Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

23 September 1940

Sri Aurobindo (looking at Purani): Is Hitler waiting for the fog?

Purani: It seems he is more busy in the east settling Romanian questions in the warm climate.

Japan seems to have toned down. It must be due to the Anglo-American alliance regarding the Singapore naval base.

Sri Aurobindo: Obviously. Everything is getting queer. They make war without declaring war, alliance without calling it alliance.

Satyendra: What has happened to Japan’s ultimatum?

Sri Aurobindo: Modified. If this alliance takes place, it will be dangerous for Japan; for Singapore is a strong naval fortress, but at present the British have only a few ships there. An alliance with America will bring in American ships.

Satyendra: I don’t think Hitler has given up the idea of attack. Perhaps he is delaying because of differences among his generals.

Sri Aurobindo: He may attack. There have always been differences; in spite of them he has acted on his own. He is trying to establish his air superiority. Hitherto, all his tricks have failed.

Satyendra: The war will last a long time, it seems.

Sri Aurobindo: At any rate, it won’t end now.

Purani: The Egyptian cabinet is meeting to decide what Italy’s intention could be. (Laughter) The President has already said that their intention is very clear, so they must act at once.

Satyendra: Do they think the Italians are coming to embrace them?

Sri Aurobindo: Or perhaps they think that they will blow a kiss from Sidi Barani and withdraw. (Laughter)

Purani: We had a joke at Rajangam’s cost. He has received a letter from France. We told him that the Vichy Government was calling him.

Sri Aurobindo: Why from France?

Purani: It’s from a medical firm. It was posted before the Armistice.

Sri Aurobindo: I see. But the firm may not exist now – like a star that has gone out although its light still comes to us. (Laughter)

Evening

Satyendra: Plenty of people are writing to Doraiswamy about your war donation. They don’t understand why you have done it.

Purani: Why? The reason was given very plainly in the statement itself.

Sri Aurobindo: Quite so.

Satyendra: They don’t see how you can support the culture and civilisation of the British and their allies.

Sri Aurobindo: Why not? They ought to see what Hitler is doing everywhere.

Nirodbaran: The difficulty is that they are so biased with an anti-British feeling.

Sri Aurobindo: But I am not biased like them.

Satyendra: They are political people, not Yogis.

Sri Aurobindo: Then they should have political insight.

Purani: The Egyptian ministers have resigned. It seems the Egyptian Government is pro-Fascist in tendency; that is why it is hesitating.

Sri Aurobindo: If it has only a twenty-thousand strong army, of course it won’t count for much; but why is the Government pro-Fascist?

Purani: It is Mussolini’s work, I suspect. Mussolini has been working and preparing the field there for a long time. He has, perhaps, promised these old Pashas high offices and posts.

Sri Aurobindo: They must be idiots if they believe him even now.

Purani: Yes, and the King also is centralising power in his hands.

Sri Aurobindo: They ought to have abolished the King as was done in Turkey.

Nirodbaran: Is it because of Egypt’s neutrality that the British are not attacking the Italians?

Sri Aurobindo: No. Egypt won’t dare to prevent them unless they turn hostile.