Aug. 3, 2024
Divine Grace and Cosmic Law
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch.7 Spiritual Forces of Help and Succour, pp.168-169 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/07/29/divine-grace-and-cosmic-law/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available 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 Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,560
The terms Divine Grace along
with cosmic law and divine
2
00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:11,120
compassion are transcriptions
into human terms from our human
3
00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:15,440
viewpoint of actions and events
that take place from an entirely
4
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,320
different level of the divine
manifestation and with a
5
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,560
viewpoint that far exceeds that
of our limited human
6
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,680
understanding.
For example, we tend to look at
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,640
the world of some kind of
machinery that operates under
8
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,200
specific strict rules that we
treat as inflexible rules
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,000
governed by an all powerful, all
knowing ruler.
10
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,080
We then go about trying to
understand and define those
11
00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:46,520
rules and come up with things
such as the speed of light, the
12
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,840
gravitational constant, the
mathematical relationships that
13
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,040
lead to the structures we
observe on the level of the life
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,600
energy.
We describe the law of cause and
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:03,080
effect as the law of karma
because we view these things as
16
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:08,440
a form of machinery we do not
generally expect nor understand.
17
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,520
When things occur that vary from
our preconceived notion of how
18
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:18,760
the law works, we then try to
find explanations, facts, or a
19
00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,240
new more refined understanding
of the law involved in order to
20
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,080
justify to ourselves that the
machinery is still in operation
21
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,840
as it should be.
At a certain point in our
22
00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:35,080
psychological make up, we find
it difficult to accept that we
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,120
are alive in a fixed mechanical
world that has no way to adapt
24
00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,200
to circumstances.
We thus bring in the question of
25
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,080
divine compassion, responding to
prayer, thus providing a way for
26
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,720
us to petition the Supreme Ruler
for intercession and remitting
27
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,000
of the Cosmic Law.
In a specific instance, we may
28
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,120
not actually recognize that
prayer and response to prayer
29
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,840
may actually be part of the
evolutionary process of a
30
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,800
conscious being manifesting the
universe.
31
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,240
And then we come to the concept
of Divine grace.
32
00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,960
This is the most inexplicable of
all the variations from our view
33
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,920
of Cosmic law.
In as much as it seems to defy
34
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,520
any rational understanding, it
seems to shower down on unlikely
35
00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,680
recipients at unlikely times and
under unlikely circumstances.
36
00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,200
The issue here is that as we try
to appreciate these things from
37
00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,120
the human standpoint, we are
unable to see, understand,
38
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,280
appreciate or even recognize
that these things occur from the
39
00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,560
divine standpoint.
We do not see the struggles, the
40
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,880
past lifetimes, the karmic
sequences, the need of the
41
00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,360
evolutionary developments taking
place when we try to judge these
42
00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,440
things from our limited
understanding.
43
00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,040
We also do not see the cosmic
intelligence, the personal
44
00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:13,840
aspect of the divine, at work in
and through the mechanisms we
45
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,680
observe, Sri Orobindo writes.
Quote.
46
00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,240
I should like to say something
about the divine Grace, for you
47
00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,240
seem to think it should be
something like a divine reason
48
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,480
acting upon lines not very
different from those of human
49
00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,240
intelligence.
But it is not that.
50
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,360
Also it is not a universal
divine compassion either, acting
51
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,280
impartially on all who approach
it, and exceeding to all
52
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,560
prayers.
It does not select the righteous
53
00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,440
and reject the Sinner.
The divine grace came to aid the
54
00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:53,080
persecutor Saul of Tarsus.
It came to Saint Augustine the
55
00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,720
profligate, to Jagai and Madai
of infamous fame, to Bill 1,
56
00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:04,880
Mongol, and many others whose
conversion might well scandalize
57
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,720
the puritanism of the human
moral intelligence.
58
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,600
But it can come to the righteous
also, curing them of their self
59
00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,480
righteousness and leading to a
pure consciousness beyond these
60
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,080
things.
It is a power that is superior
61
00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,240
to any rule, even to the cosmic
law.
62
00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,120
For all spiritual seers have
distinguished between the law
63
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,120
and grace.
Yet it is not indiscriminate
64
00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,960
only.
It has a discrimination of its
65
00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,640
own, which sees things and
persons and the right times and
66
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,720
seasons with another vision than
that of the mind or any other
67
00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,520
normal power.
A state of grace is prepared in
68
00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,840
the individual, often behind
thick veils, by means not
69
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:59,560
calculable by the mind, and when
the state of grace comes, then
70
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,000
the grace itself acts.
There are these 3.
71
00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:09,360
Powers 1.
The cosmic law of Karma, or what
72
00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,680
else?
2 The Divine Compassion acting
73
00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,200
on as many as it can reach
through the Nets of the law, and
74
00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:23,160
giving them their chance. 3 The
Divine Grace, which acts more
75
00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,080
incalculably, but also more
irresistibly than the others.
76
00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,040
The only question is whether
there is something behind all
77
00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,440
the anomalies of life which can
respond to the call and open
78
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,880
itself with whatever difficulty
till it is ready for the
79
00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,560
illumination of the Divine
Grace.
80
00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:48,360
And that's something must be not
a mental and vital movement, but
81
00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,840
an inner somewhat, which can
well be seen by the inner eye if
82
00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:56,760
it is there.
And when it becomes active in
83
00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:01,640
front, then the compassion can
act, though the full action of
84
00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,280
the Grace may still wait,
attending the decisive decision
85
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,840
or change.
For this may be postponed to a
86
00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:13,920
future hour, because some
portion or element of the being
87
00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:18,480
may still come between something
that is not yet ready to
88
00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,760
receive.
End Quote.
89
00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother.
90
00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,680
The hidden forces of Life,
Chapter 7.
91
00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:33,960
Spiritual Forces of Help and
Succor, pages 168 to 169.
00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:06,560
The terms Divine Grace along
with cosmic law and divine
2
00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:11,120
compassion are transcriptions
into human terms from our human
3
00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:15,440
viewpoint of actions and events
that take place from an entirely
4
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,320
different level of the divine
manifestation and with a
5
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,560
viewpoint that far exceeds that
of our limited human
6
00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,680
understanding.
For example, we tend to look at
7
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,640
the world of some kind of
machinery that operates under
8
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,200
specific strict rules that we
treat as inflexible rules
9
00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,000
governed by an all powerful, all
knowing ruler.
10
00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,080
We then go about trying to
understand and define those
11
00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:46,520
rules and come up with things
such as the speed of light, the
12
00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,840
gravitational constant, the
mathematical relationships that
13
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,040
lead to the structures we
observe on the level of the life
14
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,600
energy.
We describe the law of cause and
15
00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:03,080
effect as the law of karma
because we view these things as
16
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:08,440
a form of machinery we do not
generally expect nor understand.
17
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,520
When things occur that vary from
our preconceived notion of how
18
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:18,760
the law works, we then try to
find explanations, facts, or a
19
00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,240
new more refined understanding
of the law involved in order to
20
00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,080
justify to ourselves that the
machinery is still in operation
21
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,840
as it should be.
At a certain point in our
22
00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:35,080
psychological make up, we find
it difficult to accept that we
23
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,120
are alive in a fixed mechanical
world that has no way to adapt
24
00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,200
to circumstances.
We thus bring in the question of
25
00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,080
divine compassion, responding to
prayer, thus providing a way for
26
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,720
us to petition the Supreme Ruler
for intercession and remitting
27
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,000
of the Cosmic Law.
In a specific instance, we may
28
00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,120
not actually recognize that
prayer and response to prayer
29
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,840
may actually be part of the
evolutionary process of a
30
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,800
conscious being manifesting the
universe.
31
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,240
And then we come to the concept
of Divine grace.
32
00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,960
This is the most inexplicable of
all the variations from our view
33
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,920
of Cosmic law.
In as much as it seems to defy
34
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:26,520
any rational understanding, it
seems to shower down on unlikely
35
00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,680
recipients at unlikely times and
under unlikely circumstances.
36
00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,200
The issue here is that as we try
to appreciate these things from
37
00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:42,120
the human standpoint, we are
unable to see, understand,
38
00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:47,280
appreciate or even recognize
that these things occur from the
39
00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,560
divine standpoint.
We do not see the struggles, the
40
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,880
past lifetimes, the karmic
sequences, the need of the
41
00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:00,360
evolutionary developments taking
place when we try to judge these
42
00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,440
things from our limited
understanding.
43
00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:08,040
We also do not see the cosmic
intelligence, the personal
44
00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:13,840
aspect of the divine, at work in
and through the mechanisms we
45
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,680
observe, Sri Orobindo writes.
Quote.
46
00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,240
I should like to say something
about the divine Grace, for you
47
00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,240
seem to think it should be
something like a divine reason
48
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,480
acting upon lines not very
different from those of human
49
00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,240
intelligence.
But it is not that.
50
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,360
Also it is not a universal
divine compassion either, acting
51
00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:41,280
impartially on all who approach
it, and exceeding to all
52
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,560
prayers.
It does not select the righteous
53
00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,440
and reject the Sinner.
The divine grace came to aid the
54
00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:53,080
persecutor Saul of Tarsus.
It came to Saint Augustine the
55
00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,720
profligate, to Jagai and Madai
of infamous fame, to Bill 1,
56
00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:04,880
Mongol, and many others whose
conversion might well scandalize
57
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,720
the puritanism of the human
moral intelligence.
58
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,600
But it can come to the righteous
also, curing them of their self
59
00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,480
righteousness and leading to a
pure consciousness beyond these
60
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,080
things.
It is a power that is superior
61
00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,240
to any rule, even to the cosmic
law.
62
00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,120
For all spiritual seers have
distinguished between the law
63
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,120
and grace.
Yet it is not indiscriminate
64
00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,960
only.
It has a discrimination of its
65
00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,640
own, which sees things and
persons and the right times and
66
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,720
seasons with another vision than
that of the mind or any other
67
00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,520
normal power.
A state of grace is prepared in
68
00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,840
the individual, often behind
thick veils, by means not
69
00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:59,560
calculable by the mind, and when
the state of grace comes, then
70
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,000
the grace itself acts.
There are these 3.
71
00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:09,360
Powers 1.
The cosmic law of Karma, or what
72
00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,680
else?
2 The Divine Compassion acting
73
00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,200
on as many as it can reach
through the Nets of the law, and
74
00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:23,160
giving them their chance. 3 The
Divine Grace, which acts more
75
00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,080
incalculably, but also more
irresistibly than the others.
76
00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,040
The only question is whether
there is something behind all
77
00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,440
the anomalies of life which can
respond to the call and open
78
00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,880
itself with whatever difficulty
till it is ready for the
79
00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,560
illumination of the Divine
Grace.
80
00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:48,360
And that's something must be not
a mental and vital movement, but
81
00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,840
an inner somewhat, which can
well be seen by the inner eye if
82
00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:56,760
it is there.
And when it becomes active in
83
00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:01,640
front, then the compassion can
act, though the full action of
84
00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,280
the Grace may still wait,
attending the decisive decision
85
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:08,840
or change.
For this may be postponed to a
86
00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:13,920
future hour, because some
portion or element of the being
87
00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:18,480
may still come between something
that is not yet ready to
88
00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,760
receive.
End Quote.
89
00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,800
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother.
90
00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,680
The hidden forces of Life,
Chapter 7.
91
00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:33,960
Spiritual Forces of Help and
Succor, pages 168 to 169.