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Sri Aurobindo - Swami Tathagatananda

Aurobindo, the saintly patriot, was arrested on May 4, 1908 in Kolkata on a charge of sedition. The trial, known as the Alipore case, is one of the most famous political trials in Indian history. This memorable and long-drawn-out political trial with 36 accused, 206 witnesses, 4,000 documents and 5,000 exhibits and hair-splitting legal arguments roused a country-wide public interest. A remarkable feature of this sensational trial was the magnificent defense of Aurobindo by Chittaranjan Das, poet, patriot and Aurobindo’s friend and collaborator. The able and prophetic advocacy of CR Das raised the trial to an epic level. CR Das called the political and revolutionary leader Aurobindo a Vedantic nationalist. He was at the peak of his eloquence when in his peroration he made a fervent appeal to Beachcroft, the Judge, and to the 

Assessors. ‘My appeal to you is this, that long after the controversy will be hushed in silence, long after this turmoil and agitation will have ceased, long after he is dead and gone, he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, as the prophet of nationalism, and the lover of humanity. Long after he is dead and gone, his words will have echoed and re-echoed, not only in India, but across distant seas and lands. Therefore I say that the man in his position is standing not only before the bar of this court, but before the bar of the High Court of History.’ These words have proved to be true to the letter. Sri Aurobindo has been hailed by Romain Rolland as the last of the great Rishis holding ‘in his hand, in firm unrelaxed grip, the bow of creative energy.’ He says: ‘Here comes Aurobindo, the completest synthesis that has been realized to this day of the genius of Asia and the genius of Europe.’

© "Glimpses of Great Lives" published by The Vedanta Society of New York, 34 West 71st Street, New York, NY 10023. USA. Reprinted with permission.

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