Life of Sri Aurobindo is a reflection of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’: PM Modi

India

oi-Deepika S

The
Prime
Minister
recalled
many
great
personalities
who
not
only
contributed
to
the
freedom
struggle
but
also
gave
fresh
life
to
the
soul
of
the
nation.

New
Delhi,
Dec
13:
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
on
Tuesday
paid
rich
tributes
to
freedom
fighter
and
philosopher,
Sri
Aurobindo
on
his
150th
birth
anniversary,
saying
his
life
symbolised
the
“Ek
Bharat
Shrestha
Bharat”
concept.

The
Prime
Minister
also
released
a
commemorative
coin
and
postal
stamp
in
honour
of
Sri
Aurobindo.

Addressing
the
gathering,
the
Prime
Minister
underlined
the
importance
of
the
occasion
of
Sri
Aurobindo’s
150th
birth
anniversary
which
is
being
celebrated
with
great
fervour
throughout
the
year.
The
Prime
Minister
highlighted
that
the
nation
is
paying
tributes
to
Sri
Aurobindo
by
releasing
a
commemorative
coin
and
postal
stamp.
The
Prime
Minister
expressed
the
belief
that
such
efforts
by
the
nation
will
give
new
energy
and
strength
to
India’s
resolutions.

The
Prime
Minister
said
that
when
a
number
of
great
events
take
place
simultaneously,
often
there
is
‘Yoga-Shakti’ i.e.
a
collective
and
uniting
power
behind
them.

The
Prime
Minister
recalled
many
great
personalities
who
not
only
contributed
to
the
freedom
struggle
but
also
gave
fresh
life
to
the
soul
of
the
nation.
Among
them,
three
personalities,
Sri
Aurobindo,
Swami
Vivekananda
and
Mahatma
Gandhi
had
many
great
events
in
their
lives
at
the
same
point
in
time.
These
events
not
only
changed
the
lives
of
these
personalities
but
also
brought
far-reaching
changes
in
national
life.

The
Prime
Minister
explained
that
in
1893
Sri
Aurobindo
returned
to
India
and
in
the
same
year
Swami
Vivekananda
went
to
America
to
deliver
his
iconic
speech
at
the
World’s
Parliament
of
Religions.
Gandhi
ji
went
to
South
Africa
in
the
same
year,
which
marked
the
beginning
of
his
transformation
into
Mahatma
Gandhi,
the
Prime
Minister
added.

He
noted
the
similar
confluence
of
events
in
the
present
time
when
the
country
is
celebrating
75
years
of
Independence
and
starting
its
journey
of
Amrit
Kaal
as
we
are
witnessing
the
150th
anniversary
of
Sri
Aurobindo
and
the
125th
Anniversary
of
Netaji
Subhas.

“When
motivation
and
action
meet,
even
the
seemingly
impossible
goal
is
inevitably
accomplished.
Nation’s
successes
in
the
Amrit
Kaal
today
and
resolution
of
‘Sabka
Prayas’ are
proof
of
this
“,
he
said.

The
Prime
Minister
said
that
the
life
of
Sri
Aurobindo
is
a
reflection
of
‘Ek
Bharat
Shreshtha
Bharat’
as
he
was
born
in
Bengal
and
knew
many
languages
including
Gujarati,
Bengali,
Marathi,
Hindi
and
Sanskrit.
He
spent
most
of
his
life
in
Gujarat
and
Puducherry
and
left
a
deep
imprint
wherever
he
went.

Throwing
light
on
the
teachings
of
Sri
Aurobindo,
the
Prime
Minister
remarked
that
when
we
become
aware
of
our
traditions
and
culture
and
begin
to
live
through
them,
it
is
at
that
moment
when
our
diversity
becomes
a
natural
celebration
of
our
lives.
“It
is
a
source
of
great
inspiration
for
Azadi
Ka
Amrit
Kaal.
There
is
no
better
way
to
explain
Ek
Bharat
Shreshtha
Bharat
other
than
this”,
he
said.

The
Prime
Minister
recalled
the
opportunity
to
take
part
in
the
Kashi
Tamil
Sangamam
and
remarked
that
the
wonderful
event
is
a
great
example
of
how
India
binds
the
country
together
through
its
culture
and
traditions.

Kashi
Tamil
Sangamam
showed
that
today’s
youth
is
leaving
behind
the
politics
that
differentiates
on
the
basis
of
language
and
dress
and
is
embracing
the
politics
of
Ek
Bharat
Shreshtha
Bharat.
Today
in
the
Azadi
ka
Amrit
Mahotsav
and
the
Amrit
Kaal,
we
have
to
expand
the
spirit
of
Kashi
Tamil
Sangamam,
he
said.

The
Prime
Minister
pointed
out
that
Sri
Aurobindo
was
such
a
personality
whose
life
had
a
modern
scientific
temper,
political
rebelliousness
and
a
sense
of
the
divine
as
well.
The
Prime
Minister
recalled
his
‘no
compromise’
slogan
during
the
division
of
Bengal.
His
ideological
clarity,
cultural
strength
and
patriotism
made
him
a
role
model
for
the
freedom
fighters
of
that
time.

PM
Modi
also
dwelled
on
the
sage-like
aspects
of
Shri
Aurobindo
who
used
to
hold
forth
on
deep
philosophical
and
spiritual
issues.

The
Prime
Minister
pointed
out
that
we
are
embracing
all
views
in
our
journey
of
developed
India
without
any
feeling
of
inferiority.
We
are
working
with
the
Mantra
of
‘India
First’
and
placing
our
heritage
with
pride
before
the
entire
world.

The
Prime
Minister
further
added
that
it
is
the
life
of
Sri
Aurobindo
that
embodies
another
strength
that
India
possesses
which
is
also
one
of
the
five
pledges
-“Freedom
from
the
mentality
of
slavery”.
He
further
added
despite
heavy
western
influence,
when
on
his
return
to
India,
Sri
Aurobindo
came
in
contact
with
the
Gita
during
his
time
in
prison
and
he
emerged
as
the
loudest
voice
of
Indian
culture.

PM
Modi
further
recalled
that
he
studied
the
scriptures
and
translated
texts
ranging
from
Ramayana,
Mahabharata
and
Upanishads
to
Kalidas,
Bhavabhuti
and
Bharathari.
“People
witnessed
India
in
Aurobindo’s
thoughts,
the
same
Aurobindo
who
was
once
kept
away
from
Indianness
in
his
youth.
This
is
the
real
strength
of
India
and
Indianness”,
the
Prime
Minister
remarked.

“India
is
that
immortal
seed
which
may
be
suppressed
a
little
under
adverse
circumstances,
may
wither
a
little,
but
it
cannot
die”,
the
Prime
Minister
continued
remarking
on
the
rich
cultural
history
and
said,
“India
is
the
most
refined
idea
of
human
civilization,
the
most
natural
voice
of
humanity.”

Talking
about
the
cultural
immortality
of
India,
the
Prime
Minister
said,
“India
was
immortal
even
in
the
time
of
Maharishi
Aurobindo,
and
it
is
immortal
even
today
in
the
Azadi
Ka
Amrit
Kaal.”

The
Prime
Minister
concluded
his
address
by
noting
the
dire
challenges
faced
by
the
world
of
today
and
underlined
the
importance
of
India’s
role
in
overcoming
these
challenges.
“That’s
why
we
have
to
prepare
ourselves
by
taking
inspiration
from
Maharishi
Aurobindo
and
create
a
developed
India
by
Sabka
Prayas”,
he
concluded.

Sri
Aurobindo,
born
on
15th
August
1872,
was
a
visionary
who
made
lasting
contributions
to
India’s
freedom
struggle.
Azadi
Ka
Amrit
Mahotsav
–
an
endeavour
to
celebrate
the
glorious
history
of
India’s
people,
culture
and
achievements
on
the
occasion
of
75
years
of
independence
–
is
commemorating
Sri
Aurobindo’s
150th
birth
anniversary
by
organising
year-long
activities
and
programmes
across
the
country.