Possible UPSC Questions
- Critically examine Sri Aurobindo’s concept of passive resistance and compare it with Gandhi’s satyagraha.
- “For Aurobindo, nationalism was a religious-spiritual quest, not merely a political programme.” Discuss with illustrations.
- Trace Aurobindo’s political journey (1902–1910) and its impact on Indian nationalism.
- Assess the significance of the Uttarpara Speech (1909) in understanding Aurobindo’s turn from politics to spiritual philosophy.
Quick Outline of Key Facts
- Birth/education: 15 Aug 1872, Calcutta; schooled in England; cleared ICS but disqualified (riding test); returns (1893); Baroda service; learns Sanskrit/Indian languages.
- Political phase (1902–1910): Anti-colonial writings in Bande Mataram; critiques Congress moderates; leader of nationalist (“extremist”) wing; sedition case (1907); Alipur Conspiracy arrest (1908).
- Institutions/media: Principal, Bengal National College (1906); launches Karmayogin (Eng) and Dharma (Bengali).
- Core ideas: Passive resistance as organised refusal; readiness to use force for dharma/justice; nationalism as a sacred duty.
- Spiritual turn: Jail experiences → yoga and mystic insights; Uttarpara Speech (1909) links India’s revival to universal Hindu truths; moves to Pondicherry (1910).
Summary
Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) combined rigorous political thought with a deep civilisational vision. Educated in England and initially groomed for the ICS, he returned to India determined to recover India’s cultural foundations. His Baroda years catalysed a shift from Anglophile upbringing to Sanskritic learning and the pursuit of Swaraj. Between 1902 and 1910 he emerged as a principal ideologue of the nationalist (“extremist”) strand, writing searing critiques of British rule and of Congress moderation in Bande Mataram.
Aurobindo’s doctrine of passive resistance was not meekness but an organised refusal to cooperate with colonial governance—starving the Raj of voluntary Indian support. While its objective matched “active” resistance (pressure on government), its means avoided direct harm; yet, unlike Gandhi, Aurobindo accepted that the “sword of the warrior” could be necessary to defend righteousness and national life. Thus, he diverged from Gandhian satyagraha, which centred on personal suffering and “soul-force.”
His nationalism exceeded policy reform: it was a religio-spiritual calling. In speeches (Bombay, 1908) and writings he framed nationalism as a “work of God,” demanding faith, discipline, and self-transformation. The Uttarpara Speech (1909), after his Alipur incarceration, proclaimed India’s mission to radiate a universal, eternal Hindu truth. Political setbacks and inner experiences led him to Pondicherry (1910), where he withdrew from active politics, without renouncing his core conviction that freedom is indispensable for a nation’s flourishing.
Significance to the UPSC Exam
- GS-1 (Modern India): Ideological spectrum of nationalism; extremist vs moderate strategies; press and political mobilisation.
- GS-4 (Ethics): Duty, dharma, and legitimate resistance; ethics of violence vs non-violence.
- Essay/Optional: Civilisational nationalism; religion and politics; comparing political philosophies (Aurobindo–Gandhi).
- Prelims cues: Dates (1905 Partition; 1908–09 Alipur & Uttarpara), journals (Bande Mataram, Karmayogin, Dharma), institutions (Bengal National College).
