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
On the radio there was news that Alia Bux had been shot at while returning from Ramgar.
SRI AUROBINDO (to Purani): Have you found out why he was shot at?
PURANI: No.
SATYENDRA: Alia Bux says that there was a European in his compartment. So it can't be said that Alia Bux was really shot at.
SRI AUROBINDO: Who would shoot such an inoffensive man? One may as well shoot Malaviya or Pattabhi Sitaramayya. (Laughter)
SATYENDRA: In Sind the Muslim League seems to have been dissolved and a Nationalist Party formed.
SRI AUROBINDO: There was no Muslim League in Sind. The Sind Ministers appear to be as fluid as the French ones.
SATYENDRA: The French Ministers seem to last about nine months. Only Daladier remained a little longer.
SRI AUROBINDO: About two and a half years. The shortest period of a Ministry was one day. (Laughter)
NIRODBARAN: It couldn't be shorter perhaps.
SRI AUROBINDO: Then they can write "ex-Ministers" and hope by that to govern some day.
PURANI: There was a joke in the Indian Express. Somebody in England during the air raids wanted to camouflage his house with palm leaves over the chimney. He was asked: "Why palm leaves?" He replied: "The German pilot will then think he is in Africa."
SRI AUROBINDO: There is another joke somewhat similar. Somebody went up in an aeroplane and was trying to learn things. He was calculating where he could be at the time. Then suddenly he told the pilot: "Take off your hat". "Why?" asked the pilot. He replied: "Don't you see we are under the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral?"
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