Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo

20^th January, 1939

After discussion about local affairs,

Sri Aurobindo : I find X’s letter to Y is written with his usual clear vision. He advises Y to guard against mixing up his own feeling of personal wrong with the legitimate decision not to shake hands with one who has wronged the Guru. About A he says, “these people like A, when they take to yoga it is more ornamental than anything else”. It is a fine phrase “ornamental yoga”.

Disciple : (giving a turn to the talk) Nothing seems to have come out of Chamberlain – Mussolini interview. Both parties say, they are satisfied with the results.

Sri Aurobindo : I can’t understand England’s policy. I do not know what she is after. France is being led by England; she is her tail. It is said that Mussolini is waiting for France’s victory, then he will present his terms to France. France’s victory in Spain will be dangerous for France. But it is very difficult to see how England profits by this. For as soon as Italy and Germany have crushed France the next victim will be England. England knows very well Mussolini’s ambition to create an Italian empire. And that means he will try to regain all that once belonged

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to Italy. England is deliberately raising Hitler and Mussolini against France and letting her down. I do not know why unless the three want to share the empire of France and then England may try to put Hitler and Mussolini against each other. That may be her selfish, traditional policy, but it is a very risky game.

Disciple : But is it possible? Can England remain aloof when France breaks with the other powers?

Sri Aurobindo : Why not? Chamberlain has said that as long as England’s interest are not involved she is not obliged to fight. England will say that Italy’s demands have not been satisfied and so she has gone to war and Germany has joined her. There was no aggression on her part; so, England is not obliged to come to the aid of France; and number of excuses could be given. Blum told a friend who is also a friend of Daladier that he had to betray Czechoslovakia because Chamberlain told him that he will support him as it is diplomatically possible, but in case of war France should not count on England.

Disciple : I wonder why Flandin wants to support France when Blum is against him. You know Flandin even sent telegram to Mussolini conveying his congratulations. Hitler counts Flandin as a friend – he intends to join the Rome-Berlin axis and thus keep out England!

Sri Aurobindo : Italy shall demand after the Spanish question is settled. Italy is almost sure to claim Tunis, Nice, Jibouti. Is Flandin prepared to give them? Italy wants her empire in Africa. So, Tunis and Jibouti are essential for her to be the master in the Mediterranean. Blum is incapable; it was he who applied non-intervention in the Spanish question.

At present it seems two people are flourishing their arms against everybody and the rest are somehow trying

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to save themselves. The one man who has seen through the whole thing is Roosevelt, but he is too far and he is not sure of the support of the American people.

Disciple : What about Russia?

Sri Aurobindo : Russia is unreliable. One does not know its military strength. At one time she was supposed to have the biggest air-force. But according to Hindenberg it does not seem to be so.

Disciple : Jawaharlal says that Hitler and his generals did not expect the non-resistance – which they met – from Austria. They were all very much surprised.

Sri Aurobindo : Yes, the generals were opposed to Hitler, for they were not prepared to fight. Now Hitler will say :  “Have you seen that I am right? Things have happened as I told you.”

Disciple : Jawaharlal said that the threatened attack against Czechoslovakia was mainly bluff.

Sri Aurobindo : It can’t be a reliable news; the Germans are too disciplined for that.

Disciple : There is some trouble in Holland, and Germany is threatening to cut off all trade with her and establish trade-route through Antwerp and not Amsterdam.

Sri Aurobindo : If that takes place that will make Chamberlain fight in spite of himself, – England does not want any German navy in the North Sea. But Germany won’t do that unless she wants war with England.

The topic was changed now......

Disciple : When X was working here some new sadhaka met him and asked him :  “Who are the advanced sadhaks

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here?” – He replied :  “I don’t know.” Then when he was repeatedly asked he said :  I will tell you, but you must tell it to nobody. There are only two advanced sadhaks here,..you and I  (laughter).

Sri Aurobindo : This instance of ‘two’ reminds me of a joke of Hugo. Balzac said to a friend that there are two men who know and write French :  myself and Hugo. When that was reported to Hugo he said :  “That is alright, but why Balzac?” (Laughter)

There is another story of a lady who believed the doctrine of eternal hell or heaven – according to which people will either go to heaven or to hell. Some one asked her :  Do you know where the people will go? She said :  All will go to hell, except myself and the minister – meaning the clergyman, but I have doubts about the minister. (Laughter)

Disciple : Very similar is the case of Dr. R. who is here; when he first came here I asked him about opathy. He said :  You see, there are four top-most men in the line. One Dr. so & so in Calcutta, other two are there and I came here. (Laughter)

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