The Ashram Trust’s Notice on Sri Aurobindo’s Relics – by Sridharan

The Ashram Trust has recently put up a notice on the enshrining of the Relics of Sri Aurobindo in the April issue of Mother India. [See below] The notice vindictively targets a particular person (whose name I would not like to mention here), while warning others not to do the same. What heinous crime did this person commit? He enshrined the relics of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother at a Sri Aurobindo centre with which he is connected. This was supposedly done without the permission of the Trustees – I say supposedly, because apparently the Managing Trustee himself gave permission for this particular installation! But why is the Managing Trustee objecting to it now? Because this person has bravely stood up against the mismanagement of the Trustees! Now is not the Managing Trustee getting too personal in his behaviour towards fellow disciples? After all, he is the Managing Trustee of Sri Aurobindo’s own Ashram and one would certainly expect more equanimity from him! I quote below from the Trust’s notice and make my comments.

We are surprised to learn that some people have announced that they have either enshrined or are in the process of making arrangements for enshrining at different places what they claim to be the Sacred Relics of Sri Aurobindo.

The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust hands over Relics occasionally to some Centres dedicated to the Vision of Sri Aurobindo after due consideration of their eligibility and not to any individual. The Relics are handed directly from the Master’s Room through a certain process. This process has devolved from the time when The Mother Herself used to oversee the handing over of the Relics for their enshrinement.

(Mother India, issue of 24^th April, 2013)

Does this not smack of religion? Is not the Ashram Trust assuming more authority than what it actually has over other Centres of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother? One can understand that the Trust has a certain responsibility while handing over the Relics in its possession to other institutions. But why does it have to poke its nose in the affairs of other Centres where it has no involvement?  And what is this mysterious “process” of handing over the Relics? This seems to be almost an act of sanctification (some kind of prana pratishtha) which only the Trustees know, and which, if not carried out in the right way, does not sanctify the Relics. If this is the case, then we are going headlong into the making of another bogus religious authority!

The only process of handing over the relics that people know about is that they are enclosed in three small boxes – gold, silver and teak – and handed over from Sri Aurobindo’s room. This is done after checking that the relics are going to be installed on property belonging to a public organisation dedicated to Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga and not merely at a private place. Now if someone acquires the Relics from another source than the Ashram Trust and follows the same procedure of enclosing them in three boxes (or even five or seven for that matter), how does it desanctify them? The Relics of Sri Aurobindo will remain His Relics, whether they are sanctified or desanctified by the Ashram Trust! In fact, I would go to the extent of saying that, after the Trust’s open support of the denigration of Sri Aurobindo in his own Ashram by Peter Heehs, the Trustees themselves have no moral right to hand over the Relics to other centres!

The Relics are of great significance and are a power and not just a valuable commodity that any individual can pass at his or her will to anybody else or to any organisation. Hence it is hereby made clear that the Ashram is not responsible for the authenticity of any claim of anybody possessing the Sacred Relics and giving them away for any purpose. Any unauthorised move in this regard can only lead to total confusion and to unwelcome consequences which can easily be imagined.

(Mother India, issue of 24^th April, 2013)

If the Ashram Trust is not responsible for the authenticity of Relics obtained from other sources, why does it have to express doubts about their authenticity? Moreover, what is the basis of such doubts? If the alternate source can be as authentic as the Ashram Trust, isn’t that enough for a sacred installation? What has therefore to be ascertained is the authenticity of the source, regardless of whether the Relics came from the Trust or not. Or does the Trust indirectly claim to be the sole possessor of the Relics? This is certainly not true, for it is well-known that many of the inmates and even visitors to the Ashram have these invaluable treasures, which have been passed over to them by disciples who were close to the Mother.

The last sentence in the above paragraph is an almost direct threat to those who have dared to defy the Trustees and installed the Relics on their own without taking their approval. But why does the Trust make such a big fuss about “any unauthorised move in this regard”, as if it has to be consulted at every point with regard to the spiritual development of an independent centre outside Pondicherry? And what are those “unwelcome consequences which can easily be imagined”? Is the Trust going to file yet another batch of cases on those who install the Relics without its permission? Or is it warning them of dire occult consequences of such an eventuality? In any case, this is a flagrant and most dangerous move on the Trust’s part to establish a spiritual hegemony over other centres equally dedicated to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s spiritual vision!

Moreover, we all thought that the Ashram Trust abhorred religion. This was made so pompously clear when it came up with the public statement on the Peter Heehs issue – remember the “we neither proscribe nor prescribe” statement and that everyone in the Ashram has the right to understand or misunderstand Sri Aurobindo, and thereby to praise or denigrate him in his own Ashram. But then why this sudden sabre rattling over religious/spiritual issues which are best left to themselves? The only quick answer I can give to explain this frequent change of the Ashram Trust’s stand is that mostly political opportunism rules the day. It is of secondary importance as to whether the Trust really believes in secular or religious values. What finally matters is which card can be played when to gain political advantage. This explains why Manoj Das Gupta, the Managing Trustee, so deftly played the secular card in the Peter Heehs issue and now plays with equal mastery the religious card in the Relics issue. Such political wile should actually be admired instead of being condemned! I really wish he gets a seat in West Bengal in the next general elections to show his natural aptitude for politics!

Further, it must be made clear that there is nothing given as The Mother’s Relics.

(Mother India, issue of 24^th April, 2013)

Does this mean that the Mother’s relics cannot be considered as sacred if the Trustees don’t give them to others? If that is so, the sacredness of the Relics of the Mother depends upon the sanction of the Trustees, and the sacredness of the Relics of Sri Aurobindo depends upon the mysterious and occult process of sanctification known only to the Trustees! If the Trustees have reached such heights of spiritual power and wisdom, then we better make immediate arrangements to elect the new Pope of Sri Aurobindo Ashram! But as I have hinted already, no Yogic qualifications are required for this Pope except perhaps a few basic skills of elocution and strategic calculation. All that he should have is an unflappable exterior and the ability to change political colour from extreme right to extreme left without batting an eyelid!

Sridharan

Sri Aurobindo’s Relics

We are surprised to learn that some people have announced that they have either enshrined or are in the process of making arrangements for enshrining at different places what they claim to be the Sacred Relics of Sri Aurobindo.

The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust hands over Relics occasionally to some Centres dedicated to the Vision of Sri Aurobindo after due consideration of their eligibility and not to any individual. The Relics are handed directly from the Master’s Room through a certain process. This process has devolved from the time when The Mother Herself used to oversee the handing over of the Relics for their enshrinement.

The Relics are of great significance and are a power and not just a valuable commodity that any individual can pass at his or her will to anybody else or to any organisation. Hence it is hereby made clear that the Ashram is not responsible for the authenticity of any claim of anybody possessing the Sacred Relics and giving them away for any purpose. Any unauthorised move in this regard can only lead to total confusion and to unwelcome consequences which can easily be imagined.

Further, it must be made clear that there is nothing given as The Mother’s Relics.

                                                                       

January 2013                         Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust

(Mother India, issue of 24^th April, 2013)