Champaklal Speaks

Dishonouring the Grace

In the early years just after Sri Aurobindo's arrival, many local people, Hindus as well as Christians, came to see him in the evenings when he permitted visitors. Among those coming regularly was David, an average middle-class man. Gradually, as his contact with Sri Aurobindo increased; his financial situation improved and, due to his wealth and means, his reputation too increased; soon he began to be counted among the very important citizens of the town. However, along with this his visits to Sri Aurobindo decreased and ultimately stopped. At that time, one of his friends told Sri Aurobindo that David believed that his rise was the result of his own capacities and not of Sri Aurobindo's Grace. Sri Aurobindo smiled and merely asked, “Is that so? I did not know that.”

Some time later news came of David's ruin. Sri Aurobindo remarked, “For this too he himself is responsible—not me.”