17th and 18th June, 1940. It was asked if Sri Aurobindo knows all the possibilities connected with the war. Sri Aurobindo : Yes, they are known as possibilities. We do not accept anything as absolutely certain. On the 17th (curiously enough Richard Paul’s birth day) Petain proposed an armistice and all thought that France was lost. Sri Aurobindo : All these heroes of the last war – how could they propose a truce? How can they expect anything honourable from Hitler? It would be an end of France. They have become decadent. Disciple gave the instance of the Munich crisis. Sri Aurobindo : France was condemned then, when she did not stand by her treaty

JUNE, 1940 15th June, 1940. In one sense one can say, history it repeating itself because Greco-Roman culture was destroyed by German Nordic hordes and to-day it is again the Germans who are trying to destroy the centre of European culture. The Asura working behind Hitler has been giving him very correct and remarkably accurate guidance. He knows what is possible. That is why Hitler has never been listening to reason. He only waits for the voice. Till now it has guided him correctly. One mistake, it seems, it has made it to think that when he attacked Poland he thought that England will not go to war. Otherwise he has direct guidance which Napoleon did not get. The

NOVEMBER, 1939 19th and 20th November, 1939 Disciple : Is physical relations responsible for the vitiation of pure and idealistic love? Sri Aurobindo : It is not only the physical but also the vital that is equally responsible. Desire, impulse of possession are more responsible for it than the physical relation. Disciple : There are people who believe that the physical relation is an essential part of the highest relation of love. Sri Aurobindo : Blake for instance, says that spiritual love should be sanctified by the physical act. Disciple : Selincourt criticizes Blake. Sri Aurobindo : Selincourt writing about Blake is like a s

20th January, 1939 After discussion about local affairs, Sri Aurobindo : I find X’s letter to Y is written with his usual clear vision. He advises Y to guard against mixing up his own feeling of personal wrong with the legitimate decision not to shake hands with one who has wronged the Guru. About A he says, “these people like A, when they take to yoga it is more ornamental than anything else”. It is a fine phrase “ornamental yoga”. Disciple : (giving a turn to the talk) Nothing seems to have come out of Chamberlain – Mussolini interview. Both parties say, they are satisfied with the results. Sri Aurobindo : I can’t understand England’s policy. I do not know what

16th January, 1939 There was a humourous sequel to a telegram requesting for "ashes". It was a puzzle for some time and after some effort the word ashisha", meaning "blessing" was rightly understood. Disciple : I do not understand why he is asking for "ashes". Page – 129 Sri Aurobindo : I don't understand either. When I used to smoke I could have sent at least the cigar ashes. But now I do not smoke ! Disciple : But we are burning here the mosquito-coils. The ashes of the coils can be sent. (Laughter) Disciple : But I think he is asking for Blessings – the post office in receiving the Sanskrit word Ashisha seems to have turned it into "ashes"! (Laughter)

12th January, 1939 There was a controversy about a child who was underage and had an intense aspiration to remain in the Ashram, i.e. to be under Mother's protection and guidance. But being under the guardianship of her parents the child could not carry out her inner wish. Ultimately the parents, particularly the Mother, took the child away. Some Evening-Talks refer to this incident. Sri Aurobindo : She – the child – has developed character and intelligence quite beyond her age. When she wrote to us she used to cast reflections on the world and on people that was even beyond a grown up woman. She is remarkable for her age. The Mother has found it difficult to be

29th January, 1939 Sri Aurobindo was in a communicative mood. Looking at X he said. "Have you read Hitler's interview with Col. Beck in the 'Sunday Times'? Disciple : No. What about it? Sri Aurobindo : It was shouting at each other. It is said that when Hitler begins to shout his eyes become glassy and it means disaster.  But in this interview when he began to shout and eyes turned glassy, Beck began to shout louder. Hitler was much surprised to find this unexpected return and himself toned down.  Disciple : What was the result of the interview?  Sri Aurobindo : Relations with Poland were not much improved I suppose. (The topic changed) Sri Aurobindo turned

16th May, 1939 A letter from a disciple received on the 29th April written to co-disciple here spoke of his experience at Tiruannamalai. He mentioned in his letter that the resistance in his physical being was broken by the spiritual experience he had there. In the evening a disciple asked Sri Aurobindo: "What Page – 226  do you think of his saying that the resistance in the physical is gone?" Sri Aurobindo : I have heard people saying that the body of Maharshi is shaking. How could he have done what he did not do, or did not care to do, for himself, for someone else? Disciple : But he describes his experience in detail : for instance, the triangle a

FEBRUARY 1940 23 February, 1940 Disciple : The world is Swayambhu – self-existent – according to Jainism. God can't have created world because he lacks motive. Sri Aurobindo : Do you create because you are unhappy? Nirod writes poetry because he is miserable? Disciple : No, to get more joy. Sri Aurobindo : He is then full of joy and wants more. Disciple : If God has not created the world, you can't get his help in liberation. Disciple : In Jainism each one gets liberation by his own effort. Even Tirthankars don't help. Sri Aurobindo : Of what use are they? Disciple : He is like an example. It is Shasan Devatas who are worshippers of Tir

15th January, 1939 Sri Aurobindo opened the topic by referring to a letter from an American. Sri Aurobindo : There is a job which perhaps "X : " would like to attend to. The letter is addressed to Sri Aurobindo Ashram under the belief that it is a person. The man wants sporting items, and "predictions". He says : Page – 123  As you are a Yogi you "can go into trance" and we will share the profits!! Let me know your terms. Then he says : "If you don't want to take the money, you can give it to the poor! (turning to X.). You        can go into trance or send "Y" into it. I will be a hard nut. I have no objections to sharing profits, only we share in profi