TH 69: ‘The Rakshasas’ – a poem by Sri Aurobindo

This is a talk based on Sri Aurobindo’s poem The Rakshasas. Sri Aurobindo shows us the nature of Rakshasa and the Asura and their place in evolution towards our humanness. Rakshasa has a violent kinetic ego. In the evolutionarily process each stage like the animal-man, rakshasa and asura has its relevance in our hierarchical development. Animal is a physical body oriented being and does not have much need except food etc. Rakshasa is vital or, rather an unregenerate prana dominated being and that is why by force he wants to snatch everything for his ego and satisfaction. Asura is an intellectualized being but full of ego and ambition so as to satisfy himself by the power of his deformed knowledge and strength. They could be very religious in character also. That is why they can deceive by these attributes of Knowledge and power. Ravana did yajna but with tremendous ego. He does not believe in kindness, love, humility and other soft feelings; rather he believes in force and power. He wants to destroy these qualities in creation and rule by force for eternity. Force is needed but not at the cost of tender qualities. The poem brings forth the whole evolutionary need of beings and their relevance.