Anilbaran says his
translations cannot be published in book form without serious revision and he is
no doubt right. If it is published at all it will have to be given to R, who
wants all the things from here that can be given to him.Sri Aurobindo
Autobiographical Notes
and Other Writings of Historical Interest
Part Two. Letters of Historical Interest
3. Other Letters on Yoga and Practical Life 1921–1938
On Yoga and Fund-raising for the Ashram, 1921–1938
To and about Durgadas Shett [2]1
[29 December 1927]
The “Sadhak-Bhav” is Anilbaran’s translation of one of several pieces that are being put together and published by Rameshwar under the title “The Mother”. There seems to be no great utility in publishing a separate translation of it and the English of it is out of question since that has been given to Rameshwar.
Anilbaran says his
translations cannot be published in book form without serious revision and he is
no doubt right. If it is published at all it will have to be given to R, who
wants all the things from here that can be given to him.
Some four months ago Durgadas wrote a letter about a friend of his; the letter passed out of my memory and no answer was given. The photograph sent shows nothing. As for the illness, it is evidently a disease of the physical nerves – these diseases attack at various places and create or simulate different illnesses. Probably it is an after result of the ravage on the organism created by the Kalazar. In most cases it indicates a weakness in the vital being which opens it to pressure from hostile influences belonging to the lower vital worlds.
1 This letter was written by Sri Aurobindo to his secretary Nolini Kanta Gupta, whom he asked to reply to Durgadas on his behalf.{{1}}A member of a wealthy family of industrialists based in Chandernagore, Durgadas Shett (1895–1958) sent significant amounts of money to Sri Aurobindo through Motilal Roy before 1922. In 1934 his family property was distributed, and he gave most of his share to Sri Aurobindo. Afterwards he lived an austere life; at times he was dependent on Sri Aurobindo for cash for ordinary expenses.
2 Sri Aurobindo wrote what follows to indicate how he wanted his secretary, Nolini Kanta Gupta, to answer a letter from Durgadas. Nolini’s reply was apparently written in Bengali. – Ed.