SRI AUROBINDO—THE MODERN AVATAR A TALK Friends, you will excuse me for the flashy tide I have given to my talk, but I hope to justify it. I begin with some unpublished portions of my correspondence with Sri Aurobindo, sometime in 1936, when an unaccountably good relation, was established between the 'Supramental Godhead and the mental doghead that was still the former's own human portion. At the time of the following exchange, I was in charge of the dispensary: QUESTION: My big photo requires Sanjiban's treatment. Granted permission? SRI AUROBINDO: What? which? where? how? what disease? what medicine wanted? The next day I had to give Sri

GENERAL HUMOUR 1933 MYSELF: My birthday comes on the 17th of this month, shall I not come to you? SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. I don't know how it failed to be put on the record. MYSELF: I try to leave myself in your hands entirely. Am I wrong in my attitude or am I to cry constantly into your ears? SRI AUROBINDO: Not constantly, but from time to time. Page - 3 1934 MYSELF: Can you spare me a canvas cot, if any? If you can, please sanction some mosquito frame arrangement too. SRI AUROBINDO: Ask for the canvas cot and a mosquito frame to be used with. Impossible to hang a mosquito frame on the independent principle here. MYSELF: Mother,

1937 MYSELF: One thing I find among patients here, especially ladies, that they want to be served quick—5 minutes at most ! They can't wait, they must go- they have work, etc., etc. SRI AUROBINDO: Important people, you see—necessary for the world action, —can't be kept waiting. MYSELF: P is much better, says bandage is now bondage ! SRI AUROBINDO: Seems much struck by Mother's force as per carbuncle—no gratitude to the doctor. Such is life! MYSELF: So, Dr. B. has departed! But now perhaps the avalanche will roll down on me. Will you save and help? SRI AUROBINDO: Help) I can. But save? Well, an avalanche is an avalanche.

Medical Humour: General 193S MYSELF: X has profuse 'whites'. SRI AUROBINDO: What on earth is this word? 'Winter? Wintes? It may be profuse, but it is not legible. For God's sake don't imitate me. MYSELF; The word you tumbled upon is 'whites' meaning leucorrhoea. But I thought it should be our ideal to imitate you! SRI AUROBINDO: Good Lord, what an hi I could not do worse myself. MYSELF: She took one pill which she says gave her a lot of burning in her eyes. I washed her eyes, but it caused much uneasiness in the head. But the pill was quite harmless. SRI AUROBINDO: All that is of course X's imagination. She decides in herself that t

PUBLISHER'S NOTE 1994 This book represents a new and, to the general public, quite an unfamiliar aspect of Sri Aurobindo — his humour. It was first published to mark the Birth Centenary of Sri Aurobindo in 1972 by Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry under the title Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo— Part II. It is now reprinted by Sri Mira Trust, Pondicherry under its new title. Preface There is a common belief that yogis and saints are grave and reserved by nature. They have no sense of humour. Sri Ramakrishna was probably the first among them who is known to have shattered this false notion. Sri Aurobindo was revered and

1934 MYSELF: I send you a poem. I didn't send it yesterday because it was the day of our vengeance and who knows my little verse might have been the last straw....But since all people profit at your expense, it wouldn't be wiser for me to stand aloof. So the poem and your kind opinion on it. SRI AUROBINDO: My opinion is "good, but not good enough"—more stuff is needed. It is good you did not throw your straw on the waters yesterday—the flood might have carried it away into the beginning of next week. MYSELF: I can't resist the temptation of disturbing your Sabbath, Sir; here is a poem. The forceps were indispensable, but I hope it will be an 'Angel'! SRI A

1935 MYSELF: By the way, people get poems, pictures in meditation and I seem to get only letters and points for letters! Since letters and discussions are interdicted I have been obliged to draw inspiration from sleep. And I find that sleeping has a decided advantage in this Yoga! SRI AUROBINDO: You get letters in meditation! that would be fine—it would save me the trouble of writing then, simply project into your meditation instead of sending through Nolini! No objection to sleep—the land of Nod has also its treasures. MYSELF: But do you really mean that till 7 a.m. your pen goes on in aeroplanic speed? Then it must be due more to outside correspondenc

Medical Humour: Boil 1935 MYSELF: My cold has given me the quick realisation that everything in this world—including the Divine, is Maya. What Shankara and Buddha realised by sadhana, I realise by a simple cold! SRI AUROBINDO: No need of sadhana for that—anybody with a fit of the blues can manage that. It is to get out of the Maya that sadhana is needed. Page - 61 1936 MYSELF: My brain is now less hampered by the body's indisposition. My boil has burst and as you see From the depression I am free. Thanks Guru, thanks to thee! , SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, I got irritated last night by your persistent boiling and put a gigantic F