September 16, 1965
A member of UNESCO has asked a stupid question, something to this effect: “There was a time when India represented the spiritual consciousness” (or “taught the spiritual consciousness,” I don’t remember now), “but now that she is engaged in such a war, who will play this role?”…[[Here is the exact text of the question: "If India, who held (till recently) the hope for humanity in the light of her spiritual leaders, can get involved in such a war, who would lead the world?" ]] So instead of replying to the question, because I might have told him a thing or two, I answered what you’ve just read.
Of course! All those Europeans … for fifty years they have been told about Gandhi, so now they don’t understand!
That’s right. Let your throat be cut without saying a word.
And here is another text of mine that someone has brought back to life:
“The world situation is critical today. India’s fate too is hanging in the balance. There was a time when India was absolutely secure, there was no danger whatever of her being a victim to Asuric aggression. But things have changed. People and forces in India have acted in such a way as to invite Asuric influences upon her; these have worked insidiously and undermined the security that was there….”
May 25, 1941
It dates back to long ago. I was here.
(Sujata:) Long ago, you said, “If there is another war, it will be over India.”[[See Sri Aurobindo and Mother on India and Her Destiny, p. 13. ]]
Yes, that was long ago.
But when the division between India and Pakistan took place, Sri Aurobindo wrote very strongly: this division MUST go somehow or other, “by whatever means,” he said.[[In his message of August 15, 1947, on the occasion of India's independence, Sri Aurobindo wrote: "... The old communal division into Hindus and Muslims seems now to have hardened into a permanent political division of the country. It is to be hoped that this settled fact will not be accepted as settled for ever or as anything more than a temporary expedient. For if it lasts, India may be seriously weakened, even crippled: civil strife may remain always possible, possible even a new invasion and foreign conquest. India's internal development and prosperity may be impeded, her position among the nations weakened, her destiny impaired or even frustrated. This must not be; the partition must go. Let us hope that that may come about naturally, by an increasing recognition of the necessity not only of peace and concord but of common action, by the practice of common action and the creation of means for that purpose. In this way unity may finally come about under whatever form - the exact form may have a pragmatic but not a fundamental importance. But by whatever means, in whatever way, the division must go; unity must and will be achieved, for it is necessary for the greatness of India's future." (Cent. Ed., 26.404-405) ]] And to me he said, “If they can’t agree on doing it, they will fight.”
And yet, if we give credence to official declarations from Delhi, they don’t at all intend to go right to the end. They only intend to “adjust” the border a little.
There was a letter from S.M. this morning, saying that the question would never be resolved unless they … (gesture sweeping Pakistan away).
Yes, but that’s not what the Prime Minister says.
The Prime Minister … They are all afraid. [[Four days later, on the 22nd, Lal Bahadur Shastri will announce a cease-fire. ]] Afraid of world opinion.
Yes, exactly.
At any rate, P. is leaving today for Delhi, and he is taking with him all my “literature” (they hayed asked, “What does Mother say?”).
We still have a “Talk” to see for the next Bulletin, don’t we? It would be better to finish it.
It will be better to finish preparing the issue early, because … things may become more difficult.
Is it going to disorganize your work?
Possibly. I told you about the “hurricane” the other day. So China has sent her ultimatum. [[China has given India three days to dismantle its military posts at the borders of Sikkim. ]]
I don’t understand why they give advance warning by the way. If I were them, I wouldn’t.
No, they don’t intend to do anything.
They don’t intend to do anything?
They want to intimidate without doing anything, and they want to know how the world will react. And America reacted immediately.[[The United States declared that if China attacked, it would come to India's help. ]]
(silence)
In Pakistan, there was a firing system of the latest American model, in which they take aim with, I don’t know, electrical systems, and they can fire several thousand shots in … anyway, it’s frightening; and shots that reach exactly where they want. It’s quite an organization. They’ve become very efficient. It was given to Pakistan by the Americans. And it had to be destroyed. So one of the Indian pilots went and crashed his plane into it. Naturally, the plane crushed everything – he too was crushed. But the installation was demolished…. People here are capable of such things. If they feel what Sri Aurobindo says in this letter I have just given you, that the leader of our march is the Almighty, if they feel that way … That’s what made the strength of the Japanese in the past. That’s what makes the strength of people here, once they are convinced. That’s how the Japanese took Port Arthur; there was a sort of ditch around the fortress, as there are in fortified places, and because of that they couldn’t get in; well, they let themselves be killed till they were able to walk across on the bodies: the bodies made a bridge by filling up the ditch, and then they walked across.
People who are conscious that death isn’t the end, that death is the beginning of something else, it gives them a strength that these Europeans cannot have.
(just before Satprem leaves)
Clearly, circumstances are arranged to help us move on.
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