Nirodbaran

Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo

Second Series

1. Spirituality

Rishi and Yogi

A Rishi is one who sees or discovers an inner truth and puts it into self-effective language – the mantra. Either new truth or old truth made new by expression and realisation.

He has expressed certain eternal truths by process of Yoga – I don't think it is by Rishilike intuition or illumination nor has he the mantra.

A Rishi may be a Yogi, but also he may not; a Yogi too may be a Rishi, but also he may not. Just as a philosopher may or may not be a poet, and a poet may or may not be a philosopher.

Don't poets and artists get intuition and illumination?

Yes, but poetic intuition and illumination is not the same thing as Rishi's intuition and illumination.

You have called Bankim a Rishi. Do you think his Bande Mataram a real mantra or that he actually saw the country as the Mother?

Well, the Bande Mataram acted as a mantra and so I suppose I gave him the credit of Rishihood. Can't say whether he saw. Must ask him.

11.02.1936