Talks with Sri Aurobindo

25 JUNE 1940

Francois Baron, presiding over a meeting of French people at Calcutta, passed a resolution that they would side with Britain.

SRI AUROBINDO: Baron has taken a position.

PURANI: Yes.

SATYENDRA: Did he give any speech?

SRI AUROBINDO: No, he was the President. They passed a resolution.

PURANI: X is going to write a book on Charkha, showing the virtues of Charkha and warning that unless Europe adopts it there is no salvation for Europe. The machine has played tremendous havoc and destroyed life. It is the Charkha alone that can save it, he says.

SRI AUROBINDO: When the Charkha was in full swing, was there no destruction?

PURANI: Not such as caused by the machine.

SRI AUROBINDO: There was a tremendous and widespread destruction, of course not caused by modern weapons but by the crude ones proper to those times. People were massacred on a large scale.

PURANI: Yes, Baghdad, for example, was destroyed completely. Timur and others caused no less destruction. In Baghdad he erected a minaret of skulls.

The British have invented some air raid shelters called Anderson shelters, about the size of a policeman's watch cabin. They are supposed to be bombproof against any explosion, even one occurring nearby. Though other buildings might fall, these shelters would remain standing erect, it is claimed.

SRI AUROBINDO: The greatest preoccupation of modern man seems to be to find means of destruction as well as to find means of protection. Human ingenuity!—but after all it is an extension of the animal ingenuity. Man is supposed to be a reasoning animal. In early days destruction was intelligible—it was necessary for self- protection.

EVENING

The radio news: clash between the Russian and Rumanian soldiers on the frontier. Gathering of the Japanese navy near Indo-China.

PURANI: It doesn't look as if Russia will wait till the end of the war. A clash has started on the Rumanian frontier.

SRI AUROBINDO: It may be a rumour which will be denied later. But if true, it must be because Rumania has declared herself Nazi.

NIRODBARAN: But if war starts between them Hitler will have to look on at present.

SRI AUROBINDO: Perhaps.

PURANI: In that case Italy will jump in and that will bring Hitler in.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but it doesn't look as if Russia and Italy will involve themselves at present in the Balkans.

NIRODBARAN: Turkey is not likely to join Rumania, especially as she has fallen in line with the Axis Powers.

SRI AUROBINDO: In a war with Rumania, Turkey will certainly side with Russia.

PURANI: Oh yes. It is easy for her. They are in one line.

SRI AUROBINDO: Hitler will then have to postpone the invasion of England.

NIRODBARAN: If England and Russia combine, will the result of such a combination of human and Asuric forces be good?

SRI AUROBINDO: Not a true combination. They may win but the result won't be good for us.

PURANI: Japan is also bringing her navy near Indo-China.

SRI AUROBINDO: That is to see that no supply of goods passes through to China.

NIRODBARAN: No arms are likely to pass now as France is preoccupied.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but other goods that may help China to continue the struggle may go through if Japan is not watchful.

NIRODBARAN: Have you read what Jawaharlal says?

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, that he doesn't think there is the slightest likelihood of a major invasion of India. Only a minor invasion from Afghanistan and such places perhaps?

NIRODBARAN: No, he says there maybe some internal disturbance during the transitional period.

SRI AUROBINDO: In the meantime there maybe a transition of his head from his shoulders. (Laughter)

NIRODBARAN: If Nehru says that, how can we blame Y? Nehru who is supposed to have international politics at his fingertips!

SRI AUROBINDO: All the knowledge most Indian politicians have of the international situation is some illusions about extreme political ideas, which have been shattered everywhere.

PURANI: During the Munich crisis X was in Czechoslovakia. Even being on the spot, he could not foresee what others did from far away as to what would become of Czechoslovakia, as a result of the separation of Sudetenland. He said it would be all right.

SRI AUROBINDO: Didn't he go to Barcelona during the Spanish War?

PURANI: Yes, and he said that the Republicans would win.

SRI AUROBINDO: Prophecy didn't come true.

PURANI: No. Amery is bringing in an Emergency Bill.

SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, I hope the Viceroy will have some sense in giving good terms to Gandhi when they meet.