Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

24 January 1940

Purani: Jinnah has threatened the Viceroy that if the Congress comes back to power there will be a revolution in India.

Sri Aurobindo: The Congress, once it has resigned, can’t come back to power even if it has a majority.

Purani: Jinnah says that Gandhi is making a compromise with the Viceroy and will then crush the Muslims and other minorities. He won’t tolerate this.

Sri Aurobindo: I suppose Jinnah means: “Make me a king or –”

Purani: “I will kick up a row.”

Sri Aurobindo: Yes.

Purani: Different people have given different solutions regarding this problem. Professor Saha says, “A Constituent Assembly will succeed.” Sikandar Hyat proposes a committee of some seventeen persons.

Sri Aurobindo: And let them be shut up in a room until they are able to come to a settlement. (Laughter)

Evening

Professor Naren Das Gupta reviewed Sri Aurobindo’s Life Divine in the Hindustan Standard.

Sri Aurobindo: Who is this Das Gupta?

Purani: It is Naren Das Gupta of Feni College, in Noakhali.

Sri Aurobindo: Oh, he was Bejoy’s friend.

Purani: Here, in Pondy?

Sri Aurobindo: No – when he first came to Calcutta.

Purani (to Nirodbaran): Have you read the review?

Nirodbaran: Yes, and Satyendra has also seen it.

Satyendra: The reviewer has discovered an important coincidence.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes.

Purani: What coincidence?

Sri Aurobindo: The Arya came out just at the beginning of the last World War and The Life Divine at the beginning of the present one.

Satyendra (to Nirodbaran): How is it that the Hindustan Standard has put the review on the leading page? I thought it was a Socialist paper supporting Subhas Bose.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, it is a Leftist paper. But Subhas Bose has a corner in him which has a respect for spiritual things. He is not an ordinary atheistic Socialist.

Nirodbaran: Nishikanto has bucked up. He says, “After all, Sri Aurobindo pressed me to publish my poems. So whether they sell or not is not my look out.” He believes that you gave some Force to Tagore which made Tagore change his mind about his poetry. I also believe this.

Sri Aurobindo: You mean I put my Force on him? Anybody who has some poetic feeling will appreciate the book.

Nirodbaran: But did you put your Force on Tagore or not?

Sri Aurobindo (smiling a little): In a way. Has the book been sent for review? If it has, the monthlies are sure to notice it.