June 25, 2025
Aspiration, Desire and the Action of the Divine Force
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 114This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/aspiration-desire-and-the-action-of-the-divine-force/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,440
Aspiration is frequently
confused with the form of vital
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,640
desire that wants some kind of
spiritual development,
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:13,040
experience or result.
Aspiration, however, originates
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,720
in the psychic being, while
desire stems from the vital
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,520
being.
The characteristics of the two
6
00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,200
are therefore dramatically
different from one another.
7
00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,200
It is human nature that we start
by concentrating on the external
8
00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:31,680
personality and its wants,
needs, desires and
9
00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,360
predilections.
It is thus virtually inevitable
10
00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:40,240
that even when a true aspiration
arises, initially it is mixed
11
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,840
with the vital desire to attain,
to accomplish, to succeed.
12
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,280
Aspiration, however, does not
demand, does not push, but opens
13
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:56,520
itself, becomes receptive to the
higher force and invites it to
14
00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,680
transform the nature.
It is in the nature of a pure
15
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:06,280
flame in the heart, and it does
not expect or want anything, but
16
00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,480
makes itself ready for the
divine force to work in the
17
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:14,200
being, taking whatever time is
needed as well as accepting
18
00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,160
whatever circumstances take
place along the way.
19
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,680
There is an apocryphal tale of
the divine singer Narod, who is
20
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,480
travelling the world.
He came across a Yogi deeply
21
00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,400
concentrated in severe
austerities, able to go into
22
00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:36,200
deep meditation and overcome the
pull of the body, life and mind.
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,920
As he concentrated 1 pointedly
on liberation, he asked Nara to
24
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,400
tell him how long it would take
for him to achieve liberation.
25
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,600
Nara replied that it would be
just four more lifetimes.
26
00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,360
The Yogi became disconsolate and
bemoaned his fate that he worked
27
00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,520
so hard but failed to achieve
his liberation promptly as a
28
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,400
result of his efforts.
We see here the admixture of
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:09,080
desire in his efforts.
As Norad continued on his way,
30
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,520
he came across a devotee singing
and dancing ecstatically.
31
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,360
In his feeling for the divine,
he too asked Norad when he would
32
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,720
achieve liberation.
Narod pointed to a large tree
33
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,520
and indicated that as many
leaves as were on that tree
34
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,960
would be the number of lifetimes
for his liberation.
35
00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,960
Hearing this, the devotee burst
out into song, ecstatic dance
36
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,960
and weeping for joy, exclaiming,
After such a short time, I will
37
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,600
see my divine lover, a celestial
voice proclaimed.
38
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:48,200
You are liberated now.
This devotee had a true
39
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,640
aspiration not tainted by desire
for immediate results.
40
00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,880
Sri Orobindo reminds us that it
is the Divine which carries out
41
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,440
the Sadhna.
When we are able to shift to the
42
00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:07,000
Divine standpoint, we leave the
ego, its ambitions, desires and
43
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,280
wishes behind, and we allow the
pure flame of aspiration to rise
44
00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,120
up and invite the Divine to
carry out its intention in the
45
00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:23,480
being, Trior Ovindo notes quote.
Aspiration should be not a form
46
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,640
of desire, but the feeling of an
inner soul's need and a quiet,
47
00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:32,520
settled will to turn towards the
Divine and seek the Divine.
48
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,760
It is certainly not easy to get
rid of this mixture of desire
49
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:44,600
entirely, not easy for anyone,
but when one has the will to do
50
00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:50,720
it, this also can be affected by
the help of the sustaining
51
00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,320
Force.
End Quote.
52
00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,520
Reference Sri Aurogindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
53
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,680
Chapter 5, Attitudes on the
Path, page 114.
00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,440
Aspiration is frequently
confused with the form of vital
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,640
desire that wants some kind of
spiritual development,
3
00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:13,040
experience or result.
Aspiration, however, originates
4
00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:16,720
in the psychic being, while
desire stems from the vital
5
00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,520
being.
The characteristics of the two
6
00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,200
are therefore dramatically
different from one another.
7
00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,200
It is human nature that we start
by concentrating on the external
8
00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:31,680
personality and its wants,
needs, desires and
9
00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,360
predilections.
It is thus virtually inevitable
10
00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:40,240
that even when a true aspiration
arises, initially it is mixed
11
00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,840
with the vital desire to attain,
to accomplish, to succeed.
12
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,280
Aspiration, however, does not
demand, does not push, but opens
13
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:56,520
itself, becomes receptive to the
higher force and invites it to
14
00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,680
transform the nature.
It is in the nature of a pure
15
00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:06,280
flame in the heart, and it does
not expect or want anything, but
16
00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,480
makes itself ready for the
divine force to work in the
17
00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:14,200
being, taking whatever time is
needed as well as accepting
18
00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,160
whatever circumstances take
place along the way.
19
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,680
There is an apocryphal tale of
the divine singer Narod, who is
20
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,480
travelling the world.
He came across a Yogi deeply
21
00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,400
concentrated in severe
austerities, able to go into
22
00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:36,200
deep meditation and overcome the
pull of the body, life and mind.
23
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,920
As he concentrated 1 pointedly
on liberation, he asked Nara to
24
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,400
tell him how long it would take
for him to achieve liberation.
25
00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,600
Nara replied that it would be
just four more lifetimes.
26
00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,360
The Yogi became disconsolate and
bemoaned his fate that he worked
27
00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,520
so hard but failed to achieve
his liberation promptly as a
28
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,400
result of his efforts.
We see here the admixture of
29
00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:09,080
desire in his efforts.
As Norad continued on his way,
30
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,520
he came across a devotee singing
and dancing ecstatically.
31
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,360
In his feeling for the divine,
he too asked Norad when he would
32
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,720
achieve liberation.
Narod pointed to a large tree
33
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,520
and indicated that as many
leaves as were on that tree
34
00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,960
would be the number of lifetimes
for his liberation.
35
00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,960
Hearing this, the devotee burst
out into song, ecstatic dance
36
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,960
and weeping for joy, exclaiming,
After such a short time, I will
37
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,600
see my divine lover, a celestial
voice proclaimed.
38
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:48,200
You are liberated now.
This devotee had a true
39
00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,640
aspiration not tainted by desire
for immediate results.
40
00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,880
Sri Orobindo reminds us that it
is the Divine which carries out
41
00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,440
the Sadhna.
When we are able to shift to the
42
00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:07,000
Divine standpoint, we leave the
ego, its ambitions, desires and
43
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,280
wishes behind, and we allow the
pure flame of aspiration to rise
44
00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,120
up and invite the Divine to
carry out its intention in the
45
00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:23,480
being, Trior Ovindo notes quote.
Aspiration should be not a form
46
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,640
of desire, but the feeling of an
inner soul's need and a quiet,
47
00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:32,520
settled will to turn towards the
Divine and seek the Divine.
48
00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,760
It is certainly not easy to get
rid of this mixture of desire
49
00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:44,600
entirely, not easy for anyone,
but when one has the will to do
50
00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:50,720
it, this also can be affected by
the help of the sustaining
51
00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,320
Force.
End Quote.
52
00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,520
Reference Sri Aurogindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
53
00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,680
Chapter 5, Attitudes on the
Path, page 114.