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
SRI AUROBINDO(addressing Purani): The death-sentence has been passed on De Gaulle.
PURANI: Yes, and he has given a reply.
SRI AUROBINDO: Has he? What does he say?
PURANI: He says the Pétain Government is dictated to by Germany. At the end of the war he will appeal to the public to give their verdict.
Rumania is now turning away from the Axis—perhaps it wants to go to Russia.
NIRODBARAN: What is the use if Hitler divides and gives away Rumania to other powers?
SRI AUROBINDO: Rumania's claim on Transylvania is right because the majority of people there are Rumanians and they don't want to go to Hungary. Already their peasant leader is organising resistance against any such move.
PURANI: This is all due to their separate policy. If they had made the entente together, these things wouldn't have happened.
SRI AUROBINDO: No, then their entente would have been formidable. Turkey tried her best for it. Turkey, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia are fighting races; Armenia and Greece are not.
EVENING
Purani started a talk on art and on Coomaraswamy's criticism on art, saying that he had written very well.
PURANI: Coomaraswamy says the artist expresses his individuality in his art.
SRI AUROBINDO: Individuality? Who has done that? Does he mention any name? Michelangelo?
PURANI: No, he means the ego, perhaps.
SRI AUROBINDO: The ego! That is different. But an artist doesn't express his individuality. I don't think Coomaraswamy is right there. A poet may do that. If you speak of individual tendencies it is different. An artist may have theories and ideas about art but he does not express his individuality. In modern art, the artist figures much, while in old Indian art he didn't: he remained behind.
Home
Disciples
Nirodbaran
Books
Share your feedback. Help us improve. Or ask a question.