1 OCTOBER 1940PURANI: Hitler hasn't given up the idea of attacking Britain. He is concentrating his forces in Norway. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. About 200,000 troops are practising jumping into the sea from the rocks! Is it a preparation, in case of reversal, to swim back from England? Any news about Gandhi's second interview with the Viceroy? PURANI: No, there is conjecture that Gandhi may have urged the release of the politicals. SRI AUROBINDO: That means there must have been some settlement. SATYENDRA: The Muslim League has also refused. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. Jinnah wants to know what the League's status will be in case some other party comes in later. He means Congress! It is like the Berlin-Japan pact - by some other power they mean the U.S.A. SATYENDRA: Jinnah has realised that the Viceroy doesn't want to part with power. SRI AUROBINDO (laughing): To the Muslim League? No! The Government is in an impossible position. Congress wants Dominion Status now and, declaration of independence after the war; at the same time it refuses to say that it will support Britain in the war and speaks only of the defence of India. The Muslims want Pakistan with a fifty per cent representation everywhere. The Hindu Mahasabha demands one quarter of the seats to be given to Muslims. SATYENDRA: The Muslim League wants to know the number of members in the council and the personnel having portfolios. SRI AUROBINDO: How can the Government say this now? There seems to be a new age of inspiration, not of reason. Pakistan, Hindustan, the Khaksars, all are inspired and inspiration is sacred. Gandhi is more rational. Page - 899 SATYENDRA: He has been till now. This affair about freedom of speech has spoiled his reputation a bit. SRI AUROBINDO: Even after independence there may be civil strife and some dictatorship may be needed. PURANI: Gandhi doesn't want war. SRI AUROBINDO: No, no government by force. But if the Khaksars start violence how will he prevent it, or how will he prevent the goondas who take joy in beating and killing? Does Gandhi know that the Nazis are trained to beat people as part of their duty? What will he do then? The British people have two things: first, they are afraid of world opinion; second, they want to play hide-and-seek with their conscience. If it is exposed, they begin to scratch their heads. But the Nazis have no conscience to deal with and no world opinion to reckon with. NIRODBARAN: This story about Reynaud's mistress was in the Indian Express. SATYENDRA (smiling): Yes. I read it there but I thought it might have been in the Sunday Times, too, when Purani said that. SRI AUROBINDO (laughing): Purani's subconscious thought that the Sunday Times was more respectable than the Indian Express. (Laughter)
EVENING
PURANI: Gandhi's freedom of speech hasn't been granted by the Viceroy. SRI AUROBINDO: No. PURANI: Gandhi takes up some theoretical issue. C. R. would have been much better in such cases. He has practical sense. SRI AUROBINDO: The Viceroy has referred to conscientious objectors in England and says that they are not allowed to preach against war among munitions workers. SATYENDRA: Gandhi says the conditions in India are different. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, and he says that though he won't himself preach, others must have the right to do so, if they want - people like Bose. How can any government allow that? PURANI: The Jinnah-Viceroy correspondence is out. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, it is full of impossible demands. The Viceroy has answered to them, "Yes, I note them. We will consider Page - 900 them". All the time he must be thinking what a fool Jinnah is that he doesn't understand what impossible demands he is making. PURANI: Gandhi speaks of freedom of speech. But even during the Congress regime, that was not given to the Socialists, even by C.R. SRI AUROBINDO: M. N. Roy is cogent. He said, "You talk of freedom of speech, but don't tolerate anybody criticising you." SATYENDRA: But he belongs to an organisation which is fighting. SRI AUROBINDO: So is England. Besides, Roy is not in the Executive of the Congress so he can't criticise it. He is only a member. Congress has two contradictions. If it is an army then it's all right not to allow any freedom of speech, but if it is a democratic organisation how can freedom of speech be disallowed? SATYENDRA: There is no review of the second volume of The Life Divine yet. SRI AUROBINDO: No, they will take six months to finish it and, after finishing, they won't know what to say.
2 OCTOBER 1940Somebody had sent a reply-paid wire to Sri Aurobindo asking for some message for Pratap Mazumdar's centenary, which they were celebrating. Naturally Sri Aurobindo refused.
SATYENDRA: They have wasted two rupees. (Laughter) SRI AUROBINDO: I may send a message one day late. (Laughter) PURANI: Even then they may publish it. SRI AUROBINDO: If I say that he was an insignificant person? (Laughter) PURANI: That would be a nice idea. SRI AUROBINDO: I don't see why they are making a fuss about him. He was a second-class personality. All I know about him is that he was Keshab Sen's disciple and went to America. PURANI: He was a good speaker. SRI AUROBINDO: Plenty of people are good speakers! PURANI: You have seen the Egyptian Government's queer resolution? They think that a sixty-miles' entry into their territory is not of much concern. Page - 901 SRI AUROBINDO: No! It is only desert! It is like walking on the garden-path of a compound. When they actually come to the verandah, then it is of some concern and something needs to be done!
3 OCTOBER 1940NIRODBARAN: Sikandar Hyat Khan has strongly attacked Gandhi. SRI AUROBINDO (smiling): Yes. NIRODBARAN: He says Gandhi's non-participation in the war is stabbing the British in the back. SRI AUROBINDO: Non-violently! SATYENDRA: Violent or non-violent, the result is the same. NIRODBARAN: Sikandar says he can't understand Gandhi's logic. The logic of Mahatmas is different from that of ordinary mortals like him. Otherwise what could be meant by non-embarrassing the British Government and at the same time preaching India's non-participation? SATYENDRA: I would like to know what Kripalani says about this statement of Gandhi. He has a keen intellect. PURANI: The Sikhs also don't understand; they say, "These are intellectual quibbles." Neither can they conceive of how the defence of India can be done non-violently. SRI AUROBINDO: That is something I can't swallow myself. SATYENDRA: Gandhi himself can't carry Congress with him. But the question has been shelved for the present - I hope buried like Aurangzeb's musicians. (Aurangzeb forbade all music. In spite of that, some took out a musical procession in front of his palace. He ordered the musicians to be buried alive.) SRI AUROBINDO: Is music forbidden by the Koran? SATYENDRA: I don't know. PURANI: There is no injunction against it in the Koran, as in the case of art. SRI AUROBINDO: Art is different; it is idolatry. But there are so many things without injunctions in the Koran. Is there an injunction against killing brothers? PURANI: No, but if someone is a drunkard he can be killed. That is how they killed Murad. They themselves made him drunk and on that pretext killed him. Page - 902 SRI AUROBINDO: What about Dara, then? PURANI: He was a Kafir. SRI AUROBINDO: Are Kafirs to be killed according to the Koran? PURANI: Don't know. They find so many things in the Koran. Even the idea of non-cooperation, they say, is found in it. That was during the Khilafat agitation. They say that Mohammed was threatened with his life and he fled and that was non-cooperation. SRI AUROBINDO: Many people have fled in such circumstances! Then I myself was a non-cooperator since I fled from Bengal! (Laughter)
4 OCTOBER 1940Purani said that Girijashankar had written another instalment of Sri Aurobindo's life in Udbodhan. Nolini sent it up through Purani.
SRI AUROBINDO: Is anything written there about my life which I don't know? (Laughter). Then Sri Aurobindo began to read it. After a while he gave a hilarious laugh) He says "Night by the Sea" has been addressed to my English sweetheart. (Laughter) And "Estelle" to a French girl! He is trying to make my biography out of my poetry! He also says that "Baji Prabhou" was written in Gujarat under the influence of Tilak and the Mahrattas. In fact it was written in Calcutta. (After reading the whole instalment) He has not made enough out of the poetry. He ought to have said that Myrtilla was addressed to a Greek girl — a girl whom I loved and buried on an island. Seshadri said about the poem "Revelation" that the girl spoken of there must be somebody I came across on the Pondicherry beach! (Laughter) PURANI: What would he say about "The Hound of Heaven" then? An ordinary dog? SATYENDRA: That is not interesting. SRI AUROBINDO: There is nothing about my life here. It is all about my poetry, also the poetry of Tagore, Das, Monomohan, etc. He also says "Love and Death" and "Baji Prabhou" are ballad poetry. (Laughter) People are funny. Somebody criticising "Love and Death" said it was all Keats, and Girija says there is nothing of Keats, but it is a ballad! Page - 93 SATYENDRA: As in your Life Divine, people find Shankara, Ramanuja, etc. (Laughter) EVENINGIt appeared that Veerabhadra had been going to the labourers and teaching them Hindi. Also a pamphlet had been circulated that he would deliver a speech on Gandhi, on Gandhi's birthday. If all this was true, naturally it would go very much against the Ashram. Sri Aurobindo was anxiously inquiring about it from Purani. Some days earlier Purani had spoken to Sri Aurobindo about it. Sri Aurobindo had said, "In that case Veerabhadra will have to leave the Ashram. He ought to know that the Ashram is not allowed to join in any public activity." It seems the Mother also heard about the pamphlet and told Sri Aurobindo of it. Both the Mother and Sri Aurobindo were rather concerned. SRI AUROBINDO : There are already people here who are looking for any pretext to use against us. There was an enquiry some time back as to whether we were an enemy of the British. It was reported that we were concerned only with philosophy. Now if they get to know this? Mother has been telling me that something is going on in the subtle plane against the Ashram. Of course we knew — like that. PURANI : I don't know why he should meddle with these things. He is a fool to do that. SRI AUROBINDO: I may be forced to make an official statement. (laughing) If they made a real enquiry and cross-examined Y, for instance, then — Later on it was found that the pamphlet had been circulated by somebody else. Veerabhadra had nothing to do with it. SRI AUROBINDO (smiling): There is still another charge against him. 5 OCTOBER 1940NIRODBARAN: Mandel is acquitted! SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, he seems to have dangerous documeents against everybody. Page - 904 NIRODBARAN: Like Daladier! PURANI: Yes, Daladier said he would drag down many others with him. SRI AUROBINDO: If politicians were made responsible for their mistakes, then many would have to go to the scaffold. It is like the French Revolution: when a General failed, his head was cut off! SATYENDRA: Is it some new poetry you are writing now, Sir? SRI AUROBINDO: No, it is Savitri. NIRODBARAN: Is it not finished yet? SRI AUROBINDO: The writing is over, but every time I see it, I find imperfections. Only about two and a half cantos can be said to be finished. SATYENDRA: It is good that it is something innocent. Otherwise every time you took up The Life Divine some catastrophe took place: first in 1914 and now in 1939 — both times war. (Laughter) SRI AUROBINDO: Savitri also contains war, but it is imaginative. So I suppose the opposing forces may not object. SATYENDRA: What would that commentator Girija make of it? SRI AUROBINDO: He said nothing biographical about "Baji Prabhou" either. He could have said that it was the glorious account of a scuffle I had with some Mahommedan!. NIRODBARAN: But what was this man trying to prove? He seems to be trying to establish some connection between the development of your poetry and that of Tagore. SRI AUROBINDO (laughing): Yes. NIRODBARAN: He said that Tagore wrote his "Jete nahi dibo"¹ when you came back to India and that it was as if a new glimpse of his "Aurobindo Rabindrer laha namaskar."² I don't see any connection. SRI AUROBINDO: Neither do I. I thought Girija idiotic when he was writing in Das's paper. "Jete nahi dibo" is about some daughter, isn't it? PURANI: Yes. The daughter doesn't allow her father to return to his place of activity and then he philosophises about love, etc. What is the connection there? SRI AUROBINDO: I don't know. He makes out that Das, Tagore, I and others were writing under the same influence, with ¹"I shall not let you go." ²The poem composed by Rabindranath Tagore on the occasion of Sri Aurobindo's arrest: "Rabindranath, O Aurobindo, bows to thee!". Page - 905 the same bhava, on the same subject! But how can he say that some new poems were added to Songs to Myrtilla? None were added. PURANI: No! SRI AUROBINDO: In this book only earlier poems were included. He says three poems in Myrtilla are about a part of my life I wanted people to know about. He objects to the poem on Rajnarayan Bose being excluded from the new edition. The fact is I had no copy of it. Besides, these are the usual sorts of things critics say about a poet after his death. I am still alive. I should be immune so long as I am alive. (Laughter) SATYENDRA: They construct a biography out of the poems since they can't approach dead poets. But they can approach you. PURANI: About Shakespeare also they have built up many stories. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. They say his dramas are all experiences of his life. He deserted his wife, became an actor-manager, later abandoned that job. Now it is denied. They also made him out to be a usurer, a thief who killed a deer in a park and stole it. As a protest against the theory about Shakespeare's sonnets that "with this key Shakespeare unlocked his heart". Browning wrote: "Did Shakespeare? If so, the less Shakespeare he!" SATYENDRA: It was said that no such person as Shakespeare existed. SRI AUROBINDO: That idea has been given up - then they said there were two Shakespeares — both at Stratford. PURANI: Bacon also was bolstered up as the real Shakespeare. SRI AUROBINDO : Yes. Some critic made Bacon out to be both an Elizabethan and a post-Elizabethan poet. But take the actual poetry he has written: one can see how prosaic it is! EVENINGSRI AUROBINDO : Moore has written an article against Gandhi, taking his stand on the Gita and on me. He says that if Gandhi considers himself an instrument of God and preaches non-participation, he, Moore, is also an instrument of God entitled to object to it. (Sri Aurobindo gave us the gist of the article.) PURANI: Azad and others take a different standpoint from Gandhi. SATYENDRA: They make it a political non-participation, while Gandhi- Page - 906 SRI AUROBINDO: Brings in both political and conscientious objections. (Laughter) SATYENDRA: It seems Azad, C. R. and Nehru aren't very warm towards this new stand of Gandhi. SRI AUROBINDO: That is evident from C. R.'s speech. After the rejection of the Poona offer, they didn't know what to do. So they had to take Gandhi's help. Now they are in an impossible position. It was Venkataram Shastri, I think, who has said Congress has been making mistake after mistake. After they had resigned their offices, if they had stuck to civil disobedience it would have meant something. Right or wrong, it was a line of action, a policy. But instead they have been going now this side, now that side. SATYENDRA: Nehru also speaks of being international. Now his sister speaks in the same vein. SRI AUROBINDO: In that case he should support Britain. Otherwise, he will only help Hitler. NIRODBARAN: If there is any trouble in India, Hitler will be glad. SRI AUROBINDO: Of course! PURANI: Benoy Sarkar writes in Rupam about art, that the subject matter is not important. Indian art has been always concerned with the subject while what matters in art is whether it is aesthetic or not. From that point of view, pattern, design, colour, line are things that count. SRI AUROBINDO: But that is decorative, not aesthetic. PURANI: Yes, he takes the current modern view of art. He says one must see the balance and mass, etc., in a work of art, for instance in a Buddha seated in a triangle. SRI AUROBINDO: That is again scientific art, not aesthetic, and besides, has modern art no subject? PURANI: Agastya answers Sarkar by saying that by the Indianness of Indian art what is meant is not so much the subject as the tradition, the training that one follows in one's art, which is quite different from the European tradition. SRI AUROBINDO: Apart from the subject, art has something which is extremely important, but the subject, too, has its value. If it is all mass and balance, why call in Buddha then? The image or figure of Buddha is supposed to express the calm of Nirvana. If you are not able to feel that or if the art hasn't been able to bring that out, then you don't appreciate the art. Page - 907 PURANI: It is the same thing they are doing in poetry. SRI AUROBINDO: Poetry has no subject? No meaning? Then it is what Baron makes out of it when he says, "Why do you want to understand?" 6 OCTOBER 1940PURANI: Sarkar says that art was at first religious everywhere; only India has remained where she was, while Europe has gone forward. SRI AUROBINDO: That is all right, but where? PURANI: Going round! SRI AUROBINDO: And backward. They have gone farther back than we have ever done. PURANI: What seems to me the point is not whether art is religious; it is the inner vision, the inlook, so to say, by which an artist creates, that matters. SRI AUROBINDO: Quite so. Sarkar is scientific. PURANI: I remember Arjava used to see Krishnalal's pictures like that — the scheme, line, composition — the geometry of art, so to say. Poor Krishnalal couldn't make head or tail of his criticism. SRI AUROBINDO: He practised without knowing! NIRODBARAN: Moore's article on Gandhi is very strong. SRI AUROBINDO (smiling): Have you read it? NIRODBARAN: Yes. PURANI: Yes, it is very strongly worded. NIRODBARAN: But he goes a little, too far. He doesn't believe that non-cooperation has done any good — on the contrary it has done much harm, he says. PURANI: What non-cooperation has done is to show people in a combined state, united in action for a common purpose and thus it has given solidarity and a sense of unity. SATYENDRA: It has helped to awaken the mass-consciousness tremendously. SRI AUROBINDO: That, of course. PURANI: Non-violence has been brought in by Gandhi as a principle, while Azad and others have accepted it only as a policy. SRI AUROBINDO: Non-cooperation is nothing new. It is the same as the Swadeshi movement. Only, we had no non- Page - 908 violence. Holland is using non-violence by a violent abuse of words. PURANI: Abhay says this is the time to preach non-violence to people in Europe when they are down with the curse of war and violence. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, to preach but not to practise! EVENINGC. R. Das has delivered a speech in answer to the Madras Governor. He says that it is easy to sneer at non-violence during war, but it was the non-violent movement that overcame the terrorist activities that had been raging before the war and converted the terrorists. SRI AUROBINDO: That is saying too much. They were not converted: when they saw that their movement was a failure, they took this up as a policy. SATYENDRA: When there was repression everywhere by the Government, it was only this non-violent movement that could have been produced and it helped to awaken the masses. SRI AUROBINDO: That, yes. But that was due to the non- cooperation movement, non-violence serving only as a policy. And it succeeded because the common people thought it would give them freedom from the Zamindars. Everybody except Gandhi took it up as a policy and, if you do that, then there is no quarrel. SATYENDRA: Gandhi himself was not so strict about non-violence before. In 1928 he said that government by use of force may be necessary. Only recently has he made non-violence an absolute faith. SRI AUROBINDO: No, even at that time it was in his mind. If you keep it for religious and ethical matters, nothing can be said against it. But in politics even his own followers accept it with reservation. SATYENDRA: Now all are in an uncomfortable position. It seems C. R. would be glad to go back to office. SRI AUROBINDO: That he feels uncomfortable is quite evident. There is no strength in his speech. SATYENDRA: If Gandhi had kept out after the Poona meeting, it would have been better for everybody. Page - 909 SRI AUROBINDO: Oh yes, much better. PURANI: This new Madras Governor gave a hint of conceding to Congress demands for a national government at the Centre. So C. R. took it up. SRI AUROBINDO: In fact many Governors were in favour of it. This Governor came fresh from England and didn't know the official mind. 7 OCTOBER 1940PURANI: Gandhi has made a long statement about his interview, with the Viceroy. He says that the Viceroy was very patient, very courteous but unbending. Gandhi discussed all the problems with him and he listened to everything patiently as no Viceroy had done before. But he didn't go into any of the arguments. SRI AUROBINDO: Only listened? PURANI: He says there was a cold reserve about the Viceroy which couldn't be penetrated. From his answers it could be seen that they were all prepared beforehand and that he had made his decisions already and nothing could shake him. "And that is what is meant by a steel frame, I suppose," he says. SRI AUROBINDO: To frame him? PURANI: So Gandhi departed, but as a personal friend. SRI AUROBINDO: And he saw Jonah before going, didn't he? (Purani apparently didn't know what "Jonah" referred to.) Jonah is the turtle that was saved by the Viceroy from the mouth of a fish and put into a pond. Jonah is a Biblical name. You don't know the story of Jonah? PURANI: No. SRI AUROBINDO: Jonah was a saint swallowed by a whale and he remained in its stomach for about three days, after which he was rescued. So it was quite an apposite name. Gandhi even cooed to Jonah. (Laughter) PURANI: Gandhi complains that the Viceroy didn't say anything in reply to all his questions and problems. SRI AUROBINDO: What could he say? It is very plain why he didn't. First of all, the British don't want to concede the demand for independence. What they are willing to give is Dominion Status after the war and they expect that after that India will settle down Page - 910 into a common relationship with the Empire. But just now a national government would virtually mean Dominion Status, with the Viceroy acting only as a constitutional head. Nobody knows what the Congress will do after they get that power. They may be occupied only with India's defence and give Britain only such help as they can spare. And if things go wrong with the British they may even make a separate peace leaving the British in the lurch. There are left-wingers, socialists and communists whom Congress won't be able to bring to their side; neither will they dare to offend them, and if their influence is sufficiently strong the Congress may stand against the British. So it is quite natural for the British not to part with power just now. As it is also natural for us to make our claims. But since we have not enough strength to back us we have to see if there is any common meeting-ground with the Government. If there is, a compromise with the Government is the only practical step. There was such an opportunity but the Congress spoiled it. Now either you have to accept what you can get or I don't know what is going to happen. Of course if we had the strength and power to make a revolution and get what we want, it would be a different matter. Amery and others did offer Dominion Status at one time. Now they have altered their stand because of the temper of the people. These politicians have some fixed ideas and they always go by them. Politicians and statesmen have to take account of situations and act as demanded by them. They must have insight. PURANI: Even now if we could make common cause and demand things, they would be compelled. NIRODBARAN: But it is because of the British divide-and-rule policy that we can't unite. SRI AUROBINDO: Nonsense! Was there unity in India before the British rule? NIRODBARAN: But now since our national consciousness is more developed, there is more chance of unity if the British don't bolster up Jinnah and his Muslim claims. SRI AUROBINDO: Does Jinnah want unity? His very character shows what he wants. What he wants is independence for Muslims and, if possible, rule over India. That is the old spirit. But why is it expected that Muslims will be so accommodating? Everywhere minorities are claiming their rights. Of course there may be some Muslims who are different, more nationalistic in outlook. Even Page - 911 Azad has his own terms; only he sees Indian unity first and will settle those terms afterwards. NIRODBARAN: C. R. seems to be sure of British victory. He says Britain won't lose India to Germany. SRI AUROBINDO: Lose to whom else? Against Germany there is one advantage: the British navy is supreme. What Germany intends is a long-term blockade of England and thus to exhaust her. But to do that she must have Mediterranean supremacy. If she gets that and can also occupy Africa, then she will have endless resources at her disposal. Germany bungled by treating conquered people like slaves and not making use of other opportunity. PURANI: In these air raids the British have shown themselves more than equal to the Nazis. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. The Nazis have more enthusiasm and dash. But the British individual is more awake and has more initiative and brain-power. PURANI: Some military correspondent writes that Britain could start an offensive and invade Germany through the Adriatic. SRI AUROBINDO: They are looking far ahead. But where will they land their troops? Yugoslavia? That means violating Balkan independence. Rather, with their troops in Palestine they could take Syria and then, with Turkey siding with them, proceed towards Germany. That would be much easier than going through the Adriatic. The Adriatic is far more risky and difficult, for the Italians guard the coast. Turkey will side with the British if the British are powerful enough. Rameshwar is bringing out a booklet containing Sri Aurobindo's writings on Bankim, Tilak, Dayanand and Romesh Dutt. He has asked if Romesh Dutt should not be put after Bankim. Nolini asks why Romesh Dutt should come after Bankim. SRI AUROBINDO: I don't know. I don't know why he should be there at all. (Laughter) 8 OCTOBER 1940PURANI: German troops are pouring into Rumania, it seems. Do they anticipate a British invasion through it? Page - 912 SRI AUROBINDO: No, it is more a move towards the Balkans by Germany, if it is also true that Italy has concentrated troops in Albania against Greece. PURANI: But war on two fronts will be costly for Germany. SRI AUROBINDO: But how can the British help there? They have no army to spare unless Turkey joins and brings her troops. PURANI: Kalelkar has rearranged the Gita text leaving out some of the portions which according to him are not essential. And he gives each chapter a separate name: for example, Utthapana Yoga. SRI AUROBINDO: And Kalelkar Yoga? (Laughter) Nobody has so far tampered with the text of the Gita. PURANI: No, they have done so with the Ramayana and the Mahabharata but not the Gita. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. EVENINGPURANI: America and Russia will check Japan in her imperialist policy in the East. SRI AUROBINDO: It seems they are not willing to go to war. They only want to help China so far. Somebody writing about Egypt says that it is the British who don't want Egypt to take any action against Italian attacks just now. I don't see why. They may have their reasons. PURANI: Kalelkar says that after the war it will be India's lead. SRI AUROBINDO: Kalelkar's lead? (Laughter) PURANI: He says the Western powers will be crushed. Only Russia and India will survive. They will see the futility of violence, the fruits of such atrocious wars! SRI AUROBINDO: How is communism a substitute for violence? And why does he call it an atrocious war? In the past also there have been massacres, pillages, sackings, burnings, etc., only in a different way. In these air-attacks on England the death rate so far is less than death by motor accidents. Only the destruction of property is great. NIRODBARAN: If Russia and India alone survive, India will be a great opportunity for Russia. . SRI AUROBINDO: It will be like the story of a lady of Niger and a tiger — in Edward Lear's limerick. You know the story? PURANI: No. Page - 913 SRI AUROBINDO: A lady of Niger went for a ride on the back of a tiger. The tiger returned with the lady sitting inside and the tiger bearing a smile on its face. (Laughter) There are good stories in his limericks. You know the story of the cow? PURANI: I have heard it. Moni's favourite, I think. SRI AUROBINDO: It can be very well applied to passive resistance. It is like this: There was a young man who said, "How Shall I melt the heart of this cow?" So he sat on a stile And continued to smile Till he melted the heart of the cow. (Laughter) 9 OCTOBER 1940PURANI: It seems America's war with Japan is inevitable. SRI AUROBINDO: Why? PURANI: As a consequence of the opening of the Burma Road by the British. SRI AUROBINDO: Not likely. PURANI; And Prussia also will have two ports — the Balkans and Japan. SATYENDRA: Japan won't go to war. SRI AUROBINDO: None of them is willing unless they are obliged to. Have you any idea what Churchill meant when he declared that Mussolini would very soon see the surprise that the British has for him? What Churchill means in simple words is, "I will show you." (Laughter) NIRODBARAN: He may have something up his sleeve. He doesn't give out empty threats. SRI AUROBINDO: Not usually. (Addressing Purani with a little smile) Baron went to see Schomberg on some business. PURANI: I see. SRI AUROBINDO: He said that he had come to know it was on Schomberg's demand that he had been called from Chandernagore, Schomberg with great surprise exclaimed, "Oh, what a lie, what a lie! Who told you this? It is the Governor who called you; I had Page - 914 nothing to do with it." "But the Governor himself told me that you did it." "What a lie! it is not true, it can't be true." And then when Baron met the Governor he told him what Schomberg had said. The Governor now exclaimed, "What lies, what lies!" (All of us burst into laughter.) Baron thought one of them must be lying. He forgot the possibility that both may have been lying. PURANI: Yes. The Governor may himself have called him back in order to please his Vichy Government. EVENINGPURANI: Veerabhadra has gone, it seems. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, he was asked to give up his public activity, if he wanted to stay here. He says he can't do that as public activity is part of himself. He has got permission to come to the Ashram but live outside. He is fit for nothing else but propaganda. I was many times on the point of driving him out, but he escaped. PURANI: I wonder how he was teaching Hindi when he himself knows so little. He knows even less than Amrita, I think. SRI AUROBINDO: It is like Amrita's teaching French in Madras. You know the joke about old French? PURANI: No. SRI AUROBINDO: While he was teaching in the class, the students said that what he was saying was different from the book. Amrita replied, "That is old French." (Laughter) PURANI: Yes, yes, I remember Moni and others used to taunt him. SRI AUROBINDO: It was a standing joke for a long time. 11 OCTOBER 1940SATYENDRA: The British Government is preparing a huge scheme of insurance for all against the destruction caused by Germany. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, it will be a heavy bill. I don't see how they can meet it unless they socialise the whole Government. It is only by socialisation that they can succeed. Page - 915 SATYENDRA: It may lead to socialism in England after the war. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, some form of modified socialism, of course. PURANI: Shaw goes a step further— he wants communism. SRI AUROBINDO: Communism exists nowhere, not even in Russia. EVENINGPURANI: Sarat Bose has also been expelled from the Congress. SRI AUROBINDO (laughing): Yes, two great Bose brothers are gone now. They may try to do some mischief now. Page - 916 |