Talks with Sri Aurobindo

27 JUNE 1948

A felt disappointed that Sri Aurobindo had not given him any guidance to do anything specific. His idea was that if Sri Aurobindo had told him to do something, whatever it might be, he would try to carry it out diligently and regularly and thus overcome the inertia in his nature. A later told me that he came to realise why Sri Aurobindo did not ask him to do anything. If he had and if A could not have fulfilled it, it would have been a failure to carry out the Guru's Adesh which might have meant spiritual disaster. A said that it was out of compassion that Sri Aurobindo did not grant his prayer for a clear "command" to do something.

A discussed the matter with the Mother at the same time as he wrote to Sri Aurobindo about his problem. The Mother also did not assign any specific task, though A had asked her for one as he was going to stay in the Ashram for nearly two months. A few days passed, but the Mother only said she would consider what A might do. On being asked a third time she simply said, "You are not used to work, A, are you?" A answered quietly, "No, Mother, I am not." And A told me that they both had a laugh.

A has reported to me that the Mother made the remark with such compassion and love and simple humour that he could not feel hurt or offended. He also said that the incident showed the Mother's great insight into people's characters. Incidentally, the Mother did tell him in response to his prayer for some guidance that if he wanted to get over his inertia he should make a resolution, for example, to read one paragraph of The Life Divine every day and then stick to the resolution with diligence. She further told him not to worry about work during that particular stay in the Ashram but to enjoy himself.

NIRODBARAN: A has just written that five days back he was taking a bath in the afternoon and, when he had nearly finished, feeling cool and comfortable, he started singing a bhajan of Mirabai. Towards the end the word Mira occurred and he played on it, repeating it over and over again. He says his mind suddenly became very indrawn and he felt a descent of peace. He writes that he had to go to a meeting at the Pathamandir. He says he did all that he had to do in the milling crowd of Bowbazar and College Street but the feeling of peace never left him. He has written to me to ask you whether the Mother's name—but it did not occur to him that it was the Mother's name he was repeating—has the power to bring such experiences.

SRI AUROBINDO: He has got it. Why does he ask? Of course, the Mother's name has the power.