Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

29 February 1940

Nirodbaran: While talking of the Burma rebellion and the Chittagong Armoury raid, Dutt came out with the belief that by such uprisings India can get independence.

Sri Aurobindo: How will India do it?

Nirodbaran: D asked Dutt what Surya Sen would have done if the British army had attacked. Dutt replied, “Where is the British army? It is a myth. There is only the Indian army and they won’t shoot their own people. If in a few more places rebellion had occurred and succeeded, the country would have been converted.”

Sri Aurobindo: Would a few places like that convert the whole of India? Besides, what about the British navy and the British aeroplanes? England can bring her own army from home. Even as regards the Indian army, it would only be a part of it that would refuse to fight.

Nirodbaran: Dutt says that during the Non-cooperation movement, the Gharwallis refused to shoot their own people.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, yes, but there are other troops that will shoot.

Purani: The Gharwallis were afterwards court-martialed.

Nirodbaran: Dutt also told a story of how at one time foreign governments were sought who were interested in India’s struggle with the British. Actually, during the Bengal movement it seems a ship of ammunition from Germany was captured by the British Government.

Sri Aurobindo: That was at the time of Rashbehari Ghose, perhaps in 1905 or 1908. The idea of revolution at that time was intelligible. But now, after the First World War, with so much development of the means of warfare, it is impossible.

Nirodbaran: Dutt is going to write a review of your Life Divine.

Sri Aurobindo: Is he a philosopher?

Nirodbaran: I don’t think so. Sisir Mitra seems to have asked him to do it.

Purani: He can begin with a story.

Sri Aurobindo: And end with a story. (Laughter)

Purani: Barin appears to have written well about the Mother in Khulna Basi. (Sri Aurobindo smiled.)

Nirodbaran: Is what he says about the Mother true? He says that what would have taken you ten years in sadhana was done in one year by your contact with her.

Sri Aurobindo: I may have said something like that – not these very words but the same substance.