Tapascarya essential for the growth of spiritual power

After returning from England, Aurobindo took all the measures to force the Britishers to leave India. Indian princes were organized, students were mobilized, a new party was formed but he soon realized that these stray efforts would be of no avail to confront the might of the powerful British Empire. It was not possible in those days to do something like Gandhiji's Satyagrah. He, therefore, took up the work of generating spiritual power to warm up the atmosphere. He went out of the reach of the Britishers, lived in seclusion in Pondicherry and started doing special Tapascarya Sadhana.

People may regard it as an act of escapism but it was not so. Those having keen observation knew it very well that Aurobindo generated powerful invisible energy by his Tapascarya. The subtle atmosphere was warmed up, giving birth to a number of great personages at a time which was unprecedented in the history of the country. Anybody can be a political leader, but he is not necessary a great man. Great persons are great from every point of view and they possess the capacity to visibly and invisibly move and influence the public mind. Having lost everything on account of slavery over a period of two thousand years, the country needed such helmsmen who could lead the nation out of difficulties. They were all born at one time in large numbers like whirlwinds in hot summer. Thus, in due course, Aurobindo's dream was fulfilled.

In the history of spiritual sciences, Tapascarya and Sadhana have been regarded as the only means for higher attainments. This cannot be done by clinging to a luxurious, comfortable life style. It needs single-pointed concentration towards the achievement of the noble aim. At the time of writing eighteen Puranas, Vyas retired to a cave near Vasodhara in Uttarakhand. Ganesh undertook to help him as his scribe on the condition that he will not interrupt and will keep totally silent. Such an important work could not have been accomplished without this uninterrupted concentration.

Maharsi Raman remained engaged in Tapascarya and observed silence during the period of struggle for Independence. Besides, several other elevated saints in the Himalayas performed specific Tapascarya for this purpose. This invisible spiritual contribution cannot be seen and appreciated with material senses. Persons having spiritual insight alone know its truth.

Keeping in view the principle that means have to be in accord with the importance of a particular end, specific Tapascarya is being performed these days to change for the better teh quality of present atmosphere. Its nature and standards are, therefore, difficult. In the beginning, I was entrusted with the task of refining public attitudes, and stimulating enthusiasm in the masses for constructive activities. This could not have been done merely by setting up organization and preparing speakers, musicians, resources of publicity etc. Gurudev, who understood the reality very well, had, therefore, entrusted only one task in the beginning, that of performing twenty-four Gayatri Mahapurascarana for twenty-four years. The credit for all the accomplishments during the last thirty years goes ot this initial Tapascarya which served as a fixed deposit capital. At that time also it was not restricted merely to performing a fixed number of Jap. Several restrictions, disciplines and pledges were also attached to it.