, but I wanted confirmation. I must now make clear the reasons why I
hesitated to sanction the publication.Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Letters
Fragment ID: 6450
(this fragment is largest or earliest found passage)
Sri Aurobindo — Ghose, Barindra Kumar
December 1, 1922
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To Barindra Kumar Ghose [2]1
Pondicherry
December 1. 1922
Dear Barin,
I waited for your letter in order to know precisely
what portions Chittaranjan wanted to publish and why.2 It turns out to be
as I saw, but I wanted confirmation. I must now make clear the reasons why I
hesitated to sanction the publication.
I should have had no objection to the publication of
the 
portion about the spiritual basis of life or the last paragraph about Swaraj.
But that about non-cooperation as it stands without farther
explanation and
amplification would lead, I think, to a complete misunderstanding of my real
position. Some would take it to mean that I accept the Gandhi programme subject
to the modifications
proposed by the Committee. As you know, I do not believe
that the Mahatma’s
principle can be the true foundation or his programme the
true means of bringing about the genuine
freedom and greatness of India, her
Swarajya and Samrajya. On the other hand others would think that I was sticking
to the school of Tilakite Nationalism. That also is not the fact, as I hold that
school to be out
of date. My own policy, if I were in the field, would be
radically different in principle
and programme from both, however it might
coincide in certain points. But the country is not yet ready to understand its
principle or to execute its programme.
Because I know this very well, I am content to work
still on the spiritual and psychic plane, preparing there the ideas and forces
which may afterwards at the right moment and under the right conditions
precipitate themselves into the vital and material field. And I have been
careful not to make any public pronouncement as that might prejudice my
possibilities of future action. What that will be will depend
on developments.
The present trend of politics may end in abortive unrest, but it may also
stumble with the aid of external circumstances into some kind of simulacrum of
self-government. In either case the whole real work will remain to be done. I
wish to keep myself free for it in either case.
My interest in Das’s actions and utterances, apart from
all question of personal friendship, arises first from the fact that the push he
is giving, although I do not think it likely to succeed at present, may yet help
to break the narrow and rigid cadre of the “constructive” Bardoli programme
which seems to me to construct nothing and the fetish-worship of non-cooperation
as an end in itself rather than a means, and thereby to create conditions more
favourable for the wide and complex action necessary to prepare the true
Swarajya. Secondly, it arose from 
the rapidity with which he seems to be developing many of the ideas which I have
long put down in my mind as essentials of the future. I have no objection to his
making use privately of what I have written in the letter. But I hope he will
understand why the publication of it does not recommend itself to me.
I see you are having great difficulties over the money question. Remember that money as a general power is still in the hands of the adverse forces, Mammon or Amrita’s grand Titan. The favourable force can only come in waves which must be realised at once, otherwise the adverse forces will intervene and create all difficulties. Also it will not do to relax effort or turn it elsewhere when things seem to promise favourably,– the promise is likely to be deceptive because that is just the moment for the hostile intervention. As in the Yoga, so here the will and the force must be kept steadily working on men, forces and circumstances until the possible success is achieved.
Aurobindo
P.S. The answer to Jyotish Ghose’s letter will go later.
1 When Das received Sri Aurobindo’s letter of 18 November, he wrote for permission to quote certain passages from it. Sri Aurobindo gave his reactions to this proposal in the present letter.
2 Chittaranjan Das proposed publishing portions of Sri Aurobindo’s letter to him of 18 November 1922. This letter is published on pages 260–62. – Ed.
3 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: said
4 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: further
5 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: to modifications
6 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: that Mahatma’s
7 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: bringing genuine
8 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: school out
9 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: principles
10 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: be depend
11 Champaklal’s Treasures, 2008 ed.: from