Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

Volume 1. 1935

Letter ID: 1424

Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar

September 14, 1935

From what I could make out of your mysterious handwriting about this mysterious X, she must be a plucky girl. With that thrashing – if you are really capable of it – and the Mother’s “hard looks” to boot, if she has stuck to you, I must say that she is exceptionally enduring too.

I suppose X was able to stick because X had no brains. It is the confounded reasoning brain that is the ruin of you. For instead of taking the lesson of things it begins reasoning about them in this futile – shall I say asinine – way. My idea however is that X stuck because X had nowhere else to go. Of course that is the outward reason – the real one being that something unknown pinned X down here.

One word about this “patience”, Sir, I am afraid there is a big fallacy in that. You can take 50 years to make me at least a supramental ass. And this would still be a short period for you, since in the supramental time-scale 50 years will be 50 days of ours.

If that is so, then you will become a Supramental ass in 50 days – since my years are supramental, that follows. So what’s the row about? With this glowing prospect before you!

So I have stood and answered. But no amount of standing and answering will serve the purpose. I shall now learn to “stand and wait” as “they also serve who only stand and wait”, says Milton.

Thank God! A most comforting resolution – for me at any rate.

Doctor Saheb

I am sending to the dispensary two cases –

1.P – she had tuberculosis? at 19 for six months, she says, and at 25 for a short time, but cured quickly. Sounds queer, for tuberculosis at that age usually gallops, doesn’t it? Anyhow she has symptoms which need elucidation by medical authority. To be examined and reported.

2. B.P. – says he “fell from chastity” 7 years ago and had an illness of the organ (sores?) which the Panjab Doctors called by some outlandish word I don’t recognise – bedridden 2.5 months, cured by injections – twice recurred, but healed of itself – nothing for the last 3 years – coming here cropped up again. (Thanks to the forces at play for that!!). Apprehends. Cross-examine and examine. Does not know English, don’t know if you know Hindi. Anyhow Becharlal is there.

Feel inclined to swear, but refrain.

N.B. Keep quiet about the affair, please – strict medical discreetness needed!

Sri Aurobindo