Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 2. 1938

Letter ID: 2155

Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar

July 23, 1938

[Sri Aurobindo and the Mother]

R’s tiredness can be easily accounted for; he works like a Canadian lumberman and eats like a Tamil labourer, or even less... Today he came at about 2 p.m., saying that his head was reeling, the whole body aching. Looked like a heat-stroke. I advised him rest.

[Mother:] Is it not better to give him aspirin or something of the kind?

He says he has no appetite in the evening, which may be true and due, I think, to over-exhaustion. How to remedy that? Something to eat or drink at 4 p.m., or an extra cup of milk at bed-time, perhaps?

[Mother:] For a number of days I gave him something to eat at 4 P.M., a fruit or chocolate or biscuits. After a time he refused saying that his stomach was aching – To-day I once more gave him as he told me what you had said.

... I am sure this headache will go if he takes enough food. I wish some fruits could be given.

[Mother:] I shall give him fruits. I hope he will take them.

Guru, today from 1.30 p.m. to 3.45, I waited and waited, but not a line dropped. So I gave up in disgust... Wasting so much time sitting idle! Or is that sort of idleness as valuable as activity?

No. But you can do something else that may be helpful or useful.

Anyway, there is some tendency to think the same words, expressions, rhymes and thoughts. Everything is repeated.

Can’t be avoided in everyday writing – or at least, if you avoid, you will be a phenomenon.

So, Guru, another star [Naik] dropped from your firmament? And after 6 years’ luminous presence too!

Luminous? Not very, and rather a shooting or at least tendency to shoot star. He was always going, going and twice or thrice gone – but – returned; now he is gone.

In spite of his violent temper, we liked the fellow.

He had a very nice side to him as well as an insupportable side.

Sometimes it puzzles me to think that you couldn’t save a fellow who had worked so well, keeping himself busy almost the whole day.

Busy in too many directions, unfortunately.

Was his vital so turbulent that you couldn’t manage to change him?

Vital turbulence? If that were all, it would be nothing much. It was the intermittent possession by a dark violent force that was the trouble. It was becoming so frequent that I had when he asked to go this time to advise him to do so. But the real cause was deeper down. As for saving, one can’t save if the patient cherishes the illness, justifies it and refuses to part with it. It was only recently that he began to admit that it was regrettable and had bad consequences, but even so he was unable to make an effort when the fit came. The shock of having to go may perhaps have a salutary influence.

There is no doubt that he truly loved the Mother; but in this world nothing saves, except those who are blessed extraordinary souls.

What does save is the true will to be saved accompanied by a reliance on the Divine. Those who have gone, did they have it?

I fear moreover, that fate has decreed that doctors must quit! You see three doctors have gone already, R doesn’t seem to be on very sure grounds. Rajangam and my dear self remain! Ah, the bullet is passing very close, Sir!

Medical profession can’t be based on Naik’s case – He dropped it with a joyful grunt as soon as he came here and had nothing to do with it afterwards.

I heard an interesting thing that you gave him a big shout! Ah, I wish I had heard it! But I thought you had lost your capacity to shout?

The supramental (even its tail) does not take away any capacity, but rather sublimates all and gives those that were not there. So I gave a sublimated supramental shout. I freely admit that (apart from the public platform) I have shouted only four or five times in my life.

My yesterday’s outburst [with S in the dispensary] seems to be part of a general movement; for I hear that our Benjamin had the courage to slap M yesterday. The fellow has some guts, I must say. The Supramental seems to be descending this time, the head, I mean! But it is really striking that M kept calm when he could have easily pulverised the fellow!

Well, that is a result of the supramental also! But perhaps M felt that Benjamin was too small and weakly a figure to demolish. He apologised to the Mother for having lost his control as far as to speak violently to Benjamin!!