Mother's Chronicles - Book Five

53

"Welcome to Aravinda"

One of the first things Sri Aurobindo did after his acquittal was to thank publicly those who had helped in his cause and acknowledge the congratulatory telegrams and letters that kept pouring in from his innumerable admirers and well-wishers. His letter was published on 18 May both in the Amrita Bazar Patrika and The Bengalee.

"Sir,

Will you kindly allow me to express through your columns my deep sense of gratitude to all who have helped me in my hour of trial? Of the innumerable friends known and unknown, who have contributed each his mite to swell my defence fund, it is impossible for me now even to learn the names, and I must ask them to accept this public expression of my feeling in place of private gratitude. Since my acquittal many telegrams and letters of congratulation have reached me and they are too numerous for me to reply to them individually. The love which my countrymen have heaped upon me in return for the little I have been able to do for them, amply

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Sri Aurobindo after his release from Alipore

repays any apparent trouble or misfortune my public activity may have brought upon me. I attribute my escape to no human agency, but first of all to the protection of the Mother of us all who has never been absent from me but always held me in Her arms and shielded me from grief and disaster, and secondarily to the prayers of thousands which have been going up to Her on my behalf ever since I was arrested. If it is the love of my country which led me into danger, it is also the love of my countrymen which has brought me safe through it.

Aurobindo Ghose

6, College Square, May 14, 1909"

Commenting, the Bharat Mitra (Calcutta, 22 May 1909), wrote admiringly that the letter "shows the purity of his love for his country, like gold after it has undergone a fire test."

In fact, unlike the Anglo-Indian press, many Indian newspapers which had followed closely the unfolding drama in the two Courts for one full year, welcomed Sri Aurobindo's release from the Alipore Prison.

Emotional Bengal rapturously poured its heart out.

The Daily Hitavadi (Calcutta, 8 May 1909) wrote a long article entitled 'After All This Time.' Here is a short extract.

"And after all these days, Aravinda's sufferings have come to an end. We are particularly afraid lest he has been reduced to the condition of a piece of lady which has been wrung out. We are very much afraid lest driven out of his patience by the ills of the world, he should seek

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refuge in the recesses of a contemptuous disregard of mundane concerns. We are very much afraid lest the punishment of the Courts should make his fertile heart barren. After all this time, hence all this fear. That Aravinda, innocent, stainless man of genius as he is, has come back home is enough and should be regarded as a stroke of good fortune. And we are bound to praise profusely the manliness of the cool-minded Judge whose impartiality has given Aravinda back to the Bengali. And we thank God and the Judge that 15 other youths also have been acquitted. At last sons have come back to the embrace of their parents and joy awakens in hearts filled with despair...."

The Jasohar, of May 20, 1909:

"Carrying the flag of liberty, equality and fraternity in thy hand, come, O hero, O patient man, let us enthrone thee in our hearts. We shall wash away the stains of thy past with our tears. The despicable prison-house, from contact with thy pure self, has come to be a place of emancipation. The iron fetters should probably be held to have glorified their existence, inasmuch as they had been put around thy wrist. The endeavour which thou hast for years with thy heart's blood been carrying on for the sake of thy unfortunate Mother is now accomplished. Hence we welcome thee home today !"

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The Bangabandhu of May 18, 1909, went to town I

Welcome to Aravinda

"O great man who sees the truth! We shall give you a welcome today.... You have returned to-day after a period of solitary endeavour. You have no desire for happiness; your heart is not made anxious by sufferings, oppression could not upset your equanimity. You are pure and stainless like the Homa [sacrificial] fire. You have assigned to God the consequences of your Karma —you did not pray for any reward. Worldly pleasures and comforts could not bring you to spiritual ignorance. O favorite son of Saraswati! Lakshmi, choosing you as one of her own, wanted to put the mark of ease on your sacred forehead—you wiped that off, and voluntarily sought out the cottage of the poor. How few choose poverty like this in this world?

"This voluntary vow of poverty has not been able to dim your lustre.... This your vow of poverty, instead of dimming your splendour, has, like the poison which casts off lustre around the throat of Mahadeva,¹ created such a halo of beauty round you as will animate all Bengal with hope, will regulate the license of every heart, will bring a new life to Bengal.

1. Lord Shiva, who drank the poison that emerged from the churning of the ocean and held it in his throat (hence his name 'Nilakanta,' or 'blue-throated').

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"We give you a welcome to-day. Come, O man, O loved one, come!! We have not spread our most valuable carpet and made a seat for you on the outside, but we have placed a throne for you in every heart — O idol of our heart, come! The white gardenia, the red hibiscus and the bilwa leaves which your brethren and compatriots have garnered will never at any time wither. These offerings, these gifts of love, we have smeared with sandalwood paste in the shape of reverence only for you! Come to the beautiful golden seat in our hearts, well smoothed with affection and love. Come, sit, O glory of Bengal!"

He was not to remain seated for a long time. The Anglo-Indian press was furious at the release of Sri Aurobindo.

The Anglo-Indian government was flabbergasted, and at once began actively to consider the expediency of again 'prosecuting Arabindo Ghose."

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