May, 1940 20th May, 1940 Disciple : Why Hitler says that he wants to finish this campaign before August 15th*? Sri Aurobindo : That's a clear indication, if an indication was necessary, that he is the enemy of our work. Disciple : Is it that he fears that descent might take place on August 15th which might make his work more difficult? Sri Aurobindo : This force does not believe in Divine descent, but it is a sort of challenge that, "I will finish my first decisive victory before August 15th". That shows the nature of the conflict. Disciple : It does not seem to be only one being. It seems to be a camp. Sri Aurobindo : yes. But this is the leading (s

17th January, 1939 Photographs of Harnath (Pagal) and Kusum Devi were shown to Sri Aurobindo. A declaration from Matushri Page – 138 Kusum Haranath – that she was the Supreme Power and that Harnath was one of her forms, was read. Sri Aurobindo : That is the Tantric doctrine. Disciple : But Harnath was a Vaishnava. Sri Aurobindo : Yes, but the doctrine she has proclaimed is not Vaishnava doctrine, it is Tantric. Disciple : Is it true? Sri Aurobindo : In principle it is true; for the Supreme Shakti is the Divine Consciousness and all the gods are from her. It is she who gives out the gods – Shiva and others. It is said that even Shiva cannot act u

22nd  January, 1939 Sri Aurobindo opened the topic by asking : –"What about D's fast?" He was told yesterday that D was going to fast on his birth-day i.e. to-day. But he had forgotten all about it. Disciple : I hear he has taken bread and butter in the morning and at mid-day a light meal. Sri Aurobindo : Fasting with bread and milk! Disciple : There are people who believe that bread and milk can be taken while fasting. (Laughter) Sri Aurobindo : That is also the custom in Bengal, I believe. That reminds me of a story. Nevinson went to see Tilak and met him in Dhoti. While describing the meeting he said :  Mr. Tilak received me naked in his cloth. (Laugh

15th December 1938 Disciple : You told me Dr. R. uses mental intuition. So there may be various levels of intuition. Sri Aurobindo : By mental intuition I mean the Intuition which comes from Above. Don't get mixed in the mind. I don't say that mental intuition is not correct but it is always limited because of the mixture. There is also the vital influence which very often becomes mixed up with one's desires. Disciple : How to get the intuition? By calmness of mind? Sri Aurobindo : Calmness is not enough. Mind must be silent. Disciple : It will then take a long time. Sri Aurobindo : Can't say. Can take a short time, or a long time. Disciple : Bu

INTRODUCTION The question which Arjuna asks Sri Krishna in the Gita (2nd Chap.) occurs pertinently to many about all spiritual personalities. "What is the language of one whose under­standing is poised ? How does he speak, how sit, how walk ?" Men want to know the outer signs of the inner attainment—the way in which a spiritual person differs outwardly from other men. But all the tests which the Gita enumerates are inner and therefore invisible to the outer view. It is true also that the inner or the spiritual is the essential and the outer derives its value and form from the inner. But the transformation about which Sri Aurobindo writes in his books has to take pla

13th January, 1939 The Mother was present when X put the following question to her. Disciple : Mother, is it a sin to kill bugs, mosquitoes, scorpions etc.? "Ask Sri Aurobindo"; The Mother replied smiling. "When I came here I used to drive them away by yogic force. Sri Aurobindo did not approve of it." Sri Aurobindo : Because one is making friendship with them in that way. What is the sin? If you don't kill them they will go and bite some other people and won't it be a sin to you? Disciple : But they have life, Sir? Sri Aurobindo : Yes, they have. Page – 118  Disciple : And, if one kills them? Sri Aurobindo : Well, what happens? Discip

6th January, 1939 Disciple : What are the methods in Sadhana for removal of the ego? Sri Aurobindo : There are two methods of effacement of the ego :   Page – 97 1. By realization of the spirit above and of its nature of purity, knowledge etc. 2. By humility in the heart. Disciple : What is the difference? Sri Aurobindo : The second method does not remove the ego but makes it harmless' it would therefore help one spiritually. Complete removal of the ego takes place when one identifies oneself with the Spirit and realizes the same Spirit in all. Also when the mental, vital and physical nature is known to be derivative from the Universal Mind, universa

1941 OR 1942 Undated Disciple : Does the feminine aspect (of the Divine) correspond to love, Devotion and surrender? Sri Aurobindo : No, not necessarily. Disciple : Does not Satchidananda love? Sri Aurobindo : No, that is Krishna Prem's idea, perhaps. Disciple : There is no reason to associate these with the feminine aspect because he associates these with it. Disciple : Receptivity includes these things; it is only a way of representing the inner life of the woman. Sri Aurobindo : Because the female is passive, dependent, (passively active) while the male is active, strong and self-reliant. Disciple : The Vaishnavas look upon all soul

MAY, 1939 6th May, 1939 Arjava died on the 5th May – at Bangalore. He was treated by Dr. Brunitzer. Post mortem examination revealed pericardiatis, six ounces of water from the right side of the heart. Disciple : Our Dr. X sticks to his Rheumatism theory. The French doctor started with typhoid, but it was negatived by blood examination. Dr. Brunitzer, in the beginning said that it was Septisemia. Disciple : So, even after the post mortem nobody was wiser. How is this possible that even after the post mortem, they don't accept the diagnosis? Sri Aurobindo : You can see that Dr. X is not ready to admit anything other than what he believes. He takes into P

14th January, 1939 The topic of opathy came up. It was said that it has cures for religious depression and anger also. Disciple : Anger, the scientists say, is due to the reaction of glands. But can "egoism" be cured like that? Disciple : If it can be cured, I would be the first to apply for it. Disciple : "The fact you are conscious about the "ego" makes half the cure–is it not?" he said turning to Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo : Not necessarily. But it is the first step. Disciple : And what is the second? Sri Aurobindo : To detach oneself from all these things; to think as if all these things belong to the other being, or some one else. As one goes