For valuable materials supplied and for reading the manuscripts throught, the author is indebted to Sri Nolinikanta Gupta whose association with Sri Aurobindo began as a revolutionary, continued as under-trial in jail and ever since all through the long years of the Master's spiritual work as Secretary of the Ashram, besides being an authentic exponent of Sri Aurobindo's lifeand teachings. The author is also thankful to other friends in the Ashram and outside for the help received from them.
Born at 4.50 A.M. on August I5, in Calcutta at the house of his father's friend Monmohan Ghose, a barrister and a public man of the time. Father, Dr. K.D. Ghose, I.M.S., belonged to the well-known Ghoses of Konnagar, Dist. Hooghly, Bengal. Mother, Srimati Swarnalata, daughter of Rishi Rajnarayan Basu, 'the grandfather of Indian Nationalism.*
Sri Aurobindo had three brothers and one sister, Eldest Benoybhusan and second Monmohan had education in England along with Sri Aurobindo. Benoybhusan twas in Cooch-
bihar State Service and Monmohan, Professor of English, Presidency College, Calcutta. Monmohan was a poet. While in England his poetry received appreciation from a number of English critics including Edmund Gosse. Next to Monmohan was Sri Aurobindo followed by their sister Sarojini and the youngest brother Barindra who is alive.
With parents in Khulna where his father was Civil Surgeon.
At Loretto Convent School, Darjeeling, where he Wad his first direct experience of a supernatural character.
In Manchester with his father's friends, tie Drewetts. Striking proficiency in Latin acquired at home, for which he was admitted P a higher class in the school.
Had an intimation of his part in great upheavals of the future.
At St. Paul's School in London. Learnt Greek. In I886, started writing English poetry
Wrote also Latin and Greek poetry. Learnt European languages to study their lite-ratures. Made a thorough study of European history.
Won all Classics prizes.
Had an inner perception of his future work for India's freedom.
Then in his fourteenth year, had another and clearer intimation of his destined part in coming great world movements.
With a scholarship from St. Paul's, left for Cambridge.
Passed the Indian Civil Service Examination, but after the probationary period, did not turn up for the final riding test; for this and for anti-government speeches in England, was debarred from service.
Joined King's College, Cambridge. Passed high in the first part (first class) of Classical Tripos in one year.
Was Secretary of Indian Majlis, Cambridge, started this year. Gave speeches to the Mailis and to gatherings of Indian students on Indian
politics, hinting at armed rebellion as the only means of attaining India,s freedom
India Once keeping this on record.
Days of extreme hardships, due to failure of remittances from home as the result of father's large-hearted charities.
February: Returned to India; on landing At Apollo Bunder, Bombay, had a spiritual experience of infinite calm descending upon him. This continued for weeks.
In Baroda State Service. First in administrative departments, then as lecturer in French, and finally as Professor of English, at the State College, of which he became Vice Principal, later on officiated as Principal.
Contributed to the Indu prakash of Bombay a series of articles entitled 'New Lamps for Old' exposing the hollowness of the then Congress policy; another series on Bankim Chandra Chatterji.
Learning Sanskrit by himself; learnt also Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali.
First literary publication. Songs to Mirtylla (poems written in England and Baroda) for primate circulation. Began studying the Indian epics and classical Sanskrit literature; translating the epics, Upanishads and Sanskrit plays; writing poetry, plays and literary essays.
Elected President of the secret society at Poona, started by Thakur Saheb. Later, after the Rand and Ayerst murder, became President of the central organisation of the secret societies in the Bombay Presidency, with which he had been already connected. Himself took the oath of the organisation.
Learning spoken Bengali with Dinendra Kumar Roy, the well-known Bengali litterateur.
Passing away of his maternal grandfather Rajnarayan Basu in 1mhose memory Sri Aurobindo wrote a poern.
April: Married Srimati Mrinalini, daughter of Sri Bhupalchandra Basu, in Calcutta, according to strict Hindu rites.
Had a spiritual experience in which he saw a Being of Light appearing from out of him and saving him from an accident that was going to overtake him while driving in a carriage at Baroda.
Visit to Bengal for forming secret societies during the longer holidays of the College.
Organised the Midnapur revolutionary centre, initiated into the revolutionary cult Hemchandra Kanungo and three or four others who took the pledge given by Sri Aurobindo. Target practice with them.
Was at the Ahmedabad sessions of the Indian National Congress where he met Lokamanya Tilak and discussed with him the utter futility of the then Congress politics. Sent Jatindranath Bandyopadhyaya to Calcutta to organise revolutionary work, whom Sri Aurobindo had already got admitted to the Baroda State army for military training. Barindra, Sri Aurobindo's younger brother, came to Baroda.
Initiated Barindra into the revolutionary cult and sent him to Calcutta to help Jatindra in
revolutionary work. Visit to Kashmir with the Gaekwad. Had a spiritual experience of the vacant Infinite on Shankaracharya Hill. Drew up a scheme under the title 'Bhavani Mandir' on the lines of which was started Bharati Vidyalaya at the Ganganath Ashram, Sri Aurobindo helping K. G. Deshpande in maintaining it. The scheme was for a nation- wide revolutionary preparation for independence through spiritually-equipped workers. Secretly circulated. Seized and proscribed by Govt. Recovered after independence.
Met Chauchandra Datta, I.C.S. at Thana, with whom Sri Aurobindo had earlier contacts. Dutt's offer of his services in revolutionary work. Affirmation of the Bhavani Mandir ideal.
Also met at Dutt's place Raja Subodh chandra Mallik who donated one lakh of ruppes for the National College with the stipulation that Sri Aurobindo be made its first Principal. Sri Aurobindo passed his sojourn in Calcutta. at the Raja's place.
Visited Swami Brahmanand at Chandod. with Dutt. Was doing Pranayam and Yoga.
Attended the Bombay sessions of the Congress presided over by Sir Henry Cotton who made a vigorous protest against the proposed partition of Bengal.
Wrote the booklet 'No Compromise' of which thousands of copies were secretly printed and circulated by the revolutionary workers. Surendranath Banerji's admiration for its unparalleled language and arguments.
Officiated as Principal of Baroda College.Barindra went to Kaimur Hill near Rhotasgarh to select a site for Bhavani Mandir. A severe hill fever turned him back.
August 30 : Sri Aurobindo's famous letter to Srimati Mrinalini, disclosing his inner life and his i~tended work for India's freedom.October 16 : Partition of Bengal. Sri Aurobindo's direction to workers to utilise the situation as a fillip to revolutionary work.
December: Guided the Nationalists during the Banaras sessions of the Congress in formula- ting their policy and organising an anti-Partition movement.
March : Came to Calcutta which was the main centre of his work till his departure for Chandernagore in February 1910.
The same month, started the Bengali paper Yugantar, himself contributing articles to it.
April: Attended the famous sessions of the Bengal Provincial Conference at Barisal, after which toured and lectured in the districts of East Bengal.
June: Took one year's leave without pay from Baroda College.
Joined the newly-started National College in Calcutta as Principal.
August: The Bande Mataram was started by Bepinchandra Pal. Sri Aurobindo joined it as leader-writer. Consolidated the Nationalist Party, reaffirmed its programme.
His play Perseus the Deliverer appeared serially in the Bande Mataram.
December: Took active part in the Subjects Committee of the Calcutta sessions of the.
Congress and had some of the fundamentals of the Nationalist programme adopted by it.
Early this year Sri Aurobindo directed Barindra to organise a revolutionary centre in their Maniktala Garden.
April: Contributed a series of articles to the BandeMataram entitled 'The Doctrine of Passive Resistance'.
August I6: Arrested for reproducing Yugantar articles in the Bande Mataram. The charge failed as Bepinchandra Pal refused to give evidence, for which Pal had to undergo six months' imprisonment.
Poet Tagore's celebrated homage to Sri Aurobindo. His call on Sri Aurobindo.
About the middle of December Sri Aurobindo attended the Midnapur District Conference as leader of the Nationalist Party. Exposed the servile tactics of the Moderates and won victory for the Nationalist cause.
December: Attended the Surat sessions of the Congress and practically eliminated Moderatism from Indian politics by breaking the the Congress itself.
Met at Surat the famous Maharashtrian Yogi Shakhere Baba who was interested in Indian
independence. Later, towards the end of December, met Vishnu Bhashkar Lele, another Yogi of Maharashtra, from whom Sri Aurobindo received spiritual help. Meditating according to Lele"s guidance Sri Aurobindo had realisation of silent Brahman and a complete stillness of mind.
January I9: Made in Bombay the famous speech on 'The Present Situation' from the same stillness of mind which remained permanent. All his later writings and speeches came from a higher source above the mind; All his movements began to be guided by the Divine.
On his way to Calcutta, spoke in Poona, Nasik, Dhulia, Amraoti on the inner significance of Indian Nationalism.
April 3o: Unsuccessful attempt on the life of Kingsford in Muzaffarpur by Khudiram Basu and Prafulla Chaki.
Midnight, May 2: Police raided Maniktala Garden, arrested a number of revolutionaries including Barindra. The same morning Sri Aurobindo was arrested in Calcutta.
An under-trial with 35 others in Alipur Jail in the Maniktala Bomb Case. During trial Sri Aurobindo remained indrawn, unconcerned.
August 31 : For turning approver Narendra Goswami was killed in prison by Kanailal Datta. Sri Aurobindo unperturbed in the midst of commotion.
Ashramvas (Ashram life) in jail. Reading the Gita and the Upanishad. Practising Yoga. Had decisive spiritual realisations of cosmic consciousness vision of Sri Krishna everywhere and in everything. Attained mastery over the functions of the body as a means to its perfection. Never afterwards suffered from any serious illness, overcoming by Yogic force whatever chronic ailments he had. Discovered noble traits in hardened convicts and Jail officials. Saw in fellow under-trials pioneers of a new race in Bengal. Wrote four articles on the philosophy of the bomb.
C. R. Das's magnificent defence oration.
May 5 : Sri Aurobindo was acquitted and released.
May 30 : His historic speech at Uttarpara, describing his visions and experiences in jail.
June 19 : Started the English weekly Karma yogin.
Long patriotic poem Baji Prabhou and several long and short poems some of which written in jail were published in the Karmayogin.
August : Started the Bengali weekly Dharma, himself writing most of the articles.
Besides discussing day-to-day political problems Sri Aurobindo interpreted in both these papers the spiritual significance of Indian Nationalism on the basis of his Yogic experiences.
Publication of his jail experiences in Bengali in Suprabhat, a Bengali monthly of Calcutta, which later appeared in book form under the title Kara Kahini.
September: As leader of the Nationalists Sri Aurobindo took a bold hand in the Bengal Provincial Conference at Hooghly.
January: Sri Aurobindo's prediction of India's freedom to a correspondent of a Tamil Nation- alist weekly.
February: In response to an Adesh (Command) from the Divine Sri Aurobindo secretly left Calcutta and came to Chandernagore where at the house of Matilal Roy he spent a month and a half in Yogic contemplation, after which, again commanded by the Divine, he came to Pondicherry on April 4 by the steamer Dupleix. Thirty years ago a Tamil Yogi had predicted the coming to south India of a Yogi from the north who would practice and establish Poorna Yoga (Integral Yoga).
June: Fasted for twentyone days to test his mastery over bodily functions already attained in Alipur Jail. During the period, carried on day-to-day work with unimpaired energy and broke the fast with his usual measure of normal food.
Years of extreme hardships. Constant police surveillance continued till 1937.
Contact with revolutionaries like Subramaniya Bharati, the famous Tamil poet-patriot.
British Government's plan to kidnap Sri Aurobindo; its failure.
March 29: Mother's arrival at Pondicherry; her first meeting with Sri Aurobindo. Her momentous discovery of the Saviour of the world in Sri Aurobindo, and of her work with him in India.
May: In the course of a conversation Sri Aurobindo remarked that all roads to the world's progress were closed. Man seemed to be living a prison-life. 'What then is the way
out?' he was asked. 'War and destruction, or there would be no new creation,' came the reply. This was just two months before the outbreak of the First World War.
August I5: Started the monthly philosophical review Arya in joint editorship with Mother and Paul Richard.
February 2I: Celebration of Mother' s birthday for the first time in Pondicherry.
February 22: Mother left Pondicherry for France.
Sri Aurobindo's refusal of the then Governor of Bengal, Lord Carmichael's offer of a big bunglow for his permanent residence at Darjeeling, Bengal, with the ulterior motive of keeping him under constant Govt. surveillance. His Govt. had perhaps the delusion that Sri Aurobindo would welcome the Himalyan retreat as most suitable for his spiritual pursuits.
British Government's next move to have Sri Aurobindo extradited by: the French Government in Paris also failed.
Took a big lump of opium in order again to test his mastery of bodily functions. No reaction.
Press interview, in the course of which Sri Aurobindo said: 'India possesses the key to the progress of humanity.'
lokamanya Tilak's messenger to Sri Aurobindo requesting him to take up leadership of the Congress. Sri Aurobindo's polite 'No'.
Benegal Sanjeeva Rao called, to whom Sri Aurobindo prophesised the future of the British Empire and the formation of the Common- wealth of Free Nations.
December: Passing away in December of Srimati Mrinahni in Calcutta while arrangements were being made for her coming to Pondicherry.
Published a letter in Annie Besant's New India on Morley-Minto Reforms, signing as. 'Indian Nationalist'.
Poet Tagore with his Secretary Wrote Pearson met Mother in Japan and offered her entire charge of Santiniketan. Mother's smiling 'No'.
January 5: Wrote to Joseph Baptista why he could not accept the latter of editorship of his journal.
April 7: Wrote to Barindra in reply to his, letter after release from the Andamans. April 24: 'Mother's return to Pondicherry.
Mother's prophecy to Sri Aurobindo of India's freedom and how it would come about.
October: Dr. B. S. Moonje, formerly a co- worker of Sri Aurobindo, called to persuade him to accept the presidentship of the momentous sessions of the Congress in Nagpur. Sri Aurobindo's 'No'.
Sri Aurobindo used to have free talks with his disciples for sometime everyday on a wide range of topics: Yoga and its application to life was the central theme of these talks.
Col. Joshua Wedgewood, British M.P. and the famous revolutionary Abinash Bhattacharya also called, The latter stayed on for some months; Sri Aurobindo prophesied to him Bengal's great future.
July: Arya stopped publication, giving 1easons.
Visit of Wyllie Pearson, and his stay for sadhana.
November: Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das's invitation to Sri Aurobindo to return to politics. His 'No', as he was then engaged in preparing to build on a 'perfect foundation' 'a higher consciousness.'
June: Deshabandhu himself called on Sri Aurobindo and discussed with him political and spiritual problems. Sri Aurobindo suggested the convening of a Parliament of Religions with a view to carrying out Okakura's plan of Asian Federation.
Sri Aurobindo's support to Deshabandhu's Swaraj Party programme.
January: Lala Lajpat Rai and Sri Purushottamdas Tandon came with definite proposals and sought Sri Aurobindo's advice.
Sri Aurobindo's assurance of the coming of India's freedom.
November 24: The Day of Victory. 'The descent of Krishna into the physical.' Silent celebration by the then 24 inmates of the Ash- ram. The day became another Darshan Day.
Sri Aurobindo went into complete seclusion leaving entire charge of the Ashram to Mother.
The Ashram, as such, began to take shape under Mother's guidance.
February 16 : Sri Aurobindo made an exception in the case of Poet Tagore and broke out of his seclusion to meet the Poet as desired by the latter.
The Poet arrived at Pondicherry by boat. The historic record of impressions.
Publication of The Mother in which Sri Aurobindo says: 'The One whom we adore as the Mother is the divine Conscious Force' 'who comes', says he in a subsequent letter, 'to bring down the Supramental'.
Daily correspondence with sadhakas. Heaps of letters; replies giving them personal guidance in Yoga. The work kept him occupied almost throughout the nights, leaving him barely an hour or two's repose. Most of these letters were later published as books on Yoga.
Writing poetry, particularly sonnets, many of which are published in Last Poems.
November 23: Accident; impacted fracture of the right thigh on the eve of the November Darshan, due, as Sri Aurobindo himself dis-closed, to an attack of hostile forces which had been conspiring to attack Mother's body. While Sri Aurobindo concentrated exclusively on protecting Mother the attack came on him. The work of Mother and Sri Aurobindo has been to bring down and establish on earth a light of heaven. This work of theirs upset the forces of Darkness that dominate earth and seek to frustrate the work of the Divine.
September : Second World War.
November : Publication of The Life Divine, Vol. I, revised and enlarged from the Arya. It had appeared therein serially from its first issue since August 15, 1914, almost with the outbreak of the First World War.
Sri Aurobindo began revising and rewriting the Arya articles for the second volume of The Life Divine, Published in 1940.
Septemper : Joint declaration by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother supporting the cause o f the Allies who stood, fol the defence of civilisation and its highest values against the threatened domination of the Nazis who were out to destroy them and frustrate the preparation for the new creation started by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Publication of most of the major works of Aurobindo. During this Period the Ashram expounded to more than three times its former size and the number of visitors on Darshan occasions doubled and trebled and quadrupled itself. Other developments during this period B1cluded the setting up of an up-to-date printing press, extension of physical culture activities, stating o f agricultural and dairy farms. All
these happened despite various acute hardships due to the war.
March 31 : British Government's offer to congress leaders through Sir Stafford Cripps.
Sri Aurobindo's Public declaration of support to it. Sent his personal envoy to the Congress Working Committee giving his reasons for and requesting acceptance of the offer.
July 29 : Sri Aurobindo's letter to a disciple 'affirming most strongly' that it was 'Mother's war' 'against the threatened reign of the Asura, the forces of Darkness represented by the Axis Powres.
December 2: The Ashram School started.
The threat of war coming closer over India, a number of disciples with their families wanted to be under Mother's direct protection. Mother allowed certain relaxations in the rules of admission. For the education of the children thus assembled Mother started a school from the nursery stage upwards. Almost simultaneously necessary arrangements for proper physical education on scientific lines were also made.
Publication of Sri Aurobindo's Collected Poems and Plays in two vols., and a de luxe edition.
September 3 : In another letter to a disciple Sri Aurobindo characterised the Nazi agression as 'the peril of black servitude and a revived barbarism threatening India and the world.'
February 21 : Publication of The Advent, 'a quarterly devoted to the exposition of Sri Aurobindo's vision of the Future,' edited by Nolini Kanta Gupta, Secretary of the Ashram and an authentic exponent of Sri Aurobindo's thought,
August I5: Celebrating the cessation of hostilities, Mother said: 'Thy Victory has come, Thy Victory O Lord, for which we render to Thee infinite thanksgiving.'
August 15: he day of India's Independence synchronising with Sri Aurobindo's birthday. Sri Aurobindo's historic Declaration broadcast by the All-India Radio, Trichinopoly, along with Mother's sigli6cant Invocation to the Soul of India.
Mother hoisting the spiritual flag of India on the roof of Sri Aurobindo's room was greeted with cries of Vande Mataram by all assembled in the street. In a moving voice she responded, 'Jai hind'.
September: Sri Aurobindo granted inter- view to M. Maurice Schumann, the leader of a cultural mission from the French Government in France, visiting Pondicherry with a proposal to set up there an institute for research and study of Indian and European cultures with Sri Aurobindo as its head.
Sri Aurobindo's prediction to Mother that India would recover her integrity within ten years.
December II: Message to the Andhra University on the occasion of the Presentation to Sri Aurobindo of Sir C, R. Reddy National Prize. It contains important hints on and indicates the lines of India's future developments.
February 2I: Publication under Mother's guidance the illustrated quarterly Bulletin of Physical Education, with a Message from Sri Aurobindo on Physical Education. In its subsequent issues appeared sever other message- articles on subjects like Supermind, Divine Body, Evolution.
These eight articles are his final reaffirmation and renewed assurance—besides being a splendid elaboration of his message of The Life Divine&mdsh;of the Supramental Manifestation upon Earth; they are now in book form entitled The 5ppramental Manifestation upon Earth,
April 24: After 4o years Sri Aurobindo allowed himself to be photographed by the well- known French photographer Henri Cartier Bresson.
August 4: Mother's Message to America: 'Stop thinking that you are of the Vilest and others of the East. All human beings are of the same divine origin and meant to manifest upon earth the unity of this origin."
August II: Sri Aurobindo's Message to America. Vide Messages of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (Second Series), PP. 19-23.
Publication of the American editions of The Life Divine, Essays on the Gita, The Ideal of Human Unity, The Human Cycle, The Synthesis of Yoga, Part I.
April 14: Granted interview to Sri K. M. Munshi who saw in Sri Aurobindo 'a Presence radiant with the light of Consciousness.'
Sri Aurobindo reaffirmed to Sri Munshi his conviction that India would recover her geographical integrity and that the French possessions in India would merge with her not by referendum but by international negotiations.
Publication of Part One of Sri Aurobindo's epic Savitri.
November: Mother with her own hand drew on the playground wall the contours of un- divided India on which was cast a concrete relief with Mother's symbol of a twelvepetalled lotus at the centre, the symbol of India's spirituality.
Every evening during Concentration Mother stands with this relief behind her.
December 5: Mahasamadhi at I. 26 A.M, the Body remaining aglow, 'surcharged with a concentration of Supramental Light' for more than III hours.
December 7: Sri Aurobindo's assurance to Mother and Mother's assurance to the Earth.
December 8: Mother's call to Sri Aurobindo to resuscitate. Sri Aurobindo's answer that he would come again in the first supramental body.
December 9: Mother's offering of gratitude to the material envelope of the Master. In the evening the Body was put in a rose-wood box lined with silver, and laid at rest under the 'Service' tree in the centre of the Ashram courtyard.
April 24: Sri Aurobindo Memorial Convention held in the Ashram, presided over by Dr. Shyamaprasad Mookerji. Mother opened the Convention saying: 'Sri Aurobindo is
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present in our midst, and with all the power of his creative genius he presides over the formation of the university centre which for years he considered as one of the best means of preparing the future humanity to receive the supramental light that will transform the elite of today into a new race manifesting upon earth the new light and force and life. In his name I open today the Convention meeting here with the purpose of realising one of his most cherished ideals.' Among the signatories to the appeal for funds for the university centre were: S. Radhakrishnan, K. M. Munshi, R. R. Diwakar, Tan Yun-Shan, Nandalal Bose, Hare- krishna Mahtab. Vice-chancellers of the Universities of Agra, Allahabad, Bombay, Gujrat etc. Publication of Parts Two and Three of Sri Aurobindo's epic Savitri. Most of Part Three were dictated by him at a stretch in 1950.
December 10 : Opening of the University classes of the Sri Aurobindo International University Centre with eight subjects, developing under Mother's guidance out of the School started in I943 with about 3o children. In I955 the roll strength of the University Centre in all its sections stood at 35o, boys and girls, excluding the language classes for adults.
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The University Library began taking shape, was later amalgamated with the Ashram Library, and shifted to a commodious building of its own. The Library organises occasional educational and cultural expositions.
February: In an interview Mother predicted India's great future, pointing out how her Government should conduct itself to that end.
August I5: Mother's declaration of her Indian citizenship and her soul's relations with India.
November I: De facto transfer of the French territories to India. Ashram's full participation in the celebrations.
December 3I: Mother's New Year (I955) Message and her explanation of its significance for the future of India and the world, which would pass through a difficult period probably up to a couple of months of the next year, after which would dawn brighter days.
December 3I: Mother's New Year (I956) Message: 'The greatest victories are the least noisy. The manifestation of a new world is not proclaimed by beat of drum.'
April 24: Mother's historic declaration that
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the Supramental manifestation was no more a promise but a living fact, a reality.
publication of On the Veda, Sri Aurobindo's another major work, comprising all his writings on the Veda that originally appeared in the Arya from 1914 to 1918. Through these he has revealed the esoteric meaning of the Vedic Riks which conceal. behind their symbols deeper truths of the supramental world. Sri Aurobindo self says that while doing Yoga, he had knowledge of the Vedic gods before he actually read the Rigveda. This knowledge and his vision of the supramental world helped him into the truths of the Veda. Their revelation at this great hour when these truths are going to manifest themselves on earth carries its own significance.
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