Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 3

Letter ID: 867

Sri Aurobindo — Roy, Dilip Kumar

November 22, 1936

I felt a little depressed this morning somehow. Had pain in the neck last night – stiff neck? However composing this strange poem in a depressed mood I have almost got out of the clutches of the incipient depression. I felt Mother very formal yesterday, that is perhaps [why] I felt depressed, I don’t know. Trying to reject it all.

Surely not! Obliged to concentrate through the whole pranam, yes – formal, no.

An encouraging letter of Khagen Mitra. With all his caution he is moved, see? So – felt a little cheerful anyway.

Evidently very much moved – to write like that.

More important is Dhurjati’s letter. Have just written to Dr. James Cousins at Madanapalli. He used to like me very much, once his wife (Dr. of Music of Cambridge) wrote I sing like a king, etc. So he may help D. M. to get him a cottage. I will pranam you a second time for Dhurjati and his brother, also for Jawaharlal and my friend Mrs. Miller who sends me today a lively anthology of French verse. She is charming! Eh?

Right!

Let me have a word re. Dhurjati. So he is likely to come to Madanapalli (100 miles from here).

What Dhurjati proposes is quite the right way. That and to grow conscious gradually of That which is working behind his actions and through them, is what is needed. Faith is always sincere, even if it be an appearance only like the small seed of the parable: fostered from within it grows and covers the whole nature.

How things work out – and still I can’t get rid of depressions, etc. Depressing this very thought, is it not? Anyhow it may change now. Today begins the ninth year of my arrival here. Sol feel a little sad – to start a new year with this mood – with doubts about “cold harmonious Love” – bad augury, what?

Cold and harmonious! What a queer idea!

No reality in these auguries. “Only one augury is the best”, to seek persistently after the Divine.

Anyhow the poem has a strange fire! How quixotically mixed we poor mortals of day are!!

The poem is a very fine one. It reminds one of the “metaphysical” poets somewhat, but without the defect of their manner.

The other poem [Sura-ashi] is exceedingly beautiful. If they call that spiritual philosophy and not poetry, they must be dull of heart and blunt of wit.