14 MAY 1940 SRI AUROBINDO: The Germans seem to have discovered some new methods of capturing forts. SATYENDRA: They have made a considerable advance in Belgium. SRI AUROBINDO: Yes. In the last war also it was like that. They made rapid progress at the beginning and that, the French say, was because the British soldiers were running away at the approach of the Germans. NIRODBARAN: If that is true, they will do the same now too. SRI AUROBINDO: One English correspondent said that the Germans were rushing like wolves. PURANI: From Cologne, any Belgian town, it seems, is only thirty minutes' flight by air. So they can attack very easily by air.

1 JUNE 1940 PURANI: The Muslim delegation was very pleased with Dilip's music last night - especially so when Dilip said that the Muslim Page -682 have made a great contribution to music. (Laughter) That pleases them very much but they are not so pleased when any Hindu contribution is spoken of. It is quite apparent. It was Aurangzeb who banned music among the Muslims. The Koran also forbids it. SRI AUROBINDO: The Koran also? PURANI: Yes, that is why other Muslim countries like Persia have no music. In India, after Akbar music dwindled among the Muslims; by Aurangzeb's order all court musicians were thrown out of employment. SRI AUROBINDO: What a

1 AUGUST 1940 SRI AUROBINDO: Hitler wants peace not in Rumania only but all over the world. PURANI (laughing): Yes, he has already said he does not understand why the war should go on. SRI AUROBINDO: He would say, "Now that I have won, why should it?" NIRODBARAN: The newspaper says there is a great concentration of troops along the French Channel coast to attack England. SRI AUROBINDO: Troops? Not ships? A concentration of ships is required. PURANI: Perhaps they will swim across with swimming belts and allow themselves to be arrested. SRI AUROBINDO: Swimming parties can't be arrested. This man Leavis is less partial to Ezra Po

VII AFTER 1950 - NEW RELATION 1938-1950 was a long gap during which the story of my relation with the Mother has been told in Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo. I need not repeat it here. I could not sever my connection, however, with the Dispensary all at once. When Sri Aurobindo's condition had taken a settled turn and our respective duties had been fixed, I began to attend to the patients during my off- duty hours. I used to give a verbal report to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo whenever there was any need for it. Fortunately after a few years Dr. Nripendra came up and took charge of the Dispensary. I was then relieved of the burden of running up and down

IV DAWN I arrived a few days before the February Darshan and was lodged in what was formerly called Boudé House near the Ashram Press. A little far but otherwise a nice quiet place on the seaside, ft was meant to be a halting station for the newcomers or even a jumping-board for prospective sadhaks. I had brought a silk dhoti for Sri Aurobindo and a well-known Bengal perfume for the Mother. The choice was made instinctively, or unthinkingly, if you like. My niece was much amused to see my present for the Mother and said with a laugh, "Do you imagine that the Mother uses such ordinary perfumes?" I looked very foolish. All the same, when an interview with her was arranged, I took

APPENDIX THE MOTHER'S LETTERS TO A STUDENT 1-6-60 Sweet Mother, Can you hear me whenever I call you? My dear child, Be sure that I hear you each time you call and my help and force go straight to you. With my blessings. 30-8-63 Bonne Fête! ]e t'embrasse de tout cœur et te donne mes bénédictions pour l'accomplissement de ton aspiration la plus haute. Avec ma tendresse. [I embrace you with all my heart and give you my blessings for the fulfilment of your highest aspiration. With my love.] 30-8-64 Bonne Fête! Avec toute une collection de roses (surrender) pour que ton aspiration se réalise et que tu deviennes mon e

III PLUNGE INTO DARKNESS As soon as we reached Chittagong, I received a telegram from my relatives in Rangoon that a Government post had fallen vacant and I was sure to get it, if I applied for it. I was in a fix, for I had told the Mother that I would practise in my home town. Fate now decided otherwise and I sailed for Burma. That post was, however, not available, but in its stead another job offered itself almost unasked for and unexpectedly. I had gone to pay a courtesy-call to a Professor in the Rangoon Medical College, an I.M.S. who was an Edinburgh graduate. He spoke to me of a job that was going to be vacant and he wanted me to apply for it. Not only s

-11_My Family and the Mother^s Grace.htm XI MY FAMILY AND THE MOTHER'S GRACE By "my family", I mean my old mother, my sister and her children. Most unexpected was their arrival here, particularly of my sister; and most generous, I should say magnanimous, was the Mother in her acceptance of them all. My mother came first followed by my sister with her children, but they arrived in batches. When the last batch wanted to come, the Mother said, "Let us first see how these get on." After a year or so, all of them found shelter under her wide protective wings. She observed later on before Sri Aurobindo that they were a "success". I remember Amrita going about and looking for a house where the ent

XVI SWEETNESS AND LIGHT 1971-1973 The Mother's unexpected sanction and encouragement for writing Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo, spurred me to action and I began working on the book. She seemed to have pumped a Force into me at the same time so that I had to be constantly busy and active which is against the grain of my nature. My personal contact with her had stopped owing to her illness. Now I felt that it should be renewed: then I might draw some inspiration directly from the contact. My prayer was granted and I started seeing her once a week. It was not quite the same Mother as I had seen in 1967 and 1968. Physically she had become frail, but her face was

II INITIATION All this happened in the first week of January 1930. In February my niece and I visited the Ashram for the Darshan and stayed about a month. The inspiration came from her and I believe she enjoyed the stay much more than I did. I was still uncommitted. It was an altogether new mode of living, an esoteric life of the initiates into which I had stumbled without the least preparation. We took part in all the functions and observed the discipline of the Ashram: we never went out to the bazaar to have any refreshment, though we were often hungry during the day or at night. I had not yet become a tea-addict. The simple beauty, purity and quietness of the atmosph