A Centenary Tribute

Part VI

Nirodbaran on Amal Kiran

Nirodbaran on Amal Kiran

Nirodbaran, the pre-eminent sadhak of Sri Aurobindo Ashram is Amal Kiran's friend of 70 years (and their friendship is still going strong!). Both Nirod and Amal were part of the "Poetry Department" of the Ashram of which Sri Aurobindo was the head! Both used poetry as a means of training their spiritual sensitivities. Whereas Nirod completed his well-deserved century last year (2003), Amal will do so on 25th November, this year. We have selected here some remarks of the former on the latter for this occasion.

* * *

The first selection is from a talk dated August 26, 1970. Introducing Amal to the audience Nirod says,

"Well, he is our distinguished, (Amal covers his ears -laughter) renowned, celebrated Amal Kiran, poet, critic, philosopher, journalist, historian, etc., etc., whom I am sure, you have seen hopping about with his stick in the Ashram (laughter) most conspicuously, and whom I have the privilege to count as a cherished friend. He can talk Relativity with an Einsteinian like Jugal, he can talk politics and communism with my colleague Manoj Das, he can talk history with my friend Sisir, and certainly he can perorate on philosophy with Arindam and Kireet, and even with Dr. Agarwal he can hold his own (laughter) - and with me on Supermind. (laughter) The other day my friend Champaklal remarked, "When these two persons get together they start talking about the Supermind as though they have put the Supermind into their pockets!" (laughter) Well, that is the

Page 483

position. In short our guest is a versatile genius.... Geniuses are always a bit shy; only, I wonder how with so much knowledge packed in his brain the Supermind will find room in it! (laughter)...

"...before leaving,Sri Aurobindo saw to it that, among those he had initiated into poetry with so much special care, one of us at least would be able to follow the path he has opened and I must say that my friend Amal has admirably fitted himself to that task, and is capable too of taking us along if we cling to his numerous appendages. I hope you understand what I mean. Then I can say without fear of contradiction that he is the best exegete of Sri Aurobindo's poetry, just as Nolini is the best exponent of Sri Aurobindo's yoga. I can go further and claim that in the vast field of English and European poetry Amal can stand on a par, not only in India but everywhere, with the best of critics."

*

The second selection is from Nirodbaran's article, "Sixty Years of Unbroken Friendship", written on the occasion of Amal Kiran's ninetieth birth anniversary.

"...Amal Kiran ... whose cultural and intellectual achievements have been outstanding in a number of fields, apart from those of a remarkable spiritual and psychic embodiment. A poet of rare height, a man of vast knowledge, intuitive perception, exceptional calm, and a charm hard to resist, he follows in his Master's footsteps.

"He has been physically disabled from childhood by infantile paralysis in one leg. But he has no regrets. Rather, he considers this has been God's blessing to him, for it has enabled him to plunge into the oceans of the mind, and thus acquire a vast body of knowledge at an early age - so much so that Sri Aurobindo jokingly remarked: 'He has learned too much. He must start unlearning now.'

Page 484

"With such an extraordinary man I find myself an ignoramus by comparison. We came into contact with each other in 1934, after which our acquaintance grew into an intimacy nurtured by the Guru's quiet encouragement and inner solicitude. This contact gave me the opportunity to see Amal in various situations, and what I came to admire in him most was his freedom from vanity, largeness of spirit and an inborn equanimity....

"We know that Amal has been inspired by the Master's Yogic Force, particularly in poetry, and since he is a sadhak the Master's Force could work with his remarkable mind and unshaken faith to achieve such exceptional results. To give an example of his strong will power: In the early days people used to go for Pranam to the Mother on the main staircase. One day Amal and X were waiting for Mother to open the door. As soon as she opened the door she looked at X and after admitting her in closed the door. She didn't care even to glance at Amal. This made Amal feel a violent jealousy. -He looked down and saw a huge abyss which would as if swallow him completely. He realised at once the character of jealousy, what jealousy is. He willed then and there to be completely free from it and he succeeded in it.

"Let our unbroken friendship ... remain intact."

Page 485