from: Narayan T Rao narayan.t.rao@gmail.com date: 6
March 2012 22:16 subject: reply to Shri Ranganath's response to the Declaration
12:33 PM 6:37 PM 7:45 PM
10. If we were to believe in what the writer
believes,
but the present management is composed of ordinary
human beings, whose sole responsibility is the external management of the
organization and its smooth functioning. To equate the present set of five
mortal transient, imperfect human beings with the true and deeper reality of
the institution is a devious trick intended to mislead those of
mediocre intelligence, who are more than willing to transfer their
allegiance from Mother to the trustees. This is a truth that will stand against
all false attempts to insist on the contrary which is that the trustees
represent the Ashram spiritually. Nothing could be farther from the
truth.
This Ashram should exist only in form of books and
preserved only for records. What has happened with the Presence of our Masters
could be classified as a thing of our ancient civilizations like our
Mohenjadaro and Harappa . The writer here
challenges the formation of the Trust Board of Ashram formed by The Mother? I
am still waiting for an immortal person in the board of Trustees…
11. Certainly it is clear that all internal
problems should be resolved by the members themselves within the organization
itself. No one would like an outside intervention, except when there is no
other choice left.
Absolutely correct. For whom is the writer speaking
of, himself or a group which has gathered around him and he is the chosen
speaker for all of them? There are still more choices and one of them
could surely be a holistic one…. intended to mislead
those of mediocre intelligence, who are more than willing to transfer their
allegiance from Mother to the trustees… is this the gathering
the writer is referring to and who is their piece of mouth? In the
kingdom of blind, one eyed man is the king?
12. There is always a limit to it. That is the
reason why nowhere in the world is an individual elected to a position of power
for more than a fixed period of time. It is a well known truism that all power
corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is why these questions
have arisen now in the context of the book maligning Sri Aurobindo.
If freedom was not allowed, how do you think a
dharna of this peaceful nature could have taken place for one whole week,
leaving ones usual work?
….. Several members of the Ashram have been
removed from their usual work, thus interfering with their normal
functions……….. She is not guiding the others? And guidance is
one thing and understanding the guidance and acting according to it is another
matter altogether.
I wonder how many responsible people would have
joined a dharna in the outside world, for one whole week (actually the duration
asked was for one whole month) without pay or family duties? I think we must
allow at least us, the Ashramites, this unique freedom!
13. The trust deed was made purely for legal
reasons. It was drafted in a hurry and the result was not really satisfactory.
There is no spiritual sanctity to it and we know that legal matters did not
interest the Mother…….. So to claim that it is a sacred document and fully
approved by the Mother is not the fact at all. Besides, nothing in this
transient world is a rigid truth for ever. Changing times and circumstances
always necessitate adjustments and alterations to suit the new conditions that
crop up.
If what you say is according to your wise judgment a
solution, then please tell me of some person, any where you know of has
actually lived and practiced to live a life Divine, and transformed his
physical being, having followed our Masters teachings. This is the yoga of Sri
Aurobindo, and after so much time, if nothing visible is seen by humanity, and
of course sadhaks like you and me, do we scrap the The Life Divine along with the
other volumes, or at least add or rewrite these volumes of Sri Aurobindo
because, changing times and circumstances always necessitate adjustments
and alterations to suit the new conditions that crop up…? The
Mother Herself has signed on the trust deed, it ought to be sacred to Her
followers at least. I see no other option but to accept it as it is, unless you
do not accept The Mother as your Guru.
14. The responsibility to avoid this is squarely
on the shoulders of the management.
Good conclusion, let them do it and leave them
alone, please. This was the idea of the declaration. […] Manas
Ranganath Raghavan's Response to "A Declaration of
Solidarity" from A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo"
by Peter Heehs To
Jay Raichuria and Meera Gupta (Sabda)
10. This entire passage may well apply to all
human beings and both parties in this unfortunate confrontation, although
clearly you mean by it only those who are protesting against the protection of
Peter Heehs by the trustees.
At this point, let it be clearly and loudly stated that
the SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM is built by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo and its truth
is eternal and deeply planted. But the present management is composed of
ordinary human beings, whose sole responsibility is the external management of
the organization and its smooth functioning. To equate the present set of five
mortal transient, imperfect human beings with the true and deeper reality of
the institution is a devious trick intended to mislead those of mediocre
intelligence, who are more than willing to transfer their allegiance from
Mother to the trustees. This is a truth that will stand against all false
attempts to insist on the contrary ─ which is that the trustees represent
the Ashram spiritually! Nothing could be farther from the truth. This is a
simple fact that was so well understood even by Monsieur André Morisset, the
Mother’s son. He kept insisting on this truth. To call those who stand by this
truth “deluded” is itself an act of supreme delusion.
11. Certainly it is clear that all internal
problems should be resolved by the members themselves within the organization
itself. No one would like an outside intervention, except when there is no
other choice left. The question is who is responsible for this unfortunate
pass. When arrogance, inflexibility are the norm and not sympathetic dialogue
and a spirit of accommodation, then there is no option left except unusual
methods.
12. Up to what degree is this freedom to
be allowed? Taking a hypothetical case, where a serious illegal action has
occurred, is the freedom still to be allowed? Should not the laws of the land
take over? Now, who is to judge regarding the degree of illegality? Can anyone
explain the innumerable court cases instituted against the ashram management?
Why was even an arrest warrant issued against some of them? Freedom can never
be infinite. There is always a limit to it. That is the reason why nowhere
in the world is an individual elected to a position of power for more than a
fixed period of time. It is a well known truism that all power corrupts and
absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is why these questions have arisen now
in the context of the book maligning Sri Aurobindo. To maintain that the book
is only “foolish” but harmless and the storm will blow over in time is to completely
misunderstand the situation. The book is a direct attack on the Divine by
a hostile force and if we give it protection in the Ashram, nothing could be
more dangerous for the institution, which will render it open to constant
problems of a more serious nature. There are those who think that
the objectionable passages in the book by Peter Heehs are not at all bad,
that they are merely harmless objective remarks, or at worst they are foolish
and immature and need not be taken seriously at all. And that those who are
raising a hue and cry about the book are completely mistaken or at best are
exaggerating and are making a mountain out of a molehill. Those who hold
that view may please explain how at first more than ninety passages were found
to be “obnoxious” and the decision to expel Peter Heehs from the Ashram
was taken, and how at the insistence of one individual, that decision was
reversed within minutes. And all the others meekly agreed to tow the line
laid down by one person!!! It appears that the real significance and danger of
sheltering Peter Heehs within the Ashram has not been grasped by the trustees
and their entourage.
13. The trust deed was made purely for legal
reasons. It was drafted in a hurry and the result was not really satisfactory.
There is no spiritual sanctity to it and we know that legal matters did not
interest the Mother. We have some statements from her clearly expressing this
view. It is also known that the Mother was not at all happy with the
draft. This was known to several of the old sadhaks and specially Mr. Counouma,
who had spoken about it to some people. So to claim that it is a sacred
document and fully approved by the Mother is not the fact at all. Besides,
nothing in this transient world is a rigid truth for ever. Changing times and
circumstances always necessitate adjustments and alterations to suit the new
conditions that crop
up.
14. I do not think that anyone really wants to
do that. But rigidity and inflexibility automatically invite forces that
dictate change. The responsibility to avoid this is squarely on the shoulders
of the management. [...]
www.ashramite.com
The point of this declaration is not to issue a personal endorsement of the
trustees as individuals. It does not even matter who the five trustees happen
to be. Rather this is an initiative that expresses faith in the constitutional
structure and processes enshrined in the Trust Deed, the Mother's document. It
is therefore an initiative in support of the high ideals, the very idea, the
sheer reality, of Sri Aurobindo Ashram itself. We must not and will not
see the fabric that holds our organization together ripped apart. And by the
same token, those making the point that they are only attacking the trustees
and not the Ashram itself and that their actions are for the good of the
institution are deluding themselves and playing a dangerous game. There are
vested interests attempting to create the impression that a majority of
Ashramites are sympathetic to those filing lawsuits against the Trust, but
nothing could be further from the truth. We will not allow this false and
dangerous notion to gain further ground. This is the time to stand firm, stand
together in the face of this assault on the core values of our Ashram, to lend
our voices in support of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother's institution and
its appointed representatives against the forces that are out to destabilize
our community.
Under these trying circumstances we extend our
support to the board of trustees of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. We trust that
the Mother will use them, despite any shortcomings, despite the possibility of
errors of judgement, as Her instruments, and that She will ensure that the
institution is administered effectively and in accordance with the principles
laid down by Herself and Sri Aurobindo. May Her will prevail.
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