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 Durgadas Shett [14]1
[January 1935]
Durgadas
I had intended to write about your sadhana, but, as recently there have been many difficulties in the work that I had to overcome, I could make no time.
In answer to your last letter I would say that when you have had the experiences and realisation you have described, nothing ought to discourage you. It is true that even after one has the consciousness in the inner being, it is still difficult to bring out it or its results in the outer being and the life. But that is a difficulty which all have and it can be overcome by patient sadhana and time.
One thing these realisations ought to remove from you – the idea of giving up the body. Once there is the inner consciousness established, the possibility of realisation in the outer life [ ]2 is established also and, whatever the obstacles and difficulties, the disappointments from people or circumstances, the idea of giving up the body ought not to arise.
Two things especially are needed for the
life-realisation to take form, an entire faith and equality of mind – not
disturbed by anything that may happen, knowing that all happens for the best by
the inscrutable Will – and the instrumentation of the Divine Force in the
adhara. These must be established in the 
inner
being, but also as much as possible in the outer nature. Men and circumstances
may not come up to your expectation or to your demand on them – they seldom or
never do, but it is not on them but on the Divine and on the Divine Force acting
in you that must be your dependence.
Your letter about the sadhana made everything clear and precise as to inner things – but there is not the same clearness and precision about your outer life. What are your present circumstances – what you wish and intend to do, that is what I would like to know more clearly. Especially one thing, what I should do for you on the material plane. When you sent not only the Rs 50,000 first promised for the Asram, but the rest of your share of the estate, you wrote that you had kept something for your needs and would write whenever you needed anything more. I have also arranged on that basis. But I know nothing of what are your needs or how you would like me to meet them. I gathered, I do not know whether rightly, from something you wrote that my sending an insured letter raised comments. I would very [much] like to know what precisely I should send, at what intervals and in what way. It would set my mind at rest if I knew this, for it is difficult to act in material things without such precisions. I hope therefore you will not mind my asking.
Sri Aurobindo
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 MS also