TH 148: Q&A Traditional Yogas and Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga

It is believed in traditional yogas that a soul (atma-tatva) is captive in three kinds of jails in the lower nature (apara prakriti) – tamasic jail, rajasic jail, and sattwic jail; and slowly through the sattwic jail, it becomes free. But Sri Aurobindo says that this apara prakriti is nothing but the shadow of the Para Prakriti, and hence it can be transformed, of which all evolution is an endeavor. Man has come to a juncture now where in certain section of mankind, this process of transformation can be accelerated. The three stages are the psychic transformation, spiritual transformation, and the Supramental transformation. The subconscient in man comes out in every semi-conscious state, and hence there is a need to be vigilant all the time. The speaker explains various dangers of this subconscient. To deal with it is very difficult for a Sadhaka. The subconscient can be transformed only by the saving Grace of the Mother; and the Sadhaka has only to collaborate through patience, faith, surrender, aspiration, gratitude, and not to hinder in the process. The speaker explains how the story of the ten incarnations of God (Dashawatar) is a symbolic story of the Transformation.