Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 4
I have a gold watch – my father’s – keeps fine time and all that kind of thing. But if Mother wants to sell it off she can do so. It was a costly thing of yore – might fetch Rs. 150 or thereabouts. Will Mother keep for you or her to use it? It keeps good time. But, I repeat, if you want to sell it off I have no objection. I wish to offer it to you – that is all. Will you take it as a humble present of one who does not know what to offer you really. In addition I will offer at your feet and hers Rs. 3501 wrote about last week – my Gramophone royalty that is from 1st July last year till 31st December.
[?] Mother accepts the watch – she will keep it with her, she does not want to sell it.
Here is a little more present: a bank note of Rs. 10 which my cousin (my mother’s youngest sister’s son of eight) has unexpectedly sent. Note his childish handwriting. It is unaccountably touching this little boy suddenly sending pranami like this to Mother, what? There may be something in the fellow – I have asked Kalyan1 to enquire.
Must trouble you yet for the other letter from Hiren – the young novelist-friend of mine. You may remember him. He has had several dreams of you. His father was a play-wright sufficiently known – who died a fortnight or so ago. Hiren has been changing of late and had been pressing me to place his case before you. He has written me two more letters which if you care to read I may send you. The third I enclose. He wants to come to Ashram and take Yoga and stay at least two months to start with. If you like to see him, he may come first in November for darshan.
He was very vain formerly. But of late he has undoubtedly changed and has a distaste for ordinary life. He speaks very emotionally of you and says he has accepted you for his guru. He is sincere I think and fairly intelligent with a literary bent – writes good prose – his novel is not bad – I had corrected it two years back: commercially it has not been a failure. He is receptive I think – but I can’t know about these things. Should you care to I may write to him to come say for November darshan – but he would implore to be allowed to stay in the Ashram, judging from his letter. Qu’en dites-vous?
I am feeling better and better – more and more peace and I hope more and more vairagya too. Last night I sang much moved my last song of Krishna I had sent you a few days ago.
Tomorrow I will send you and Mother a song or two of Hashi (my gifted little pupil) and a recitation of mine on Himalayas, the poem you had liked so much. Will you be gracious enough to hear them. I will sing to Mother if possible? Please say amen if you are agreeable, what?
All right. As for the song it depends on whether it reaches my ear or... [incomplete]