Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 3
Some delightful news as Mother will tell you:
(1) Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda and Co. materialised, eh?
Mother will have told you.
Very good indeed – you have the power of evocation. It started with Mother hearing the music with Ramakrishna’s consciousness – a new ear and complete understanding of the music-sounds – then the trance.
(2) My first honorarium, I offer in delight, for poems and English poems at that. See the wonder of your tireless corrections, what?
(3) Jawaharlal writes – please read it out to Mother. He maybe here about the 17th this month. Suppose he is here for a day or two: what do you think of my asking him to spend the day (or two) at my flat. I would love to have him. My point you will easily see. He is a man grateful by temperament. If he is our guest here he will surely appreciate it – forgive my “ulteriocity” but I have been much deceived by so many you see. And then one can talk at leisure if one has him near thus. Of course I will manage it with tact and no politics. What I want is that he should pray for an interview with Mother. You can count on my 
sense of Mother’s dignity and yours: I can’t let him fancy we want it. But I truly want him to change a little if there is a way, and in his case you may perhaps stretch a point and allow me to ask him to spend the night at my house ITresor]. Of course all this is provisional on his time and engagements: he is out on a whirlwind election tour, as you know. Since he is impressed with your letter – I have some hope for him, comprenez-vous? And your force will do the chief thing, of course. Please weigh the pros and cons and let me have your verdict. Do read out his letter to Mother. Of course I will treat the whole thing as strictly confidential and act as a faithful servant of yours – nothing more – for surely you know I would wish anybody to bow to you and Mother and I want also Jawaharlal to have your grace – there is no “ulteriocity” here at least. See?
I am afraid what you propose is impossible. Jawaharlal is coming on a political mission and as president of the Congress, while we have to steer clear not only of politics but of the shadow of politics. If he put up in a house of the Ashram, we would be in for it! A flaming report from the British Consul to Delhi to be forwarded to London and from London to Paris. Just now we have to be specially careful, as the friendly Governor is going away – perhaps to return in March, perhaps not. If the Colonial Minister there questions him about us, he must be able to give a spotless report in our favour. The future also may possibly be turbulent and the wash of the turmoil may reach Pondicherry – we have to be on our guard from now onwards. So don’t make Jawaharlal pray for an interview – it is not possible. Let us be patient and let things develop. If Jawaharlal is to be at all bid personally it is more likely to happen when he is less occupied with outer stress and turmoil.
I send you a song of Sahana in laghu guru and my translation in trochaic-iambic. Please correct. I have tried to be as close to the original as possible...
In the papers they say Jawaharlal will arrive here on 17th evening to address a meeting perhaps (?) there is no mention and that he will leave the same night for Madras which he leaves next day. But it is possible he would like to stay here overnight. If you allow I would like to ask him to spend the night in the Tresor. Please let me know what you think of this. He will arrive in Madras tomorrow I think and be there for three days: the psychological moment to ask him. Of course I will seem to do it on my own – as my friend – so that it will look I have invited him out of courtesy more or less as a friend to a friend.
But do send a world of force anyhow. If you took so much pains for Harin, surely you must take a little for a [? ] man.
That won’t go down with the British Consul and [other watchers]. He will [neigh] “Ah ha! Ah ha! Ahh! That’s their little game, is it.” Besides Nehru won’t come alone – he will have his retinue or his staff with him, I suppose. At least all Congress Presidents used to go about in that way in my time, Pondicherry besides is an unimportant place – they are not likely to let him tarry and dally here.