Towards an Understanding of Sri Aurobindo's Style Sublime

7/17/2019 Towards an Understanding of Sri Aurobindo's Style Sublime

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LANGUAGE IN INDIAStrength for Today and Bright Hope for TomorrowVolume 3 : 8 August 2003

Editor: M. S. Thirma!ai" #h.D.

A$$o%iate Editor$: B. Ma!!i&ar'n" #h.D.

Sam Mohan!a!" #h.D.

B. A. Sharada" #h.D.

H(ME #AGE

B(()S *(+ ,(U T( +EAD AND

D(-NL(AD

English in India: Loyalty and

Attitudesby

Annika Hohenthal, Ph.D.

Language In Scienceby

M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

Vocabulary EducationbyB. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.

A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS

OF IN!I AN! "ALAYALA"

by V. Geethakumary, Ph.D.

LAN#$A#E OF

A!VERTISE"ENTS IN

TA"ILby Sandhya Nayak,Ph.D.

An Introduction to TESOL:

"ethods o% Teaching English toS&ea'ers o% Other Languagesby

M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

Trans%or(ation o% Natural

Language into Inde)ing

Language: *annada + A Case

Studyby B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.

TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OFAUROINDO'S STYLE SULI!E

. . B. +ama +ao" #h.D.

Intuitie kno!led"e lea#in" into $#ee%hHearin" the $ubtle oi%e that %lothe$ the heaen$,

&arryin" the $#lendour that ha$ lit the $un$,

They $an" In'inity($ name$ and deathle$$ #o!er$In meter$ that re'le%t the !orld$,

Si"ht($ $ound !ae$ breakin" 'rom the $oul($ "reat dee#$.

)) Sri Aurobindo inSa,itri-

/. T( HIM -H( STANDS BEHINDS US

That !hi%h the Gita tea%he$ i$ not a human, but a diine

a%tion, not the #er'orman%e od $o%ial dutie$, but theabandonment o' all other $tandard$ o' duty or %ondu%t 'or

a $el'le$$ #er'orman%e o' the diine !ill !orkin" throu"h

our nature, not $o%ial $eri%e, but the a%tion o' the Be$t,
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o. to Learn Another

Language/by M.S.Thirumalai,Ph.D.

Verbal Co((unication .ith C0

Childrenby Shyamala&hen"a##a, Ph.D. and

M.S.Thirumalai, Ph.D.

1ringing Order to Linguistic

!i,ersity + Language 0lanning

in the 1ritish Ra2by*anjit Sin"h *an"ila,

M. S. Thirumalai,

and B. Mallikarjun

+E*E+EN0E MATE+IAL

Lord "acaulay and is "inuteon Indian Education

Languages o% India3 Census o%

India 4554

The Constitution o% India:

0ro,isions Relating to

Languages

The O%%icial Languages Act3

4567 8As A(ended 4569

"other Tongues o% India3According to 4564 Census o%

India

BA0) ISSUES

*+(M MA+0H 122/

*+(M 3ANUA+, 1221

INDE4 (* A+TI0LES *+(M

MA+0H" 122/ 5 MA, 1226

INDE4 (* AUTH(+S AND

THEI+ A+TI0LES *+(M

MA+0H" 122/ 5 MA, 1226

+)mail your arti%le$ and book)

len"th re#ort$ to

thirumalaibeth'el.or"or $endyour 'lo##y di$k -#re'erably in

Mi%ro$o't ord/ by re"ular mail

the God)#o$$e$$ed, the Ma$ter)men done im#er$onally

'or the $ake o' the !orld and a$ a $a%ri'i%e to Him !ho

$tand$ behind man and Nature. )) Sri Aurobindo inEssays on the #ita

1. ST,LE IS MAN

A$ $tudent$ o' +n"li$h literature, !e are told that $tyle i$

the $kin and not a %oat, and that $tyle i$ the man. e are

told about the le (ot 2uste3and then that the #ro#er !ordin the #ro#er #la%e tell$ mo$t. e are told that the leel o'

the $ubje%t or theme determine$ the $tyli$ti% leel.

The 0A1$ on $tyle in under"raduate e2amination$ areabout the $tyle o' tho$e like a Milton, a Burke, a &arlyle,

a *u$kin, or an Arnold. hile all the$e are "reat $tyli$t$

and the $tatement$ made aboe are true, $tyle i$ a mattero' the "ien !riter($ u#brin"in" and edu%ation3

$%holar$hi# and a%%om#li$hment in term$ o' %reatiee2#re$$ion, the 4uality and leel o' thinkin", the %hoi%e o'

the $ubje%t and the obje%t o' !ritin".

6. U#ANISHADI0 S(UL IN-A+D AND ENGLISH

LANGUAGE (UT-A+D

0or an e''i%ient and 'ruit'ul under$tandin" o' Sri

Aurobindo($ $tyle both in #ro$e and #oetry, the admirin"

$hould "o into all the$e a$#e%t$. Sri Aurobindo !a$ bornin India, but at 'ie he !a$ $ent to a %onent $%hool in

Darjeelin" and at $een taken to +n"land to be #ut to

$%hool in Man%he$ter and $li"htly later in 5ondon. He

!a$ brou"ht u#, not in hi$ mother ton"ue but in +n"li$h.Hi$ 'ather, an ao!ed athei$t, !a$ #arti%ular that he

$houldn(t be allo!ed to mi2 !ith Indian$. He $tudied in

the be$t o' $%hool$ and later at the be$t o' in$titution$ in+n"land. At &ambrid"e he $tudied Greek and 5atin.

Thi$ u#brin"in" under the Dre!itt$ -to !ho$e %har"e hi$

'ather %ommitted him/ and the edu%ation lent ri%hne$$ to athinkin" %reatie mind. He de%lined &iil Seri%e 'or

!hi%h he had 4uali'ied brilliantly to take u# $eri%e in

India under the Gaek!ar o' Baroda only to emer"e a$ a

$a"e, a $eer, a #ro#het and #oet, 'or, the %ulture o'Aryaarta, the 6#ani$hadi% i$ion o' Man, ran in hi$

blood. Thi$ ne! orientation !a$ a 'a%tor o' hi$ u#brin"in"and edu%ation. hat remained in him o' +n"land a$ the

motiatin" 'or%e had ju$t been the lan"ua"e.

7. ABST+A0T AND ABST+USE LANGUAGE IN

S#I+ITUAL MATTE+S

In matter$ $#iritual, "od)related, ab$tra%t and ab$tru$e
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M. S. Thirumalai89:; Auto &lub *oad


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HEIGHTENED LANGUAGE E4#E+IEN0E

The irtue o' $u%h lan"ua"e i$ that, in the initiated reader,it i$ %a#able o' thro!in" a 'lood o' di$%oered li"ht

throu"h the medium o' $#ee%h, aak or mu$i%al $ound,

naada. The #oem $#eak$ o' Thou"ht a$ the Holy S#iritleadin" the mind u#!ard throu"h $ta"e$7 the hi"her mind,

the illumined mind, the intuitie mind and the oer mind

to the $u#ra mental re"ion !hi%h 'inally lead$ to theidenti'i%ation o' the 'inite to the in'inite.

;. S( MU0H A MATTE+ (* THE DIMENSI(N (*

THE INNE+ S#I+IT

hat i$ $i"ni'i%ant here i$ that it i$ not $o mu%h a matter

o' $tyle a$ a dimen$ion o' the inner $#irit, !hi%h de'ie$

analy$i$. It i$ a hi"hly (intuited( reelation. P.5al !hotran$lated The Mahabharata into +n"li$h %all$ $ome

#a$$a"e$ in the ma$ter narratie e#i#hany #a$$a"e$. SriAurobindo($ !ritin" i$ re#lete !ith $u%h.


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di''eren%e bet!een #ro$e and #oetry 'or the $eer, the

drashta. +erythin" i$ mu$i% and eery thin" i$ mantra.+erythin" i$ $!eet and eerythin" i$ luminou$ and li"ht

emittin". But, Sri Aurobindo a$ he $aid him$el'

$ome!here about hi$ Saitri, !rote the #oem ju$t 'or

him$el'. e don(t 'ind in Sri Aurobindo the de$#air&arlyle !a$ $aid to hae 'elt Fin the 'a%e o' a nature di$)

"odded and lan"ua"e de$a%ralied.F ur $eer and $aint Sri

Aurobindo ha$ in him the #o!er o' lan"ua"e to alterhuman lie$, to take the initiated reader, hi$ di$%i#le and

'ollo!er "od!ard. He did re)"od nature and re)$a%ralie

lan"ua"e.

/1. AU+(LANGUE: EHI0LE *(+ DEE#E+

SUBLIMIT,

hen a deout reader a##roa%he$ the Gita , an 6#ani$had

or a #ie%e o' any $a%red te2t o' an in$#ired "eniu$, $aylike Sri Aurobindo, the ery $ubje%t o' the di$%our$e i$

$ublime and the a##re%iation o' $tyle i$ automati% alon"!ith the lo'tine$$ o' thou"ht, under$tandin", in$i"ht and

intuition. The 4uality o' %ommuni%ation it$el' i$ holy.

6nder$tandin". Aurolan"ue "oe$ to the domain o'$aadhaka$ and enli"htened one$ $lo!ly initiated and

introdu%ed to the hi"her realm$. Thi$ i$ %aiar to the

"eneral.

/6. A S#+INGB(A+D: N(T A B(A+D *(+

DISSE0TING

Aaryaarta ha$ a hoary tradition o' lan"ua"e re'le%tin"the %om#le2ity and the $ublimity o' thou"ht o' her "reat

$a"e$, $aint$ and $eer$. Thi$ uni4ue a$#e%t o' lan"ua"e i$

rea$on 'or it$ "lory amid$t dier$ity and multi#li%ity. Herelan"ua"e i$ only a $#rin"board to laun%h the reader into

the $#iritual. Modern model$ o' the emer"in" $tyli$ti%

ealuation, tran$lation te%hnolo"y and #ro%edure$ o'$#littin", and di$$e%tin" di$%our$e to the leel o'

mor#heme and #honeme i$ not mu%h o' an aid to

under$tandin" Aurolan"ue. Hard e''ort in term$ o'#onderin" and %ontem#lation i$ e$$ential to "et at the #ure

metal o' the author($ intuition and intent.. Hen%e therelean%e o' *u$kin($ 'amou$ tro#e. Thi$ %ould een be a

!orth!hile %aeat to reader$ a##roa%hin" Sri Aurobindo.

/7. 0HE-ED AND DIGESTED=

Sri Aurobindo($ !ork$ are 'or all time and 'or allmankind. A mere readin" !ould neer do. +a%h line or

ea%h $enten%e ha$ to be taken in $lo!ly -%hewed and


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dige$tedi$ the ohn$onian di%tum/ 'or %ontem#lation,

eentual enli"htenment, and ultimate $#iritual joy,

aananda. Here i$ a ery brie' e2am#le, a bit o' the #oem

The Rose o% #od, that %ould be a u$e'ul be"innin" 'or

'ruit'ul %ontem#lation7

*o$e o' God, $mitten #ur#le !ith the in%arnate diine

De$ire

*o$e o' 5i'e, %ro!ded !ith #etal$, %olour$( lyreTran$'orm the body o' the mortal like a $!eet and

mu$i%al rhyme,

Brid"e our earth!ard and heaen!ard, make deathle$$

the %hildren o' Time.

hat more a$#iration or #rayer %ould there be than thi$J

Doe$ thi$ not e%ho many an 6#ani$had ino%ationJ Theharne$$in" o' the #oly%hromati% ariation$ in the #oem

!ould take a $e#arate #a#er 'or it$el'. The $#rin"$ o'$#iritual a$#iration lay at the bottom o' the %aden%e and

naada, !hi%h al!ay$ run$ a$ an under%urrent yieldin" abenedi%tion.

/8. IM#(SSIBILIT, (* INITIATI(N DI+E0TED

B, (THE+S

A$ 'or initiation, the indiidual reader mu$t 'end 'or

him$el'. Initiation i$ to bein" led into. A reader !ould do!ell to $lo!ly "et 'amiliar !ith the $eer($ turn o'

e2#re$$ion !ith a de"ree o' reeren%e. Hi$ o!n thou"ht

$hould be aboe the mundane, the %ommon#la%e and the

routine. A ba$i% 'amiliarity !ith or an under$tandin" o'$#irituality !ould be a "reat hel#.

/9. ALLUSIENESS (* AU+(BIND(>S ST,LE

A "reat deal ha$ already been !ritten by %om#etent

$%holar$ about the allu$iene$$ o' Sri Aurobindo($ $tyle

both in #ro$e and er$e %om#o$ition$. Brou"ht u# on thee$tern %la$$i%$ in Greek and 5atin alon" !ith +n"li$h

#oetry o' the hi"he$t order #rodu%ed there, the $#iritual

nai"ator($ mind $oar$ hi"her and hi"her %hartin" thearea$ o' er Mind and Su#er Mind. There hae been

Shake$#eare $%holar$, Milton $%holar$, and $%holar$ !hohae $#e%ialied in +liot o' re%ent year$, 'or the$e are o' a

di''erent order.

The meanderin" and 'li"ht$ o' noble mind$ yield $u%h

in'initude o' thou"ht that it take$ $eeral e2e"ete$ ea%h#ur$uin" a line o' one($ o!n in 'or it$ e2e"e$i$. Sri

Aurobindo($ !ritin"$, !hether in #ro$e or er$e, demand

and de$ere to be $tudied a$ $%ri#ture$ and !ith the $ame


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reeren%e, deotion and e4ui#ment a$ one a##roa%he$ the

6#ani$had o' yore.

/. 0(MING INT( 0(NTA0T -ITH THE S#I+IT

Nolini Kant Gu#ta, one o' the "reat di$%i#le$ o' the $eer)

$a"e, in hi$ book,A Century;s Salutation to SriAurobindo, !rote thi$7

I' art i$ to e2#re$$ the $oul o' thin"$, and $in%e the true$oul o' thin"$ i$ the diine element in them, then %ertainly

$#irituality, the di$%i#line o' %omin" in %on$%iou$ %onta%t

!ith the $#irit, the Diine, mu$t be a%%orded the re"al $eat

in the hierar%hy o' art$.

Durin" the la$t $eeral year$, Sri Aurobindo A$hram,

Pondi%hery ha$ been #ubli$hin" the $aint)$eer($ !ork$.+entually, it i$ ho#ed that the $%holar$ there and

el$e!here !ould #rodu%e bhashyaashel#'ul to the

uninitiated lay a$ !ell a$ the enli"htened $aadhaka$ to "et

a %om#rehen$ie under$tandin" o' one o' our "reate$t$#irituali$t$. Genuine $aadhaka$ look 'or!ard to thi$.

ritin" e2ten$ie e2e"eti% #ie%e$ on the $aint)$eer)

$aadhaka !ould $urely enable our $%holar$ to redeem!hat i$ termed ri$hi runa -the debt one o!e$ to a ri$hi, the

tea%her/ in the hoary %ulture.

Sgge$ted *rther +eading

1. Gokak, V. K.Sri Aurobindo Seer

and 0oet. Abhina Publi%ation$,Ne! Delhi, E@=.

2. Mathur, . P. -+d/.Sri Aurobindo

++ Critical Considerations, Praka$h

Book De#ot, Bareilly, EE@.

HM+ PAG+ LBA&K ISS6+SL Metaphor a$ Me$$age:

Sdipta>$AuroraL 0a$te!e%t 5 A 0riti%a! StdyL Urd

in De!hiL Toward$ an Under$tanding of Aro?indo>$Sty!e S?!imeL0reating and Tea%hing Nr$ery

+hyme$ in Indian Langage$L &NTA&T +DIT*

V- V- 1- Ra(a Rao3 0h-!-ELT 0ro%essional3 A Creati,e >

E+(ail:(ailto:,,bra(arao?yahoo-co(-
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Towards an Understanding of Sri Aurobindo's Style Sublime

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