When should an individual participate in a social change?

Re: What is Hindutva? Known-Knower-Knowledge
by rakesh on Fri 27 Jul 2007 08:27 PM PDT Profile Permanent Link

I would like to ask when should an individual participate in a social change? Arjuna was a khyatriya by birth and was a ideal instrument at the time of war for the Lord to use for the benefit of mankind and for the victory against evil forces acting on the physical plane. Kurushetra is not only a inner war but can also be a war on the physical plane. Not only the inner temptations, suggestions that impede individual’s growth towards the divine but also a war on a social and physical plane can prolong advent of the spiritual change. We all know that for the divine change to occur on a large scale than an individual the conditions on earth have to be suitable for it. If the evil forces control the society than it prolongs the coming of the spiritual transformation on earth. That is why we see Sri Aurobindo saying that the earth is not yet ready for the Supramental change.

I agree with Mr. Yeswant Sane that Sri Aurobindo also emphasized on changing the conditions of the society but when is an individual eligible to participate in a social change and to what extent is a important issue to be addressed. Sri Aurobindo has asked us to change individually first, to discover the Self, the Divine within us, to dissolve personal will and surrender to the Divine than whatever the divine says a Yogin does. Prematurely jumping to change the conditions on earth and forgetting individual dharma i.e to discover the divine for oneself first can be dangerous to the spiritual aspirant and can completely ruin the advent of spiritual change on earth. First of all one has to be capable of not being an ignorant instrument of egoistic forces which itself takes several years of sadhana. It is up to the divine will either to make the perfected instrument to involve in social change either in politics or for the good of the world.

I agree that as each country has its dharma Hindus as a race have protected the divine knowledge but we also have to accept that the mass of the people in all esoteric societies were always ignorant. The present conditions of Indian political and social life are no different. There were only very small groups who really helped preserve the secret knowledge. That these individual could influence the society as a whole is an achievement indeed. That was the divine will.

If Hindus as a society neglect the spiritual and waste time on political and class struggles the cosmic spirit may choose some other country or peoples as instruments of the divine change on earth. I do not think Hindus are any special to the Divine. The Divine chooses whoever can change and become instruments of the divine vision. Hindus in the past have been favorable for this change and it is up to us to continue or divert from the divine plan. We have to first discover the truth, fight the individual kurushetra, surrender our personal, intellectual, vital, mental ego at the divine feet than according to the divine will fight the social kurushetra which could be on the physical plane too. Science, Culture and Integral Yoga Sri Aurobindo's Uttarpara Speech