Page 54 - NAMAH-Oct-2022

Namah Vol. 30, Issue 3, 15th October 2022

implications. If I see this interconnectedness, of feeling low or jealous, I rejoice in their joy,
then would I still be able to hurt others? what I am actually doing is — I am identifying
Would I still be able to exploit earth and its with my true Self, which is the same in all. I
elements? Would I still be able to be cold and say, I am the one rejoicing through the body
indifferent to things happening all around? of the other. And instead of feeling why I
If we do explore this idea, we see that others’ don’t have that success or attainment, I can
pain is my pain, their success is my success feel, I have the success or attainment through
and their growth is my growth. Then I will him. Since in essence, he and I are one Self.
be able to work self-lessly, and I will be able
to offer myself more and more for the Divine The philosophical justification of altruism
works, and hence also embark on the path
of surrender and complete self-giving. Then “…., I am He; Thou too art He; there is therefore
the sense of sacrificing myself for the sake of no I and Thou, but only He. Brahman, Isha
others is also taken care of. is my true self, the real Devadatta; Brahman,
Isha is the true self of my neighbour, the real
Why? Because, since in essence there are no Harishchandra. There is therefore really no
others, it is all an expansion of my own Self, Devadatta, no Harishchandra, but my Self in
so who is sacrificing for whom? I am working the mental and bodily case called Devadatta
for my own Self only. And hence there is and my Self in the mental and bodily case called
also no demand or expectation in return. Life Harishchandra. If therefore Harishchandra
can become a disinterested, self-giving, self- enjoys the untold riches, it is I who am enjoying
offering, to One and the only Self. When I them; for Harishchandra is my Self — not my
work for the true benefit of others, I am just body in which I am imprisoned or my desires
working for the one Self, whose extension is by which my body is made miserable, but
all of this existence. And in that work, I benefit my true Self, the Purusha or real Man within
myself and others, all inclusively. me, who is the witness and enjoyer of all this
sweet, bitter, tender, grand, beautiful, terrible,
The synthesis by Sri Aurobindo pleasant, horrible and wholly wonderful and
enjoyable drama of the world which Prakriti
Coming to and concluding with Sri enacts for his delectation.
Aurobindo here, on true altruism; we go to
his commentary on the Issa Upanissad, which Once I experience this truth, I can take as much
also elaborates and clarifies on why we can pleasure in the riches of Harishchandra, as if I
rejoice in others’ happiness, instead of being myself were enjoying them; for I can thenceforth
jealous. go out of my own self and so enter into the self
of Harishchandra, that his pleasure becomes
If someone has success, wealth, health my own.
and material possessions or even some
attainments, instead of following the dictates To do that I have to simply break down the
of jealousy and feeling inferior, one can also illusory barrier of associations which confines
take the stance of rejoicing in their success, my sense of self to my own body, mind and
attainment and happiness. And when, instead vitality. That this can be done, is a common

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