Chapter 89235–237

How can “altruism, duty, family, country, humanity” become true instruments of the soul?

The soul belongs to the Divine, and owes obedience and service to the Divine alone. If the Divine commands it to work for family, country or humanity, then it is all right and it can do so without being imprisoned. If the command does not come from the Divine, to serve these things is only to obey social and moral conventions.

17 December 1969 238 – Break the moulds of the past, but keep safe its gains

and its spirit, or else thou hast no future.

239 – Revolutions hew the past to pieces and cast it into a

cauldron, but what has emerged is the old Aeson with a new visage.

240 – The world has had only half a dozen successful revolu-

tions and most even of these were very like failures; yet it is by great and noble failures that humanity advances.

What does Sri Aurobindo mean by “great and noble failures”?

The greatness and nobleness of an event do not depend on material success, but on the feelings which inspire it and the goal which men have pursued. It is not success that confers greatness but the motive of action and the nobleness of the feelings which inspire it.

18 December 1969 241 – Atheism is a necessary protest against the wickedness of