Essentials of Sri Aurobindo’s Life and Thought

• Course Title: Essentials of Sri Aurobindo’s Life and Thought
• Minimum Eligibility: Class XII/ Intermediate/ 10+2
• Course Fee: INR ₹ 3000
• Course Duration: 16 weeks (3 hours per week) No. of hours 48
• Teaching Mode: Online
• Class Timings : From 06:30 pm to 08:00 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays

Faculty members

1. Dr. V. Ananda Reddy
2. Dr. Shruti Bidwaikar
3. Mrs. Deepshikha Reddy
4. Mrs. Lakshmijyoti C

Course description:

Sri Aurobindo, in his writings describes, his work has evolved from the level of the Individual to Nation to Humanity to Divinity. This course is planned based on this scheme of Sri Aurobindo’s work. His body of works that falls into each of these stages will be discussed and the students will be led towards the integral view of Sri Aurobindo’s life and the evolution of his thought.

Course Objectives:

1. To familiarize the students with Sri Aurobindo’s multidimensional genius.
2. To understand selected texts from his major writings to get a taste of his language and glimpse of his profound thought on the evolution of consciousness.
3. To expose students to the contributions Sri Aurobindo has made towards India’s freedom, culture and the world.

COURSE CONTENTS:

Individual Stage:

1. Exposition on the Life of Sri Aurobindo
2. Discussion on the various facets and contributions of Sri Aurobindo in Education, Psychology and Literature.
3. Videos on Sri Aurobindo’s Life

National Stage:

1. Explanation of Indian Culture from Sri Aurobindo’s Perspective
2. Readings from “Bande Mataram” and “Karmayogin” exposing students to the concept of Nationalism and Sanatana Dharma.

Humanity Stage:

1. Discussions on the stages of evolution of the Society from the Symbolic to the Spiritual Age
2. Readings from his major treatise, Ideal of Human Unity – to see the nature and possibility of Human Unity in this polarized and crisis ridden world.

Divinity Stage:

1. Exposition of the basic tenets of Integral Yoga as a way to human transformation.
2. Discussion on the concept of Evolution of Consciousness as given in “The Life Divine”
3. Exposition of Sri Aurobindo’s visionary poem – “Savitri – A Legend and a Symbol” – its impact on humanity.

References for students to be provided:

1. Writing from Nolini Kanta Gupta
2. Sri Aurobindo: A Teacher from “Sri Aurobindo: An Extraordinary Phenomenon”
3. Sri Aurobindo: A Psychologist from “Sri Aurobindo: An Extraordinary Phenomenon”
4. Sri Aurobindo: A Literary Figure from “Sri Aurobindo: An Extraordinary Phenomenon”
5. Renaissance in India chapter I from “Renaissance in India”
6. Europe and Asia from “Bande Mataram”
7. Uttarpara Speech from “Karmayogin”
8. The Cycle of Society from “The Human Cycle”
9. Formation of a Nation Unit from “The Ideal of Human Unity”
10. Religion of Humanity from “The Ideal of Human Unity”
11. The Four Aids from “The Synthesis of Yoga”
12. Aim of Life – Theories of Existence from “The Life Divine”
13. Vyasa’s Savitri: R. Y. Deshpande
14. Navrasas in Savitri – Shruti Bidwaikar