Prithwi Singh's Correspondence with The Mother

28 August 1945

Ma douce Mère [My sweet Mother],

S has given me Y's and Z's⁸ monthly progress reports for signature. I had supposed that this business of guardianship ceased with my coming here, but I am told that you particularly want it and the whole thing is initiated by you. If that is so, I shall certainly sign the report. But it seems to me that the School is tending to become rather too officious while the method of real teaching is still very fluidic. The grading of students leaves much to be desired, but perhaps I am treading on forbidden grounds. In any case this monthly system would entail too much useless work for you, and the report could be easily made quarterly.

I had to take that step because of the carelessness, laziness and indiscipline of the children refusing to do their tasks and to obey their teachers. It is unfortunate for I would have liked to avoid all these commonplace measures.

P.S. I should confess to you that I felt sad at the use of the atomic bomb.⁹ It was too heartless. I should frankly like to know from you, Mother, whether this feeling was right or wrong—for it was a regret felt for the action of the Allies, for those who had stood so gallantly against the barbaric onslaught of the Germans, those who had been on the side of the Divine—even though maybe not consciously. And it was also mixed with a feeling of sympathy for the Japanese in spite of all their savagery and dark treachery for which this swift retribution has overtaken them.

The atomic bomb is in itself the most wonderful achievement and the sign of a growing power of man over the material Nature. But what is to be regretted is that this material progress and mastery is not the result of and keeping on with a spiritual progress and mastery which alone has the power to contradict and counteract the terrible danger coming from these discoveries. We cannot and must not stop progress but we must achieve it in an equilibrium between the inside and the outside.

My love and blessings

28 August 1945