• ISBN13: 9788126941483
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: Religion and Philosophy
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: July 11, 2025
• Pages: 189
• Original Price: INR 895.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 380 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): Aesthetics, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, and Individual Philosophers

Sri Aurobindo or the Poetics of Hope explores the depth of Sri Aurobindo's intellectual journey, where ideas were as tangible to him as everyday objects. To truly understand his philosophy, one must engage with it as he did—with unwavering commitment to the pursuit of truth, a discerning eye, and an attentive ear. His writings, though deeply intricate, reveal his profound engagement with the world in search of Truth. For Sri Aurobindo, the struggle was not about possession or dominance, but about being and becoming. This study highlights the way his writings evoke a unique aesthetic of silence and a poetics of hope. While much has been said about him, often obscuring his voice with external interpretations, this account offers a fresh perspective on the timeless relevance of hope for humanity. Despite the tendency to neglect the evolution of ideas, readers are continually drawn to works that inspire, reaffirming the enduring importance of hope. This book underscores that his philosophy is not a retreat from life, but an invitation to a transformative shift in existence, where the essence of hope for humanity is revealed.

Murali Sivaramakrishnan is a distinguished scholar, poet and painter with a Masters degree in Literature and a PhD in Indian Aesthetics. Following a successful academic career across colleges in Kerala, he served as Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Pondicherry University. After years of academic excellence, he chose early retirement to dedicate himself to the creative and literary arts. A prolific writer, he is the author of Sri Aurobindo's Aesthetics and Poetics: New Directions (2013) and The Mantra of Vision (1997), among several acclaimed works exploring philosophy, aesthetics and environmental thought. His seven volumes of poetry reveal his deep affinity with nature and his exploration of the inner landscapes of the human spirit. Apart from his literary endeavors, he is a passionate ornithologist, often found capturing birds through the lens of his camera when not immersed in canvas or verse. His life and work continue to bridge the worlds of intellect and imagination, art and insight.

• Preface to Revised Edition............................................. vii

1. Sri Aurobindo or the Poetics of Hope....................... 1

2. The Inner Fields: Poetry and the Triple Transformation................................................................. 7
• References................................................................ 23
3. Prakriti and the Manifestations of Spiritual Consciousness: Dimensions of Nature and the Vedic Lineage of an Eco-Discourse in Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri.......................................................... 25
• The Terrain: The Holistic Nature of Spiritual Aesthetic.................................................................. 27
• Ecosystem Culture and Biosphere Culture............... 28
• Ecocriticism and Intrinsic Value............................... 29
• Nature in the Vedas and Upanishads....................... 32
• Towards an Aesthetic of Nature ............................. 33
• Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol..... 37
• Notes....................................................................... 48
4. Savitri—Mahakavya........................................................ 53
• Mahat...................................................................... 56
• Kavya....................................................................... 61
• Mahakavya and Mahavakya ................................... 72
• Notes....................................................................... 73
5. Being and Becoming: The Premises of Sri
• Aurobindo’s Aesthetics.................................................. 75
• Notes....................................................................... 102
6. Conceptualizing Poetic Futures: Visions and Variations........................................................................... 107
• A Short Introduction to Christopher Caudwell........ 109
• By Way of a Clumsy Comparison............................ 126
7. On Reading Sri Aurobindo: Blindness, Insight, Outlook, and a Perspective.......................................... 129
• A Prefatory Note...................................................... 129
• Appendices....................................................................... 147
• 1. In Praise of the Many....................................... 147
• 2. Iswara Sadhana and Iswara Sakshatkara......... 151
• 3. The Quietness of Things................................... 154
• 4. The True Voice of Raga.................................... 159
• 5. Raga Sudha Rasa and Alaukika Ananada........ 166
• Select Bibliography......................................................... 175
• Index................................................................................... 179