CONTENTS

 

Pre-Content

 

PART ONE

 

REMARKS ON HIS LIFE AND WORKS AND ON

HIS CONTEMPORARIES AND CONTEMPORARY EVENTS

 

Section One

Reminiscences and Remarks on Events in His Outer Life

 

His Life and Attempts to Write about It

His Name

Life in England, 1879 - 1893

Life in Baroda, 1893 - 1906

Political Career, 1906 - 1910

Outer Life in Pondicherry, 1910 - 1950

 

Section Two

General Remarks on His Life

 

Remarks on His Life in Pondicherry after 1926

His Temperament and Character

Heredity, Past Lives, Astrology

 

Section Three

Remarks on Himself as a Writer and on His Writings

 

On Himself as a Writer

Writing for Publication

On His Published Prose Writings

The Terminology of His Writings

 

Section Four

Remarks on Contemporaries and on Contemporary Problems

 

Remarks on Spiritual Figures in India

Remarks on European Writers on Occultism

Remarks on Public Figures in India

Remarks on Public Figures in Europe

Remarks on Indian Affairs, 1930 - 1946

Remarks on the World Situation, 1933 - 1949


 

PART TWO

 

HIS SADHANA OR PRACTICE OF YOGA

 

 

Section One

Sadhana before Coming to Pondicherry in 1910

 

Ordinary Life and Yoga

Early Experiences

The Realisation of January 1908

Experiences in Alipur Jail, 1908 - 1909

 

Section Two

Sadhana in Pondicherry, 1910 ­ 1950

 

The Early Years in Pondicherry, 1910 - 1926

The Realisation of 24 November 1926

The Sadhana of 1927 - 1929

General Remarks on the Sadhana of the 1930s

The Supramental Yoga and Other Spiritual Paths

Remarks on the Current State of the Sadhana, 1931 - 1947

 

Section Three

Some Aspects of the Sadhana in Pondicherry

 

Inner Vicissitudes and Difficulties

Unusual Experiences and States of Consciousness


 

PART THREE

 

THE LEADER AND THE GUIDE

 

Section One

The Guru and the Avatar

 

The Guru

The Question of Avatarhood

 

Section Two

Help and Guidance

 

Help from the Guide

Guidance through Correspondence

Sri Aurobindo's Force

Therapeutic Force and Healing

Lights, Visions, Dreams

Darshan

Contact with People Outside the Ashram


 

PART FOUR

 

THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN THE ASHRAM AND OUTSIDE

 

Section One

The Practice of Yoga in the Ashram, 1926 ­ 1950

 

Entering Sri Aurobindo's Path

Admission, Staying, Departure

The Ashram and Its Atmosphere

Sadhana in the Ashram

Discipline in the Ashram

Rules in the Life of the Ashram

The Ashram and Religion

Human Relations and the Ashram

Work in the Ashram

Life and Death in the Ashram

Miscellaneous Matters

 

Section Two

The Practice of Yoga in the Ashram and the Outside World

 

The Ashram and the Outside World

Yoga Centres and Movements


 

PART FIVE

 

MANTRAS AND MESSAGES

 

Section One

Mantras

 

On Mantras

Mantras Written by Sri Aurobindo

 

Section Two

Messages

 

Messages Written for Special Occasions

 

 

NOTE ON THE TEXTS

Remarks on Indian Affairs

1930 - 1946

 

The Civil Disobedience Movement

 

I have received a letter from my father. He says he read Pandit Sunderlal's speech published in a newspaper, in which he has reportedly stated that you have asked your disciples to join the Civil Disobedience Movement.

 

You can write to your father that Sri Aurobindo has given no such orders to his disciples. The statement of Sunderlal has no foundation.

4 May 1930

 

Indian Independence and the Muslims

 

The Hindu mentality in politics is such that they would a thousand times prefer British rule to any Mahomedan influence, even if it be only a little.

 

That was never the view of the Nationalists, even those who were ardent Hindus who would prefer Moslem to British rule.

 

Even if Swaraj itself were postponed for a long time, it would be less of a shock to anybody in the Ashram than if Mahomedans got a little right.

 

The Asram is not concerned with politics; but I cannot believe without proof that this is the state of their mentality.

17 November 1932

 

Dominion Status

 

The Mother has said that only a minor portion of the government will remain in British hands.

 

That seems to be a description of "Dominion Status". In the Dominions the British Government have only a nominal power, not any real sovereignty.  

 

Page 205


It is not the time to speak of these things —  for we have kept politics out of our scope. What we have to do is not to trouble ourselves about it but to get the spiritual realisation. The rest will work itself out according to the Divine Decree.

26 January 1935

 

India and the Expected World War

 

If England is involved in the war, she will naturally call on India for men and money. And to obtain it, she will have to hold out the bait of freedom. But India won't commit the same foolish mistake she was led to commit during the last war.

 

What India? The Legislative Assembly? You think it has force enough to exact freedom as a price of some military help? Must have changed much if they can do that.

5 October 1935

 

Prospects for India after Independence

 

In the Times, there are some predictions by Mme Laila saying that India's civilisation, philosophy, culture etc. will spread in the world very slowly but at last it will be recognised as the best culture. She has however also predicted that India will always remain under Britain. Perhaps it is not advisable for India to get freedom soon, because even before getting it there is so much competition for power.

 

The spread of India's spirit is obviously the essential. As for freedom it is necessary and certainly no empire is everlasting —  but I expect the first days of freedom will be rather trying. Perhaps a Mussolini will have to rise to get rid of the corruption and mutual quarrelling and disorder.

18 April 1935

 

*

 

You know it is the confounded Raj that has fomented this communal incident [in Bengal, as described in a newspaper report that the correspondent summarised for Sri Aurobindo].

 

It looks as if it were going to be like that everywhere. In Europe also.  

 

Page 206


In your scheme of things do you definitely see a free India? You have stated that for the spreading of spirituality in the world India must be free. I suppose you must be working for it! You are the only one who can do something really effective by the use of your spiritual Force.

 

That is all settled. It is a question of working out only. The question is what is India going to do with her independence? The above kind of affair? Bolshevism? Goonda-raj? Things look ominous.

16 September 1935

 

*

 

Please don't go on thinking like others about what India is going to do with her independence. Give her that first and let her decide her fate however she likes.

 

You are a most irrational creature. I have been trying to logicise and intellectualise you but it seems in vain. Have I not told you that the independence is all arranged for and will evolve itself all right? Then what's the use of my bothering about that any longer? It's what she will do with her independence that is not arranged for —  and so it is that about which I have to bother.

18 September 1935

 

*

 

Can't you say something a little more definite about independence than that it "will evolve itself"? Such a phrase can stretch itself out to the end of the cosmos. When the yogi Baroda Babu was asked about this, he replied "Independence? Not within 50 years!" We live in time and space and would like to hear something in terms of time.

 

I am not a prophet like Baroda Babu. All I can say is that the coming of independence is now sure (as anyone with any political sense at all can see). As you do not accept my "play of forces", I can say no more than that —  for that is all that can be said by the "human time-sense".

20 September 1935

 

Page 207


The Communal Problem

 

As regards Bengal, things are certainly very bad; the conditions of the Hindus there are terrible and they may even get worse in spite of the interim mariage de convenance at Delhi. But we must not let our reaction to it become excessive or suggest despair. There must be at least 20 million Hindus in Bengal and they are not going to be exterminated, —  even Hitler with his scientific methods of massacre could not exterminate the Jews who are still showing themselves very much alive and, as for Hindu culture, it is not such a weak and fluffy thing as to be easily stamped out; it has lasted through something like 5 millenniums at least and is going to carry on much longer and has accumulated quite enough power to survive. What is happening did not come to me as a surprise. I foresaw it when I was in Bengal and warned people that it was probable and almost inevitable and that they should be prepared for it. At that time no one attached any value to what I said although some afterwards remembered and admitted, when the trouble first began, that I have been right; only C. R. Das had grave apprehensions and he even told me when he came to Pondicherry that he would not like the British to go out until this dangerous problem had been settled. But I have not been discouraged by what is happening, because I know and have experienced hundreds of times that beyond the blackest darkness there lies for one who is a divine instrument the light of God's victory. I have never had a strong and persistent will for anything to happen in the world —  I am not speaking of personal things —  which did not eventually happen even after delay, defeat or even disaster. There was a time when Hitler was victorious everywhere and it seemed certain that a black yoke of the Asura would be imposed on the whole world; but where is Hitler now and where is his rule? Berlin and Nuremberg have marked the end of that dreadful chapter in human history. Other blacknesses threaten to overshadow or even engulf mankind, but they too will end as that nightmare has ended. I cannot write fully in this letter of all things which justify my confidence — some day perhaps I shall be able to do it.

19 October 1946  

Page 208