Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 3
I send today a fine song Nishikanta has composed on you (also four others which I will set to music by and by) ... and which I have set to music (lovely music by the way is coming – give Mother my thanks for her inspiration). Also I send a Hindi song of mine composed a la Hindi (i.e. laghu guru) which I set to music yesterday. Working hard as ever.
A little unfortunate quarrel though. Last night I went to Sahana to have prasad1 (every Friday that is) and one thing led to another: she wished she had never got into this arduous work. For it seems now (we had not understood the syllabus) in each raga2 four songs. Sixteen ragas =16 x 4 good Lord: sixty-four songs instead of sixteen songs as we thought, + six kirtans3 = seventy songs. So I told her then I will have to write to the publishers washing my hands of this job. She wants to weave, you see, and therefore I had to give her Nishkriti as she put it – in a huff. I came back and puffed with heroism said, “Never you mind, old fellow, you have undertaken 
it and you can’t back out.” So it will be hard work for two months instead of a fortnight. Soit. But with your blessing, ] might do it, if you know what I mean. It is rather unfortunate that Sahana backed out like this, but never mind, I won’t blame anyone and go on with it hard pressed as I am with a variety of work. But please do send on force unintermittently, for it is a work worth doing composing music, songs, etc. writing about Ragas for beginners; I am glad my technical knowledge of music4 which I took so much pains to acquire once will now stand me in good stead. Capital, what?
The songs are very beautiful. I shall certainly send all force possible to back your heroic effort till you stand on the summit of achievement surrounded by your seventy songs like Apollo on Parnassus engirt by his nine (only) Muses.