Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

12 March 1940

Nirodbaran: The Yuvaraja of Mysore is dead.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes. He had double pneumonia. We had a wire two days back. He had been suffering from high blood-pressure for a long time. There seems no chance now of our getting the goat we had been promised. Krishnalal will be disappointed. Who will succeed the Yuvaraja?

Purani: His son.

Sri Aurobindo: Oh, then the son may fulfil his father’s promise.

Champaklal: They will send the goat all right since they have made the promise.

Sri Aurobindo: There seems to be a strain of weakness in these Yuvarajas. Sukul, who wanted to bring the late Yuvaraja here, appears to be an unlucky fellow. He had wanted to bring one of the Rockefellers but the man died. And now that he wanted to bring the Yuvaraja he too is dead. The present Maharaja is said to be a pious person.

Satyendra: Yes, Sir.

Sri Aurobindo: In what way?

Satyendra: He has no vices, observes religious ceremonies, etc.

Sri Aurobindo: A moral man?

Satyendra: Yes.

Sri Aurobindo: Is he really an able man or is the credit for the well-organised State due to one of the Dewans? Sir Albion Banerji was the Dewan, wasn’t he? He was a very able man.

Purani: Shivaswami Ayer also.

Sri Aurobindo: Oh, then he has had a succession of able Dewans.

Satyendra: During the recent Mysore University centenary celebrations, one of their boasts was that they had supplied many Dewans to Mysore.

Sri Aurobindo: I see.

Satyendra: Somebody has disputed the date of the centenary. He says that it has been held thirteen years too early.

Sri Aurobindo: How is that? He must have been an archaeologist and has perhaps unearthed an inscription?

Purani: Mysore is a highly developed industrial State.

Sri Aurobindo: Are there any private industries?

Purani: Yes, some are State-aided and some are run by the State itself.

Sri Aurobindo: It is the private industries that make for the prosperity of the State. The State can only show the way.

Purani (After a while): Belisha is crying himself hoarse!

Nirodbaran: Purani’s raising this topic is rather strange, because I was just thinking of asking you about the same thing. Hore-Belisha is pleading strongly for Allied intervention in favour of Finland.

Sri Aurobindo: The situation is risky from all standpoints. If they intervene, Russia will send military aid to Germany. So far it has not done so. Only an economic agreement has been made. But if the Allies don’t intervene, then after taking Finland, Russia will wait for an advantageous moment to strike at the Allies.

Purani: Besides, one does not know what Italy will do.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, Italy’s position is still uncertain.

Purani: It may decide to join Russia and Germany.

Sri Aurobindo: Quite so. But if Italy joins them, the stalemate in the Siegfried Line will come to an end. France will be able to launch a direct attack through Italy. The Italian defence is well-known to be defective.

Nirodbaran: But Germany and Russia seem to have a common understanding.

Sri Aurobindo: Probably. Even then, if the Allies intervene, they will have to face an attack in the Near East. Russia may attack Turkey and send forces to India. The Allies, though they have some armies there, are not abounding in strength. Of course, they can also attack Russia through Asia Minor. In any case it is a very risky game.

Nirodbaran: Russia won’t stop at Finland. She may try next for Sweden.

Sri Aurobindo: No – the Balkans more likely. If she had any intentions against Sweden she would not leave the Finland struggle half-finished.

Nirodbaran: People say that Hore-Belisha may have resigned over Finnish policy.

Sri Aurobindo: Possibly, though they were said to have had entire agreement there.