Self

A poem by Sri Aurobindo


Self

He said, "I am egoless, spiritual, free,"
    Then swore because his dinner was not ready.
I asked him why. He said, "It is not me,
    But the belly's hungry god who gets unsteady."

I asked him why. He said, "It is his play.
    I am unmoved within, desireless, pure.
I care not what may happen day by day."
    I questioned him, "Are you so very sure?"

He answered, "I can understand your doubt.
    But to be free is all. It does not matter
How you may kick and howl and rage and shout,
    Making a row over your daily platter.

To be aware of self is liberty.
Self I have got and, having self, am free."



Part VII : Pondicherry (Circa 1927-1947) > Sonnets from Manuscripts (Circa 1934-1947)   




How to read the color-coded changes below? 1. SABCL version : lines with any changes & specific changes 2. CWSA version : lines with any changes & specific changes

Sri-Aurobindo/books/collected-poems/self.txt CHANGED
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ He answered, "I can understand your doubt.
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  But to be free is all. It does not matter
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  How you may kick and howl and rage and shout,
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  Making a row over your daily platter.
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- "To be aware of self is liberty,
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+ To be aware of self is liberty.
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  Self I have got and, having self, am free."

NOTES FROM EDITOR

15 October 1939. Three handwritten manuscripts, the first entitled “Liberty”.



Manuscript