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

28th January, 1939 The Mother left for the general meditation and the disciples were ready to begin some topic, but Sri Aurobindo seemed mentally occupied with something. He was rather thoughtful and in a mood of silence. So none ventured to begin.  After a few minutes Sri Aurobindo looked at the company present and there was spontaneous smile on every face. Disciple : X seems to have some news. Page – 192 Sri Aurobindo : Then why does he not spurt out with it?      Disciple : There is nothing particular to-day. Sri Aurobindo : There is a cure for your cold in the "Sunday times" :   you have to get into an aeroplane, take some rounds, get down and you

27th December, 1938 Sri Aurobindo himself opened the talk to-day by addressing X and said "I hear D. going about in his car with a guard by his side, two cyclist policemen in front and back." Then the talk continued regarding Pondicherry politics, most of the talk being by us. Then Sri Aurobindo remarked. "When I see Pondicherry and Calcutta Corporation I begin to wonder why I was so eager for democracy. Pondicherry and Calcutta Corporation are the two object lessons which can take away all enthusiasm for self-government." Disciple : Was the Calcutta Corporation so bad before the Congress came there? Sri Aurobindo : No. There was not so much scope for it, – at le

MARCH 1943 12th March, 1943 Disciple : T was such a nice person, – very good in behaviour etc. Sri Aurobindo : 'That is so because you do not know what the person really is – you see only the outside.' Disciple : But she was very disciplined. Sri Aurobindo : "No – she was very nice so long as you did what she liked. But otherwise she was a person least fitted for Sadhana. The family has a touch of madness. She was hysterical and also there was dissatisfied sex. She looked very nice and people generally think it is a sign of great advance when a man stops speaking to persons or if he retires like N. B. and N. and even S. These are persons with smal

26th January, 1939 Disciple : It seems Barcelona – in Spain – is going. The French people are waking up at the eleventh hour. Sri Aurobindo : Yes, democracies are showing such courage at present! Disciple : It seems, political ideas and ideals are not worth fighting for. Thousands fought for democracy and now Page – 185 they are in a hurry to give it up. Nothing seems to be permanent in the political field. Sri Aurobindo : Quite so. All human values are half values – they are relative. They have no permanence or durability about them. Disciple : Perhaps, if man became more of a mentalized being, he would understand things better. Sri Aurobindo