Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 3

Letter ID: 852

Sri Aurobindo — Roy, Dilip Kumar

October 1936

[?] Soit = tathāstu [so be it] that is, from aspiration, not exactly from realisation though, which will be exemplified by this song – a childlike (childish?) optimistic song of delight for an overhauling, for a change, for a wonder, what? Seldom comest Thou “O spirit of delight”, n’est-ce pas? So why not make the most of it? Please note the extreme simplicity of the enfantin (?) delight. But I fear the sceptic a little still. Why such delight O thou “Fool’s Paradisisti” Won’t they say? Eh?

It is quite admirable, to say nothing of the writing¹ which justifies all the optimism in the world, and it states perfectly the right attitude. As for the sceptics – well – optimism even unjustified is still justifiable because it gives a chance and a power for getting things done, while pessimism even with all the good reasons that appearances can give to it, is simply a clog and a “No going” affair. The right thing is to go ahead and get done all that can be, if possible, all that ought to be, but at least do so much that all that ought to be will feel bound to come along on the heels of my doing. That is, the prophets and the gospel... [incomplete]

¹ Comments on the poem: Astik. (Madhu Murali, 1st ed. p. 155)

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