Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

17 February 1940

Nirodbaran: It is reported by Dutt that, apprehensive of a big row at the Surat Congress and the risk of physical injury to you, your friends made special arrangements with Barin to keep you safe.

Sri Aurobindo: I don’t know about any row. A Maratha leader – a lieutenant – came to me and asked me whether they should break the Congress. I said, “You must either swamp it or break it.” They couldn’t swamp it as the other party was too strong in number. So they broke it. There was no question of any row.

I had very little personal contact with Dutt. I think I met him and Mullick first at Thana. I mixed intimately with Mullick. Dutt was most of the time occupied with his judgeship; he was known as a revolutionary judge.

Nirodbaran: People say you had three very intimate friends. One of them is dead, one still alive. We don’t know about the remaining one.

Sri Aurobindo: One was Deshpande who was very intimate: he is dead. Madhavrao was another: he is also dead. Who was the third?

Purani: Kasherao?

Sri Aurobindo: Kasherao was not so intimate.

Nirodbaran: Dutt speaks of going back once more and then coming to stay here.

Sri Aurobindo: I hear he wants to end his last days here which I don’t approve of. This is not Benares.

Satyendra: But if people want to come here for that purpose, Sir, why should you object?

Champaklal: A’s mother came with that object.

Nirodbaran: There is a precedent then. But it will be terrible for us. We can’t welcome them.

Sri Aurobindo: Nirod will be presiding over the deaths of people. They say in English, “Dying on the doctor’s hands.” It will be on Nirod’s hands.