THOUGHTS and IDEAS of GREAT EDUCATORS Directorate of Distance Education TRIPURA UNIVERSITY

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

THOUGHTS and IDEAS of GREAT EDUCATORS Directorate of Distance Education TRIPURA UNIVERSITY THOUGHTS AND IDEAS OF GREAT EDUCATORS BA [Education] Fifth Semester Paper V EDCN 803C [ENGLISH EDITION] Directorate of Distance Education TRIPURA UNIVERSITY Reviewer Dr Alka Mudgal Assistant Professor, Amity Institute of Education, Noida Author: J. C. Aggarwal, Units (1.2, 1.2.2, 1.3.2, 2.2-2.3, 2.3.4-2.3.5, 3.2.2, 3.3, 4) © J. C. Aggarwal, 2017 Dr Jyoti Trehan Sharma & Lianboi Vaiphei, Unit (1.2.1, 1.3) © Reserved, 2017 Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty, Units (1.3.1, 2.3.1-2.3.3) © Reserved, 2017 Vikas Publishing House, Units (1.0-1.1, 1.4-1.8, 2.0-2.1, 2.4-2.8, 3.0-3.1, 3.2-3.2.1, 3.4-3.8) © Reserved, 2017 Books are developed, printed and published on behalf of Directorate of Distance Education, Tripura University by Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication which is material, protected by this copyright notice may not be reproduced or transmitted or utilized or stored in any form of by any means now known or hereinafter invented, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the DDE, Tripura University & Publisher. Information contained in this book has been published by VIKAS® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. and has been obtained by its Authors from sources believed to be reliable and are correct to the best of their knowledge. However, the Publisher and its Authors shall in no event be liable for any errors, omissions or damages arising out of use of this information and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular use. Vikas® is the registered trademark of Vikas® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT. LTD. E-28, Sector-8, Noida - 201301 (UP) Phone: 0120-4078900 Fax: 0120-4078999 Regd. Office: 7361, Ravindra Mansion, Ram Nagar, New Delhi – 110 055 Website: www.vikaspublishing.com Email: [email protected] SYLLABI-BOOK MAPPING TABLE Thoughts and Ideas of Great Educators Syllabi Mapping in Book Unit - I Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) Unit 1: Vivekananda and Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) (Pages 3-40) Unit - II Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) Unit 2: Tagore and Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) (Pages 41-105) Unit - III Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Unit 3: Rousseau and Froebel F.W. August Froebel (1782-1852) (Pages 107-138) Unit - IV John Dewey (1859-1952) Unit 4: Dewey and Montessori Madam Maria Montessori (1870-1952) (Pages 139-164) CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 UNIT 1 VIVEKANANDAANDAUROBINDO 3-40 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Unit Objectives 1.2 Swami Vivekananda 1.2.1 Swami Vivekananda and His Theories 1.2.2 Philosophies of Swami Vivekananda 1.3 Sri Aurobindo 1.3.1 Aurobindo’s Views on Democracy, Socialism and the State 1.3.2 Aurobindo’s Philosophy on Education 1.4 Summary 1.5 Key Terms 1.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 1.7 Questions and Exercises 1.8 Further Reading UNIT 2 TAGORE AND GANDHI 41-105 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Unit Objectives 2.2 Rabindranath Tagore 2.2.1 Tagore and Education 2.3 Mahatma Gandhi 2.3.1 M. K. Gandhi: Life and Works 2.3.2 Gandhism: Ideas and Ideals 2.3.3 Gandhi and Economics 2.3.4 Gandhi’s Philosophy of Life—Sense of Human Unity 2.3.5 Gandhi’s Views on Education 2.4 Summary 2.5 Key Terms 2.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 2.7 Questions and Exercises 2.8 Further Reading UNIT 3 ROUSSEAUAND FROEBEL 107-138 3.0 Introduction 3.1 Unit Objectives 3.2 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 3.2.1 Revolt against Reason 3.2.2 Rousseau and Education 3.3 Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel 3.3.1 Froebel’s Philosophy of Education 3.4 Summary 3.5 Key Terms 3.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 3.7 Questions and Exercises 3.8 Further Reading UNIT 4 DEWEYAND MONTESSORI 139-164 4.0 Introduction 4.1 Unit Objectives 4.2 John Dewey 4.2.1 Dewey’s Views on Various Aspects of Education 4.2.2 Dewey’s Contribution to Educational Thought and Practice 4.3 Madam Maria Montessori 4.3.1 Educational Principles Underlying her Philosophy 4.3.2 Merits and Demerits of Montessori Method 4.3.3 Points of Similarity: Montessori and Froebel 4.4 Summary 4.5 Key Terms 4.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 4.7 Questions and Exercises 4.8 Further Reading Introduction INTRODUCTION Philosophy and education have been very important components to develop and NOTES enrich the personality of individuals and citizens of a country. Philosophy develops a high degree of control over our own powers and actions. Therefore, philosophers have earned much respect and reliance throughout history. The thoughts and views of great thinkers such as Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Rabindranath Tagore, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Madam Maria Montessori and many more, have shaped the educational scenario of the world. Their philosophical theories on topics such as liberty, justice, rights, authority and education have often paved the way for revolutions and changes all over the world. Almost all political ideologies of the world have been guided by these thinkers. The philosophical perspectives offer the foundation of education in terms of values, aims and objectives. Education as a subject should have value-orientation for its impact on philosophy, society and other elements of education. The interface between these areas has made the interdisciplinary approach practicable today. The philosophical basis of education attempts to support the requisite for a direction which education should follow. It provides directives and provides values to which education should be oriented from time to time. It is assumed that the knowledge of metaphysics and ethical thinking facilitates an educationist to put education in the correct perspective. The philosophical foundation makes education more purposive towards objectives which are fundamentally good. Thus, education without philosophical basis remains rather shaky. For students, it is imperative to understand the political, philosophical and educational theories of thinkers such as Dewey, Rousseau and Froebel in order to analyse any situation especially pertaining to the field of education. This book, Thoughts and Ideas of Great Educators, deals with these significant theories of thinkers such as Dewey, Rousseau, Froebel, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Gandhi, Tagore and Montessori. This book is written in a self- instructional format and is divided into four units. Each unit begins with an ‘Introduction’ to the topic followed by an outline of the ‘Unit Objectives’. The content is then presented in a simple and easy-to-understand manner, and is interspersed with ‘Check Your Progress’ questions to test the reader’s understanding of the topic. A list of ‘Questions and Exercises’ is also provided at the end of each unit, and includes short-answer as well as long-answer questions. The ‘Summary’ and ‘Key Terms’ section are useful tools for students and are meant for effective recapitulation of the text. Self-Instructional Material 1 Vivekananda and UNIT 1 VIVEKANANDA AND Aurobindo AUROBINDO NOTES Structure 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Unit Objectives 1.2 Swami Vivekananda 1.2.1 Swami Vivekananda and His Theories 1.2.2 Philosophies of Swami Vivekananda 1.3 Sri Aurobindo 1.3.1 Aurobindo’s Views on Democracy, Socialism and the State 1.3.2 Aurobindo’s Philosophy on Education 1.4 Summary 1.5 Key Terms 1.6 Answers to ‘Check Your Progress’ 1.7 Questions and Exercises 1.8 Further Reading 1.0 INTRODUCTION In this unit, you will study about Swami Vivekananda, who is considered as a key figure in the introduction of Hindu philosophies to the Western world, and Aurobindo Ghosh, a prominent name in India’s freedom struggle. Vivekananda’s philosophies and ideologies influenced the political ideas of contemporary India. He propounded the concept of nationalism. According to him, national unity could be achieved only through the acceptance of a common religion. His concept of nationalism went beyond common spirituality. He said spiritual freedom is the inherent spiritual necessity for all forms of life to exist. He was the first Indian to designate himself as a socialist. Vivekananda’s theory of humanism asserts that an individual is not only an end in himself but also divine by nature. He started the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 for national awakening. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh was a famous freedom fighter as well as a philosopher. He was a prominent radical thinker. He stood for complete Swaraj of his country. He is regarded as the Prophet of Indian nationalism. For Aurobindo, nationalism was not just a mission or a goal of life, but an end to be pursued as vigorously as religion. He recognized the nation as the real instrument of human progress. He was convinced that moral and spiritual energy was the key to social progress. Aurobindo advocated a free world-union rather than a world-state or a world-empire. He viewed democracy and socialism as the by-products of humanism. Besides being an ardent nationalist, Aurobindo was also a great humanist and internationalist. His greatest contribution towards humanity was the concept of inner freedom of the human spirit. Self-Instructional Material 3 Vivekananda and Aurobindo 1.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES After going through this unit, you will be able to: NOTES Analyse the political ideas of Swami Vivekananda and discuss his concept of democracy Describe the formation of the Ramakrishna Mission Explain the educational philosophy of Vivekananda Discuss Vivekananda’s concept of man-making education Discuss the life and works of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh Analyse the philosophies of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh Discuss Aurobindo’s views on integral education and his principles of teaching 1.2 SWAMI VIVEKANANDA Swami Vivekananda, whose original name was Narendranath Datta, was born in Calcutta which at that time was the centre of an intellectual upsurge.
Recommended publications
  • Download Download
    Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education (NJCIE) NJCIE 2021, Vol. 5(2), 65–78 http://doi.org/10.7577/njcie.4156 On Ki Hadjar Dewantara's philosophy of education Dorothy Ferary1 University College London, Institute of Education Abstract This comparative education article explores the purpose of education in the Indonesian context. My aim is to see if there are any differences between the purpose of education during the colonial era and present-day Indonesia. In order to do that, I draw mostly on the philosophy of Ki Hadjar Dewantara, who is regarded as the father of Indonesian education. This article is particularly relevant because the Indonesian government has recently started to critically re-examine two of the educational concepts proposed by Dewantara, which are "pendidikan karakter" (character education) and "merdeka belajar" (independent learning). In conceptualising education, Dewantara, who was influenced by Tagore, Montessori, and Fröbel, saw the importance of imparting local wisdom and values ignored by the colonial schools. Therefore, in this article, I will compare his educational views with the Dutch view of schooling during the colonial era. I will then look at Indonesia's current approach to education to find the similarities and differences of purpose relative to Dewantara's views of education. In this article, I argue that Dewantara's philosophy is still very much relevant today. I conclude that the Indonesian government should refer back to its history when defining education for its next generation. Keywords: Indonesia, Ki Hadjar Dewantara, Philosophy of Education Introduction In this article, I will discuss the purpose of education using Indonesia as a context.
    [Show full text]
  • Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo Ghosh
    UNIT 6 HINDUISM : SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AND SRI AUROBINDO GHOSH Structure 6.2 Renaissance of Hi~~duis~iiand the Role of Sri Raniakrishna Mission 0.3 Swami ViveItananda's Philosopliy of Neo-Vedanta 6.4 Swami Vivckanalida on Nationalism 6.4.1 S\varni Vivcknnnnda on Dcrnocracy 6.4.2 Swami Vivckanar~daon Social Changc 6.5 Transition of Hinduism: Frolii Vivekananda to Sri Aurobindo 6.5. Sri Aurobindo on Renaissance of Hinduism 6.2 Sri Aurol>i~ldoon Evil EffLrcls of British Rulc 6.6 S1.i Aurobindo's Critique of Political Moderates in India 6.6.1 Sri Aurobilido on the Essencc of Politics 6.6.2 SI-iAurobindo oil Nationalism 0.6.3 Sri Aurobindo on Passivc Resistance 6.6.4 Thcory of Passive Resistance 6.6.5 Mcthods of Passive Rcsistancc 6.7 Sri Aurobindo 011 the Indian Theory of State 6.7.1 .J'olitical ldcas of Sri Aurobindo - A Critical Study 6.8 Summary 1 h 'i 6.9 Exercises j i 6.1 INTRODUCTION In 19"' celitury, India camc under the British rule. Due to the spread of moder~ieducation and growing public activities, there developed social awakening in India. The religion of Hindus wns very harshly criticized by the Christian n?issionaries and the British historians but at ~hcsanie timc, researches carried out by the Orientalist scholars revealcd to the world, lhc glorioi~s'tiaadition of the Hindu religion. The Hindus responded to this by initiating reforms in thcir religion and by esfablishing new pub'lie associations to spread their ideas of refor111 and social development anlong the people.
    [Show full text]
  • Gandhi Writes About Henry David Thoreau Source 2
    Handout Source 1: Gandhi writes about Henry David Thoreau Many years ago, there lived in America a great man named Henry David Thoreau. His writings are read and pondered over by millions of people… Much importance is attached to his writings because Thoreau himself was a man who practised what he preached. Impelled by a sense of duty, he wrote much against his own country, America. He considered it a great sin that the Americans held many persons in the bond of slavery. He did not rest content with saying this, but took all other necessary steps to put a stop to this trade. One of the steps consisted in not paying any taxes to the State in which the slave trade was being carried on. He was imprisoned when he stopped paying the taxes due from him. The thoughts which occurred to him during his imprisonment were boldly original. [From Gandhi. Indian Opinion. Quoted in M.V. Kamath. The United States and India 1776-1976. Washington, D.C.: Embassy of India, 1976. 65.] Source 2: Gandhi’s Influence on Dr. Martin Luther King When King arrived one cold day in New Delhi, as a guest of the Government of India, his first words were a tribute to Gandhi. “To other countries,” King said, “I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim. This is because India means to me Mahatma Gandhi, a truly great man of the age.” King heard of Gandhi from Dr. Mordecai Johnson, President of Howard University, who had returned from a visit to India and was speaking at Philadelphia.
    [Show full text]
  • HUMS 4904A Schedule Mondays 11:35 - 2:25 [Each Session Is in Two Halves: a and B]
    CARLETON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE HUMANITIES Humanities 4904 A (Winter 2011) Mahatma Gandhi Across Cultures Mondays 11:35-2:25 Prof. Noel Salmond Paterson Hall 2A46 Paterson Hall 2A38 520-2600 ext. 8162 [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesdays 2:00 - 4:00 (Or by appointment) This seminar is a critical examination of the life and thought of one of the pivotal and iconic figures of the twentieth century, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – better known as the Mahatma, the great soul. Gandhi is a bridge figure across cultures in that his thought and action were inspired by both Indian and Western traditions. And, of course, in that his influence has spread across the globe. He was shaped by his upbringing in Gujarat India and the influences of Hindu and Jain piety. He identified as a Sanatani Hindu. Yet he was also influenced by Western thought: the New Testament, Henry David Thoreau, John Ruskin, Count Leo Tolstoy. We will read these authors: Thoreau, On Civil Disobedience; Ruskin, Unto This Last; Tolstoy, A Letter to a Hindu and The Kingdom of God is Within You. We will read Gandhi’s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, and a variety of texts from his Collected Works covering the social, political, and religious dimensions of his struggle for a free India and an India of social justice. We will read selections from his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, the book that was his daily inspiration and that also, ironically, was the inspiration of his assassin. We will encounter Gandhi’s clash over communal politics and caste with another architect of modern India – Bimrao Ambedkar, author of the constitution, Buddhist convert, and leader of the “untouchable” community.
    [Show full text]
  • NATURE in EDUCATION by Maria Montessori
    NATURE IN EDUCATION by Maria Montessori This piece of writing addresses the “boundless” garden created through the web of foresight and patience combined with the spontaneous activity necessary for growing food and harvesting the bounty. Most will be familiar with this unique writing by Montessori who suggests that it is not the work and actual produce of the garden but the activities of “living naturally” that enhance the child’s development. At the present time, however, and in the cir- cumstances of modern society, children live very far from nature and have few opportunities of coming into intimate contact with, or having any direct experience of, it. For a long time it was thought that nature had only a moral influence on the education of a child. Efforts were made to develop a sensible response to the marvels of nature, to flowers, plants, animals, landscapes, winds, and light. Later an attempt was made to interest a child in nature by giving him little plots of land to till. But the concept of living in nature is still more recent in a child’s education. As a matter of fact, a child needs to live naturally and not simply have a knowledge of nature. The most important thing to do is to free the child, if possible, from the ties which keep him isolated in the artificial life of a city. Today child In the school garden, Sri Lanka, 1940s hygiene contributes to the physical education of children by introducing them to the open air in public parks and by leaving them exposed to the way.
    [Show full text]
  • Nirodbaran Talks with Sri Aurobindo 01
    Talks with Sri Aurobindo Volume 1 by Nirodbaran Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry NOTE These talks are from my notebooks. For several years I used to record most of the conversations which Sri Aurobindo had with us, his attendants, and a few others, after the accident to his right leg in November 1938. Besides myself, the regular participants were: Purani, Champaklal, Satyendra, Mulshankar and Dr. Becharlal. Occasional visitors were Dr. Manilal, Dr. Rao and Dr. Savoor. As these notes were not seen by Sri Aurobindo himself, the responsibil- ity for the Master's words rests entirely with me. I do not vouch for absolute accuracy, but I have tried my best to reproduce them faithfully. I have made the same attempt for the remarks of the others. NIRODBARAN i PREFACE The eve of the November Darshan, 1938. The Ashram humming with the ar- rival of visitors. On every face signs of joy, in every look calm expectation and happiness. Everybody has retired early, lights have gone out: great occa- sion demands greater silent preparation. The Ashram is bathed in an atmos- phere of serene repose. Only one light keeps on burning in the corner room like a midnight vigil. Sri Aurobindo at work as usual. A sudden noise! A rush and hurry of feet breaking the calm sleep. 2:00 a.m. Then an urgent call to Sri Aurobindo's room. There, lying on the floor with his right knee flexed, is he, clad in white dhoti, upper body bare, the Golden Purusha. The Mother, dressed in a sari, is sitting beside him.
    [Show full text]
  • Association Montessori Internationale
    AssociAtion Montessori internAtionAle AMI LEGACY CAPACITY EDUCATE OUTREACH Our mission is to support the natural development of the human being from birth to maturity, enabling children to become the transforming elements of society, leading to a harmonious and peaceful world. 2 – Association Montessori Internationale Association Montessori internationale The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was founded in 1929 by Maria Montessori to maintain the integrity of her life’s work, and to ensure that it would be perpetuated after her death. AMI is the recognised international authority on Montessori education. During its long history AMI has fostered the growth and development of Montessori programmes and teacher training, and worked to support the development and education of children and young adults in a vast variety of settings throughout the world. AMI is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (since 1985) and an NGO in operational relations with UNESCO (since 1962). the Mission The mission of the Association Montessori Internationale is to support the natural development of the human being from birth to maturity, enabling children to become the transforming elements of society, leading to a harmonious and peaceful world. AMI achieves this mission through its: leGAcY – The Study of Childhood AMI has a unique role as custodian of the history of the Montessori movement, maintaining the integrity of Maria Montessori’s legacy. In this role AMI is responsible for
    [Show full text]
  • Companion to Hymns to the Mystic Fire
    Companion to Hymns to the Mystic Fire Volume III Word by word construing in Sanskrit and English of Selected ‘Hymns of the Atris’ from the Rig-veda Compiled By Mukund Ainapure i Companion to Hymns to the Mystic Fire Volume III Word by word construing in Sanskrit and English of Selected ‘Hymns of the Atris’ from the Rig-veda Compiled by Mukund Ainapure • Original Sanskrit Verses from the Rig Veda cited in The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo Volume 16, Hymns to the Mystic Fire – Part II – Mandala 5 • Padpātha Sanskrit Verses after resolving euphonic combinations (sandhi) and the compound words (samās) into separate words • Sri Aurobindo’s English Translation matched word-by-word with Padpātha, with Explanatory Notes and Synopsis ii Companion to Hymns to the Mystic Fire – Volume III By Mukund Ainapure © Author All original copyrights acknowledged April 2020 Price: Complimentary for personal use / study Not for commercial distribution iii ॥ी अरिव)दचरणारिव)दौ॥ At the Lotus Feet of Sri Aurobindo iv Prologue Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta on 15 August 1872. At the age of seven he was taken to England for education. There he studied at St. Paul's School, London, and at King's College, Cambridge. Returning to India in 1893, he worked for the next thirteen years in the Princely State of Baroda in the service of the Maharaja and as a professor in Baroda College. In 1906, soon after the Partition of Bengal, Sri Aurobindo quit his post in Baroda and went to Calcutta, where he soon became one of the leaders of the Nationalist movement.
    [Show full text]
  • Montessori and the Mainstream: a Century of Reform on the Margins
    Montessori and the Mainstream: A Century of Reform on the Margins KEITH WHITESCARVER JACQUELINE COSSENTINO College of William and Mary Background/Context: Montessori education has flourished as an alternative approach to schooling for a hundred years. In the century since the first Montessori school opened in the slums of Rome, the movement has undergone sustained growth while simultaneously endur- ing efforts to modify the method in order to reach a wider audience. Despite Montessori’s endurance and reach, the movement remains largely unstudied by educational researchers. This article presents a historical treatment of the method and the movement by treating Montessori as a case study of enduring and ambitious educational reform. Purpose/Objective: This article is an examination of the American Montessori movement as it has evolved over the course of the past one hundred years. Situated within an interna- tional context, the study traces the development of the movement from its failed introduction to the United States in 1991, to its rebirth in the 1960s, to its current resurgence as a time- tested alternative to conventional public schooling. Key questions revolve around Montessori’s ongoing status as an influential yet marginal force in American educational reform. Research Design: This is a historical case study drawn from archival data, interviews with Montessori leaders and practitioners, and secondary sources (biographies, memoirs) gener- ated between 1906 and 2007. The educational system known as the Montessori method presents a unique historical case study. It is international in scope; currently there are Montessori schools in at least 110 countries. It is enduring; the origi- nal Casa dei Bambini opened in Rome in 1907.
    [Show full text]
  • The Imperial and the Colonized Women's Viewing of the 'Other'
    Gazing across the Divide in the Days of the Raj: The Imperial and the Colonized Women’s Viewing of the ‘Other’ Inauguraldissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Vorgelegt von Sukla Chatterjee Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Hans Harder Zweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Benjamin Zachariah Heidelberg, 01.04.2016 Abstract This project investigates the crucial moment of social transformation of the colonized Bengali society in the nineteenth century, when Bengali women and their bodies were being used as the site of interaction for colonial, social, political, and cultural forces, subsequently giving birth to the ‘new woman.’ What did the ‘new woman’ think about themselves, their colonial counterparts, and where did they see themselves in the newly reordered Bengali society, are some of the crucial questions this thesis answers. Both colonial and colonized women have been secondary stakeholders of colonialism and due to the power asymmetry, colonial woman have found themselves in a relatively advantageous position to form perspectives and generate voluminous discourse on the colonized women. The research uses that as the point of departure and tries to shed light on the other side of the divide, where Bengali women use the residual freedom and colonial reforms to hone their gaze and form their perspectives on their western counterparts. Each chapter of the thesis deals with a particular aspect of the colonized women’s literary representation of the ‘other’. The first chapter on Krishnabhabini Das’ travelogue, A Bengali Woman in England (1885), makes a comparative ethnographic analysis of Bengal and England, to provide the recipe for a utopian society, which Bengal should strive to become.
    [Show full text]
  • (Rjelal) Magic Consciousness and Life Negation of Sri
    Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL) A Peer Reviewed (Refereed) International Vol.3.3.2015 (July-Sep) Journalhttp://www.rjelal.com RESEARCH ARTICLE MAGIC CONSCIOUSNESS AND LIFE NEGATION OF SRI AUROBINDO’S SELECT POEMS S.KARTHICK1, Dr. O.T. POONGODI2 1(Ph.D) Research Scholar, R & D Cell, Bharathiar Universty, Coimbatore. 2Assistant Professor of English, Thiruvalluvar Govt. Arts College Rasipuram. ABSTRACT Magic consciousness and Life Negation are the divine inclination principle of human being. Spiritual practice made to uplift their eternal journey. It had nothing to do with materialistic worshippers. The dawn of the higher or undivided magic consciousness is only for the super-men who had the right to enter into communion soul with the supra- sensuous. The aim of this paper is to through the light on sacred essence of Sri Aurobindo’s select poems. Under this influences one of the popular imaginations of Atman for the immaterial part of the individual. S.KARTHICK Aurobindo’s poetry asserts that the illuminating hidden meaning of the Vedas. It brings untrammeled inner reflection of the Upanishads. The world of life negation comes from supra- sensuous. It is a truism that often a long writing of the Vedas has come to practice. The Vedas, Upanishads were only handed down orally. In this context seer poets like Sri Aurobindo has intertwined the secret instruction about the hidden meaning of Magic consciousness and Life negation through his poetry. Key words: Supra- Sensuous, Mythopoeic Visionary and Atman. ©KY PUBLICATIONS INTRODUCTION inner truth of Magic consciousness and Life negation “The force varies always according to the cannot always be separated from the three co- power of consciousness which it related aspects of Mystical, Philosophy and Ecstatic.
    [Show full text]
  • Mahatma Gandhi and Non-Violence
    Mahatma Gandhi and Non-Violence Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in 1869 in India during the era of British colonial rule. This meant that India was governed by Britain and Indians had no choice in this matter. Gandhi campaigned throughout his life for India to gain independence as a country, which was finally realised in 1945. Gandhi had trained as a lawyer and it was not until he experienced racism in South Africa that he started his journey towards campaigning for equal rights and then Indian independence. He was knowledgeable about all religions. He was impressed by the Sermon on the Mount in the Bible and the idea of non- violence being a moral force, which was also the basic idea proposed by Leo Tolstoy (a Russian writer) with whom Gandhi corresponded. Tolstoy read widely on Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism and made connections between them. He believed in ‘non-resistance to evil’ was necessary because violence was a wrong in itself. To act violently even when one is being treated unjustly only led to two wrongs being committed. Gandhi was a practising Hindu, this influenced his beliefs in two fundamental ways. 1. Satyagraha is the idea of discovering the truth (satya) and the need to live one’s life by doing the right thing. This is a moral force not the physical force of violence. Violence gets in the way of highlighting the truth of suffering and injustice by causing more suffering and injustice. 2. Ahimsa has a long history in Indian religious thought and was explored in the Hindu Vedas.
    [Show full text]