Sri Aurobindo

Bande Mataram

Early Political Writings. 1890 — May 1908

Bande Mataram. March 24, 1908

Biparita Buddhi

The infatuation which drives men to destroy themselves seems to have taken full possession of the bureaucrats in this country. So long as they touched only the political or commercial interests of their subjects, the Lord of karma might delay his avenging hand; but the bounds are exceeded when the hand of power is turned against philanthropy and religion. The news published in our yesterday's issue that the bureaucratic police are interfering with the famine work of Lala Lajpat Rai and intimidating his agents, is a sign that the cup is growing full and will soon brim over. It is when the soul of India is attacked that Nemesis feels the call and turns her eyes on the transgressor. Power may do its worst against power but when it becomes the enemy of the saint, the helpless, the innocent, it is then that God is bound to interfere. The Lala's work of famine relief is a saintly work, spontaneous, unforced, not called for as a duty of position or power, taking its root in love and disinterested service, it is a work of tapasyā which generates brahmatejas in the doers, and when obstructed, the fire will turn upon the assailant and consume him. The jealousy and fears of the bureaucracy are hurrying them into all the excesses that prepare a disastrous recoil and bring about the fall of the proud and the destruction of the mighty.

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