Sri Aurobindo wrote this essay around 1915 or 1916. The context was the justification given by the British that we are required to govern and civilise India; otherwise, they will plunge into chaos. Winston Churchill, in fact,ย predicted that India would plunge into chaos and poverty if it got independence. But India rose despite the setbacks to become a rising economy, a growing military power in just 75 years.ย
As to Sanatana Dharma, India has moved far from the label of a country of snake charmers to a land where diverse spiritual approaches thrive. The gift of Indian spirituality has been acknowledged by some of the greatest minds, including U Thant, Secretary-General; Steve Jobs of Apple fame; Oppenheimer,ย the discoverer of the nuclear bomb; the discoverer of the Chickenpox vaccine, Albert Einstein, David Bohm, Scrodinger, and many others. People all over the world are turning to India for her Wisdom. From a snake charmer’s country, it has become a land where people come from all over the world to quench their spiritual thirst. See the boom of Indian spiritual gurus since the sixties from Mahesh Yogi, Swami Chinmaya, RK Mission, Sri Aurobindo Centres, Kriya Yoga and a number of others. Yoga has become a household name and in fact there is the International Yoga Day recognised by the UN. Sri Aurobindoโs statue is officially installed in Paris and the Nataraj in Switzerland. Even as recently as the latest first Hindu temple in Paris that the PM inaugurated and in Abu Dhabi. The interest in the Gita, Upanishads and the Vedas, and of course Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri is too obvious to be ignored, especially in the America. Meditation to cure diseases, Ayurveda as a recognised systems, interest in Bhajans by Gen Z, new forms of spiritual practices and new music and cinema inspired by Indian thought, surge of vegetarianism, ancient Hindu practices packaged in a new way more acceptable to the modern mind are all clear signs.
Western influences adapted and assimilated are the respect of individuality, rise of women in every field of activity including military, politics, administration, equality and freedom, modern democracy, modern education, etc are clear western influences. It would also include India’s Space program and thrust towards modernisation.ย
I could go on as the list is very long. But for now, this should suffice.ย
Affectionately,ย
Alok Da
