Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo

power. He prophesied about the French Revolution, the raising of Bastille and guillotining of the King and Queen. He used to prophesy about race-horses. He got into trouble and was imprisoned and died in prison. He never charged any money from any one and yet he was affluent. It was said he knew alchemy and could make gold. (There was a few minutes silence.)

Sri Aurobindo : Have you heard about Nosterdamus? No? He was a Jew. At that time Jews had great knowledge. He wrote a book of prophecy in some obscure language and prophesied about the execution of Charles I, the end of the British Empire and the lasting of the Empire for about 330 years.

Disciple : Then there is still a long time?

Sri Aurobindo : No, it was to be counted from the beginning of her colonies. That means from James I. In that case it should end now.

Disciple : From Chamberlain's speech today it seems Britain is not obliged to side with France in case of war,– it looks like it.

Sri Aurobindo : The English always keep their policy open so that they may change and correct as they like or want.

Disciple : But they cannot join Italy or Germany?

Sri Aurobindo : Why not? They can share with them France's African Colonies.

 (At this time Mother came. We looked towards her and changed our position from near Sri Aurobindo's head.) She said, "Don't move, don't move."

Disciple : We have decided to meditate when you come. (Mother made big eyes and we all laughed.)

Mother : But if I want to hear the talk?

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Disciple : Then we will talk.

Sri Aurobindo : (addressing the Mother) : I am giving him a few prophecies of Kaliostro and Nosterdamus whom he has never read, he says.

Disciple : You know Bhikshu X was quite illogical; he called me back from here?

Sri Aurobindo : All preachers are illogical. Were you a fervent Buddhist? Is there much Buddhism in your parts?

Disciple : About one or two million people are Buddhists and there is nothing of Buddhism in what they follow.

Mother : Nothing or something of Buddhism?

Disciple : Something.

Mother : In China and Japan also no Buddhism is left. Only ceremonies remain. In Ceylon they say there is still some authentic Buddhism.

Disciple : In Burma also the same is the case. There, people put on ochre clothes at day and throw them away at night. But the Burmese people show a great respect for their Bikshus.

Disciple : Yes. Respect to dress and not to the reality.

Sri Aurobindo : Lele used to have the same idea. Once I met a Sanyasi with him. Lele asked me : "You don't bow down to him?" I replied : "I don't believe in the man". Lele said : "But you must respect the yellow robe". The Sanyasi was one of the three people whom Vivekananda drove out of his house and they became Avatars in one day (Laughter ). Is he just the man to be so treated?

 (As Mother had fallen into meditation we all tried to

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meditate with her. At about 7 P. M. she went for the group meditation and we rallied again round Sri Aurobindo.)

Addressing X,

Sri Aurobindo : You seemed to have Ananda in your meditation. Your face is beaming with it.

Disciple : Yes Sir. He is nowadays beaming with Ananda.

Disciple : (shyly), "I fell into deep sleep I think, but I had some visions also which seem to be quite distinctly outside.

Sri Aurobindo : Then why do you call it sleep? It may be the psychic being, or the inner being watching what is happening. Sometimes one goes into deeper state and remembers nothing in his outer  consciousness, though many things may be going on within. What is called dreamless sleep is really a sleep in which dreams are passing on, only one does not know.  Sometimes one discusses problems in such a condition, gets the ecstasy of union, etc. One may also go into other worlds with one part of this being and meet other forms etc. This is of course the first condition and a kind of a beginning of Samadhi. From what you describe it may be an inner being's experience and not psychic. Even then, no doubt that your face is beaming with Ananda, seeing which I thought you went within.

Disciple : Can one get the diagnosis of diseases in such states?

Sri Aurobindo : Oh yes. Many people are said to have their problems solved in this way. I remember a peculiar experience of mine. As I was meditating I saw some writings crossing over my head, then a blank. Then again these writings with a gap in the middle which meant that things were going on though I was not conscious of it.

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Sri Aurobindo : (turning to another disciple) Now what about your meditation?

Disciple : Not successful, sir.

Sri Aurobindo : How? I saw you going in and powerfully wrestling your way towards the Brahman (laughter ).

Disciple : Plenty of thoughts invaded me. I tried to reject them and make myself empty.

Sri Aurobindo : The result was emptiness? (laughter )

Disciple : But that is meditation, surely?

Disciple : NO, no, it is not, I could not go into nothingness. I did not feel the Presence; was it meditation, sir?

Sri Aurobindo : That is the beginning, the first condition, The mind must first be quiet for the other things to come down. But one must not dictate to meditation what it should be or not. One must accept whatever it brings.

Disciple : But was I right?

Sri Aurobindo : Right about what?

Disciple : That I was able to reject thoughts.

Sri Aurobindo : (laughing) How do I know? You are to say that. I was only making comments on your statement.

Disciple : You don't know? We consider you as Omniscient.

Sri Aurobindo : You don't expect me to know how many fish the fishermen have caught. How much they have made out of it? People from Bombay used to ask me if the price of cotton would go up, about race horses and about their lost children. What is the use of knowing all that? You know Ramakrishna's story of the Sanyasi's crossing the river. He said it was a Siddhi worth half an anna! Of course if necessary one can know these things, in a way, but I am not occupied with these sort of things. I have left it to the Mother. She hears what is being said at a

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distance, meets Sadhaks in subtle planes, talks to them. She said exactly what was going to happen in the recent European trouble. We know what we have got to know for our work.

Disciple : What puzzles me is that you never told me when asked about the diagnosis of a patient.

Sri Aurobindo : Why do you expect us to do your work?

Disciple : Oh, that is different. But you said you have no latent medico in you and hence you can't say. I thought you could say by your intuition.

Sri Aurobindo  : (addressing X) I was telling you we know what we have got to know. But it is not always good to know. For instance, if I know a thing is going to happen I am bound to it, and even if it is not what I wanted, I have to accept it, and this prevents my having a greater or another possibility. So I want to keep myself free and deal with various possibilities. Below the Supermind everything is a question of possibilities; so if I keep myself free, I can accept or reject as I like. Destiny is not a thing fixed. It is just a complex of forces which can be changed.

Disciple : Without knowledge of the thing how shall one work? After knowing what is to happen cannot one reject it?

Sri Aurobindo : Knowledge comes by intuition. One can reject but the result is not sure though failure may show the way for later success.

Disciple : You have said in an August conversation that you have conquered death by natural process but you have no control over accident.

Sri Aurobindo : Where? What did I say?

Disciple : If I remember rightly, you wrote to me that diseases

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can't end your life but still you have no control over accidents.

Sri Aurobindo : Oh! Diseases usually run a long course so one has time to act on them, but if there is a disease suddenly of a severe nature that ends life immediately, then conquest is not possible. And about accidents the body has its own consciousness and is always alert. But if the mind is occupied with other things, then an accident can take one unawares. As regards violence e.g. of a riot, I would have to concentrate for four or five days to protect myself.

The hostile forces have tried many times to prevent the Darshan but I have succeeded in warding off all those attacks. This time I was more occupied with guarding the Mother and I forgot about myself. I did not think that they would attack me. That was my mistake. As regards the Ashram, I have been extremely successful but while I have tried to work in the world, results have been varied. In Spain I was splendidly successful. General Miaca was an admirable instrument to work on. Working of the Force depends on the instrument. Basque was an utter failure. Negus was a good instrument but people around him though good warriors were too ill organized and ill occupied. Egypt was not successful. Ireland and Turkey, a tremendous success. In Ireland I have done exactly what I wanted to do in Bengal. Turks are a silent race.

Disciple : What do you think of the China-Japan war?

Sri Aurobindo : I don't think much of either party. They are like six and half-a-dozen. Both too much materialistic. But if I had to choose; I would side with Japan. Japan at one time had an ideal.  Their powers of self-sacrifice, patriotism, self-abnegation and silence are

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remarkable. They would never lose temper in front of anybody. If his honour is injured he would stab, but he must not lose self-control. They can work so silently and secretly that no one knew anything before the Russo-Japan war broke out, how they had prepared themselves. All on a sudden they broke out into war. They are Kshatriyas and their aesthetic sense is of course well known.

But the European influence has spoiled all that. They are now very materialistic. Now how brutal they have become, which is thoroughly un-Japanese.

Look at the Japanese soldier slapping the European officers, though they deserve it. The Japanese commander challenging Chiang-Kai-Sheik to come out in the open field. The Japanese men attacking their political leaders–all this is unconceivable. This sort of swaggering is not at all Japanese. In old times, the Japanese, even while fighting, had perfect sympathy with those with whom they fought.

Disciple : But without brutalities (killing innocent inhabitants) it would be difficult to win the war.

Sri Aurobindo : God knows. They are such fine warriors and a patriotic and self-sacrificing nation that one would believe the contrary. But they are doing these things because of two reasons probably : 1. Financial shortage which is not very convincing because of their immense power of sacrifice. 2. Population of China.

Disciple : Foreign help to China e.g. Soviet?

Sri Aurobindo : That is a possibility but the Soviet's internal condition is such that it can't think of giving much help from out side.

Disciple : What about India's independence? Is it developing along your lines?

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Sri Aurobindo : Surely not, India is now going towards European Socialism which is dangerous for her; while we were trying to evolve true genius of the race along Indian lines and all working for independence.

Take the Bengal movement. The whole race was awakened within a short time. People who were such cowards and trembled before the sight of a revolver were in a short period so much changed that police officials used to say "Insolent Barisal". It was the soul of the race that woke up throwing up very fine personalities. The leaders of the movement were either Yogis or disciples of Yogis e.g. Monoranjan Guha Thakurate disciple of B. Goswami.

Disciple : Was he a nationalist?

Sri Aurobindo : Good Lord. He was my fellow-worker. He also took part in secret society. Then Brahmo Bandhava Upadhayay etc. Ramkrishna and Vivekananda's influence worked from behind. The movement with the secret society became so formidable that in any other country with a political past it would have led to something like the French Revolution. The sympathy of the whole race was on our side. Even shopkeepers were reading Yugantar. I will tell you an instance; while a young man was running away after killing a police officer in Shambazar, he forgot to throw away his revolver. It remained in his hand. One shop-keeper cried out : "Hide your revolver, hide your revolver." Then you have heard of Jatin Mukerjee's exploit.

Disciple : Yes Sir.

Sri Aurobindo : A wonderful man. He was a man who would belong to the front rank of humanity. Such beauty and strength together I have not seen, and his stature was like that of a warrior.

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