Champaklal Speaks

Vegetables

1944-04-14

The Mother came to Sri Aurobindo's room with eye-cups for washing his eyes. She told him: “I went downstairs to see the vegetables. I had asked Dyuman to bring the vegetables that would be used this evening and tomorrow morning.¹ I wanted to see for myself what quantity is being used for the whole day so that I can have a real idea of it after seeing.”

Then Mother looked at me and said: “Go and see; you also will get an idea.” I went down and found several big baskets of nice shining brinjals. I found them very interesting and picked up one of the baskets and carried it upstairs to Sri Aurobindo, not only so that he also got a real idea of the quantity of vegetables are used in the Ashram but also to give a chance to the person who had grown them, as well as to the vegetables themselves to have Sri Aurobindo's darshan!

Sri Aurobindo was busy washing his eyes and had one eye over an eye-cup, but even so he looked at the basket with the other eye. I had thought of speaking to him later but as he went on looking I said: “There are four large baskets like this of brinjal and six of cucumber.” And he laughed.

Mother: “You see, those who are grumbling that there are not enough vegetables will always grumble, for it is their nature.”