Shri Aurobindo Ghosh Books and Teachings

Are you looking for suggestions on Best Books by Shri Aurobindo Ghosh on the internet? Worry not. In this article, we bring you the best collection of books which are written and compiled by the great man himself.

The books and teachings of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh are famous not only in India but all around the world and have become the basis of many theories.

By reading his teachings and books, one can easily remove tension and stress from their lives and attain peace of mind, body, and soul.

Best Books by Shri Aurobindo Ghosh

The best books written by Shri Aurobindo are given below along with their short description:

1. Savitri – A legend & A Symbol

Savitri, a legend and a symbol are considered to be one of the major works of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. This book consists of more than 23000 iambic parameters and written in the form of a long poem.

Savitri - A Legend Symbol
Savitri – A Legend Symbol

This poem is based on the ancient Hindu legend Savitri and Satyavan. This work is considered to be inspiring and didactic.

It explains the views of Aurobindo about the ancient Vedic yogic path. One famous line from the Savitri is:

Nectar of honey in the cones of gold.

This special line encompasses almost all the human experiences & is a compilation of 700 pages.

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2. Gems – Shri Aurobindo Ghosh

The Gems, which is written by Aurobindo Ghosh is a book that consists of the famous statements made by the great man himself on the different subjects of interest from his previous vast portions of work.

Gems from Sri Aurobindo
Gems from Sri Aurobindo

The book contains various sentences that are written in the mystic style of Aurobindo Ghosh and contain various sentences, which helps in eliminating the truths which are hidden within.

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He has covered various topics in-depth and has also provided sentence meaning of the inner inspirations and various themes for meditation, along with the creative ideas for reflecting on a wide array of topics.

3. The Synthesis of Yoga

The synthesis of yoga is a book written by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh on the seminal exposition of the discipline of yoga.

Synthesis of Yoga
Synthesis of Yoga

This book has a very wide-angle view and focuses on the importance of spiritual realization in the life of an individual and also the benefits of embracing it into your life.

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In the book, Aurobindo Ghosh as reviewed the three great paths of yoga, which are work, love, and knowledge. By covering the three great paths, he has presented his view on the philosophy of yoga in his unique and subtle way.

The book also contains various paragraphs that depict the views of Sri Aurobindo on the topics of Tantra and Hatha yoga.

4. The Essential Aurobindo

The essential Aurobindo, which is written by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh is a compilation of the works which he has done and contains an amazing collection of more than two dozen volumes which he has written over the past many years.

The Essential Aurobindo Writings of Sri Aurobindo
The Essential Aurobindo Writings of Sri Aurobindo

These books help in the understanding of what is considered to be one of the greatest minds present in the 20th century.

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh has combined the alacrity of the west with the illuminations of the East in this particular book.

This book was edited by the famous Doctor Robert McDermott, who is a professor of philosophy and religion at the California Institute of integral studies, present in San Francisco.

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Dr. McDermott added an introduction and also and afterward in this book written by Sri Aurobindo.

5. The Life Divine

The Life Divine is a book written by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. In this book, he has given various important features which are being employed by millions of people in their lifestyle, in the present world.

The Life Divine
The Life Divine

This book is an answer key to many questions. It answers the questions by reconciling the truths which are hidden behind the metaphysical world and also uses the synthesis of modern techniques of the idea of divine life on earth.

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Below given are some of the famous lines which are quoted in this particular book by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh:

“The most vital issue of the age is whether the future progress of humanity is to be governed by the modern economic and materialistic mind of the West or by a nobler pragmatism guided, uplifted and enlightened by spiritual culture and knowledge.” 

6. The Powers Within

The powers within is a book written by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh which is meant for the local or the normal public and the spiritual seekers.

Powers Within
Powers Within

This book contains the discussions on the nature of different inherent & transferred potentials that the man possesses.

It also discusses the different powers which the man already possesses and uses them unconsciously & also throws light on the different powers which are dormant within the mind of the man.

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This book teaches various techniques that human beings need to develop and cater so that the real spiritual benefits can be reaped in the lifetime.

Literature Works of Sri Aurobindo

Various writings and works of literature of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh are present in the world. The below table gives a gist of the same:

Literature Works of Sri Aurobindo
Literature Works of Sri Aurobindo
S No.Indian Literature Work
1Early Cultural Writings.
2Collected Poems.
3Collected Plays and Stories.
4Karmayogin.
5Records of Yoga.
6Vedic and Philological Studies.
7The Secrets of the Veda.
8Hymns to the Mystic Fire.
9Isha Upanishad.
10Kena and Other Upanishads.
11Essays on the Gita.
12The Renaissance of India with a Defence of Indian Culture.
13The Life Divine.
14The Synthesis of Yoga.
15The Human Cycle – The Ideal of Human Unity – War and Self
16The Future Poetry.
17Letters on Poetry and Art
18Letters on Yoga.
19The Mother
20Savitri – A Legend and a Symbol.
21Letters on Himself and the Ashram.
22Autobiographical Notes and Other Writings of Historical Interest.
Literature Works of Sri Aurobindo

History of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh was born in Calcutta in the year 1872 on the 15th of August. He belonged to a Bengali Kayastha family.

History of Sri Aurobindo
History of Sri Aurobindo

He had two elder siblings and a younger brother and a sister. He went to England from 1879 to 1893 for studying as his father wanted him to join the Indian civil services which could only be joined if one has taken education from England.

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He returned to India and lived in Baroda and Calcutta from 1893 to 1910. He joined the state services in 1893 and later moved to the revenue department.

He started teaching grammar and assisting in the writing speeches for the Maharaja of Gaikwad till 1897.

He established contacts with the revolutionaries in Bengal and inspired many radicals. With their help, he established a series of youth clubs like the Anushilan Samiti of Calcutta in the year 1902.

He got arrested in the year 1908 in connection with the Alipore bomb case.

He then converted from politics to spirituality as his views radical changed due to the spiritual experiences and realizations in jail.

In 1910 Aurobindo withdrew himself from the various political activities and hibernated the Chandanagar, present in the Motilal house.

He then went to Pondicherry and then finally settled there in the year 1920. Sri Aurobindo started the Ashram in 1926 for the community people and the disciples.

When many people joined this Ashram, Mirra Alfassa established the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of education. Sri Aurobindo died on the 5th of December 1950.

The Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Rajendra Prasad extensively praised Sri Aurobindo for his phenomenal contribution in the field of Yoga philosophy and also the Independence movement.

The symbolism of Shri Aurobindo

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh is considered to be a symbol of wisdom and knowledge in the history of Indian education.

Symbolism
Symbolism

He is considered to be a pioneer in the field of yoga and the one who combined the concept of philosophy along with yoga.

The teachings of Sri Aurobindo are imbibed in their lifestyles by millions of people around the world.

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He is considered to be a super mind, that is, an intermediary power between the unmanifested Brahmin and the manifested world.

He is also considered to be the symbol of the linking of yoga with western philosophy.

He was also familiar with most of the important lines of thought in western philosophy but he did not acknowledge their influence in his writings.

Instead, he said that the yoga philosophy was formed by the study of Upanishads present in Gita.

Legacy of Sri Aurobindo

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh has been a part of the Indian legacy for almost a century. Many big personalities like Anirban Roy, SK Mitra, and D P Chattopadhyay have commented on Sri Aurobindo’s intellectual work.

Legacy of Sri Aurobindo
Legacy of Sri Aurobindo

The societies of Frederick Spiegelberg and Haridas Chaudhari are the ones who are inspired by the writings of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh.

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Jim Gibson, the technologist talks about the influence of Sri Aurobindo’s work on him and referred to him several times in his writings like;

The Invisible Origin, which says that “In some way brought into the extremely powerful spiritual field of force radiating through Shri Aurobindo”.

Due to his contribution, the Indian government launched a stamp in his honour in the year 1964, which can be seen in the photo.

Conclusion

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh is considered a pioneer in the field of yogic philosophy and the one who integrated western philosophy with the knowledge of Yoga and spiritualism.

His books are considered to be the best teachings which he has given to the world and is used by millions of followers all around the world. In this article, we have tried to cover the best books by Shri Aurobindo Ghosh.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Who was the wife of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh?

Shri Aurobindo Ghosh got married to Mrinalini Devi in the year 1901, at the age of 29 years.

Who was the collaborator of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh?

Mirra Alfassa, who was an occultist and a spiritual guru became the partner of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh and became famous by the name of The Mother of Yoga amongst the followers and devotees.

Which book is considered to be the best book of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh?

Amongst the various books written by Shri Aurobindo, the Life Divine is considered to be the best book.