Aurobindo versus Sri Aurobindo⁶¹

Aurobindo saw.
Sri Aurobindo became.

Aurobindo — the boldest revolution.
Sri Aurobindo — the quickest evolution.

Aurobindo — “British, out!”
Sri Aurobindo — “World-ignorance, out, out, out!”

Aurobindo — a Cambridge-education-zenith-mind.
Sri Aurobindo — a world-illumination-Soul
And the earth-transformation-Harbinger.

Aurobindo — “Cambridge, you gave me
The vastness-knowledge-light.”
Sri Aurobindo — “Cambridge, I give you
And the whole world
Oneness-nectar-delight.”

Aurobindo was
A world-mind-traveller-hunger
Par excellence.
Sri Aurobindo is
A cosmos-heart-lover-feast
Infinite.
Aurobindo came down.
Sri Aurobindo went up
Only to be all-where.

In England, a waking lion.
In Baroda, a watching lion.
In Bengal, a roaring lion.
In Pondicherry, an all-conquering lion.

Within, Aurobindo heard.
Without, Sri Aurobindo sounds.

Aurobindo’s heart
Was a God-dreamer.
Sri Aurobindo’s life
Is a God-giver.

Aurobindo — the perfect definition
Of a God-oneness-seeker.
Sri Aurobindo — the absolute definition
Of God the Supreme.

In Bengal, he was
An India-lover,
India-awakener
And India-server.

In Pondicherry, he became
A God-seer,
God-possessor
And God-distributor.

Aurobindo saw the world.
Sri Aurobindo fought for the world
And so does he still.

His The Life Divine
Is God the man’s
Aspiration-victory-song.

His Savitri
Is man the God’s
Transformation-manifestation-gong.

Aurobindo accepted humanity’s imperfections
As his own.
God accepted Sri Aurobindo
To claim His Perfection
As his own, very own.

Aurobindo was humanity’s
Life-temple-beauty.
Sri Aurobindo is Divinity’s
Heart-Shrine-Fragrance.

Sri Aurobindo is caught
By both man and God alike —
Man for his transformation;
God for His manifestation.

[The Reverend George Pattison, Dean of King’s College Chapel, invited Sri Chinmoy to offer this talk about Sri Aurobindo and a Peace Concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Mahasamadhi’ (passing).]