May 3, 2025
Shifting the Motive Power of Action from the External Being to the Psychic Being
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 3, Action and Work, pg. 65This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/05/01/shifting-the-motive-power-of-action-from-the-external-being-to-the-psychic-being/
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
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,360
For most people, the impulsion
to action comes from a need,
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:09,120
desire or ambition of some sort.
If these are removed, the
3
00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:13,520
individual can become depressed
and fall into a state that lacks
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,840
motivation and thereby reduces
their energy.
5
00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:22,040
When it comes to doing anything.
We frequently see people or
6
00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,680
experience within ourselves
states of being that have
7
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,680
essentially given up with the
sense that all this action is
8
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:35,680
meaningless or destined to fail,
or else a sense of deep fatigue
9
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,960
takes over and one can barely
get up out of bed and go through
10
00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:44,800
the normal chores of the day.
Some people work day in and day
11
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,160
out for years to accomplish some
task only to have all their
12
00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:51,680
forward progress destroyed in a
day.
13
00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,360
It is discouraging and they
either renew their efforts or
14
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,840
simply accept the failure and
give up action.
15
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,080
The spiritual seeker is not
immune to these setbacks and the
16
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,680
fatigue of action.
He has an additional issue to
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,200
resolve, and that is if he
removes all the prods that the
18
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,600
physical, vital and mental
nature normally provide to
19
00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,800
provoke him into action, what
remains to get him to act at
20
00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,880
all?
In some cases we see individuals
21
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,360
who take up the spiritual life
simply abandoned the life in the
22
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:37,320
world with the sense that it is
all an illusion, or else as a
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:41,680
reaction to setbacks and
difficulties, more or less as an
24
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,280
escape from the pressures of the
outer existence.
25
00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,240
What can move the spiritual
seeker to action when he is no
26
00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,000
longer driven by need, desire or
ambition?
27
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,560
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
confronts this issue when Arjuna
28
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:05,080
declares he will not fight and
it is better to give up than to
29
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,560
undertake the action before him
for which he has been preparing
30
00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,400
his entire adult life.
He explains to Arjuna that one
31
00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,080
can act from an entirely
different standpoint, one of
32
00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:22,280
doing the work to be done
without desire for the fruits,
33
00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,280
without attachment to the
result, simply because it is
34
00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,560
what the divine has placed
before 1 for one's action.
35
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,360
Sri Krishna explains that all of
the warriors are destined to die
36
00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,360
in this battle, and that
Arjuna's role has been prepared
37
00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,600
to carry this out, but the
result, one way or the other,
38
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,840
cannot be avoided.
The larger purpose of moving
39
00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,520
humanity forward in its
evolution and overcoming
40
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,840
retrogressive forces is what
Arjuna should be focusing on.
41
00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,000
The spiritual seeker is called
upon to act with full energy and
42
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,280
focus, not for his own personal
aggrandizement or benefit, but
43
00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,280
as a dedicated and consecrated
activity carrying out the
44
00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,600
Divine's impulsion in the world
at large.
45
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,760
This requires shifting the
standpoint for the motive power
46
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,480
from the external being, the
Nexus of the body, life and
47
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,920
mind, to the psychic being,
which is the individual's direct
48
00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:33,960
link to the divine.
Shrioro Bindo notes quote.
49
00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,320
Men usually work and carry on
their affairs from ordinary
50
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,280
motives of the vital being,
need, desire of wealth or
51
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,680
success or position or power or
fame, or the push to activity
52
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,880
and the pleasure of manifesting
their capacities.
53
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,960
And they succeed or fail
according to their capability,
54
00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,920
power of work and the good or
bad fortune which is the result
55
00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:04,840
of their nature and their karma.
When 1 takes up the yoga and
56
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,200
wishes to consecrate one's life
to the Divine, these ordinary
57
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,600
motives of the vital being have
no longer their full and free
58
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,360
play.
They have to be replaced by
59
00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,839
another, a mainly psychic and
spiritual motive, which will
60
00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,280
enable the sadak to work with
the same force as before, no
61
00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,280
longer for himself but for the
divine.
62
00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,040
If the ordinary vital motives or
vital force can no longer act
63
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,040
freely and yet are not replaced
by something else, then the push
64
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,600
or force put into the work may
decline, or the power to command
65
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:47,680
success may no longer be there.
For the sincere Sadak the
66
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,840
difficulty can only be
temporary.
67
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,320
But he has to see the defect in
his consciousness or his
68
00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:00,080
attitude and to remove it.
Then the divine power itself
69
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,880
will act through him and use his
capacity and vital force for its
70
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,800
ends.
End Quote.
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,080
Reference Shriya Rabindu and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
72
00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,680
Chapter 3.
Action and Work, page 65.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,360
For most people, the impulsion
to action comes from a need,
2
00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:09,120
desire or ambition of some sort.
If these are removed, the
3
00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:13,520
individual can become depressed
and fall into a state that lacks
4
00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,840
motivation and thereby reduces
their energy.
5
00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:22,040
When it comes to doing anything.
We frequently see people or
6
00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,680
experience within ourselves
states of being that have
7
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,680
essentially given up with the
sense that all this action is
8
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:35,680
meaningless or destined to fail,
or else a sense of deep fatigue
9
00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,960
takes over and one can barely
get up out of bed and go through
10
00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:44,800
the normal chores of the day.
Some people work day in and day
11
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,160
out for years to accomplish some
task only to have all their
12
00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:51,680
forward progress destroyed in a
day.
13
00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,360
It is discouraging and they
either renew their efforts or
14
00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,840
simply accept the failure and
give up action.
15
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,080
The spiritual seeker is not
immune to these setbacks and the
16
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,680
fatigue of action.
He has an additional issue to
17
00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,200
resolve, and that is if he
removes all the prods that the
18
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,600
physical, vital and mental
nature normally provide to
19
00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,800
provoke him into action, what
remains to get him to act at
20
00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,880
all?
In some cases we see individuals
21
00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,360
who take up the spiritual life
simply abandoned the life in the
22
00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:37,320
world with the sense that it is
all an illusion, or else as a
23
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:41,680
reaction to setbacks and
difficulties, more or less as an
24
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,280
escape from the pressures of the
outer existence.
25
00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,240
What can move the spiritual
seeker to action when he is no
26
00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,000
longer driven by need, desire or
ambition?
27
00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,560
In the Bhagwad Gita, Sri Krishna
confronts this issue when Arjuna
28
00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:05,080
declares he will not fight and
it is better to give up than to
29
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,560
undertake the action before him
for which he has been preparing
30
00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,400
his entire adult life.
He explains to Arjuna that one
31
00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,080
can act from an entirely
different standpoint, one of
32
00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:22,280
doing the work to be done
without desire for the fruits,
33
00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,280
without attachment to the
result, simply because it is
34
00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,560
what the divine has placed
before 1 for one's action.
35
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,360
Sri Krishna explains that all of
the warriors are destined to die
36
00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,360
in this battle, and that
Arjuna's role has been prepared
37
00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,600
to carry this out, but the
result, one way or the other,
38
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,840
cannot be avoided.
The larger purpose of moving
39
00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,520
humanity forward in its
evolution and overcoming
40
00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,840
retrogressive forces is what
Arjuna should be focusing on.
41
00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,000
The spiritual seeker is called
upon to act with full energy and
42
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,280
focus, not for his own personal
aggrandizement or benefit, but
43
00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,280
as a dedicated and consecrated
activity carrying out the
44
00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,600
Divine's impulsion in the world
at large.
45
00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,760
This requires shifting the
standpoint for the motive power
46
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,480
from the external being, the
Nexus of the body, life and
47
00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,920
mind, to the psychic being,
which is the individual's direct
48
00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:33,960
link to the divine.
Shrioro Bindo notes quote.
49
00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,320
Men usually work and carry on
their affairs from ordinary
50
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,280
motives of the vital being,
need, desire of wealth or
51
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,680
success or position or power or
fame, or the push to activity
52
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,880
and the pleasure of manifesting
their capacities.
53
00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,960
And they succeed or fail
according to their capability,
54
00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,920
power of work and the good or
bad fortune which is the result
55
00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:04,840
of their nature and their karma.
When 1 takes up the yoga and
56
00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,200
wishes to consecrate one's life
to the Divine, these ordinary
57
00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,600
motives of the vital being have
no longer their full and free
58
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,360
play.
They have to be replaced by
59
00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,839
another, a mainly psychic and
spiritual motive, which will
60
00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:24,280
enable the sadak to work with
the same force as before, no
61
00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,280
longer for himself but for the
divine.
62
00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,040
If the ordinary vital motives or
vital force can no longer act
63
00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,040
freely and yet are not replaced
by something else, then the push
64
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,600
or force put into the work may
decline, or the power to command
65
00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:47,680
success may no longer be there.
For the sincere Sadak the
66
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,840
difficulty can only be
temporary.
67
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,320
But he has to see the defect in
his consciousness or his
68
00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:00,080
attitude and to remove it.
Then the divine power itself
69
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,880
will act through him and use his
capacity and vital force for its
70
00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,800
ends.
End Quote.
71
00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:12,080
Reference Shriya Rabindu and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
72
00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,680
Chapter 3.
Action and Work, page 65.