{"id":4316,"date":"2013-07-13T01:55:08","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=4316"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:55:08","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:55:08","slug":"20-karma-69-70-206-vol-10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/02-works-of-the-mother\/01-cwmce\/10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10\/20-karma-69-70-206-vol-10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10","title":{"rendered":"-20_karma-69-70_206.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\nKarma<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n(Works)<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/b><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Fourth Period of Commentaries <\/span><\/p>\n

(1969 -1970)<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

\n
\nKarma (Works) <\/font> <\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\nSelf-development and spiritual aspiration enable one to master one’s
\nkarma.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n25 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\nTo learn is good.
\nTo become is better.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\n25 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

206 \u2013 God leads man while man is misleading himself; the higher nature
\nwatches over the stumblings of his lower mortality; this is the tangle and
\ncontradiction out of which we have to escape into the self-unity to which alone
\nis possible a clear knowledge and a faultless action. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

The only safety in life, the only way to
\nescape from the consequences of past errors, is an inner development leading to
\nconscious union with the Divine Presence; the only effective guide, the Truth
\nof our being and of all beings. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/p>\n


\n25 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

207<\/a> \u2013 That thou shouldst have pity on creatures is well, but not well,
\nif thou art a slave to thy pity. Be a slave to nothing except to God, not even
\nto His most luminous angels. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

For those who want to live according to
\nTruth, the only way is to become conscious of the Divine Presence and to live
\nexclusively according to Its Will. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the only way to escape from evil
\nand suffering, the only way to be always in peace, light and joy. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/p>\n


\n26 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 277<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

208<\/a> \u2013 Beatitude is God’s aim for humanity; get this supreme good for
\nthyself first that thou mayst distribute it entirely to thy fellow-beings. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

209 \u2013 He who acquires for himself alone, acquires ill though he may call
\nit heaven and virtue<\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Man has a right to beatitude since that is
\nwhat he was created for. But any egocentric movement is the very opposite of
\nthis beatitude; so that if you seek it for yourself alone, you repel it instead
\nof attracting it. By self-forgetfulness, by self-giving, without asking
\nanything in return, by merging, so to say, into this beatitude so that it may
\nshine upon all, you find the inner peace and joy which never leave you.  <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n


\n29 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

What is the difference between \u201cself-forgetfulness\u201d and \u201cself-giving\u201d? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Self-forgetfulness may simply be a passive
\nstate resulting from a total lack of egoism. Self-giving, which takes its full
\nvalue when it is directed towards the Divine, is an active movement which
\nincludes love in its purest and highest form. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

A total self-giving to the Divine is the
\ntrue purpose of existence. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/p>\n


\n30 November 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

210<\/a> \u2013 In my ignorance I thought anger could be noble and vengeance
\ngrandiose; but now when I watch Achilles in his epic fury, I see a very fine
\nbaby in a very fine rage and I am pleased and amused<\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

211 \u2013 Power is noble, when it overtops anger; destruction <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage –
\n278<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

is grandiose, but it loses caste when it proceeds from vengeance.
\nLeave these things, for they belong to a lower humanity. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Anger and vengeance belong to a lower
\nhumanity, the humanity of yesterday and not of tomorrow. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/p>\n


\n1 December 1969 <\/span>
\n<\/font> <\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

212<\/a> \u2013 Poets make much of death and external afflictions; but the only
\ntragedies are the soul’s failures and the only epic man’s triumphant ascent
\ntowards godhead. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Usually man is not afflicted with the only
\nthing truly tragic, the failure to find one’s soul and to live according to its
\nlaw.\u00b9 <\/span><\/p>\n

In truth, the only thing that is truly
\ntragic is not to become conscious of one’s soul, the psychic being, and not to
\nbe entirely guided by it in one’s life. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

To die before having found one’s soul and
\nlived according to its law, that is the true failure. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

And the true epic, the true glory is to
\nfind the Divine in oneself and to live according to His law.
\n <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n3 December 1969<\/font><\/span> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

213<\/a> \u2013 The tragedies of the heart and the body are the weeping of
\nchildren over their little griefs and their broken toys. Smile within thyself,
\nbut comfort the children; join also, if thou canst, in their play<\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

It is the narrowness of the human
\nconsciousness that makes tragedies out of events which for the Divine
\nConsciousness are only movements in the general evolution. But even when one
\nsees that, one can and must keep a profound sympathy for those\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

who are still living in the throes of ignorance.<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n4 December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

\u00b9 This sentence was in English in the original.
\n<\/font>
\n <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\nPage – 279<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

214<\/a> \u2013 \u201cThere is always something abnormal and eccentric about men of
\ngenius.\u201d And why not ? For genius itself is an abnormal birth and out of man’s
\nordinary centre. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

215 \u2013 Genius is Nature’s first attempt to liberate the imprisoned god
\nout of her human mould; the mould has to suffer in the process. It is
\nastonishing that the cracks are so few and unimportant. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Once a man becomes conscious of the Divine
\nand unites with Him, he certainly becomes abnormal to ordinary eyes, for he no
\nlonger has the weaknesses that make up ordinary human nature. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

But fortunately for him, by the very fact
\nof his inner realisation, he loses man’s habit of boasting and is thus able to
\navoid the ill will of others. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n5 December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

216<\/a> \u2013 Nature sometimes gets into a fury with her own resistance, then
\nshe damages the brain in order to free the inspiration; for in this effort the
\nequilibrium of the average material brain is her chief opponent. Pass over the
\nmadness of such and profit by their inspiration. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is indeed wise to look at everything
\nwith the calm smile of perfect trust. For, with his present consciousness, man
\ncan hardly understand the aims of the Supreme Lord. <\/span><\/p>\n


\n7 December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 280<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

217<\/a> \u2013 Who can bear Kali rushing into the system in her fierce force and
\nburning godhead ? Only the man whom Krishna already possesses<\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

This is a charming and most expressive way
\nof saying that only the conscious Divine Presence is capable of mastering and
\nconquering all violence. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n


\n8  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

218<\/a> \u2013 Hate not the oppressor, for, if he is strong, thy hate increases
\nhis force of resistance; if he is weak, thy hate was needless. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

219 \u2013 Hatred is a sword of power, but its edge is always double. It is
\nlike the Kritya\u00b9 of the ancient magicians which, if baulked of its prey,
\nreturned in fury to devour its sender. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

220 \u2013 Love God in thy opponent, even while thou strikest him; so shall
\nneither have hell for his portion. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

221 \u2013 Men talk of enemies, but where are they? I only see wrestlers of
\none party or the other in the great arena of the universe. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

All this is written to awaken mankind to
\nthe sense of its own unity. When one has become conscious of this Unity and
\nwhen one sees the Divine in all beings, it is easy to feel as Sri Aurobindo
\nrecommends. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n9  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9
\n<\/font> <\/span>Magic process<\/font><\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 281<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

222<\/a> \u2013 The saint and the angel are not the only divinities; admire also
\nthe Titan and the Giant. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

223 \u2013 The old writings call the Titans the elder gods. So they still
\nare; nor is any god entirely divine unless there is hidden in him also a Titan.
\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

224 \u2013 If I cannot be Rama, then I would be Ravana; for he is the dark
\nside of Vishnu.\u00b9 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

This means that sweetness without strength
\nand goodness without power are incomplete and cannot totally express the
\nDivine. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

I could say in keeping with the kind of
\nimage used by Sri Aurobindo, that the charity and generosity of a converted
\nAsura are infinitely more effective than those of an innocent angel. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n11 December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

225<\/a> \u2013 Sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice always, but for the sake of God
\nand humanity, not for the sake of sacrifice. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

226 \u2013 Selfishness kills the soul; destroy it. But take care that your
\naltruism does not kill the souls of others. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

227 \u2013 Very usually, altruism is only the sublimest form of selfishness. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How can altruism kill the soul of others? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

By helping others materially (altruism),
\nif at the same time you want to impose your own viewpoint on them, you will
\nkill their <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

\u00b9 Rama was an avatar or incarnation of
\nVishnu; Ravana was a Titan (Asura), mortal enemy of Rama.<\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\nPage – 282<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

soul, because moral and social rules can be
\nno substitute for the inner law which each one must receive from his soul. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n13 December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

228<\/a> \u2013 He who will not slay when God bids him, works in the world an
\nincalculable havoc. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

229 \u2013 Respect human life as long as you can; but respect more the life
\nof humanity. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

230 \u2013 Men slay out of uncontrollable anger, hatred or vengeance; they
\nshall suffer the rebound now or hereafter; or they slay to serve a selfish end,
\ncoldly; God shall not pardon them. If thou slay, first let thy soul have known
\ndeath for a reality and seen God in the smitten, the stroke and the striker. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In what kind of circumstances does God give the command to slay? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

This is a question I cannot answer,
\nbecause God has never asked me to slay.  <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n


\n14  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

231<\/a> \u2013 Courage and love are the only indispensable virtues; even if all
\nthe others are eclipsed or fall asleep, these two will save the soul alive. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

232 \u2013 Meanness and selfishness are the only sins that I find it
\ndifficult to pardon; yet they alone are almost universal. Therefore these also
\nmust not be hated in others, but in ourselves annihilated. <\/span><\/b>
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 283<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

233 \u2013 Nobleness and generosity are the soul’s ethereal firmament;
\nwithout them, one looks at an insect in a dungeon. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

234 \u2013 Let not thy virtues be such as men praise or reward, but such as
\nmake for thy perfection and God in thy nature demands of thee. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Could you give me your definitions of the following words? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

1) Courage and love <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

2) Meanness and selfishness <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

3) Nobleness and generosity. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

1)Courage is the
\ntotal absence of fear in any form. <\/span><\/p>\n

2) Love is
\nself-giving without asking anything in return. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

3)        <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

3)<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Meanness is a weakness that calculates and demands from others the virtues one
\ndoes not possess oneself. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

4)        
\n4) Selfishness is to put oneself at the centre of the universe and to want
\neverything to exist for one’s own satisfaction. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

5) Nobleness is to
\nrefuse all personal calculation. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

6)        
\n6) Generosity is to find one’s own satisfaction in the satisfaction of others. <\/span>
\n <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n


\n15  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

235<\/a> \u2013 Altruism, duty, family, country, humanity are the prisons of the
\nsoul when they are not its instruments. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

236 \u2013 Our country is God the Mother; speak not evil of her unless thou
\ncanst do it with love and tenderness. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

237 \u2013 Men are false to their country for their own<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage – 284<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

profit; yet they go on thinking they have a right to turn in horror from
\nthe matricide. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

How can \u201caltruism, duty, family, country, humanity\u201d become true
\ninstruments of the soul? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

The soul belongs to the Divine, and owes
\nobedience and service to the Divine alone. If the Divine commands it to work
\nfor family, country or humanity, then it is all right and it can do so without
\nbeing imprisoned. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

If the command does not come from the
\nDivine, to serve these things is only to obey social and moral conventions. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n17  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>238<\/a> \u2013 Break the moulds of the
\npast, but keep safe its gains and its spirit, or else thou hast no future. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>239 \u2013 Revolutions hew the past to
\npieces and cast it into a cauldron, but what has emerged is the old Aeson with
\na new visage. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

240 \u2013 The world has had only half a dozen successful revolutions and
\nmost even of these were very like failures; yet it is by great and noble
\nfailures that humanity advances. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

What does Sri Aurobindo mean by great and noble failures? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

The greatness and nobleness of an event do
\nnot depend on material success, but on the feelings which inspire it and the
\ngoal which men have pursued. <\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not success that confers greatness but
\nthe motive of action and the nobleness of the feelings which inspire it.  <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n


\n18  December 1969<\/font><\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage – 285<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Karma (Works)  Fourth Period of Commentaries (1969 -1970)  Karma (Works) \u00a0 Self-development and spiritual aspiration enable one to master one’s karma. 25 November 1969  To…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10-on-thoughts-and-aphorisms-volume-10","wpcat-122-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4316\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}