Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 2. 1937
Letter ID: 1836
Sri Aurobindo — Nirodbaran Talukdar
January 28, 1937
I am ashamed and at the same time devilishly glad that Guru has been floored! But isn’t it really a huge joke? ... How is it you didn’t catch any meaning in my poem of yesterday? Nolini sees no difficulty at all. It does mean something positively!
If it means something palpable to you, why don’t you let me into the secret?
You couldn’t make out the meaning of the word বণিতা1?
In Sanskrit বণিতা usually means a wife – I was wondering whose wife she was and suspecting adultery.
But why do you want the meaning of words? Poetry has to be felt, Sir!
Provided there is something to feel. But if feeling is enough, why ask me or yourself for a meaning?
I have used the word ডালা2 in today’s poem. It means, as you must know, a sort of a dish in which puja offerings are carried to the temple, so this ডালা, can’t it paint?
Not known in the Royal Academy or any other – this painter.
What sort of poetry am I writing? Who is this Muse creating this havoc as to founder even the Guru?
Surrealist – I suppose. My province doesn’t go so far.
1 vaṇitā.
2 ḍālā.