Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 2. 1938
Letter ID: 2210
Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar
October 13, 1938
[Sri Aurobindo and the Mother]
“A touch of thy hand, a brief glitter of thy eyes
Releases unknown springs from my body’s earth...”
Perspiration?
“He held him with his glittering eye”? But this is not the Ancient Mariner. “Glitter of eye” suggests anger, greed, etc.
“Thy vigilant caress leads pace by pace
The lonely caravan of my God-desire...”
A caress can’t lead a caravan.
Guru, how is this poem?
Well, the scansion and rhythm seem rather forced at places and some of the ideas are rather headachy e.g. a caress leading a caravan and the suggestion of profuse perspiration and the smile of snow-cool fire. However, being free from headache, I have made a fine thing out of it.
There doesn’t seem to be any improvement in the medical atmosphere, Sir!
None. Even all the three Doctors gave the example of getting ferociously ill! The city population follow মহাজনো গতো যেন পন্থা1
By the way, I hope you received my prayer for poetry and your poetic chord was touched.
I did, but my Muse refused to work.
Dr. Becharlal says that a sadhak would be better for work in the Dispensary, as a servant won’t be able to do the nursing work.
[Mother:] Do you have some name to suggest?
[Sri Aurobindo:] Arjava is insisting on having paraffin oil in stock in the Dispensary (it appears there is none) to be available in case of (his stomach’s) emergency. Ask Rajangam to procure it.
1 mahājano gato yena panthā: the path followed by great men.