Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 2. 1938

Letter ID: 2136

Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar

June 28, 1938

[Sri Aurobindo and the Mother]

“The sudden resurrection comes

Within the slow

Fire of unremembered history

In its clustered snow.”

Now, look here, look here! There is a limit – some coherence there must be! This means nothing either to the brain or the solar plexus.

“... That longs like a winged spirit to fly

Beyond the pale

Zone of terrestrial pathways

Under a veil.”

This flying under a veil is an acrobacy that ought not to be imposed on any bird or spirit. Besides the bird was on the moon – how did the terrestrial pathways come in then?

Guru, this is a direct effect of reading Amal’s lyrics which you praised so much.

A terrible effect!

I am damned puzzled and baffled!

NO WONDER!!!

The first two and a half stanzas are very fine, but the rest!! Well, well, well, this is nonsense with a vengeance; but the poetry is too pure for any plexus to stand. Something might be done with the fourth stanza if the feathers disappear out of remerrbered history and the clustered snow goes the same way. But I fear the last 2 stanzas are hopeless. I tried but my inspiration remained weary and unstirred by any rhythmic wave.

“And melts the snow

From its chilled spirit and reveals

Before its gaze

Columns of fire immensities...”

Why should the bird want to go into fire? Hot bath after cold one?

“... The awakened bird

Now voyages with foam-white sails,

That vision stirred!”

A bird with sails is unknown to zoology! Or do you mean that the bird hires a sailing vessel to go into the fires? Lazy beast! And what is it that is stirred by the vision, the bird or the sails? I don’t think the last line can stand. You can say of the bird “Flies like a ship with foam-white sails,” but then how to end?

If this poem doesn’t stir your plexus, I am undone! The expressions may not be apt and felicitous but coherence there is, what?

Yes, except at the end where you make the bird a surrealistic animal with sails and stir the sails with a vision.

Guru, Chand has sent me the power of attorney. But out of laziness I didn’t move. Is it necessary to show it to you or to Doraiswamy after typing it?

To me, no. You can show it to Duraiswami. Better get the thing done.

The oculist advised N to take cod-liver oil. N wants to have your opinion.

[Mother:] He can take it.

Whatever Z wants for her diet, e.g. vegetables, fruits, shall I ask Dyuman to get? He has agreed to buy them if you permit.

[Mother:] All right –

The honey we got from Datta is exhausted. I think K can discontinue it now.

[The Mother underlined “discontinue it now”.]

[Mother:] Yes.

1) Arjava says that the Asram food is too rich and too spiced for him. Would it be possible to provide him with some boiled vegetables – beetroots, cabbage, potatoes, etc., once a day, at midday?

2) Madanlal since a very long time has a cold which is refusing to go – he is still coughing; it has become almost chronic, I fear. It would be better to interfere and get him rid of it.

I would like you to see to it, even if he says: it’s nothing, etc. –