Champaklal Speaks

In Sri Aurobindo’s Protection

Punamchandbhai, his wife Champaben, Kamala's brother Mahesh and I arrived here on 12th June 1923. After about a month, as far as I remember, plans for the marriage of Champaben's brother were finalised. Punamchandbhai did not go but sent Champaben to attend the wedding. I accompanied her during that fortnight.

Before we left, Punamchandbhai went to see Sri Aurobindo and I too went along. He told Sri Aurobindo, “My horoscope indicates a fatal accident in the near future, so I am not going. Champaklal will accompany Champa to Patan.” At that time while giving his permission, Sri Aurobindo had not made any comments.

This happened some time after we had returned from the wedding. One day, Punamchandbhai went for a walk on the seashore. Accidentally, Bijoy's stick struck him on his knee and made a painful wound which later became septic. Doctor Upendrababu of Calcutta was then living here. He used Champaben's hair clip to examine the wound and said, “It is necrosis (bone decay)” and added that an operation was imperative. After Sri Aurobindo gave his permission, it was decided that the operation must be done in Madras and that Doraiswami¹ would arrange everything. Sri Aurobindo asked Dr. Rajangam², Purani and myself to accompany Punamchandbhai.

Interestingly, when all preparations were made Sri Aurobindo asked me not to go and told Punamchandbhai that Champaklal will not go. The next day Punamchandbhai said I should place the facts before Sri Aurobindo. So I informed Sri Aurobindo that my going was necessary because I had to attend to Punamchandbhai's correspondence. Then Sri Aurobindo permitted me to go.

Sri Aurobindo had instructed Doraiswami to see that the operation was done in his house and not in the hospital. It was performed by the famous surgeon, Dr. Rangachari. He owned a Rolls Royce car, a novelty in those days.

When, after our return, Punamchandbhai reminded Sri Aurobindo about the fatal accident indicated in his horoscope, Sri Aurobindo said, “I had thought the calamity was expected to befall your father, not you.”

At that time I had felt that what was fated did happen even though Punamchandbhai did not go to Gujarat. But now I realise that in actual fact Sri Aurobindo's protective power had accomplished the work of a shuli [stake used to impale convicts] with the help of a soy [tiny needle]. It also shows that Sri Aurobindo attends to the smallest thing concerning sadhaks and insists on making on all the necessary arrangements.