Sri Aurobindo : conversations
Talks with Sri Aurobindo is a thousand-page record of Sri Aurobindo's conversations with the disciples who attended to him during the last twelve years of his life. The talks are informal and open-ended, for the attendants were free to ask whatever questions came to mind. Sri Aurobindo speaks of his own life and work, of the Mother and the Ashram, of his path of Yoga and other paths, of India's social, cultural and spiritual life, of the country's struggle for political independence, of Hitler and the Second World War, of modern science, art and poetry, and of many other things that arose in the course of conversation. Serious discussion is balanced with light-hearted banter and humour. By recording these human touches, Nirodbaran has brought out the warm and intimate atmosphere of the talks.
THEME/S
PURANI: Hitler's sudden meeting with Mussolini and the postponement of Sumner Wells' return seem to suggest a peace move again from their side.
SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but if the Allies sell out to Hitler, Hitler will only wait for an advantageous time to strike again.
PURANI: Have you heard of the prophecies of Leonard Blake? A Parsi who had come here has offered to present a copy of Blake's book if we are interested.
SRI AUROBINDO: You can ask for it. Buying won't be worth-while but if someone offers it we can accept.
SATYENDRA: Among Parsis there are no spiritual men. But the Parsis seem to be quite catholic: wherever they find anybody spiritual, they accept him, whether he is ajnani or a Bhakta. It is strange they themselves have nobody markedly spiritual.
PURANI: Haven't they got Meher Baba?
SATYENDRA: Oh yes, one example.
SRI AUROBINDO: But this one example is considered the Saviour of the world! Zoroastrians claim to have had seers and magi among them. They ought to have some spiritual figures.
NIRODBARAN: Have you read of J. L. Banerji's death during the Congress election?
SRI AUROBINDO: I thought he had been long dead and I took this Banerji for a different person. Or has he risen from the dead to fight the election? At one time he was a Moderate and stood for compromises. Of course he changed many times. First he attacked me vigorously and then became a strong devotee of mine. Afterwards he turned a Moderate. Perhaps he has come to the Congress now.
NIRODBARAN: Now here are some letters sent by A from his friends. One new friend of his writes that he is very often dreaming about you and, if things go on like this, he will have to forsake his children and start for Pondicherry.
SATYENDRA: It is going to be like the Sannyasins.
NIRODBARAN: Why? People can come here with all their children.
SRI AUROBINDO: Bah!
SATYENDRA: Somebody said to me that you have no sympathy for Sannyasins. I replied that we are practically Sannyasins ourselves, leading a Sannyasin's life, though of course it may be a temporary phase, for our lifetime only, because you want a new creation, don't you?
SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but a new life has to be based on spiritual experience. I have dealt with that in The Life Divine.
SATYENDRA: The very fact that we have an Ashram means that we have to keep aloof from the world for a time. Else we could as well establish ourselves in the world.
SRI AUROBINDO (smiling): "Ashram" is only a conventional term. As I said, we can't start a new creation except on the basis of spiritual experience. The starting of a new life has been a strong idea among many people for a long time. Anukul Thakur, Radhashyam and Dayanand had all the same idea.
EVENING
NIRODBARAN: In the Amrita Bazar Patrika there is a report that Surendra Mohan Ghose is unanimously going to be chosen as the President of the new B.P.C.C.
SRI AUROBINDO: I am rather surprised. Let me see the report.
NIRODBARAN: Suren Ghose seems suddenly to have come into prominence.
SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, he was so disgusted with dishonesty and intrigue that he wanted to give up politics.
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