Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

8 May 1940

Sri Aurobindo (to Purani): Have you seen Chamberlain’s speech?

Purani: No.

Sri Aurobindo: He says the help to Norway was necessary and the retreat was also necessary. (Laughter) They knew about Germany’s invasion of Norway and provided for it, but they couldn’t foresee everything. They sent to Norway a little more than one division – about 20,000 men. They could not send more because of fear of blows in other parts, which means that whenever they have such fear they will behave in a similar manner. He says they did not want to attack Trondheim, but because of the call for help by the Norwegians they had to go and get beaten. Now the main thing is not the change of Ministry but more drive and push. Churchill is in command of the war and everything is all right. Attlee says the retreat was a wonderful feat of arms.

Purani: There may be a change of government.

Sri Aurobindo: It does not look like it. From his speech it seems that they have a very insufficient army, so they could not spare more men. But what does their conscription mean then? They have forty million people. France has as many – the British can also draw forces from the colonies and India.

Purani: They don’t want to take any risks, perhaps?

Sri Aurobindo: How are they going to win? The English people were never like that. They have always taken risks.

Nirodbaran (after some time): A pupil of Sisir went to see Ramana Maharshi and asked him two questions about you.

Sri Aurobindo: About me? How would Maharshi know about me?

Nirodbaran: He asked Maharshi whether you had shut yourself up in passivity or were doing some active work for political uplift.

Sri Aurobindo: Political uplift? Like Subhas Bose in the Corporation? And what did Maharshi say?

Nirodbaran: He did not give any direct reply. He only said you are like a dynamo and doing work in your own field. The second question was whether you had any chance of going back to politics. Maharshi said the answer would be a prophecy and he does not go in for such things. This man thinks that you are doing some political work here, training people for the revolution of the country.

Sri Aurobindo: Again, like Bose?

Nirodbaran: No, for the uplift of the country.

Sri Aurobindo: It comes to the same thing. Bose also prophesies that he will get freedom by means of revolution.