Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

27 March 1940

Purani: Professor Attreya of Benaras has brought some “psychic” photographs.

Sri Aurobindo: Is he a spiritualist?

Purani: Looks like one.

Sri Aurobindo: But what is the good of photographs of these things? You know about the famous photograph of fairies by Conan Doyle. I don’t know how it was done, because fairies don’t lend themselves to photography.

Purani: There has been one good result of Attreya’s visit. KS has broken his silence and was talking with him.

Sri Aurobindo: It was not due to that. Nolini spoke to the Mother about the silence and afterwards told KS: “Sri Aurobindo doesn’t like silence.” He at once started talking. It seems he was fading away into the Ineffable – couldn’t talk or walk or do anything. Such things happen to those who force themselves before they are ready. They either go into that condition or become rajasic. One kitten of ours became like that. Whenever we used to concentrate, it came and lay down near us and afterwards it couldn’t move or walk. With great difficulty it had to be pulled out of that condition. It was a remarkable cat.

Purani: It was Baby perhaps?

Sri Aurobindo: No, it was Goldie. Baby was possessed by a devil. While a procession was passing, she got a sudden fit. Perhaps a devil came from the procession and entered her. It is always the kittens that are affected. Old cats are too much fixed in cathood.