SECTION SEVEN Opposition of the Hostile Forces   IT IS a fact always known to all yogis and occultists since the beginning of time, in Europe and Africa as in India, that wherever yoga or Yajna is done, there the hostile Forces gather together to stop it by any means. It is known that there is a lower nature and a higher spiritual nature − it is known that they pull different ways and the lower is strongest at first and the higher afterwards. It is known that the hostile Forces take advantage of the movements of the lower nature and try to spoil through them, smash or retard the siddhi. It has been said as long ago as the Upanishads (hard is the path t

SECTION SIX Difficulties of the Path ALL who enter the spiritual path have to face the difficulties and ordeals of the path, those which rise from their own nature and those which come in from outside. The difficulties in the nature always rise again and again till you overcome them; they must be faced with both strength and patience. But the vital part is prone to depression when ordeals and difficulties rise. This is not peculiar to you, but comes to all sadhaks − it does not imply an unfitness for the sadhana or justify a sense of helplessness. But you must train yourself to overcome this reaction of depression, calling in the Mother's Force to aid you.

Archival Notes MORE ON SRI AUROBINDO'S COMING TO PONDICHERRY This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers of Sri Aurobindo: Archives and Research. The writer, a member of the staff of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives and Research Library, accepts full responsibility for the contents of the article, which is the result of his own research and his own interpretation. The purpose of the biographical portions of Archival Notes is to present materials dealing with the period of Sri Aurobindo's life covered by the current instalment of Documents in the Life of Sri Aurobindo. The form of presentation selected is a variety of the classic biographical narrati

Notes on the Texts       Record of the Yoga/1913/February. This heading was written by Sri Aurobindo inside the front cover of the exercise book used to keep the Record of 1-14 February 1913. Record entries occupy only the first seventeen pages of the notebook. No record was kept for the last part of February and the whole of March 1913.       Record of Yoga — April. This heading was written by Sri Aurobindo inside the front cover of the exercise book used to keep the Record for much of 1913. During this year entries were kept in a rather irregular fashion. The exercise book contains entries for the following dates:       1 and 12 April, 19 and 21 May 1-11 Jul

GLOSSARY       This glossary includes all Sanskrit words occurring in the selections from Record of Yoga published in the present issue, except for a few terms which are common in Sri Aurobindo's writings and do not have a special sense in the Record. (For these terms, see the Glossary to the Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library.) Sanskrit words are spelled here according to the standard international system of transliteration.       Words are defined in this glossary only in the senses in which they are used in the present selections from the Record. For a fuller discussion of some terms, reference is made to the Sapta-Chatushtaya (designated SC). Familiarity with the Sapta-Chatus

      Record of Yoga Record of the Yoga 1913 February   1st       Sat or Substance is now everywhere vyakta, Tapas is in activity, Ananda emergent, Vijnana in process of organisation. The first day of February has been outwardly a day of retardation, almost of relapse; for the trikaldrishti once more lapsed into a state of murky obscurity shot with light and halflit with erring illuminations, misplaced energy worked more than satya tapas, the body was overtaken by exhaustion or weakness, Ananda failed in sustained intensity. As usual, however, the movement was one of preparation, not of relapse, for the expulsion of these remnants, not a concession t

Documents in the Life of Sri Aurobindo MORE ON SRI AUROBINDO'S COMING TO PONDICHERRY       THE MEETING WITH PARTHASARATHI AND THE LETTER OF INTRODUCTION       1       Extract from "Diary and Almanac. 1909". MS.SA.NB R1, p. 43. [Printed portions of the diary printed here in bold.]   JULY, 1909       18 Sunday. [No entry]       19 Monday.       4 oclock. engagement with Dr K to go to G.D.[?]       20 Tuesday.       2 oclock. 2 young men of P.C.       3 oclock. Engagement with Secretary Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company.       2       Extract from "Freedom Movement in India:

Bibliographical Documents LETTERS OF MANMOHAN GHOSE TO RABINDRANATH TAGORE       1       Dacca College Dacca       Dear Mr. Tagore,       Many, many thanks indeed for your kind letter, with all the warm and cordial things you say about my poems. You cannot think how much I value your simple and sincere words of praise. I feel sure that if there is any one competent to know and criticise about poetry (whether in English or in Bengali) it is yourself; and your praise is doubly precious and encouraging to me, as coming from so distinguished and experienced a master in the art of writing verse, and the foremost living genius of my country.