Sept. 9, 2025
The One Essential Thing in Spiritual Development Is an Inward Focus of the Awareness on the Divine Presence
reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 167-168This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/09/07/the-one-essential-thing-in-spiritual-development-is-an-inward-focus-of-the-awareness-on-the-divine-presence/
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
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:06,280
In the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2,
verse 54, Arjuna asks Sri
2
00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,680
Krishna how to recognize the
enlightened man.
3
00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,960
Sri Orbindo translates quote.
What is the sign of the man in
4
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,680
Samati whose intelligence is
firmly fixed in wisdom?
5
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,320
How does the sage of settled
understanding speak?
6
00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,360
How sit, how walk?
End Quote.
7
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,960
Sri Arbindo goes on to explain
quote Arjuna voicing the average
8
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,880
human mind ask for some outward,
physical, practically
9
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,520
discernible sign of samadhi.
No such signs can be given, nor
10
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,080
does the teacher attempt to
supply them, for the only
11
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,360
possible test of its possession
is inward, and that there are
12
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,720
plenty of hostile psychological
forces to apply.
13
00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:03,040
Equality is the great stamp of
the liberated soul, and of that
14
00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,800
equality even the most
discernible signs are still
15
00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,000
subjective.
End Quote.
16
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,560
Reference Bhagavad Gita and its
message.
17
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:19,040
In chapter 2, verse 55.
Sri Krishna explains further
18
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:25,080
quote When a man expels, O
Partha, all desires from the
19
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,760
mind and is satisfied in the
self by the Self, then is he
20
00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,280
called stable, an intelligence?
End Quote.
21
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,360
Sri Orbindo adds quote.
The test of samadhi is the
22
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:45,960
expulsion of all desires, their
inability to get out the mind,
23
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,120
and it is the inner state from
which this freedom arises.
24
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,920
The delight of the soul gathered
within itself, with the mind
25
00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,480
equal and still and high, poised
above the attractions and
26
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,040
repulsions, the alternations of
sunshine and storm and stress of
27
00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,400
the external life.
It is drawn inward Even when
28
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,520
acting outwardly, it is
concentrated in self, even when
29
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,760
gazing out upon things.
It is directed wholly to the
30
00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,480
Divine, even when to the outward
vision of others busy and
31
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,440
preoccupied with the affairs of
the world.
32
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:28,560
End Quote.
This response also relates to
33
00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,720
the entire life and standpoint
of the individual.
34
00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:37,960
External actions such as focus
on Sutwick diet, moderation in
35
00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:42,240
eating, regulation of 1's
external activities have their
36
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,520
place, but the real test for the
seeker is the shift to the inner
37
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,480
psychic standpoint and
identification with the Divine
38
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,120
Presence.
To the extent the seeker fixates
39
00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,560
so much on external details and
fails to direct his awareness
40
00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,880
and energies towards the
spiritual realization, he is
41
00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,120
actually defeating his own
purpose.
42
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,520
Systematically removing the
element of vital desire in all
43
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,800
its forms and creating the inner
attitude of surrender to the
44
00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:21,280
Divine is the one essential
thing to be done, Srioro Bindu
45
00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,320
observes.
Quote all these giving up
46
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,000
indulgence in food, tea, et
cetera are external things that
47
00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,480
have their use.
But what I mean by the complete
48
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,880
attitude of the Sadiq is
something more inward.
49
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,840
I mean not to be interested in
outward things for their own
50
00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:47,600
sake, following after them with
desire, but at all times to be
51
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,680
intent on one's soul living
centrally in the inner being and
52
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,440
its progress, taking outward
things in action only as a means
53
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,160
for the inner progress.
End Quote.
54
00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,800
Reference.
Shriya Robindo and the Mother
55
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,320
Looking from within.
Chapter 5.
56
00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,480
Attitudes on the Path, pages 167
to 168.
00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:06,280
In the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2,
verse 54, Arjuna asks Sri
2
00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,680
Krishna how to recognize the
enlightened man.
3
00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,960
Sri Orbindo translates quote.
What is the sign of the man in
4
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,680
Samati whose intelligence is
firmly fixed in wisdom?
5
00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,320
How does the sage of settled
understanding speak?
6
00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,360
How sit, how walk?
End Quote.
7
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,960
Sri Arbindo goes on to explain
quote Arjuna voicing the average
8
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,880
human mind ask for some outward,
physical, practically
9
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,520
discernible sign of samadhi.
No such signs can be given, nor
10
00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,080
does the teacher attempt to
supply them, for the only
11
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:53,360
possible test of its possession
is inward, and that there are
12
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,720
plenty of hostile psychological
forces to apply.
13
00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:03,040
Equality is the great stamp of
the liberated soul, and of that
14
00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,800
equality even the most
discernible signs are still
15
00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,000
subjective.
End Quote.
16
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,560
Reference Bhagavad Gita and its
message.
17
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:19,040
In chapter 2, verse 55.
Sri Krishna explains further
18
00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:25,080
quote When a man expels, O
Partha, all desires from the
19
00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,760
mind and is satisfied in the
self by the Self, then is he
20
00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,280
called stable, an intelligence?
End Quote.
21
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,360
Sri Orbindo adds quote.
The test of samadhi is the
22
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:45,960
expulsion of all desires, their
inability to get out the mind,
23
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,120
and it is the inner state from
which this freedom arises.
24
00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,920
The delight of the soul gathered
within itself, with the mind
25
00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,480
equal and still and high, poised
above the attractions and
26
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,040
repulsions, the alternations of
sunshine and storm and stress of
27
00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,400
the external life.
It is drawn inward Even when
28
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,520
acting outwardly, it is
concentrated in self, even when
29
00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,760
gazing out upon things.
It is directed wholly to the
30
00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,480
Divine, even when to the outward
vision of others busy and
31
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,440
preoccupied with the affairs of
the world.
32
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:28,560
End Quote.
This response also relates to
33
00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,720
the entire life and standpoint
of the individual.
34
00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:37,960
External actions such as focus
on Sutwick diet, moderation in
35
00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:42,240
eating, regulation of 1's
external activities have their
36
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,520
place, but the real test for the
seeker is the shift to the inner
37
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,480
psychic standpoint and
identification with the Divine
38
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,120
Presence.
To the extent the seeker fixates
39
00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,560
so much on external details and
fails to direct his awareness
40
00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,880
and energies towards the
spiritual realization, he is
41
00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,120
actually defeating his own
purpose.
42
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,520
Systematically removing the
element of vital desire in all
43
00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,800
its forms and creating the inner
attitude of surrender to the
44
00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:21,280
Divine is the one essential
thing to be done, Srioro Bindu
45
00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,320
observes.
Quote all these giving up
46
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,000
indulgence in food, tea, et
cetera are external things that
47
00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,480
have their use.
But what I mean by the complete
48
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,880
attitude of the Sadiq is
something more inward.
49
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,840
I mean not to be interested in
outward things for their own
50
00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:47,600
sake, following after them with
desire, but at all times to be
51
00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,680
intent on one's soul living
centrally in the inner being and
52
00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,440
its progress, taking outward
things in action only as a means
53
00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,160
for the inner progress.
End Quote.
54
00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,800
Reference.
Shriya Robindo and the Mother
55
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,320
Looking from within.
Chapter 5.
56
00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,480
Attitudes on the Path, pages 167
to 168.
