Nirodbaran
Talks with Sri Aurobindo
Volume 1
10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941
8 September 1940
Nirodbaran: Charu Dutt is impressed by the fact that here there are apparently no demigods, while in Shantiniketan you find at every corner such demigods popping up their heads. Anilbaran, Nolini, etc. are inclined to keep themselves more behind and aloof than in front.
Sri Aurobindo: I see. Anilbaran and Nolini are not likely to interfere with anybody. Suren and Ramachandra may.
Champaklal: Here the condition or atmosphere is quite different. There is no scope for anybody’s domination, even if they wanted to. Isn’t that correct?
Sri Aurobindo: Yes, the desire to dominate is in everybody, but there is no field here because of the Mother.
Champaklal: Yes, that is what I meant.
Anilbaran couldn’t understand one quotation in The Life Divine taken from the Rig Veda:
“By the Names of the Lord and hers they shaped and measured the force of the Mother of Light; wearing might after might of that Force as a robe the lords of Maya shaped out Form in this Being.
The Masters of Maya shaped all by His Maya; the Fathers who have divine vision set Him within as a child that is to be born.”
Sri Aurobindo: What is the difficulty? It is very simple.
Purani: He is asking because he will have to explain it to his class. He wants to know what is meant by “Names” and how “might after might” can be worn as a robe. (Loud laughter)
Sri Aurobindo: What has become of his head? It is a metaphor and why can’t it be used as a metaphor? He can tell his students that these are mystic expressions and that they will have to become mystics to understand them.
Purani: Then he will have an easy escape.
Sri Aurobindo (taking up the passage): “Names” means ideas, significances, and as for “might after might”, the Divine Force is of various kinds, each of which one takes up just as one wears a robe; all very simple. Ask him to use his mystic mind instead of the professorial one.
Evening
Purani: It seems Bonvain is going to declare for De Gaulle.
Sri Aurobindo: Yes. The British Government has put pressure on him. He must either declare for De Gaulle or the British Government will take possession of Pondicherry.
Purani then reported that there had been a meeting of the Council in which David and others had spoken about the matter; some, especially Baron and the bank manager, favoured the idea, others opposed it.
Sri Aurobindo: Baron’s voice seems to have been drowned out in a murmur of disapproval.
Satyendra: But why should there be any difficulty? The Governor has been advised by Pétain: “Marchez avec les voisins1.”
Sri Aurobindo: Yes, but this is not “avec” but “vers les voisins”2, more than what was asked. But this is the first time the British Government has given such an ultimatum. They are feeling stronger, perhaps, after their alliance with America in the matter of the naval base.
1 “Go along with your neighbours.”
2 Not “with” but “towards your neighbours”.