Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

27 October 1939

Nirodbaran: In an old essay in a now defunct periodical named Orient Amal wrote that because you were embittered and disillusioned you gave up poetry and politics.

Sri Aurobindo: Nonsense. I gave it up and took to the spiritual life because I wanted force for my action. People make the mistake of thinking that whatever a poet writes must be from his personal experience. I can also write of universal experience. I can feel the experience in me and write about it.

Nirodbaran: Gandhi will now have to consider the door closed, after Hoare’s speech.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, not only closed but jammed and he must be prepared to expect the worst.

Nirodbaran: When Hoare was made the Government speaker, it was …

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, it was a foregone conclusion.

Nirodbaran: He has also indicated the line the Government should pursue, saying “with strength and justice”.

Sri Aurobindo: That is the Hitlerian euphemism for repression, almost the same tone as of Ribbentrop. The undersecretary, O’Neil, tried to cool it down but with no effect.