SRI AUROBINDO'S VISION OF ONE WORLD
M.
P. PANDIT
Sri
Aurobindo Ashram,
The
truth of things is not on the surface, it lies in their depths. This world of
ours derives its significance from its source, which is concealed by its
appearances. Sri Aurobindo perceives an Absolute, a Divine Reality, at the
origin of all creation. This reality is an Infinite Existence whose nature is
puissant Consciousness that is Bliss. It is this One Reality, this One
Consciousness that manifests the Many out of its infinite Being. The
manifestation is indeed multiple but its governing truth is the fundamental
Oneness of All.
This
truth of Oneness at the base of all formation is preserved at all levels of the
many-tiered Creation. Looked at vertically, this manifestation is pronouncedly
unified at the spiritual level of existence above. At the mental level the
basic oneness is less prominent but the unity of the Mind-world is realised once the superficies is crossed. In the realm of
Life too, in spite of all barriers and limitations, the oneness of all life is
evident. It is only on the physical plane that the unity is more or less
effectively veiled by the extraordinary fragmentation
of forms that characterises material existence. And
yet, as on every level of Creation, it is the truth of Oneness that presses for
expression through the variegated Many.
III
Sri
Aurobindo studies the evolution of the universe in the perspective of this
truth of Oneness–the Many manifest from the One and
the One manifest in the Many. Nature starts with an endless division of
material form and evolves step by step forging means for bringing those forms
closer to each other, for establishing relation and community between one form
and another. With the advent and development of Life and Mind, there is a
sensible growth of relation, of cohesion, among the multiple
units in the Creation; with the stir of the Spirit in the
emotional and psychological layers, the universe is getting closer-knit and the
stress of an emerging Oneness is unmistakable. The organization is transforming
itself into an organism.
And
this is the trend of the evolution of humanity too, especially in its
sociological and political directions. Starting from small units of association
like the clan, the tribe, etc, groups of men have expanded, under the
compulsive factors of self-preservation and self-affirmation, into steadily
larger and larger aggregates. The largest unit so far arrived at is the Nation.
And the very same forces that made the formation of the nation-unit inescapable
are today operating to make the advent of a super-nation unit inevitable. Sri
Aurobindo sees the unfailing signs of this movement in the determined urge at
international collaboration in an increasing number of areas, viz., Health, Education,
Production, Labour and, today, even in the political
field. He does not envisage the replacement of the present order of nations by
a monster State in which all orientations of race and culture are obliterated
under the steam roller of uniformity but a loose federation or confederation of
peoples who keep their variations of type in vigorous health and yet join
together for a common, unimpeded advancement towards their collective Destiny.
The
Poet’s vision of a World-State is on its way to realization. The Zeitgeist of
the age is pressing for the firm establishment of this spirit and rule of
Oneness in all spheres of life, so that the stage is set for the plenary
manifestation of the Divine Spirit of Harmony and Oneness in the universe.
“Equality
and vision of unity once perfectly gained, a supreme bhakti,
an all-embracing devotion to the Divine, becomes the whole and the sole law of
the being.”
–SRI
AUROBINDO