Talks with Sri Aurobindo

23 MARCH 1940

PURANI: Laurence Binyon says that the dragon is a symbol of water. Water is everything; it forms into clouds and comes down as rain and therefore the dragon is a symbol of the Infinite.

SRI AUROBINDO: Why "therefore"? The dragon may symbolise the Infinite by being a symbol of the sky.

PURANI: In China the Infinite is symbolised by the dragon.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, as we have Anantanag, the symbol of infinite Time. That symbolism has come from prehistoric animals like the dinosaurs.

PURANI: Binyon says that what Wordsworth has realised in poetry, China and Japan have done in art, manifesting the Spirit in Nature.

NIRODBARAN: China also?

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, both have the same source of inspiration. Chinese art is greater, Japanese more subtle and perfect in detail.

PURANI: Binyon writes that they lay a strong emphasis on hues.

SRI AUROBINDO: All oriental art does that. The Japanese of course have made beauty the standard in their life. Now European civilization is spoiling everything. Outside people judge the art of the Japanese by their exports, but they export only mediocre things, saying these are good enough for barbarians. Only people who return from Japan bring genuine articles.

PURANI: Binyon also says about European religious paintings by Tintoretto and others that there is too much action in them. In a picture of heaven, for instance, one feels quite outside heaven!

SRI AUROBINDO: That is just what I recently said. Mrs. Raymond, hearing it, remarked that I knew nothing of art.

PURANI: She doesn't see anything in Indian art.

SRI AUROBINDO: She is a modernist. But Raymond is a fine artist. He has something more than modem.

PURANI: Yes, he appreciates Indian art. But both of them like Moghul and Rajput art.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, because it has become established. They go by the authorities.

PURANI: Raymond gave up painting for architecture.

SATYENDRA: He has so many plans of the buildings he has done.

SRI AUROBINDO: He doesn't seem to be very practical. Somewhere he built a hotel which was not very comfortable to live in. The owner complained to him that it was not comfortable. And Raymond replied, "Comfortable? Comfortable? An architect is not concerned with comfort. He is concerned with beauty." (Laughter)

SATYENDRA: Modern interior decorators also have that mentality. They don't look to the comfort of the people but to their own art.

EVENING

PURANI: Two justices of Nagpur have come on a visit—one Bengali and the other Marathi perhaps. They have brought some books and are acquainted with a bit of Yoga. They say this Yoga is so new that they don't understand it.

SRI AUROBINDO(smiling): The newness is a disputed point.

PURANI: They inquired if there were any Marathis here.

SRI AUROBINDO: We have none.

NIRODBARAN: Charu Dutt won't be surprised. He says the Marathis are practical people.

SRI AUROBINDO: So Yogis are unpractical? And can a people influenced by Ramdas be of an unyogic nature?

SATYENDRA: They are said to be very provincial. They will go only to Marathi saints.

SRI AUROBINDO: That would be rather queer. Yogis are above province or country. Yogis can't think of such things.

PURANI: There has been a sudden change in the French Ministry. Reynaud has become Prime Minister in place of Daladier.

SRI AUROBINDO: This unsteadiness looks like a bad sign.

NIRODBARAN: It is said Reynaud is more efficient, has more drive.

SRI AUROBINDO: He is certainly more intelligent. In fact he is the only intelligent minister, they say.

NIRODBARAN: And I hear that he was handicapped by the French capitalists, while Daladier was much under their influence.

SRI AUROBINDO: The French capitalists are very powerful. The Senate is backing them.

PURANI: Have you seen Leonard Blake's book on astrology and his predictions?

SRI AUROBINDO: What I have read of the summary seems to be almost the same as the French astrologer's prophecies. The Frenchman also says that there is a chance of peace in May, but because of some contrary indication it may come about only in September. After the peace there will be a Leftist influence in France and then France and England will turn communist.

PURANI (after reading a few extracts from Blake's book): Blake calls Hitler a devil.

SRI AUROBINDO: There lies the difference from the French man. The Frenchman calls Stalin a devil and Hitler human. One can say that Hitler is not a devil but is possessed by one.