Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume II - Part 2
Fragment ID: 11777
These [arguments against external bhakti] are the exaggerations made by the mind taking one side of Truth and ignoring the other sides1. The inner bhakti is the main thing and without it the external becomes a form and mere ritual, but the external has its place and use when it is straightforward and sincere.
1 The correspondent had been asked by a fellow-sadhak, “Why do you want to meditate on a photograph of Sri Aurobindo? If you can meditate within, this external form of bhakti is not necessary.” – Ed.