To
Motilal Roy [2]1Sri Aurobindo
Autobiographical Notes
and Other Writings of Historical Interest
Part Two. Letters of Historical Interest
1. Letters on Personal, Practical and Political Matters (1890–1926)
Letters and Telegrams to Political and Professional Associates 1906–1926
To
Motilal Roy [2]1
[August 1912 or after]
Dear M
P.S. has sent to his brother an address for sending Yogini Chakras. He says it is approved by you. Now we want to know, not only whether they are religious people there – he says you have assured him of that – but whether there is any likelihood of [their]2 being taken by the P.O. authorities for anything else. There are religious people who are openly mixed up with politics. We do not think it wise to send our purely religious Tantric instruments to any such.3 Kindly answer by return post. If the answer is satisfactory and we get the money promised, we will send Chakras.
15th August is usually a turning point or a notable day for me personally either in sadhana or life – indirectly only for others. This time it has been very important for me. My subjective sadhana may be said to have received its final seal and something like its consummation by a prolonged realisation and dwelling in Parabrahman for many hours. Since then, egoism is dead for all in me except the Annamaya Atma,– the physical self which awaits one farther realisation before it is entirely liberated from occasional visitings or external touches of the old separated existence.
My future sadhan is for life, practical knowledge and shakti,– not the essential knowledge or shakti in itself which I have got already – but knowledge and shakti established in the same physical self and directed to my work in life. I am now getting a clearer idea of that work and I may as well impart something of that idea to you; since you look to me as the centre, you should know what is likely to radiate out of that centre.
1. To reexplain the Sanatana Dharma to the human
intellect 
in all its parts, from a new
standpoint. This work is already beginning, and three parts of it are being
clearly worked out. Sri Krishna has shown me the true meaning of the Vedas, not
only so but he has shown me a new Science of Philology showing the process and
origins of human speech so that a new Nirukta can be formed and the new
interpretation of the Veda based upon it. He has also shown me the meaning of
all in the Upanishads that is not understood either by Indians or Europeans. I
have therefore to reexplain the whole Vedanta and Veda in such a way that it
will be seen how all religion arises out of it and is one everywhere. In this
way it will be proved that India is the centre of the religious life of the
world and its destined saviour through the Sanatana Dharma.
2. On the basis of Vedic knowledge to establish a Yogic sadhana which will not only liberate the soul, but prepare a perfect humanity and help in the restoration of the Satyayuga. That work has to begin now but will not be complete till the end of the Kali.
3. India being the centre, to work for her restoration to her proper place in the world; but this restoration must be effected as a part of the above work and by means of Yoga applied to human means and instruments, not otherwise.
4. A perfect humanity being intended society will have to be remodelled so as to be fit to contain that perfection.
You must remember that I have not given you the whole Yogic sadhana. What I have given you is only the beginning. You have to get rid of ahankara and desire and surrender yourself to God, in order that the rest may come. You speak of printing Yoga and its Objects. But remember that what I have sent you is only the first part which gives the path, not the objects or the circumstances. If you print it, print it as the first of a series, with the subtitle, the Path. I am now busy with an explanation of the Isha Upanishad in twelve chapters; I am at the eleventh now and will finish in a few days. Afterwards I shall begin the second part of the series and send it to you when finished.
I have also begun, but on a very small scale the second
part of my work which will consist in making men for the new age by 
imparting whatever siddhi I get to those who are chosen. From this
point of view our little colony here is a sort of seed plot and a laboratory.
The things I work out in it, are then extended outside. Here the work is
progressing at last on definite lines and with a certain steadiness, not very
rapid; but still definite results are forming. I should be glad to have from you
clearer knowledge of the results you speak of over there; for my drishti is not
yet sufficiently free from obstruction for me to know all that I need to know at
this stage.
What you say about the Ramakrishna Mission is, I dare say, true to a certain extent. Do not oppose that movement or enter into any conflict with it; whatever has to be done, I shall do spiritually, for God in these matters especially uses the spiritual means and the material are only very subordinate. Of course, you can get into that stream, as you suggest, and deflect as much as you can into a more powerful channel, but not so as to seem to be conflicting with it. Use spiritual means chiefly, will and vyapti. They are more powerful than speech and discussion. Remember also that we derive from Ramakrishna. For myself it was Ramakrishna who personally came and first turned me to this Yoga. Vivekananda in the Alipore jail gave me the foundations of that knowledge which is the basis of our sadhana. The error of the Mission is to keep too much to the forms of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda and not keep themselves open for new outpourings of their spirit,– the error of all “Churches” and organised religious bodies. I do not think they will escape from it, so long as their “Holy Mother” is with them. She represents now the Shakti of Ramakrishna so far as it was manifested in his life. When I say do not enter into conflict with them, I really mean “do not enter conflict with her.” Let her fulfil her mission, keeping always ours intact and ever-increasing.
As to other work (Tantric), I am not yet in possession of knowledge. The Shakti is only preparing to pour herself out there, but I don’t know what course she will take. You must remember I never plan or fix anything for myself. She must choose her own paddhati or rather follow the line Krishna fixes for her.
I am glad you have
arranged something about money. It is indifferent to me whether you get it from
others or provide it yourselves, so long as my energies which are badly needed
for sadhan and for the heavy work laid on me, are not diverted at present into
this lower effort in which they would be sorely wasted. You will be relieved of
the burden as soon as this physical resistance is overcome, but I do not know
yet how soon or late that will be. Reward, of course, those who give to God,
shall have; but what reward He will determine. Remember the importance of
keeping up this centre, for all my future work depends on what I work out here.
I shall write about the Sikh pamphlet, which is an excellent thing with one or two blemishes; but I could not understand who wrote the accompanying letter or what gentleman he refers to.
The letter you sent me last time from our man in Chandannagar is practically answered here. Biren may have made some mistake about my “shoes”. It was intended that they should be got from Amiyas. The glass case theory is all right,– only the exhibits have got to be maintained.
Kali
1 August 1912 or after. (In April 1914, Sri Aurobindo wrote of “the Parabrahma darshana”, apparently the experience mentioned in this letter, as happening “two years ago”; see Record of Yoga, volume 10 of The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, p. 447.){{1}}In February 1910, Sri Aurobindo left Calcutta and took temporary refuge in Chandernagore, a small French enclave on the river Hooghly about thirty kilometres north of Calcutta. There he was looked after by Motilal Roy (1882–1959), a young member of a revolutionary secret society. After leaving Chandernagore for Pondicherry in April, Sri Aurobindo kept in touch with Motilal by letter. It was primarily to Motilal that he was referring when he wrote in the “General Note on Sri Aurobindo’s Political Life” (p. 64 of this volume): “For some years he kept up some private communication with the revolutionary forces he had led through one or two individuals.” In these letters, which were subject to interception by the police, he could not of course write openly about revolutionary matters. He developed a code in which “tantra” meant revolutionary activities, and things connected with tantra (yogini chakras, tantric books, etc.) referred to revolutionary implements like guns (see Arun Chandra Dutt, ed., Light to Superlight [Calcutta: Prabartak Publishers, 1972], pp. 27–30). The code sometimes got rather complicated (see the note to letter [3] below). Sri Aurobindo did not use his normal signature or initials in the first 22 letters. Instead he signed as Kali, K., A. K. or G. He often referred to other people by initials or pseudonyms. Parthasarathi Aiyangar, for example, became “P. S.” or “the Psalmodist”.
2 MS there
3 In these letters to Motilal, terms such as “tantric instruments” and “tantric kriyas” are code-words for revolutionary materials and activities. The “Yogini Chakras” mentioned above were, according to an associate of Motilal’s, revolvers that Motilal wanted Sri Aurobindo to send to Chandernagore via the French post. – Ed.