Aug. 7, 2025
Vigilance
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Amazon Music 
RSS Feed 
Castro 
RadioPublic 
PocketCasts 
YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 145-146This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/vigilance/
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
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,320
The ancient texts such as the
Upanishads or the Dhammapada
2
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,640
focus on distinguishing the true
and eternal from the transitory
3
00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,320
and illusory existence upon
which most people spend their
4
00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,160
time and attention.
Thus, the term vigilance means
5
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,640
something entirely different
than what a person awake in the
6
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,520
external world would take it to
mean in the case of the seeker
7
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,040
of liberation or spiritual
realization.
8
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,320
Vigilance thus means the
attention on that which is not
9
00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:39,480
transitory, that which survives
the changes we undergo in the
10
00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:43,520
external life, including the
birth and death of a particular
11
00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:49,000
individual in a particular body.
We thus have to reorient our
12
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,320
viewpoint to understand the
sense.
13
00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,680
The Atyatma Upanishad states
this most clearly in verses 14
14
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:02,360
to 17 when it says quote.
Never should 1 be heedless in
15
00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,760
devotion to Brahman.
Heedlessness is death.
16
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,360
So aver the philosophers of
Brahman in regard to this
17
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,720
science.
Just as a pulled up water reads
18
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,920
Days, not still even for a
moment, so does Maya ceaselessly
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,440
envelope even a wise man if he
averts his face from the truth.
20
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,480
With the vision of the non dual
self through unwavering
21
00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,640
concentration comes the
dissolution without residue of
22
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,800
the knots of ignorance in the
heart.
23
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,240
Whosoever wins absoluteness
while alive continues to be
24
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,840
absolute even after death.
Rooted in concentration, O
25
00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:49,520
Sinless 1 remains steadfast.
End Quote from the 108
26
00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:54,280
Upanishads, page 698 of the Gita
Society.
27
00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,400
This theme of heedlessness or
lack of vigilance is implied in
28
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,640
other Upanishads, particularly
in the KATU Upanishad, which
29
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,680
explores the question of life
and death, the eternal and
30
00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,520
immortal status versus the
transitory and mortal existence.
31
00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,200
The Lord of Death describes for
the seeker Nachicetus what is
32
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600
true and should be the object of
1's focus.
33
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,120
He offers Nachiketas all the
possible enjoyments of the
34
00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,520
external world for the human
individual, which Nachiketas
35
00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:35,680
turns down as he remains heedful
of the real object of his
36
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,040
seeking.
A similar theme appears in
37
00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,240
various places in Hindu,
Buddhist, or Islamic scriptures
38
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,680
as a recognition of what is true
and what is illusion.
39
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,480
Immortality is associated with
vigilance or heedfulness, and
40
00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:58,080
death attends those who are
unfocused, drifting in the world
41
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,640
of samsara, Maya, illusion, et
cetera.
42
00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,320
Vigilance in this sense implies
that one pays attention to the
43
00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,760
self, which transcends birth and
death.
44
00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,080
Such an individual does not die
in the sense that we ordinarily
45
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,720
describe death because they see
a continuous cycle of birth,
46
00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:24,400
life, death and rebirth. 1
existence for which death is an
47
00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,440
illusory concept.
Those who are fixated on the
48
00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,040
external life of the world and
thus heedless of the eternal are
49
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,760
the ones who suffer death as
they have no foundation of
50
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:43,120
awareness in the Oneness, the
Dhammapada states quote
51
00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,800
Vigilance is the way that leads
to immortality or Nirvana.
52
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,280
Negligence is the way that leads
to death.
53
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,440
Those who are vigilant do not
die.
54
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,920
Those who are negligent are dead
already.
55
00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,840
End Quote.
The mother observes.
56
00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:07,320
Quote Vigilance means to be
awake, to be on one's guard, to
57
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:11,040
be sincere, never to be taken by
surprise.
58
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,400
When you want to do sadhna at
each moment of your life, there
59
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,279
is a choice between taking a
step that leads to the goal and
60
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,640
falling asleep, or sometimes
even going backwards, telling
61
00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:29,240
yourself oh later on, not
immediately sitting down on the
62
00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,960
way.
To be vigilant is not merely to
63
00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,160
resist what pulls you downward,
but above all to be alert in
64
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,080
order not to lose any
opportunity to progress, any
65
00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,400
opportunity to overcome a
weakness, to resist a
66
00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:49,120
temptation, any opportunity to
learn something, to correct
67
00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,520
something, to master something.
If you are vigilant, you can do
68
00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,200
in a few days what would
otherwise take years.
69
00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:02,040
If you are vigilant, you change
each circumstance of your life,
70
00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:07,120
each action, each movement, into
an occasion for coming nearer
71
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,920
the goal.
There are two kinds of
72
00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:14,680
vigilance, active and passive.
There is a vigilance that gives
73
00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,200
you a warning if you are about
to make a mistake, if you are
74
00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,520
making a wrong choice, if you
are being weak or allowing
75
00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,960
yourself to be tempted.
And there is the active
76
00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,560
vigilance, which seeks an
opportunity to progress, seeks
77
00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:35,280
to utilize every circumstance to
advance more quickly.
78
00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,960
There is a difference between
preventing yourself from falling
79
00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:45,800
and advancing more quickly, and
both are absolutely necessary.
80
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,680
He who is not vigilant is
already dead.
81
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:54,160
He has lost contact with the
true purpose of existence and of
82
00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,600
life.
So the hours, circumstances,
83
00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,640
life pass in vain, bringing
nothing, and you awake from your
84
00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:08,200
somnolence in a hole from which
it is very difficult to escape.
85
00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,840
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
86
00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,000
Mother looking from within,
Chapter 5.
87
00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:22,000
Attitudes on the Path, pages
1:45 to 1:46.
00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,320
The ancient texts such as the
Upanishads or the Dhammapada
2
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,640
focus on distinguishing the true
and eternal from the transitory
3
00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,320
and illusory existence upon
which most people spend their
4
00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,160
time and attention.
Thus, the term vigilance means
5
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,640
something entirely different
than what a person awake in the
6
00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,520
external world would take it to
mean in the case of the seeker
7
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,040
of liberation or spiritual
realization.
8
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,320
Vigilance thus means the
attention on that which is not
9
00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:39,480
transitory, that which survives
the changes we undergo in the
10
00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:43,520
external life, including the
birth and death of a particular
11
00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:49,000
individual in a particular body.
We thus have to reorient our
12
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,320
viewpoint to understand the
sense.
13
00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,680
The Atyatma Upanishad states
this most clearly in verses 14
14
00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:02,360
to 17 when it says quote.
Never should 1 be heedless in
15
00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,760
devotion to Brahman.
Heedlessness is death.
16
00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,360
So aver the philosophers of
Brahman in regard to this
17
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,720
science.
Just as a pulled up water reads
18
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,920
Days, not still even for a
moment, so does Maya ceaselessly
19
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,440
envelope even a wise man if he
averts his face from the truth.
20
00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,480
With the vision of the non dual
self through unwavering
21
00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,640
concentration comes the
dissolution without residue of
22
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,800
the knots of ignorance in the
heart.
23
00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:38,240
Whosoever wins absoluteness
while alive continues to be
24
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,840
absolute even after death.
Rooted in concentration, O
25
00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:49,520
Sinless 1 remains steadfast.
End Quote from the 108
26
00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:54,280
Upanishads, page 698 of the Gita
Society.
27
00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,400
This theme of heedlessness or
lack of vigilance is implied in
28
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,640
other Upanishads, particularly
in the KATU Upanishad, which
29
00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,680
explores the question of life
and death, the eternal and
30
00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,520
immortal status versus the
transitory and mortal existence.
31
00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,200
The Lord of Death describes for
the seeker Nachicetus what is
32
00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600
true and should be the object of
1's focus.
33
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,120
He offers Nachiketas all the
possible enjoyments of the
34
00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,520
external world for the human
individual, which Nachiketas
35
00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:35,680
turns down as he remains heedful
of the real object of his
36
00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,040
seeking.
A similar theme appears in
37
00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,240
various places in Hindu,
Buddhist, or Islamic scriptures
38
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,680
as a recognition of what is true
and what is illusion.
39
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,480
Immortality is associated with
vigilance or heedfulness, and
40
00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:58,080
death attends those who are
unfocused, drifting in the world
41
00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,640
of samsara, Maya, illusion, et
cetera.
42
00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,320
Vigilance in this sense implies
that one pays attention to the
43
00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,760
self, which transcends birth and
death.
44
00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,080
Such an individual does not die
in the sense that we ordinarily
45
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,720
describe death because they see
a continuous cycle of birth,
46
00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:24,400
life, death and rebirth. 1
existence for which death is an
47
00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,440
illusory concept.
Those who are fixated on the
48
00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,040
external life of the world and
thus heedless of the eternal are
49
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,760
the ones who suffer death as
they have no foundation of
50
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:43,120
awareness in the Oneness, the
Dhammapada states quote
51
00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,800
Vigilance is the way that leads
to immortality or Nirvana.
52
00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,280
Negligence is the way that leads
to death.
53
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,440
Those who are vigilant do not
die.
54
00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,920
Those who are negligent are dead
already.
55
00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,840
End Quote.
The mother observes.
56
00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:07,320
Quote Vigilance means to be
awake, to be on one's guard, to
57
00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:11,040
be sincere, never to be taken by
surprise.
58
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,400
When you want to do sadhna at
each moment of your life, there
59
00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:20,279
is a choice between taking a
step that leads to the goal and
60
00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,640
falling asleep, or sometimes
even going backwards, telling
61
00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:29,240
yourself oh later on, not
immediately sitting down on the
62
00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,960
way.
To be vigilant is not merely to
63
00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,160
resist what pulls you downward,
but above all to be alert in
64
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,080
order not to lose any
opportunity to progress, any
65
00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,400
opportunity to overcome a
weakness, to resist a
66
00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:49,120
temptation, any opportunity to
learn something, to correct
67
00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,520
something, to master something.
If you are vigilant, you can do
68
00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,200
in a few days what would
otherwise take years.
69
00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:02,040
If you are vigilant, you change
each circumstance of your life,
70
00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:07,120
each action, each movement, into
an occasion for coming nearer
71
00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,920
the goal.
There are two kinds of
72
00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:14,680
vigilance, active and passive.
There is a vigilance that gives
73
00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,200
you a warning if you are about
to make a mistake, if you are
74
00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:22,520
making a wrong choice, if you
are being weak or allowing
75
00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,960
yourself to be tempted.
And there is the active
76
00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,560
vigilance, which seeks an
opportunity to progress, seeks
77
00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:35,280
to utilize every circumstance to
advance more quickly.
78
00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,960
There is a difference between
preventing yourself from falling
79
00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:45,800
and advancing more quickly, and
both are absolutely necessary.
80
00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,680
He who is not vigilant is
already dead.
81
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:54,160
He has lost contact with the
true purpose of existence and of
82
00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,600
life.
So the hours, circumstances,
83
00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,640
life pass in vain, bringing
nothing, and you awake from your
84
00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:08,200
somnolence in a hole from which
it is very difficult to escape.
85
00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,840
End Quote.
Reference Srioro Bindu and the
86
00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,000
Mother looking from within,
Chapter 5.
87
00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:22,000
Attitudes on the Path, pages
1:45 to 1:46.