We understand globalisation essentially in terms of economics, commerce, industry and political dynamics; but there are basic social, religious, philosophical, scientific, cultural or idealistic aspects which often get sidelined in the respective discussions. The question of humanity in its proper sense, of harmonious life of happiness as expressed by mystics, sages, rishis, enlightened thinkers is hardly raised and seen in its deeper or far-reaching implications. Globalisation today is driven by a motive force and does not have its true or authentic content offered to the larger collectivity in the enduring values of the spirit. It is a mechanistic or, to use the modern idiom, a digital phenomenon. The identity of man with things material, the appreciation of the wonder that living reality in its thousand moods is, the recognition of the all-pervasive beauty in nature, or the sweep of cosmic thought, the subtlety of creative perception and expression have to be a part of the global perception.
There have to be different families and nations, there have to be different races, different languages, different arts, and even in the same kind of art different expressions, different games, different sports activities, different recreations; yet there can be a kind of genuine underlying globality in all our occupations. This world is not just a shrunken global village; it is one rich Family of God, vasudhaiva kutumbakam, as says the ancient scripture. In it each member of the family has his own unique soul, his own inalienable individuality and it is that which is valued most in the progress of the both. In the all-inclusive collective life is provided the scope for one’s own uninterrupted growth which, in turn, helps to grow itself, symbiotically helping each other. That is what true globalisation should mean. Are we nearer to it?...
If we are to see a purpose in the creation then that purpose would seem to be to live, even here, in the joy of God-awareness. Someone said, “Put God in your programme.” True, but please, also, let God have a programme for us—if there is none. Does he have one? In terms of post-human destinies surely there are possibilities. These possibilities will open more and more when our awareness of the intrinsic values of life start coming into focus. Will this happen? This ought to happen. Earth must transform herself and equal Heaven; or Heaven must descend into earth’s mortal state. This is what Sri Aurobindo the Yogi-Seer of Savitri reveals to us.
Pragmatism or utilitarianism is a fact of existence today; the possibility to widen its scope of action, to bring newer dimensions in its swift operative dynamics, is also an aspect of its broader and ennobling intention. The thetic and the anti-thetic have to meet and join in the synthetic. The division between the secular and the esoteric has to disappear; ‘this’ and ‘that’ must unreservedly merge into its happy oneness. The will of man, his reason, his emotion and sensibility, his deeper and purer intuition, the calm and silent promptings of his soul, and its unobtrusive persuasion, all have to be recognised and given a natural place in the scheme of cosmic functioning. The cry of the Rishi to lead him from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality, mrityormāmritam gamaya, in such an eventuality acquires another poignancy, a luminous poignancy. It becomes an imploration, to put in Sri Aurobindo’s phrase, for “bringing out the Infinite infinitely into form of being”.
That should lead us to understand the nature of a wholesome society which allows different aspects, collective as well as individual, to come together. Perhaps in it is the sense of an organisation that can meet a thousand demands without leading to conflicts. Man is at once a thinker and a warrior and a trader and a worker, the perfectionist of Time. Men might be thinkers or warriors or traders or workers, but all are founded in the inalienable nature of Man, the leader of humanity. The ancients saw in him harmonious expression of the spirit and promoted the social gains in that basic truth. For them the formula was wisdom-strength-harmony-perfection—and what is there in it which we can dispute? Only when that is established is there a possibility of higher powers entering into the scheme of collective life, eastern or western, be it today or tomorrow, as it was in the deep past. Only then the meaning of globalisation in its full psychological contents can be asserted. Evolution of society with all its propensities has to reach this stage. Men have to arrive at Manhood in order to enjoy the gains of globalisation. The hope is, this will happen sooner than later. The hope is such post-human destinies will unfold by conscious awareness of what the manifesting spirit is proposing to do. RY Deshpande
Pragmatism or utilitarianism is a fact of existence today; the possibility to widen its scope of action, to bring newer dimensions in its swift operative dynamics, is also an aspect of its broader and ennobling intention. The thetic and the anti-thetic have to meet and join in the synthetic. The division between the secular and the esoteric has to disappear; ‘this’ and ‘that’ must unreservedly merge into its happy oneness. The will of man, his reason, his emotion and sensibility, his deeper and purer intuition, the calm and silent promptings of his soul, and its unobtrusive persuasion, all have to be recognised and given a natural place in the scheme of cosmic functioning. The cry of the Rishi to lead him from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality, mrityormāmritam gamaya, in such an eventuality acquires another poignancy, a luminous poignancy. It becomes an imploration, to put in Sri Aurobindo’s phrase, for “bringing out the Infinite infinitely into form of being”.
That should lead us to understand the nature of a wholesome society which allows different aspects, collective as well as individual, to come together. Perhaps in it is the sense of an organisation that can meet a thousand demands without leading to conflicts. Man is at once a thinker and a warrior and a trader and a worker, the perfectionist of Time. Men might be thinkers or warriors or traders or workers, but all are founded in the inalienable nature of Man, the leader of humanity. The ancients saw in him harmonious expression of the spirit and promoted the social gains in that basic truth. For them the formula was wisdom-strength-harmony-perfection—and what is there in it which we can dispute? Only when that is established is there a possibility of higher powers entering into the scheme of collective life, eastern or western, be it today or tomorrow, as it was in the deep past. Only then the meaning of globalisation in its full psychological contents can be asserted. Evolution of society with all its propensities has to reach this stage. Men have to arrive at Manhood in order to enjoy the gains of globalisation. The hope is, this will happen sooner than later. The hope is such post-human destinies will unfold by conscious awareness of what the manifesting spirit is proposing to do. RY Deshpande
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