri Aurobindo has written on the League of Nations and on the United Nations in its early stages in the light of man’s progress towards a greater human unity, not as prescriptions for an efficient world organisation. Basing their research on this same view, the authors look at Sri Aurobindo’s social and political vision for humanity on the one hand and on the other examine the evolution of the United Nations and some of its special agencies, its role in war and peace, its stance on the question of self-determination, and the challenge represented by the power of economic interests. A special reference is made to the European Union and its struggle to rise above national ideals and interests.

coverLiving in The Presence

— Shobha Mitra
ISBN: 978-81-86413-57-9
Publisher: Sri Mira Trust, Pondicherry
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 207
Price: Rs 150

These reminiscences date back to 1942, when the author first met the Mother, and describe how she eventually came to settle permanently in the Ashram in 1951, while still a teenager. Dance and music were her interests and later, in the Ashram, they became her field of work and sadhana. As well as performing, she taught singing and arranged cultural programmes. In this book, translated from the original Bengali, she gathers memories recorded over the years in her notebooks and brings them to life in a series of vignettes. Through the intimate details of her exchanges with the Mother, a vivid portrait of her spiritual journey emerges from the pages.

HINDI

coverMa Tumne Aisa Kaha Tha...

— Compiled and designed by Huta
ISBN: 978-81-87372-32-5
Publisher: The Havyavahana Trust, Pondicherry
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 120
Price: Rs 200

Hindi translation of Mother You said so...

Description of content for original work:
        This book records conversations which the Mother had with Huta from 1955 to 1973. Huta recorded the talks from memory and sent them the next day to the Mother for corrections. In these revealing talks, the Mother teaches Huta how to live the true inner life and constantly encourages her to overcome her problems and difficulties, to reject the influence of the adverse forces, and to open herself completely to the Divine. In addition, the Mother talks to her about the Future Painting. Also included are a few letters written by the Mother.

GUJARATI

coverSavitri: Angrejimanthi Gujarati Shabdakosh


Publisher: Sri Aravind Kendra, Gandhinagar
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 128
Price: Rs 150

coverAuroville - Ek Parichay


Publisher: Auroville Foundation, Auroville
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 38
Price: Rs 55

TELUGU

coverMother, Sri Aravindula Jeevitam - Sadhana

— Georges Van Vrekhem
ISBN: 978-93-82203-88-9
Publisher: Emesco Books, Hyderabad
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 588
Price: Rs 250

Telugu translation of Beyond Man

Description of content for original work:
        This book is a fount of information on the life and work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Covering the entire period of their lifetime, it is "based on documents which have never been presented before as a whole by other authors. It gives a surprising look behind the scenes of the history of this century. It presents a positive evaluation of the crisis our Earth is subject to at this very moment and it opens a vertiginous but hopeful perspective on the coming of a superhuman species and a divine life upon Earth."

GERMAN

coverDie Praxis des Integralen Yoga

Ein Leitfaden für ganzheitliche Spiritualität
— M. P. Pandit
Publisher: Lotus Press, USA
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 90
Price: Rs 200

German translation of How Do I Begin? and How Do I Proceed?

coverMutter und Ich

— M. P. Pandit
Publisher: Lotus Press, USA
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 217
Price: Rs 300

German translation of Mother and I

Description of content for original work:
        A selection by the author from his "diary-notes, letters, talks, so as to throw some light on our life centred round her whom we loved – and love – as our Douce Mère, Sweet Mother ... It is hoped that what has been presented in these papers will bring her personality closer to the heart of the reader and help to keep burning the flame of love which she has lit in every one who has come into touch with her."

ARABIC/ENGLISH

coverSelections from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother in Arabic

— Compiled from the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
ISBN: 978-0-89744-951-9
Publisher: Golden Bridge Publications, USA
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 291
Price: Rs 650



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