Sri Aurobindo's corrections of statements in a proposed biography Early Life in India and England 1872 ­ 1893   Language Learning He may have known a smattering of Bengali till he was five years of age. Thereafter till twenty-one he spoke only English.   In my father's house only English and Hindustani were spoken. I knew no Bengali.   Quite early he was sent to St. Paul's School at Darjeeling, and then, when he showed unusual promise, to King's College, Cambridge. . . . . . . His chosen medium of expression is English.   Another error is worth correctin

Section Two   Early Letters on Yoga and the Spiritual Life   1911 ­ 1928 Extracts from Letters to the Mother and Paul Richard, 1911 ­ c. 1922   To Paul Richard

Section Three   Other Letters of Historical Interest on Yoga and Practical Life 1921 ­ 1938     On Yoga and Fund-raising for the Ashram, 1921 ­ 1938   To and about Du

On Indian Independence 1942 ­ 1947   On the Cripps Proposal   [1]   Sir Stafford Cripps New Delhi   I have heard your broadcast. As one who has been a nationalist leader and worker for India's independence though now my activity is no longer in the political but in the spiritual field, I wish to express my appreciation of all you have done to bring about this offer. I welcome it as an opportunity given to India to determine for herself and organise in all liberty of choice her freedom and unity and take an effective place among the world's free nations. I hope that it will be accepted and the right

Notes and Letters to the Editor of Mother India on Indian and World Events 1949 ­ 1950 On Pakistan   I don't want Pakistan to endure, made perfectly clear. Division must go — does not mean that division must be allowed to last in some form or other. Continued partition of India into two Federations one Hindu and one Muslim even if somehow connected together is no part of my idea of the Union of India. March 1949   On the Commonwealth and Secularism   India can't remain in Dominion. It had decided to be a free republic and that can't be changed. On that basis it can have relations

The Departure from Calcutta, 1910   To Charu Chandra Dutt   Charu This is my answer to the questions arising from your letter.1 Except on one point which calls for some explanation, I confine myself to the plain facts. (1) I was the writer of the series of articles on the "Passive Resistance" published in April 1907 to which reference has been made; Bipin Pal had nothing to do with it. He ceased his connection with the paper towards the end of 1906 and from that time onward was not writing any editorials or articles for it. I planned several series of this kind for the Bande Mataram and at least three were publis

Letters and Telegrams to Political and Professional Associates 1906 ­ 1926   To Bipin Chandra Pal   Wednesday.   Dear Bepin Babu, Please let us know by bearer when and where we can meet yourself, Rajat and Kumar Babu today. Subodh Babu is going away today, and there are certain conditions attached by Dickinson to the arrangement about the type which it may be difficult to get him to agree to. Yet it must be done today if it is to be done at all. Can you not come by 3 o'clock and help us to persuade Subodh Babu to give signature before he goes. Yours sincerely. Aur

Other Autobiographical Notes   A Day in Srinagar   Cashmere. Srinagar. Saturday. [30 May 1903]   In the morning Sardesai dropped in and we went together to Dhond, where I arranged with Rajaram to mess with him; the dinner consisted of the usual Brahminic course, dal & rice, two chupatties with potatoes & greens and amthi, — the whole to be seasoned liberally by a great square of clarified butter at one side of the tray. Fortunately the dishes were not very pungent and, with this allowance, I have made myself sufficiently adaptable to be a Brahmin with the Brahmins   *   Dinner in

VOLUME 36 THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SRI AUROBINDO © Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust 2006 Published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department Printed at Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press, Pondicherry PRINTED IN INDIA     Autobiographical Notes and O

Political Life, 1893 ­ 1910   A General Note on Sri Aurobindo's Political Life   There were three sides to Sri Aurobindo's political ideas and activities. First, there was the action with which he started, a secret revolutionary propaganda and organisation of which the central object was the preparation of an armed insurrection. Secondly, there was a public propaganda intended to convert the whole nation to the ideal of independence which was regarded, when he entered into politics, by the vast majority of Indians as unpractical and impossible, an almost insane chimera. It was thought that the British Empire was too powerful and India too weak, effecti