Editing Sri Aurobindo (section)

=== Career in Baroda and Political Involvement (1893–1910) ===
{{Main|Political history of Sri Aurobindo}}

{{See also|Anushilan Samiti}}
In [[Vadodara|Baroda]], Aurobindo joined the state service in 1893, working first in the Survey and Settlements department, later moving to the Department of Revenue and then to the Secretariat, and much miscellaneous work like teaching grammar and assisting in writing speeches for the Maharaja of [[Gaekwad]] until 1897.{{sfnp|Aurobindo|2006|p=37|ps=}} In 1897, during his work in Baroda, he started working as a part-time French teacher at [[Baroda College]] (now Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda). He was later promoted to the post of vice-principal.{{sfnp|Aurobindo|2006|p=42|ps=}} At Baroda, Aurobindo self-studied [[Sanskrit]] and [[Bengali (language)|Bengali]].{{sfnp|Aurobindo|2006|p=43|ps=}}
[[File:Bande mataram.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Copy of ''Bande Mataram'', September 1907]]
During his stay at Baroda, he contributed to many articles for ''Indu Prakash'' and spoke as a chairman of the Baroda college board.{{sfnp|Aurobindo|2006|p=68|ps=}} He started taking an active interest in the politics of the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule, working behind the scenes as his position in the Baroda state administration barred him from an overt political activity. While traveling to these states, he linked up with resistance groups in Bengal and [[Madhya Pradesh]]. Aurobindo established contact with [[Lokmanya Tilak]] and [[Sister Nivedita]].

Aurobindo often travelled between Baroda and Bengal, initially in a bid to re-establish links with his parents' families and other Bengali relatives, including his sister Sarojini and brother Barin, and later increased to establish resistance groups across the Presidency. He formally moved to Calcutta in 1906 after the announcement of the [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|Partition of Bengal]]. In 1901, on a visit to Calcutta, he married 14-year-old Mrinalini, the daughter of Bhupal Chandra Bose, a senior official in government service. Aurobindo was 28 at that time. Mrinalini died seventeen years later in December 1918 during the [[1918 flu pandemic|influenza pandemic]].{{sfnp|Heehs|2008|p=53|ps=}}

In 1906, Aurobindo was appointed the first principal of the National College in Calcutta and started to impart national education to Indian youth.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ghose |first1=Aurobindo |title=The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo. |date=1997 |publisher=Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Dept |location=Pondicherry |isbn=978-81-7058-496-4 |page=Vol 36: Autobiographical Notes, pg 54}}</ref> He resigned from this position in August 1907, due to his increased political activity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Advice to National College Students |url=https://www.aurobindo.ru/workings/sa/37_06_07/0256_e.htm |website=Site of Sri Aurobindo & The Mother |access-date=19 June 2021 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728020806/https://www.aurobindo.ru/workings/sa/37_06_07/0256_e.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The National College continues to the present as Jadavpur University, Kolkata.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.jaduniv.edu.in/about_us.php |website=Jadavpur University Website |access-date=19 June 2021 |archive-date=13 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113221806/http://www.jaduniv.edu.in/about_us.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

Aurobindo was influenced by studies on rebellion and revolutions against England in medieval France and the revolts in America and Italy. In his public activities, he favored non-cooperation and [[nonviolent resistance]]; in private, he took up secret revolutionary activity to prepare for open revolt in case the passive uprising failed.{{sfnp|Aurobindo|2006|p=71|ps=}}

[[File:Sri Aurobindo presiding over a meeting of the Nationalists after the Surat Congress, with Tilak speaking, 1907.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Sri Aurobindo seated at the table, with [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Tilak]] speaking: Surat session of Congress, 1907]]
In Bengal, with Barin's help, he established contacts and inspired revolutionaries such as [[Bagha Jatin]] or Jatin Mukherjee and [[Surendranath Tagore|Surendranath]] Tagore. He helped establish a series of youth clubs, including the [[Anushilan Samiti]] of Calcutta in 1902.{{sfnp|Heehs|2008|p=67|ps=}}

Aurobindo attended the 1906 [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] meeting headed by [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] and participated as a councilor in forming the fourfold objectives of "Swaraj, Swadesh, Boycott, and national education". In 1907, at the [[Surat Split|Surat session]] of Congress, where moderates and extremists had a major showdown, he led along with extremists and along with [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak]]. The Congress split after this session.{{sfnp|Thorpe|2010|p=29|ps=C}} In 1907–1908, Aurobindo traveled extensively to [[Pune]], Bombay, and Baroda to firm up support for the nationalist cause, giving speeches and meeting with groups. He was arrested again in May 1908 in connection with the [[Alipore Bomb Case]]. He was acquitted in the ensuing trial following the murder of chief prosecution witness Naren Goswami within jail premises, which subsequently led to the case against him collapsing. Aurobindo was subsequently released after a year of isolated incarceration.

Once out of prison, he started two new publications, ''Karmayogin'' in English and ''Dharma'' in Bengali. He also delivered the [[s:Uttarpara Speech|Uttarpara Speech]], hinting at the transformation of his focus to spiritual matters. Repression from the British colonial government against him continued because of his writings in his new journals, and in April 1910, Aurobindo moved to Pondicherry, where the British colonial [[secret police]] monitored his activities.{{sfnp|Lorenzo|1999|p=70|ps=}}{{sfnp|Heehs|2008|p=217|ps=}}