Sri Aurobindo
Autobiographical Notes
and Other Writings of Historical Interest
Part Two. Letters of Historical Interest
2.Early Letters on Yoga and the Spiritual Life
1911–1928
To Barindra Kumar Ghose and Others, 1922–1928
To Barindra Kumar Ghose [2]1
Pondicherry
December 1. 1922
Dear Barin,
I waited for your letter in order to know precisely
what portions Chittaranjan wanted to publish and why.2 It turns out to be
as I saw, but I wanted confirmation. I must now make clear the reasons why I
hesitated to sanction the publication.
I should have had no objection to the publication of
the 
portion about the spiritual basis of life
or the last paragraph about Swaraj. But that about non-cooperation as it stands
without farther explanation and amplification would lead, I think, to a complete
misunderstanding of my real position. Some would take it to mean that I accept
the Gandhi programme subject to the modifications proposed by the Committee. As
you know, I do not believe that the Mahatma’s principle can be the true
foundation or his programme the true means of bringing about the genuine freedom
and greatness of India, her Swarajya and Samrajya. On the other hand others
would think that I was sticking to the school of Tilakite Nationalism. That also
is not the fact, as I hold that school to be out of date. My own policy, if I
were in the field, would be radically different in principle and programme from
both, however it might coincide in certain points. But the country is not yet
ready to understand its principle or to execute its programme.
Because I know this very well, I am content to work
still on the spiritual and psychic plane, preparing there the ideas and forces
which may afterwards at the right moment and under the right conditions
precipitate themselves into the vital and material field. And I have been
careful not to make any public pronouncement as that might prejudice my
possibilities of future action. What that will be will depend on developments.
The present trend of politics may end in abortive unrest, but it may also
stumble with the aid of external circumstances into some kind of simulacrum of
self-government. In either case the whole real work will remain to be done. I
wish to keep myself free for it in either case.
My interest in Das’s actions and utterances, apart from
all question of personal friendship, arises first from the fact that the push he
is giving, although I do not think it likely to succeed at present, may yet help
to break the narrow and rigid cadre of the “constructive” Bardoli programme
which seems to me to construct nothing and the fetish-worship of non-cooperation
as an end in itself rather than a means, and thereby to create conditions more
favourable for the wide and complex action necessary to prepare the true
Swarajya. Secondly, it arose from 
the rapidity
with which he seems to be developing many of the ideas which I have long put
down in my mind as essentials of the future. I have no objection to his making
use privately of what I have written in the letter. But I hope he will
understand why the publication of it does not recommend itself to me.
I see you are having great difficulties over the money
question. Remember that money as a general power is still in the hands of the
adverse forces, Mammon or Amrita’s grand Titan. The favourable force can only
come in waves which must be realised at once, otherwise the adverse forces will
intervene and create all difficulties. Also it will not do to relax effort or
turn it elsewhere when things seem to promise favourably,– the promise is likely
to be deceptive because that is just the moment for the hostile intervention. As
in the Yoga, so here the will and the force must be kept steadily working on
men, forces and circumstances until the possible success is achieved.
Aurobindo
P.S. The answer to Jyotish Ghose’s letter will go
later.