Nirodbaran

Talks with Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1

10 December 1938 – 14 January 1941

18 October 1940

There was miscellaneous talk about this and that. It started with the news of Vinoba’s arrest. We said that Purani must be very glad of the news. Then the talk was about the business capacity of different persons. There was some discord between Vinoba and his co-worker Harkar in the Gandhi Ashram. Vinoba seems to have remarked that Harkar would not be able to earn even five rupees outside. This insult was only an additional reason to the many others for which Harkar left the Ashram with the resolve to show whether he could earn his living or not. He joined some business with our Kashibhai. Satyendra remarked that Kashibhai was a good man but had no business capacity. This led to the subject of X’s capacity in business. Purani said that he had been on the point of being dismissed from the Navajeevan Office. He also had a tailoring shop which failed.

Sri Aurobindo: Anything he touches will be a loss. He has a genius for that. He can work under somebody who will oblige him to work. Has he produced any more children?

Purani: I don’t know.

Sri Aurobindo: He already had three. The way he was industriously working at it, he must have five or six now.

Purani: T was complaining of the ill-health of the children.

Sri Aurobindo: Both the parents suffer from ill-health, so their children must be like that. But such people live long.

Champaklal: G also started some insurance business with motor cars, etc. It failed.

Purani: He was also with Gandhi.

Sri Aurobindo: What was he doing there?

Purani: Harijan work.

Sri Aurobindo: Means only talking! He is suited for that.

Evening

Sri Aurobindo (referring to Vinoba’s arrest): The Government said that it would watch how the movement developed. But it didn’t wait very long.

Purani: Have you seen Vinoba’s picture in the Hindu?

Sri Aurobindo: Yes. The only notable feature is his forehead – it is like that of a scholar. He has close-cropped hair ready for jail.

Satyendra: From his appearance one can make out an ascetic type.

Sri Aurobindo: Yes, ascetic and puritan, but a mental puritan. Not vital, because his lips indicate otherwise. Only his chin has not the necessary strength for vital indulgence.

Purani: In spite of all his rigorous practical and routine life, his health is not strong.

Sri Aurobindo: No, he is badly born, as we call it.