April 23, 2025
How Do We Determine Our Destined Role in the World? -- Part 2
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 3, Action and Work, pp. 58-61
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/04/21/how-do-we-determine-our-destined-role-in-the-world-part-2/
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
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,040
One reason we do not have a
sense of our purpose or role in
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,560
the world generally is that we
do not examine deeply our inner
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,880
predilections or the trajectory
of our lives.
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,760
We interpret our lives based on
external criteria and motives
5
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:23,080
without appreciating that there
is another driving force behind
6
00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,200
that helps to create the
circumstances, opportunities,
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,720
and directions we wind up taking
in our lives.
8
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,600
In some cases, we interpret
negative events as interfering
9
00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,920
with our lives when in fact they
may be the prod that moves us
10
00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,560
into a more certain direction to
grow into our life's work.
11
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,560
The instances of the individual
struck by lightning, burdened by
12
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,960
obstacles or illnesses, or as a
victim of poisoning all
13
00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,800
represent what we would consider
to be negative events in a life.
14
00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,240
But in each case, they move the
individual into a new positive
15
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,320
direction aligned with a deeper
aspiration that was covered over
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,680
by the external life and its
demands and expectations.
17
00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,880
An American youth recounted his
experience of studying the
18
00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,000
German language for four years
during high school and added
19
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,520
additional courses during two
years in college, although he
20
00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,720
had no plans to do anything in
Germany later on.
21
00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,800
Unexpectedly, he wound up living
and working in Germany,
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,320
developing long term business
alliances with a number of
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:42,440
German firms after he returned
to the USA and marrying a woman
24
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,960
from Germany and developing
close ties with her family over
25
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,400
many years.
At the time of taking up the
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,160
language, he had no sense that
he would utilize his study of
27
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,520
the language in such an
expansive way.
28
00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,800
As his life unfolded, another
incident was recounted by a
29
00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,040
person who had gone to stay for
some time at Sri or Obindo
30
00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,280
Ashram in Puducherry, India.
While he was there, he was in
31
00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,640
contact regularly with Sri MP
Pundit.
32
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,080
At one point, Sri Pundit asked
him to write an article for his
33
00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,560
service letter on the need for
accounting in Mother's service.
34
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,120
He had no background in
accounting or bookkeeping or
35
00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,080
business matters, so he was
mystified about the request, but
36
00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,440
he carried it out.
It turned out that much later he
37
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,080
wound up in operation of a
business and found the value in
38
00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,040
accounting.
It is easier to reflect back
39
00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,200
upon one's life, to see the
major transitions and the
40
00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,520
trajectory, than it is to
identify these things in
41
00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,160
advance.
It is, however, not impossible.
42
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:58,240
If one examines one's interests,
concerns, area of focus and
43
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,800
dedicated effort, one can begin
to recognize a certain
44
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:04,920
trajectory and line of
development.
45
00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,800
For most people, this is not
something they consider to be
46
00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,920
important as they live their
lives without much consideration
47
00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,720
for their mission or purpose.
Those who are called to the
48
00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,880
spiritual life, however, may
find it useful to reflect and
49
00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:26,000
observe closely, to see where
they are being pointed and with
50
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,840
what capabilities they either
have naturally or are developing
51
00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:32,840
through their experience and
education.
52
00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:35,880
The Mother observes.
Quote.
53
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,840
Until we know the essential
thing we are intended to do.
54
00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,640
We must therefore find a
temporary occupation which will
55
00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,600
be the best possible
manifestation of our present
56
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,320
capacities and our goodwill.
Then we shall give ourselves to
57
00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,920
this occupation with
conscientiousness and
58
00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,680
perseverance, knowing that it
may well be only a stage, and
59
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,320
that with the progress of our
ideal and our energies we shall
60
00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,280
certainly one day be led to see
more clearly the work we must
61
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,640
accomplish.
To the extent that we lose the
62
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,480
habit of referring everything to
ourselves, and learn more and
63
00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,880
more to give ourselves more
completely with greater love to
64
00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:28,360
earth and men, we shall see our
horizons widen and our duties
65
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,920
become more numerous and clear.
We shall find that our action
66
00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,080
follows a general line of
progression determined by our
67
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,640
own particular temperament.
Indeed, the successive
68
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,720
occupations we shall hold before
we become conscious of the
69
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,000
definitive form of our action,
will always point in the same
70
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,440
direction, be of the same type
and mode, which is the
71
00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:58,680
spontaneous expression of our
character, our nature, our own
72
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:03,480
characteristic vibration.
The discovery of this tendency,
73
00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,320
this particular orientation,
should come about quite
74
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,480
naturally.
It is a matter of taste and free
75
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,840
choice beyond all outer selfish
considerations.
76
00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:22,040
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother,
77
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:28,680
Looking from Within, Chapter 3,
Action and Work, pages 58 to 61.
00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,040
One reason we do not have a
sense of our purpose or role in
2
00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,560
the world generally is that we
do not examine deeply our inner
3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,880
predilections or the trajectory
of our lives.
4
00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,760
We interpret our lives based on
external criteria and motives
5
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:23,080
without appreciating that there
is another driving force behind
6
00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,200
that helps to create the
circumstances, opportunities,
7
00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,720
and directions we wind up taking
in our lives.
8
00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,600
In some cases, we interpret
negative events as interfering
9
00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,920
with our lives when in fact they
may be the prod that moves us
10
00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,560
into a more certain direction to
grow into our life's work.
11
00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,560
The instances of the individual
struck by lightning, burdened by
12
00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,960
obstacles or illnesses, or as a
victim of poisoning all
13
00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,800
represent what we would consider
to be negative events in a life.
14
00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,240
But in each case, they move the
individual into a new positive
15
00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,320
direction aligned with a deeper
aspiration that was covered over
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:11,680
by the external life and its
demands and expectations.
17
00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,880
An American youth recounted his
experience of studying the
18
00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,000
German language for four years
during high school and added
19
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,520
additional courses during two
years in college, although he
20
00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,720
had no plans to do anything in
Germany later on.
21
00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,800
Unexpectedly, he wound up living
and working in Germany,
22
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,320
developing long term business
alliances with a number of
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:42,440
German firms after he returned
to the USA and marrying a woman
24
00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,960
from Germany and developing
close ties with her family over
25
00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,400
many years.
At the time of taking up the
26
00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,160
language, he had no sense that
he would utilize his study of
27
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,520
the language in such an
expansive way.
28
00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,800
As his life unfolded, another
incident was recounted by a
29
00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,040
person who had gone to stay for
some time at Sri or Obindo
30
00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,280
Ashram in Puducherry, India.
While he was there, he was in
31
00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,640
contact regularly with Sri MP
Pundit.
32
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,080
At one point, Sri Pundit asked
him to write an article for his
33
00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,560
service letter on the need for
accounting in Mother's service.
34
00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,120
He had no background in
accounting or bookkeeping or
35
00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,080
business matters, so he was
mystified about the request, but
36
00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,440
he carried it out.
It turned out that much later he
37
00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,080
wound up in operation of a
business and found the value in
38
00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,040
accounting.
It is easier to reflect back
39
00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,200
upon one's life, to see the
major transitions and the
40
00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,520
trajectory, than it is to
identify these things in
41
00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,160
advance.
It is, however, not impossible.
42
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:58,240
If one examines one's interests,
concerns, area of focus and
43
00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,800
dedicated effort, one can begin
to recognize a certain
44
00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:04,920
trajectory and line of
development.
45
00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,800
For most people, this is not
something they consider to be
46
00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,920
important as they live their
lives without much consideration
47
00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,720
for their mission or purpose.
Those who are called to the
48
00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,880
spiritual life, however, may
find it useful to reflect and
49
00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:26,000
observe closely, to see where
they are being pointed and with
50
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,840
what capabilities they either
have naturally or are developing
51
00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:32,840
through their experience and
education.
52
00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:35,880
The Mother observes.
Quote.
53
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,840
Until we know the essential
thing we are intended to do.
54
00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,640
We must therefore find a
temporary occupation which will
55
00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,600
be the best possible
manifestation of our present
56
00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,320
capacities and our goodwill.
Then we shall give ourselves to
57
00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,920
this occupation with
conscientiousness and
58
00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,680
perseverance, knowing that it
may well be only a stage, and
59
00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,320
that with the progress of our
ideal and our energies we shall
60
00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:11,280
certainly one day be led to see
more clearly the work we must
61
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,640
accomplish.
To the extent that we lose the
62
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,480
habit of referring everything to
ourselves, and learn more and
63
00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,880
more to give ourselves more
completely with greater love to
64
00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:28,360
earth and men, we shall see our
horizons widen and our duties
65
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,920
become more numerous and clear.
We shall find that our action
66
00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,080
follows a general line of
progression determined by our
67
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,640
own particular temperament.
Indeed, the successive
68
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,720
occupations we shall hold before
we become conscious of the
69
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,000
definitive form of our action,
will always point in the same
70
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,440
direction, be of the same type
and mode, which is the
71
00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:58,680
spontaneous expression of our
character, our nature, our own
72
00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:03,480
characteristic vibration.
The discovery of this tendency,
73
00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,320
this particular orientation,
should come about quite
74
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,480
naturally.
It is a matter of taste and free
75
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,840
choice beyond all outer selfish
considerations.
76
00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:22,040
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother,
77
00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:28,680
Looking from Within, Chapter 3,
Action and Work, pages 58 to 61.