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

21st January, 1939 Disciple : In the political problem of India the States present a great obstacle – particularly to the political unity of the country. Sri Aurobindo : It can be achieved as Germany did with her many States. Page – 217 Disciple : There is a great rush for public career now a days – in fact there is a competition for it. But there are the low tendencies also visible. How to combat this tendency? Sri Aurobindo : By creating a tradition of respect for character, by throwing out dishonest men from public life. Politicians can lie but not be corrupt. Parliamentary form of democracy is not necessarily suited to India. As it is, anybody sta

2nd January, 1939 Disciple : I think the Mother is testing me. Mother : That is not the habit here. It is the play of the forces, or rather the play of adverse forces, that tries to test the Sadhak. If you refuse to listen to them or remain firm, then they withdraw.  People here have plenty of difficulties already. Why, add new ones? To say that we purposely test them is not true. We never do it, never. Mother came in for meditation and went away early at 6-45. But she did not go to the evening meditation before nearly 7-25 or 7-30. Disciple : How far is it desirable for the Ashram to be self-sufficient? Sri Aurobindo :  Self-sufficient in what way? Dis

25th June, 1940 Disciple : We say everything happens, happens according to the Divine Will i. e. nothing happens without it. So the defeat of France happened according to the Divine Will i. e. according to Sri Aurobindo's will! Sri Aurobindo : "Everything" does not mean every individual act or event. You can say Sri Aurobindo's will on another level of consciousness willed it. For instance, you can't say that I willed to break my leg!! People think of God as a kind of super-dictator. The Divine Will lays down general lines –  but in actual play (Lila) it consents to limitations that are self-imposed. It has also to pay the price in the play of forces. Otherwise you can

4th January, 1939 Disciple : X's expression showed the usual gesture which to the company present indicated the coming of a question. Disciple : What is the effect of fasting on yoga? Sri Aurobindo :  On what? Disciple : The effect of fasting on yoga. Sri Aurobindo :  Oh, on yoga? It gives a sort of excitement or an impetus to the vital being but the general effect does not seem to be sound or healthy. I fasted twice :  once in Alipore jail for ten days and another time in Pondicherry for twenty-three days. At Alipore I was in full yogic activities and I was not taking my food, and was throwing it away in the bucket. Of course, the Superintendent did no

14 December 1938. Time : about 5-30 P. M. Silent atmosphere, M. meditating, P. sitting by his side. Sri Aurobindo cast a glance at M. After a few minutes P. tried to kill a mosquito with a clapping of hands. Sri Aurobindo looked at P. M. opened his eyes. P. felt much embarrassed. Disciple : Were you ever a Free Mason, Sir? Sri Aurobindo : My eldest brother was; from him I gathered that it was nothing. But Free Masons had something when it was started. Have you heard of Kaliostro? He was a mystic and a Free Mason with a great prophetic        Page – 19  power. He prophesied about the French Revolution, the raising of Bastille and guillotining of the King

24th February, 1939 Disciple : What is the part which mind plays in the cure of a disease? Sri Aurobindo : The mental factor is much more effective than is generally known or admitted. There are cases where the surgeons have found that the mental factor has saved the patient by pulling him or her out from a critical condition. For example, Mothers wanting to see their children are saved, being pulled out of critical conditions. Page – 218  Disciple : Which method of treatment is correct – the Chinese method of pricking or opathy, Ayurvedic or allopathy etc.? Sri Aurobindo : Nature allows you to follow along certain lines and along each she sho