July 31, 2025
Let Endurance Be Your Watchword in the Yogic Endeavour
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pg. 140
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/07/29/let-endurance-be-your-watchword-in-the-yogic-endeavour/
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
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,920
Successful people in whatever
field, tend to highlight their
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,840
ability to keep going.
They indicate that no matter how
3
00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,920
many times one falls, one must
get up or in the local
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:19,320
vernacular, keep on keeping on.
Reactiveness and inability to
5
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,440
hold one's peace under
provocation is considered to be
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,840
a sign of vital weakness.
People who have cultivated vital
7
00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,920
strength tend to be able to bear
much without expressions of
8
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,760
anger, without lashing out,
without crying or otherwise
9
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:41,840
evidencing signs of distress.
Many people have a habit of
10
00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,680
complaining, of whining, of
expressing how much they have to
11
00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,920
put up with or how much
suffering they are asked to
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,280
bear.
Some people make it a habit to
13
00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,520
flaunt their weakness with their
constant bouts of anger and
14
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,040
complaints about how how they
are a victim.
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,120
Much energy is spilled and
wasted.
16
00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,240
These individuals tend to break
down easily under pressure.
17
00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:12,040
Spiritual seekers who are
confronted with challenges both
18
00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,960
external and internal, on a
constant basis are asked to
19
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:21,480
cultivate not just a stoic
ability to bear suffering, but
20
00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,080
to actually maintain a cheerful
attitude of endurance come what
21
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,200
may.
They are preparing the being to
22
00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,840
receive, bear and hold more
energy, and thereby to increase
23
00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,640
their capacity for the yogic
force to enter and transform
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,880
them.
Yoga tends to increase the flow
25
00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,560
of energy, and it is part of the
seeker's role to widen
26
00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,760
themselves and increase their
ability to hold and use this
27
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,880
energy without wasting it or
spilling it, The mother
28
00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,040
observes.
Quote.
29
00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,760
Let endurance be your watchword.
Teach the life force in you,
30
00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:07,000
your vital being, not to
complain, but to put up with all
31
00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,639
the conditions necessary for
great achievement.
32
00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,120
The body is a very enduring
servant.
33
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,720
It bears the stress of
circumstance tamely, like a
34
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,160
beast of burden.
It is the vital being that is
35
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,080
always grumbling and uneasy.
The slavery and torture to which
36
00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,240
it subjects the physical is
almost incalculable.
37
00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:33,120
How it twists and deforms the
poor body to its own fads and
38
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,600
fancies, irrationally demanding
that everything should be shaped
39
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,080
according to its whimsicality.
But the very essence of
40
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,600
endurance is that the vital
should learn to give up its
41
00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,120
capricious likes and dislikes
and preserve an equanimity in
42
00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,520
the midst of the most trying
conditions.
43
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,640
When you are treated roughly by
somebody, or you lack something
44
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,160
which would relieve your
discomfort, you must keep up
45
00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,480
cheerfully.
Instead of letting yourself be
46
00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,840
disturbed.
Let nothing ruffle you the least
47
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,560
bit.
And whenever the vital tends to
48
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,960
air its petty grievances with
pompous exaggeration, just stop
49
00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:20,400
to consider how very happy you
are compared to so many in the
50
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,840
world.
End Quote reference.
51
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,560
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from within, Chapter 5.
52
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,320
Attitudes on the Path, page 140.
00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,920
Successful people in whatever
field, tend to highlight their
2
00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,840
ability to keep going.
They indicate that no matter how
3
00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,920
many times one falls, one must
get up or in the local
4
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:19,320
vernacular, keep on keeping on.
Reactiveness and inability to
5
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:23,440
hold one's peace under
provocation is considered to be
6
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,840
a sign of vital weakness.
People who have cultivated vital
7
00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,920
strength tend to be able to bear
much without expressions of
8
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,760
anger, without lashing out,
without crying or otherwise
9
00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:41,840
evidencing signs of distress.
Many people have a habit of
10
00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,680
complaining, of whining, of
expressing how much they have to
11
00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,920
put up with or how much
suffering they are asked to
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,280
bear.
Some people make it a habit to
13
00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,520
flaunt their weakness with their
constant bouts of anger and
14
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,040
complaints about how how they
are a victim.
15
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,120
Much energy is spilled and
wasted.
16
00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,240
These individuals tend to break
down easily under pressure.
17
00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:12,040
Spiritual seekers who are
confronted with challenges both
18
00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,960
external and internal, on a
constant basis are asked to
19
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:21,480
cultivate not just a stoic
ability to bear suffering, but
20
00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,080
to actually maintain a cheerful
attitude of endurance come what
21
00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,200
may.
They are preparing the being to
22
00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:34,840
receive, bear and hold more
energy, and thereby to increase
23
00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,640
their capacity for the yogic
force to enter and transform
24
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,880
them.
Yoga tends to increase the flow
25
00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,560
of energy, and it is part of the
seeker's role to widen
26
00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,760
themselves and increase their
ability to hold and use this
27
00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:54,880
energy without wasting it or
spilling it, The mother
28
00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,040
observes.
Quote.
29
00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,760
Let endurance be your watchword.
Teach the life force in you,
30
00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:07,000
your vital being, not to
complain, but to put up with all
31
00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,639
the conditions necessary for
great achievement.
32
00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,120
The body is a very enduring
servant.
33
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,720
It bears the stress of
circumstance tamely, like a
34
00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,160
beast of burden.
It is the vital being that is
35
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,080
always grumbling and uneasy.
The slavery and torture to which
36
00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,240
it subjects the physical is
almost incalculable.
37
00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:33,120
How it twists and deforms the
poor body to its own fads and
38
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,600
fancies, irrationally demanding
that everything should be shaped
39
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:42,080
according to its whimsicality.
But the very essence of
40
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,600
endurance is that the vital
should learn to give up its
41
00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:50,120
capricious likes and dislikes
and preserve an equanimity in
42
00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,520
the midst of the most trying
conditions.
43
00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,640
When you are treated roughly by
somebody, or you lack something
44
00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,160
which would relieve your
discomfort, you must keep up
45
00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,480
cheerfully.
Instead of letting yourself be
46
00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,840
disturbed.
Let nothing ruffle you the least
47
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,560
bit.
And whenever the vital tends to
48
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,960
air its petty grievances with
pompous exaggeration, just stop
49
00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:20,400
to consider how very happy you
are compared to so many in the
50
00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,840
world.
End Quote reference.
51
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,560
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from within, Chapter 5.
52
00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,320
Attitudes on the Path, page 140.