Sri Aurobindo and Sanatana Dharma
Course Content:
Sri Aurobindo believed that India must rise to give Sanatana Dharma to the world, to the whole of humanity. He said, that while “… other religions are preponderating religions of faith and profession, but the Sanatana Dharma is life itself; it is a thing that has not so much to be believed as lived. This is the dharma that for the salvation of humanity was cherished in the seclusion of this peninsula from of old.” It is the Dharma which is universal in nature and embraces all.
It is the Dharma whose sole aspiration is to triumph over falsehood and all that limits us. It is the Dharma which aspires to awaken the spirit in matter. It is the Dharma which embraces all possible means to become one with the Divine. Unfortunately, post-independent India, embarked on a journey of progress that deepened a plethora of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of this eternal Dharma, alienating people from their cultural roots.
We are in the midst of a struggle which is not only bewildering and perplexing but is also full of confusions and blind prejudices and passions. Consequently, an average young Indian mind, whether born and brought up in India or abroad, feels handicapped in matters of Sanatana Dharma as it has not yet discovered the conviction to lead a life consistent with the vision of Sanatana Dharma. What does the future hold? What is the future of Sanatana Dharma? Perhaps no one else has spoken more eloquently on this subject than Sri Aurobindo, the Rishi of India’s renaissance.
It is in Sri Aurobindo that we see that the renascent India is called upon to build up integral consciousness which can manifest the divine potently, and find original solutions in all fields of activity, scientific, philosophical, cultural, social, economic, political, and so on. In this course, on the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, we will revisit his vision, for the future of Bharat, and of Sanatana Dharma.
Learning Objectives:
In this course, students will be able to:
1. Get introduced to the life, works and contributions of Sri Aurobindo
2. Understand the fundamentals of Sanatana Dharma, its truths, teachings, texts, its rites and ceremonies, in the light of Sri Aurobindo
3. Integrate the ‘key words’ of Sanatana Dharma and their inner significance
4. Appreciate the different stages of evolution of Sanatana Dharma
5. Evaluate contemporary issues regarding Sanatana Dharma, and frequently mistaken and ignorant views about it
6. Understand the role of Sanatana Dharma for Humanity and find solutions for contemporary challenges through the writings of Sri Aurobindo
Area of Study: Hindu Studies Foundation
Program: Community Education Program
Required/ Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into program of study.
Faculty: Dr. Sampadananda Mishra
Start Date: July 12, 2023
End Date: September 20, 2023
Day: Every Wednesday
Time: 09:00 pm EST – 10:30 pm EST
Quarter Offered: Summer 2023
