Oct. 3, 2025
The Divine Must Always Come First for the Spiritual Seeker
reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 1, Calm — Peace — Equality, pp. 12-13
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/10/01/the-divine-must-always-come-first-for-the-spiritual-seeker/
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
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,120
From the time of our birth, we
are directed and focused on the
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,720
external reality of the material
world.
3
00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,840
We are trained to pay attention
to that existence, to develop
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,040
opportunities, and to find ways
to survive and thrive.
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:23,480
Along the way, we get successes
and failures, meet with positive
6
00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:28,240
results and with setbacks.
We also get involved in
7
00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,920
interpersonal relationships and
experience both the praise and
8
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,800
the blame, the goodwill and the
bad will, and experience all of
9
00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,280
the emotions and vital energies
that arise in response to the
10
00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:45,640
circumstances we meet.
When an individual takes up the
11
00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,120
spiritual life, he eventually
needs to adopt A standpoint that
12
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,880
refocuses his attention on the
divine.
13
00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,360
This involves shifting from the
external outward view to an
14
00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,720
inward and upward view.
Once that begins to occur, he
15
00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,320
can recognize that all of the
circumstances, all of the
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,240
events, all of the good things
and bad things that occur are
17
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,960
just part of the normal life of
the world, and they cannot and
18
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:21,760
should not distract his
attention elsewhere, Sri
19
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:27,600
Aurobindo wrote, quote, live
within, be not shaken by outward
20
00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,800
happenings.
End Quote.
21
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,120
An individual related his
experience with this message at
22
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,280
the time of the Mother's Maha
Samadhi in November 1973.
23
00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,560
He was residing at the Srioro
Bindu Ashram and was given the
24
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,240
message the morning of the 17th
of November.
25
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,560
Coincident with receiving
birthday blessings from the
26
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:55,000
Mother, he fell into a deep
inward state for the entire day
27
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,960
and into the night.
The next morning when he went to
28
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,600
the ashram building, he saw all
the lights on, people milling
29
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640
around everywhere, and learned
then that the Mother had
30
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,960
departed her physical body
overnight.
31
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,720
He remained in his deep inward
state and recalled the message.
32
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:21,200
Live within, be not shaken by
outward happenings as something
33
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,560
of a mantra working in him.
For the next several days, he
34
00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,960
remained in that abstracted
state and experienced the deep
35
00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:34,800
peace he had been granted rather
than the grief that so many
36
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,560
people came with when they
gathered at the ashram after the
37
00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,560
mother's passing.
Life always brings challenges,
38
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,120
difficulties, oppositions and
opportunities.
39
00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,640
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had
to face innumerable
40
00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:55,600
difficulties, including the
pressure of the British Empire
41
00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,640
trying to suppress Sri Aurobindo
in the days before he reached
42
00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:05,120
Pondicherry, the First and
Second World Wars, and serious
43
00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,480
pressures to meet the financial
needs of a growing community and
44
00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,320
the families while remaining
focused on the spiritual work
45
00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,600
they were there to do.
They provide us a clear example
46
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,640
of how to engage with the world
without being distracted or
47
00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:26,360
disturbed by the world.
Sri Orobindo notes quote.
48
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,520
Do not allow yourself to be
shaken or troubled by these
49
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,120
things.
The one thing to do always is to
50
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,760
remain firm in your aspiration
to the Divine and to face with
51
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,840
equanimity and detachment all
difficulties and all
52
00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,400
oppositions.
For those who wish to lead the
53
00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,440
spiritual life, the Divine must
always come first.
54
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,840
Everything else must be
secondary.
55
00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,160
Keep yourself detached and look
at these things from the calm
56
00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,440
inner vision of one who is
inwardly dedicated to the
57
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,800
Divine.
End Quote.
58
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:13,920
Reference Srioro Bindo, Bases of
Yoga, Chapter 1, column Peace
59
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,360
and Equality, pages 12 to 13.
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,120
From the time of our birth, we
are directed and focused on the
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,720
external reality of the material
world.
3
00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,840
We are trained to pay attention
to that existence, to develop
4
00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,040
opportunities, and to find ways
to survive and thrive.
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:23,480
Along the way, we get successes
and failures, meet with positive
6
00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:28,240
results and with setbacks.
We also get involved in
7
00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,920
interpersonal relationships and
experience both the praise and
8
00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,800
the blame, the goodwill and the
bad will, and experience all of
9
00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,280
the emotions and vital energies
that arise in response to the
10
00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:45,640
circumstances we meet.
When an individual takes up the
11
00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,120
spiritual life, he eventually
needs to adopt A standpoint that
12
00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,880
refocuses his attention on the
divine.
13
00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,360
This involves shifting from the
external outward view to an
14
00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,720
inward and upward view.
Once that begins to occur, he
15
00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,320
can recognize that all of the
circumstances, all of the
16
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:12,240
events, all of the good things
and bad things that occur are
17
00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,960
just part of the normal life of
the world, and they cannot and
18
00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:21,760
should not distract his
attention elsewhere, Sri
19
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:27,600
Aurobindo wrote, quote, live
within, be not shaken by outward
20
00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,800
happenings.
End Quote.
21
00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,120
An individual related his
experience with this message at
22
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,280
the time of the Mother's Maha
Samadhi in November 1973.
23
00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,560
He was residing at the Srioro
Bindu Ashram and was given the
24
00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,240
message the morning of the 17th
of November.
25
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,560
Coincident with receiving
birthday blessings from the
26
00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:55,000
Mother, he fell into a deep
inward state for the entire day
27
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,960
and into the night.
The next morning when he went to
28
00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,600
the ashram building, he saw all
the lights on, people milling
29
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640
around everywhere, and learned
then that the Mother had
30
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,960
departed her physical body
overnight.
31
00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,720
He remained in his deep inward
state and recalled the message.
32
00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:21,200
Live within, be not shaken by
outward happenings as something
33
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,560
of a mantra working in him.
For the next several days, he
34
00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,960
remained in that abstracted
state and experienced the deep
35
00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:34,800
peace he had been granted rather
than the grief that so many
36
00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,560
people came with when they
gathered at the ashram after the
37
00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,560
mother's passing.
Life always brings challenges,
38
00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,120
difficulties, oppositions and
opportunities.
39
00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,640
Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had
to face innumerable
40
00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:55,600
difficulties, including the
pressure of the British Empire
41
00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,640
trying to suppress Sri Aurobindo
in the days before he reached
42
00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:05,120
Pondicherry, the First and
Second World Wars, and serious
43
00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,480
pressures to meet the financial
needs of a growing community and
44
00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,320
the families while remaining
focused on the spiritual work
45
00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,600
they were there to do.
They provide us a clear example
46
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,640
of how to engage with the world
without being distracted or
47
00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:26,360
disturbed by the world.
Sri Orobindo notes quote.
48
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,520
Do not allow yourself to be
shaken or troubled by these
49
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,120
things.
The one thing to do always is to
50
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,760
remain firm in your aspiration
to the Divine and to face with
51
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,840
equanimity and detachment all
difficulties and all
52
00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,400
oppositions.
For those who wish to lead the
53
00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,440
spiritual life, the Divine must
always come first.
54
00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,840
Everything else must be
secondary.
55
00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,160
Keep yourself detached and look
at these things from the calm
56
00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,440
inner vision of one who is
inwardly dedicated to the
57
00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,800
Divine.
End Quote.
58
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:13,920
Reference Srioro Bindo, Bases of
Yoga, Chapter 1, column Peace
59
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,360
and Equality, pages 12 to 13.
