{"id":780,"date":"2013-07-13T01:30:22","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=780"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:30:22","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:30:22","slug":"78-letter-to-m-vol-27-supplement-volume-27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/27-supplement-volume-27\/78-letter-to-m-vol-27-supplement-volume-27","title":{"rendered":"-78_Letter to-M.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n


\nLetters to
\n<\/b>M.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n                                                                                
\n<\/b>
\n<\/span>3 July, 1912<\/b><\/p>\n

Dear M.
\n                  
\n<\/span>Your money (by letter and wire) and clothes reached safely. The French
\nPost Office here has got into the habit (not yet explained) of not delivering
\nyour letters till Friday; that was the reason why we wired to you thinking you
\nhad, not sent the money that week. I do not know whether this means anything,
\n<\/span>– for<\/span>merly
\nwe used to get your letters on Tuesday, afterwards it came to Wednesday, then
\nThursday and finally Friday. It may be a natural evolution of French
\nRepublicanism. Or it may be some- thing else. I see no signs of the seals having
\nbeen tampered with, but that is not an absolutely sure indication of security.
\nThe postman may be paid by the police. Personally, however, I am inclined to
\nbelieve in the Republican administration theory,- the Republic always likes to
\nhave time on its hands. Still, if you like, you can send important <\/i>communications
\nto any other address here you may know of, for the present (of course, by French
\npost and a Madrasi address). All others should come by
\n\t\tthe
\nold address, <\/span>–<\/span>
\nyou may be sure, I think, no letter will be ac<\/span>tually
\nintercepted, on this side. By the way, please let us know whether Mr. Banomali
\nPal received a letter by French post from Achari enclosing another to
\nParthasarathi.
\n                    
\n<\/span>I have not written all this time because I was not allowed to put pen to
\npaper for some time, – that is all. I send enclosed a letter to our Marathi
\nfriend. If he can give you anything for me, please send it without the least
\ndelay. If not, I must ask you to procure for me by will-power or any other power
\nin heaven or on earth Rs. 50 at least as a loan. If you cannot get it elsewhere,
\nwhy not apply to Barid Babu? Also, if Nagen is in Calcutta, ask him whether the
\nNoakhali gentleman can let me have anything. I was told he had Rs. 300 put aside
\nfor me if I wanted it; but I did not wish to apply to him except in case of
\nnecessity. The situation just now is that we have Rs. 11\/2 or so in hand.
\nSrinivasa<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-426
\n 
\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

is also without money. As to Bharati living on
\nnothing means an uncertain quantity. The only other man in Pondicherry whom I
\ncould at present ask for help is absent sine die <\/i>and my messenger to the
\nSouth not returned. The last time he came, he brought a promise of Rs. 1000 in a
\nmonth and some permanent provision afterwards, but the promise like certain
\npredecessors has not yet been fulfilled and we sent him for cash. But though he
\nshould have been here three days ago, he has not returned, and even when he
\nreturns, I am not quite sure about the cash and still less sure about the
\nsufficiency of the amount. No doubt, God will provide, but He has contracted a
\nbad habit of waiting till the last moment. I only hope He does not wish us to
\nlearn how to live on a minus quantity like Bharati.
\n                   
\n<\/span>Other difficulties are disappearing. The case brought against the
\nSwadeshis (no one in this household was included in it although we had a very
\ncharmingly polite visit from the Parquet and Juge <\/i>d’lnstruction) has
\ncollapsed into the nether regions and the complainant and his son have fled from
\nPondicherry and become, like ourselves "political refugees" in
\nCuddalore. I hear he has been sentenced by default to five years imprisonment on
\nfalse accusation, but I don’t know yet whether the report is true. The police
\nwere to have left at the end of Pondicherry but a young lunatic (one of
\nBharati’s old disciples in patriotism and atheism) got involved in a
\nsedition-search (for the Indian Sociologist of all rubbish in the world!) and
\ncame running here in the nick of time for the police to claim another two
\nmonths’ holiday in Pondicherry. However, I think their fangs have been drawn. I
\nmay possibly send you the facts of the case for publication in the Nayak <\/i>or
\nany other paper, but I am not yet certain.
\n                     
\n<\/span>I shall write to you about Sadhana etc. another time.<\/p>\n

                                                                                                           
\n<\/span>Kali<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-427
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

                                                                                                                
\n        <\/span>[January,1913?]
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

We
\nhave received from you in December Rs. 60, and Rs.20, and in this month Rs. 10.
\nAccording to N’s account Rs. 10 belongs<\/span>
\nto November account, Rs. 50 to December; Rs. 20 we suppose to have been sent in
\nadvance for the January account. If so, we still expect from you Rs. 20 this
\nmonth. I should be glad to know if there is any prospect of your being able to
\nincrease the amount now or shortly. Up till now we have somehow or other managed
\nto fill in the deficit of Rs. 35 monthly; but, now that all our regular sources
\nhere are stopped, we have to look to mere luck for going on. Of course if we
\nwere Bhaktas of the old type, this would be the regular course, but as our
\nSadhana stands upon Karmayoga with Jnana and Bhakti, this inactive Nirbhara can
\nonly continue so long as it is enjoined on us as a temporary movement of the
\nSadhana. It cannot be permanent. I think there will have to be a change before
\nlong, but I cannot see clearly whether the regular and sufficient arrangement
\nwhich must be instituted some time, is to come from you or from an unexpected
\nquarter or whether I have myself to move in the matter. It is a question of
\nproviding some Rs. 450 a year in addition to what you send, – unless, of course,
\nGod provides us with some new sources for the sarirayiitra <\/i>as He did two
\nyears ago.
\n                    
\n<\/span>All these matters as well as the pursuance of my work to which you allude
\nin your last (commercial) letter, depend on the success of the struggle which is
\nthe crowning movement of my Sadhana – viz. the attempt to apply knowledge and
\npower to the events and happenings of the world without the necessary
\ninstrumentality of physical action. What I am attempting is to establish the
\nnormal working of the Siddhis in life i.e. the perception of thoughts, feelings
\nand happenings of other beings and in other places throughout the world without
\nany use of information by speech or any other data; 2nd, the communication of
\nthe ideas and feelings I select to others (individuals, groups, nations) by mere
\ntransmission of will-power; 3rd, the silent compulsion on them to act according
\nto these communicated ideas and feel-<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Page-428
\n<\/span><\/font> <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

ings;
\n4th, the determining of events, actions and results of action throughout the
\nworld by pure silent will-power. When I wrote to you last, I had begun the
\ngeneral application of these powers which God has been developing in me for the
\nlast two or three years, but, as I told you, I was getting badly beaten. This is
\nno longer the case, for in the Ist, 2nd and even in 3rd I am now largely
\nsuccessful, although the action of these powers is not yet perfectly organised.
\nIt is only in the 4th that I feel a serious resistance. I can produce single
\nresults with perfect accuracy, I can produce general results with difficulty and
\nafter a more or less prolonged struggle, but I can neither be sure of producing
\nthe final decisive result I am aiming at nor of securing that orderly
\narrangement of events which prevents the results from being isolated and only
\npartially effective. In some directions I seem to succeed, in others partly to
\nfail and partly to succeed, while in some fields, e.g., this matter of financial
\nequipment both for my personal life and for my work I have hitherto entirely
\nfailed. When I shall succeed even partially in that, then I shall know that my
\nhour of success is at hand and that I have got rid of the past Karma in myself
\nand others, which stands in our way and helps the forces of Kaliyuga to baffle
\nour efforts.
\n             
\n<\/span>About Tantric Yoga; your experiment in the smasona <\/i>was a daring
\none, – but
\nit seems to have been efficiently and skilfully carried out, and the success is
\nhighly gratifying. In these Kriyas there are three considerations to be held in
\nview; 1st, the object of the Kriya. Of course there is the general object of
\nMukti-Bhukti which Tantriks in all ages have pursued, but to bring it about
\ncertain subjective results and conditions are necessary in ourselves and our
\nsurroundings and each separate Kriya should be so managed as to bring about an
\nimportant result of the kind. Big Kriyas or numerous Kriyas are not always
\nnecessary; the main thing is that they should be faultlessly effective like your
\nlast Kriya or the small one with which you opened your practices. That is the
\nsecond consideration viz. the success of the Kriya itself and that depends on
\nthe selection and proper use of the right Mantra and Tantra, – Mantra, the mental part, and
\nTantra, the practical
\npart. These must be arranged with the greatest scrupulousness.
\nAll rashness, pride, ostentation, etc., <\/span>
\n–<\/span>
\nthe rajasic<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-429<\/i>
\n 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span>defects,
\n <\/span>–<\/span>
\n <\/span>also, all negligence, omission, slipshod ritual,- the tamasic defects,
\n must be avoided. Success must not elate your minds, nor failure discourage.
\n 3rdly, Angarakshana is as important as Siddhi. There are many Tantriks in this
\n Kaliyuga who are eager about Siddhi, careless in Angarakshana. They get some
\n Siddhi, but become the prey of the devils and Bhutas they raise. Now what is
\n the use of the particular Siddhi, if the Sadhakas are destroyed? The general
\n and real object, – Mukti and Bhukti, – remains unfulfilled. Angarakshana is
\n managed, first, by the selection and arrangement of the right Siddhi- Mantra
\n and Kriya, secondly, by the presence behind the Sadhaka of one who repeats what
\n is called an Angarakshana Mantra, destructive of the Pretas and Rakshasas or
\n prohibitive of their attacks. The last function I have taken on myself; it is
\n your business so to arrange the Kriya that the Bhutas get no chances for
\n
\n [praves] <\/i>or for the seizure and destruction of the Sadhaka. I have found
\n that my Mantra has been more and more successful in protection, but it is not
\n yet strong enough to prevent all <\/span>
\n <\/span>[upadrav] <\/i>of a dangerous character. It will take some more
\n [avrtti]
\n <\/i>to increase its power. It is for this reason that I do not yet tell you
\n to go on swiftly in your course of practices. Still there is no harm in quickening
\n the pace in comparison with the past. Remember always the supreme necessity
\n of Mauna in Tantric practices. In Vedantic and Puranic exercises expression
\n is not dangerous, but the goddess of the Tantra does not look with a favourable
\n eye on those who from pride, ostentation or looseness blab about the Mantra
\n or the Kriya. In Tantric-Sadhana secrecy is necessary for its own sake. Those
\n who reveal Mantra or Kriya to the unfit, suffer almost inevitably; even those
\n who reveal them unnecessarily to the fit impair somewhat the force of their
\n Tantric action.<\/p>\n

                                                       
\n                                                                                <\/span>Kali
\nP. S. Please send the rest of this month’s money at once, if you have not
\nalready sent it, and next month’s as early as you can.<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-430\n <\/p>\n

\n

\n                                                                                                                    <\/span>                 <\/span>[1913?]    <\/span><\/font>                                                                                                  
\n                     <\/span>
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

\n
\n    I write only about 3 points today.
\n   1. Your R. S. Sharma I hold to be a police spy. I have
\nrefused to see him because originally when he tried to force his way into my
\nhouse and win my confidence by his extravagances I received a warning against
\nhim from within which has always been repeated. This was confirmed afterwards by
\ntwo facts, <\/span>
\n\t\t–<\/span>first
\nthat the Madras Police betrayed a very benevolent interest in the success of his
\nmission, secondly, that he came to Pondicherry afterwards as sub-editor of a new
\nPondicherry paper, the Independent, <\/i>subsequently defunct and replaced by
\nanother the Argus, <\/i>belonging to the same proprietor who has been openly
\nacting in concert with the British Police against us in Pondicherry. In this
\npaper he wrote a very sneering and depreciatory paragraph about me, (not by name
\nbut by allusion) in which he vented his spite at his failure. Failing even so to
\nget any footing here, for the Swadeshis were warned against him, he returned to
\nMadras. He seems now to have tried his hand with you at Calcutta and succeeded,
\nprobably, beyond his expectations! I wonder when you people will stop trusting
\nthe first stranger with a glib tongue who professes Nationalist fervour and
\ndevotion. Whether you accept my estimate of him or not, you may be sure that his
\nBhakti for me is humbug, – as shown by the above newspaper incident, – and you
\nmust accept at least the facts I have given you and draw any conclusions that
\ncommon sense may suggest to you.<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

                         
\n<\/span>2. Do not print Yoga and its Objects <\/i>unless and until I give you
\npositive directions. It cannot be printed in its present form and I may decide
\nto complete the work before it is printed. In any case parts of it would have to
\nbe omitted or modified.
\n        
\n                <\/span>3.
\nNext, money matters. I could not understand your arithmetic about the Rs. 40 and
\nhow we should gain by not getting it. The only reason why we wrote constantly
\nfor it, was that it was necessary to us in our present financial position, in
\nwhich we have to provide anxiously for every need and the failure of any ex-<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-431
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

pacted
\nsum reduces us to difficulties. I had reckoned on the remainder of Madgodkar’s
\nmoney to pay the sum sti11 due for the rent of our last house. Fortunately, the
\nlitigation connected with the house has kept the matter hanging; but it may be
\ndemanded from us any day and we shall have to pay at once, or face the prospect
\nof being dragged into court and losing our prestige here entirely. In future,
\nlet me ask you, never to undertake any payment to us which you are not sure of
\nbeing able to fulfil, because of the great disorder in our arrangements which
\nresults.
\n                       
\n<\/span>Our position here now is at its worst; since all efforts to get some help
\nfrom here have been temporarily fruitless and we have to depend on your Rs.50
\nwhich is insufficient. We have to pay Rs. 15 for rent, other expenses come to
\nnot less, and the remaining Rs. 20 cannot suffice for the food expenses of five
\npeople. Even any delay in your money arriving makes our Manager "see
\ndarkness". That is why we had to telegraph. We did not know then that your
\nlast remittance of Rs. 20 had arrived; and our available money was exhausted.
\nOur correspondence agent has turned merchant and walked off to Madras
\nindefinitely; in his absence we had great difficulty in getting hold of your
\nletter and indeed it is only today that it reached our hands. Narayan will give
\nyou a new address to which please address all letters in future.
\n                         
\n<\/span>There is no "reason" for my not writing to you. I never
\nnowadays act on reasons, but only as an automaton in the hands of Another;
\nsometimes He lets me know the reasons of my action, sometimes He does not, but I
\nhave to act, – or refrain from action,
\n<\/span>–<\/span>
\n<\/span>all the same, according as He wills.
\n                         
\n<\/span>I shall write nothing about Sadhana etc. until I am out of my present
\nstruggle to make the spirit prevail over matter and circumstances, in which for
\nthe resent I have been getting badly the worst of it. Till then you must expect
\nnothing but mere
\nbusiness letters, -if any.<\/span>      
\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\n                                                                                                
\n<\/span>Kali<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-432
\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

[1913?]<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Dear
\nM.<\/p>\n

              
\n<\/span>P.S. has sent to his brother an
\naddress for sending Yogini Chakras. He says it is approved by you. Now we want
\nto know, not only whether they are religious people there,
\n<\/span>–<\/span>
\n<\/span>he says you have assured him of that, – but
\nwhether there is any likelihood of these being taken by the P.O. authorities for
\nanything else. There are religious people who are openly mixed up with politics.
\nWe do not think it wise to send our purely religious Tantric instruments to any
\nsuch. Kindly answer by return post. If the answer is satisfactory and we get the
\nmoney promised, we will send the Chakras.
\n<\/span>.
\n                   
\n<\/span><\/span>15th August is usually a turning
\npoint or a notable day for me personally either in Sadhana or life, – indirectly
\nonly for others. This time it has been very important for me. My subjective
\nSadhana may be said to have received its final seal and something like its
\nconsummation by a prolonged realisation and dwelling in Parabrahman for many
\nhours. Since then, egoism is dead for all in me except the Annamaya Atma, – the
\nphysical self which awaits one farther realisation before it is entirely
\nliberated from occasional visitings or external touches of the old separated
\nexistence.
\n                   
\n<\/span>My future Sadhan is for life, practical knowledge and Shakti, not the
\nessential knowledge or Shakti in itself which I have got already, but knowledge
\nand Shakti established in the same physical self and directed to my work in
\nlife. I am now getting a clearer idea of that work and I may as well impart
\nsomething of that idea to you; since you look to me as the centre, you should
\nknow what is likely to radiate out of that centre.
\n                   
\n<\/span>1. To re-explain the Sanatana Dharma to the human intellect in all its
\nparts, from a new standpoint. This work is already beginning, and three parts
\nof it are being clearly worked out. Sri Krishna has shown me the true meaning of
\nthe Vedas, not only so, but he has shown me a new Science of Philology showing
\nthe process and origins of human speech so that a new Nirukta can be formed and
\nthe new interpretation of the Veda based upon
\n<\/span>it. He<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-433<\/p>\n

\n

has
\nalso shown me
\nthe meaning of all in the Upanishads that is not understood either by Indians or
\nEuropeans. I have therefore to re-explain the whole Vedanta and Veda in such a
\nway that it will be seen how all religion arises out of it and is one
\neverywhere. In this way it will be proved that India is the centre of the
\nreligious life of the world and its destined saviour through the Sanatana
\nDharma.
\n                       
\n<\/span>2. On the basis of Vedic knowledge, to establish a Yogic – Sadhana which
\nwill not only liberate the soul, but prepare a perfect humanity and help in the
\nrestoration of the Satya Yuga. That work has to begin now but it will not be
\ncomplete till the end of the Kali.
\n                       
\n<\/span>3. India being the centre, to work for her restoration to her proper
\nplace in the world; but this restoration must be effected as a part of the above
\nwork and by means of Yoga applied to human means and instruments, not otherwise.
\n                      
\n<\/span>4. A perfect humanity being intended, society will have to be remodelled
\nso as to be fit to contain that perfection. <\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

          
\n            <\/span>You
\nmust remember that I have not given you the whole Yogic Sadhana. What I have
\ngiven you is only the beginning. You have to get rid of Ahamkara and desire and
\nsurrender yourself to God in order that the rest may come. You speak of printing
\nYoga and its Objects. <\/i>But remember that what 1 have sent you is only the
\nfirst part which gives the path, not the objects or the circumstances. If you
\nprint it, print it as the first of a series, with the subtitle, The Path. <\/i>I
\nam now busy with an explanation of the Isha Upanishad in twelve chapters. I am
\nat the eleventh now and will finish in a few days. Afterwards I shall begin the
\nsecond part of the series and send it to you when finished.
\n                      
\n<\/span>I have also begun but on a very small scale the second part of my work
\nwhich will consist in making men for the new age by imparting whatever Siddhi I
\nget to those who are chosen. From this point of view our little colony here is a
\nsort of seed plot, a laboratory. The things I work out in it, are then extended
\noutside. Here the work is progressing at last on definite lines and with a
\ncertain steadiness, not very rapid, but still definite results are forming. I
\nshould be glad to have from you clearer knowledge of the results you speak of
\nover there; for my Drishti is not <\/font><\/p>\n

Page-434
\n 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

yet sufficiently free from
\nobstructions for me to know all that I need to know at this stage.
\n                           
\n<\/span>What you say about the Ramakrishna Mission is, I dare say, true to a
\ncertain extent. Do not oppose that movement or enter into any conflict with it
\n—-Remember also that we derive from Ramakrishna. For myself it was Ramakrishna
\nwho personally came and first turned me to this Yoga. Vivekananda in the Alipore
\nJail gave me the foundations of that knowledge which is the basis of our Sadhana.
\nThe error of the Mission is to keep too much to the forms of Ramakrishna and
\nVivekananda and not keep themselves open for new outpourings of their spirit,
\n-the error of all "Churches" and organised religious bodies.
\n  
\n                        <\/span>As
\nto other work (Tantric), I am not yet in possession of knowledge. The Shakti is
\nonly preparing to pour herself out there, but I don’t know what course she will
\ntake. You must remember I never plan or fix anything for myself. She must choose
\nher own ("Paddhati") or rather follow the line Krishna fixes for her.
\n                          
\n<\/span>I am glad you have arranged something about money. It is indifferent to
\nme whether you get it from others or provide it yourselves, so long as my
\nenergies which are badly needed for Sadhana, and for the heavy work laid on me
\nare not diverted at present into this lower effort in which they would be sorely
\nwasted. You will be relieved of the burden as soon as this physical resistance
\nis overcome, but I do not know how soon or late that wilt be. Reward, of course,
\nthose who give to God shall have; but what reward He will determine. Remember
\nthe importance of keeping up this centre for all my future work depends on what
\nI work out here.
\n                 
\n         <\/span>I shall write about
\nthe Sikh pamphlet which is an excellent thing but with one or two blemishes; but
\nI could not understand who wrote the accompanying letter or what gentleman he
\nrefers to.<\/font><\/p>\n

                           
\n<\/span>The letter you sent me last time from a certain man in Chandernagore is
\npractically answered here. Biren may have made some mistake about the shoes. It
\nwas intended that they should be got from— The glass case theory is all right,
\nonly the exhi-
\nbits have got to be maintained.
\n  
\n                                                                                                                                       <\/span>Kali<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Page-435
\n 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n <\/span>[Feb. – March, 1913?]<\/span><\/p>\n

\nDear M.<\/p>\n

                 
\n<\/span><\/span>I have received Rs. 60 by wire and
\nRs. 20 by letter. It was a great relief to us that you were able to send Rs. 80
\nthis time and Rs. 85 for March. Owing to the cutting off of all other means of
\nsupply, we were getting into a very difficult position. I welcome it as a sign
\nof some preliminary effectiveness, through you, in this direction, in which
\nhitherto everything has gone against us; also as one proof of several that the
\nquality of your power and your work is greatly improving in effectiveness and
\nsuccess. I need not refer to the other proofs; you will know what I mean. But
\njust now I find every forward step to be made is violently combated and
\nobstinately obstructed. Our progress is like the advance of a modern regiment
\nunder fire in which we have to steal a few yards at a run and then lie down
\nunder cover and let the storm of bullets sweep by. I neither hope for nor see
\nyet any prospect of a more successful rapidity.<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

                
\nI
\nhave been lying down under cover ever since the middle of February after a very
\nbrilliant advance in January and the early part of February. I keep the previous
\nground, but can make as yet no sure progress farther. There is only a slow
\npreparation for farther progress. The real difficulty is to bring force,
\nsureness and rapidity into the  <\/span>application
\nof power and knowledge to life,-  <\/span>especially
\nsureness, for it is possible to bring the force and rapidity, but if not
\nattended by unfailing sureness of working, they may lead to great errors in
\nknowledge and great stumbles and disasters in action which counteract the
\nsuccesses. On the other hand, if sureness has to be gained only by not stepping
\nexcept where everything is sure (which is the first stage of action and
\nknowledge necessary to get rid of rajasic rashness), progress is likely to be
\nslow. I am trying to solve the dilemma.
\n                 
\n<\/span>I have not kept your last letter and I only remember that you asked me to
\nwrite something about your Sadhana. I cannot just now, but I shall try to do it
\nin my next as I expect by then to be clear of some of my present difficulties.<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

Page-436
\n 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 
\n<\/font>
\n<\/span>There is the pressing cry for clothes in
\nthis quarter as these articles seem to be with us to remind us now constantly of
\nthe paucity of matter. I have received Bepin Pal’s Soul of India. <\/i>Can you
\nadd [another?] by getting from Hiranyagarbha,
\n<\/span>–<\/span>
\n<\/span>Sister Nivedita’s My Master as I Saw
\nHim? <\/i>I am also in need,
\n<\/span>– as I <\/span>wrote
\nto you once before, – of R. C. Dutt’s Bengali translation of the Vedas. Neither
\nof these books is urgently required but please keep them in mind and send them
\nwhen you can.                                                         <\/span><\/font><\/font><\/p>\n


\n                         
\n                                                          <\/span>Kali<\/p>\n

                                                                                     
\n                             <\/span>[June-July,1913?]<\/font><\/p>\n

\n     <\/span>Dear
\nM.<\/p>\n

                 
\n<\/span>Your letter, money etc. have reached
\nme without delay or mishap. Please make it a rule, in future, not to be anxious
\nor troubled when you get no answer; when I do not reply, it is not because I
\nhave not received your letters, but because silence was necessary, for my Siddhi,
\nfor yours or for the work that has to be done. At such times, keep calm, repel
\nany suggestions of perplexity or anxiety and do not allow any disturbing mental
\nwaves to interfere between. A still heart, a clear mind and untroubled nerves
\nare the very first necessity for the perfection of our Yoga.
\n                     
\n<\/span>I enclose a letter for C. R. Das. Please transmit it and get a reply
\nwritten or verbal. You will see, I did not authorise Bhaga to ask him for money;
\nat the same time, in doing so, he obeyed an unspoken general vyapti <\/i>from
\nmyself which his mind seems to have got hold of and mixed up with its own
\ndesires and anxieties. I am drawing now towards the close of my internal Yogic
\nTapasya and the time is not very distant when I shall have to use its results
\nfor the work God has sent me to do in the world. For that work I shall need
\nlarge sums of money. So long as I was only perfecting myself and sending out
\nShakti to others, all I needed was enough for the maintenance of myself and
\nthose who are with me. This charge I gave to you and the charge is not
\nwithdrawn; but, as you<\/font> <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Page-437
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

know,
\nit covers only the bare physical necessities of our life in Pondicherry. More
\nthan that, you are not likely to be able to afford; and certainly you could not
\nprovide me with the sums I shall need even in the earlier part of my work. To
\nlimit myself to the Rs. 85 a month you can send me, would be to deny myself the
\nmaterial means for doing what I have to do and to accept stagnation and
\nquiescence. It is true I am not beginning that work immediately, but, before it
\nbegins, I have to bend circumstances to my will in this very particular so
\nthat the obstacle of paucity of means which has been my chief stumbling-block
\nfor the beginning may be got rid of once for all. My will has to be- come
\neffective on this point above all and the impediments both subjective and
\nobjective to its mastery have to be eliminated. Therefore I have sent out the
\ngeneral vyapti <\/i>I spoke of. Biren’s action was one of the first responses,
\nbut, as it was an impure response, it has created more Golmal than effect. As to
\nconfining the appeal for pecuniary assistance to those who are entirely of one
\nway of thinking with ourselves, it was a good rule for you to observe; but it
\ncannot bind me when I begin my larger movement. From whatever quarter money or
\nhelp comes to me, it comes from God.
\n<\/span>.
\n                      
\n<\/span><\/span>With regard to the Tantric books,
\nthe Psalmodist was here, and wrote to you and went away, expecting to return in
\na fortnight, but more than a fortnight has passed without his return. He has
\nwritten to us to say he has received money from you and we have written to him
\nto come here. He is expected daily, but he does not arrive. He will, no doubt,
\nbe a good Karmavira in time; but at present he is too rajasic, with intervals of
\nTamas, has too much faith in European religions and the arms of the flesh and
\ntoo little faith in Yoga and the arms of the spirit. He went northward on his
\nown initiative. I could have told him his efforts there would be fruitless, but
\nit is always well for a man to get experience for himself, when he will not take
\nthe benefit of superior experience. Your scheme about the books is impracticable
\nunder present conditions of which you are ignorant. When he comes, we will
\nconsult together and see if any blameless way can be found. But there is a time
\nfor all things and the time for free publication of Tantric works has not
\narrived. Still, your<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Page-438
\n 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

particular order may be met.
\nYour letter to him, if addressed to Pondicherry did not reach us; whether he got
\nit in Madras or not, I do not know.<\/font><\/p>\n

               
\n<\/span>Your working, remember, is not yet definitive working; it is still in the
\nnature of experiment, with some minor results. When your working becomes more
\nperfect, more proper and the necessary spiritual force can be sent from here,
\n<\/span>–<\/span>
\n<\/span>then real Tantra can begin. Meanwhile,
\ndon’t be over-eager; let nothing disconcerting discourage or perplex you.
\nEagerness, anxiety and discouragement are all different faces of one defect. I
\nshall write to you on all matters connected with the Tantra after the Psalmodist
\narrives. Also about the Vedanta. If he does not come, I shall write all the
\nsame.
\n                
\n<\/span>Bejoy was to have seen Ramchandra in Calcutta and given you news of us,
\non his way to Khulna; but from your not sending the June money and from Sudhir’s
\nletter, it seems the interview did not take place or else no report was given to
\nyou. Please send the money. I am going on somehow, but the money I am doing
\nwith, will have to be replaced. 
\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n


\n                                                                                                                                                     
\n<\/span>Kali
\n<\/font><\/p>\n


\n
\n                
\n<\/span>P.S. The Psalmodist has written announcing his immediate arrival here,
\nbut he has so often disappointed us that I end off this letter, without farther
\nwaiting. If he comes, I shall write to you as soon as anything is settled.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n
\n                                                                                                         
\n              <\/span>[August,1913?]<\/font><\/p>\n


\nDear M.<\/p>\n

                
\n<\/span><\/span>I enclose a letter to C. R. Das.
\nPlease let me know as soon as possible whether he has received the MSS. Also let
\nme have the address of your West Indian friend in that connection which you
\nomitted to give in your last letter, – of course in the usual formula. Please
\nexplain how you expect him to befriend you if there is any difficulty in the
\nfinal stage of the publication. I am too<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-439
\n 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

exhausted
\nto write anything at length this time,
\n<\/span>– we shall see <\/span>afterwards
\nwhen I have recovered my physical equilibrium. I expect Rs. 40 for July and the
\nmoney for August (current) which will complete our regular account for the
\npresent if C.R.Das sends in the rest of his money as proposed. By the way, his
\nagents Grind lays & Co. send me Rs. 300 with a note saying that I shall get
\nRs. 1000 for the translations. Is the Rs. 300 part of the Rs. 1000 or separate?
\nI ask this for information only, because you wrote that he intended to give me
\none year’s expenses and Rs. 300 extra. I need some extra money badly now for
\nmaterials for the work I have now seriously entered on in connection with the
\nVeda and the Sanskrit language. In that same connection will you please make a
\nserious effort this time to get hold of Dutt’s Bengali translation of the
\nRigveda and send it to me,
\n<\/span>– or any
\ntranslation <\/span>for that matter which gives the
\nEuropean version ?           <\/span><\/font><\/p>\n


\n                                                                                                                   
\n          <\/span>Kali<\/p>\n

                                                                                                                                      
\n<\/span>[1913] <\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dear
\nM.                
\n<\/span>.<\/p>\n

                        
\n<\/span><\/span>I send the proofs. Your Rs. 50 for
\nNarayan etc.’s travelling expenses reached duly and were by him duly spent. He
\nhas promised to repay the sum, but I don’t know when he will be able to do so.
\nHe will see you, he told me, when he first goes to Calcutta from his place; as
\nhis mother was ill, he would not stop to see you on the way. But perhaps other
\nreasons prevented him just then, for I believe he did stop a day or two in
\nCalcutta.
\n                        
\n<\/span>Biren is all right, I believe; he said nothing to anybody about that
\nmatter. There were some legitimate doubts in some quarters owing to his unsteady
\nnature and other defects of character. I thought it right to give them as much
\nvalue for practical purposes as was reasonable; therefore I wrote to you.
\n                       
\n<\/span>I do not write to you this time about the despatch of the books, because
\nthat is a long matter and would delay the proofs which have already been too
\nlong delayed. But I shall write a<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-440
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

separate
\nletter on that subject. I have also to write about your Tantric Yoga, but I
\nthink I shall await what else you have to tell me on that subject before doing
\nso.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n
\n                                                                                                                       
\n                  <\/span>Kali<\/font><\/p>\n


\n
\n                
\n<\/span>P. S. Don’t delay long in sending the money.<\/p>\n

                  
\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n


\n                                                                                                 
\n<\/span>[July-Aug.,19131]<\/font><\/p>\n

\n         
\n<\/span>Dear M.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

           
\n               <\/span><\/span>I
\nsubjoin certain explanations about the matter of the Tantric books. I put them
\nin cipher because there are certain things, as you can understand, not comme
\nil faut <\/i>according to the ideas of modern social decorum which ought not to
\nfall under unfit eyes. It appears that you did not understand my last letter.
\nHowever, from henceforth please leave this matter entirely in my hands. You will
\nsee from the explanations given how highly undesirable is the kind of
\ncorrespondence you have been carrying on hitherto in another quarter. I have
\ntaken Rs.50 from S., but this sum or part of it (at least Rs.30) ought to be
\nreplaced for expenses attached to that particular transaction. Meanwhile I await
\nRs.35 for June and all the July money. I delay other matters in consideration of
\nthe urgency of the accompanying note.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n
\n                                                                                                                                          
\n<\/span>Kali<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n                           
\n<\/span>P.S. I received information of your Tantric Kriyas. It is clear that you
\nare far from perfect yet. All the more reason why you should not be in a hurry
\nto progress physically. Get rid of the remnants of sattwic Ahankara and Rajoguna,
\nfor that which we are within, our Karma and Kriya will be without. Kali demands
\na pure Adhara for her works, and if you try to hurry her by rajasic impatience,
\nyou will delay the success instead of hastening it. I will write to you fully
\nabout it later.
\n <\/font> <\/p>\n

Page-441<\/p>\n

\n

Dear
\nM.                        
\n                                                                         <\/span>[April,
\n1914]<\/p>\n

                
\n<\/span><\/span>I send you today the electoral
\ndeclaration of M. Paul Richard, one of the candidates at the approaching
\nelection for the French Chamber. This election is of some importance to us; for
\nthere are two of the candidates who represent our views to a great extent,
\nLaporte and Richard. Richard is not only a personal friend of mine and a brother
\nin the Yoga, but he wishes like myself, and in his own way works for a general
\nrenovation of the world by which the present European civilisation shall be
\nreplaced by a spiritual civilisation. In that change the resurrection of the
\nAsiatic races and especially of India is an essential point. He and Madame
\nRichard are rare examples of European Yogins who have not been led away by
\nTheosophical and other aberrations. I have been in material and spiritual
\ncorrespondence with them for the last four years. Of course, they know nothing
\nof Tantric Yoga. It is only in the Vedantic that we meet. If Richard were to
\nbecome deputy for French India, that would practically mean the same thing as
\nmyself being deputy for French India. Laporte is a Swadeshi with personal
\nambitions; his success would not mean the same but at any rate it would mean a
\nstrong and, I believe, a faithful ally in power in this country and holding a
\nvoice in France.
\n                    
\n<\/span>Of course, there is no chance, humanly speaking, of their being elected
\nthis time. Laporte is not strong enough to change the situation single-handed.
\nRichard has come too late; otherwise so great is the disgust of the people with
\nBluysen and Lemaire, GaebeIe and Pierre that I think we could have managed an
\nelectoral revolution. Still, it is necessary, if it can at all be done, to stir
\nthings a little at the present moment and form a nucleus of tendency and, if
\npossible, of active result which would be a foundation for the future and enable
\nus at the next election to present one or other of these candidates with a fair
\nchance of success. <\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

                       
\nI
\nwant to know whether it is possible without your exposing yourself to have the
\nidea spread in Chandernagore, especially among the younger men, of the
\ndesirability of these candidatures<\/font><\/p>\n

Page-442
\n  \n<\/p>\n

\n

and
\nthe abandonment of the old parochial and rotten politics of French India, with
\nits following of interested local Europeans and subservience to their petty
\nambitions in favors of a politics of principle which will support one of our own
\nmen or a European like Richard who is practically an Indian in belief, in
\npersonal culture, in sympathies and aspirations, one of the Nivedita type. If
\nalso a certain number of votes can be recorded for Richard in Chandernagore so
\nmuch the better; for that will mean a practical beginning, a tendency from the
\nSukshma world materialised initially in the Sthula. If you think this can be
\ndone, please get it done, – always taking care not to expose yourself. For your
\nmain work is not political but spiritual. If there can be a Bengali translation
\nof Richard’s manifesto or much better, a statement of the situation and the
\ndesirability of the candidature succeeding,
\n<\/span>–<\/span>
\n<\/span>always steering
\nclear of extremism and British <\/span>Indian
\npolitics, – it should be done and distributed. I lay stress on these things
\nbecause it is necessary that the conditions of Chandernagore and Pondicherry
\nshould be changed, the repetitions of recent events rendered impossible and the
\ncession of French territory put out of the question. There would be other and
\nmore positive gains by the change, but these I need not emphasise now.
\n                
\n<\/span>I have just received your letter and the money. I shall delay answering
\nit for the present, as this letter must go immediately. I shall answer soon,
\nhowever. I am only waiting till this election is over to give some shape to the
\ndecision I have arrived at to resume personally my work on the material plane
\nand it is necessary that there should be some arrangement by which the Vedantic
\nwork can go on unhampered by the effects of errors in Tantric Kriya. For Tantric
\nKriya carried on in the old style, to which your people seem to be so
\nundivorceably attached, can only help so far as to keep up the Yogic flame in
\nthe hearts of a few, while on the other hand it is full of danger to the spirit
\nand the body. It is only by a wider Vedantic movement leading later to a greater
\nTantra that the work of regeneration can be done; and of that movement neither
\nyou nor Saurin can be the head. It needs a wider knowledge and a greater
\nspiritual force in the Adhara through which it is engineered; it needs, in fact
\nthe<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-443
\n 
\n<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n

greatest
\nwhich India contains and which is at the same time willing to take it up. I see
\nonly Devavrata and myself who have the idea, – for the Dayanandas and others are
\na negligible quantity, and Devavrata seems to me to have gone off for the moment
\non a wrong route and through egoism has even allowed his spiritual force to be
\nused against us by secret forces in the Sukshma world which he is not yet
\nadvanced enough to understand. Therefore, if God wills, I will take the field.<\/p>\n

                                                                                                                                               
\n<\/span>K.<\/p>\n

                   
\n<\/span><\/span>P. S. GaebeIe has given me strenuous
\nassurances that Bluysen is not working for the cession of Chandernagore and has
\nsworn that he (GaebeIe) will ever be a stern and furious opponent of any such
\ncession as well as a staunch defender of the Swadeshi refugees! Such is the
\nfervour of electoral promises! He has given a number of the Journal des
\nDebats <\/i>in which there is a full account of Bluysen’s interpellations, from
\nwhich it appears that both Bluysen and Doumergue were agreed that there can be
\nno question of cession but only of "rectification of Pondicherry
\nboundaries". But only then did Bluysen tell us solemnly that the cession
\nwas a "settled fact" and any refugee in Chandernagore must run to
\nPondicherry at once. However, I am trying to send you or get sent to Banamali
\nPal the copy of the Journal, <\/i>so that Bluysen may have the benefit of his
\npublic declarations. They are in a sense binding, if anything can bind a French
\npolitician. If you don’t get the Journal, <\/i>at any rate contrive that the
\nsubstance of it as given by me here should be known in Chandernagore, if it is
\nnot known already. For you must remember that Lemaire has made no such
\ndeclaration and is not bound at all by any past professions, but has… been an
\nadvocate of the cession.<\/font><\/p>\n


\nPage-444<\/font>
\n 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\nDear
\nM.                                                                                                             
\n<\/span>17 April, 1914.
\n<\/span>
\n           
\n<\/span>The political situation here is as
\nfollows. In appearance Bluysen and Lemaire face each other on the old lines and
\nthe real fight is between them. Bluysen has the support of the whole
\nadministration, except a certain number of Lemairistes who are quiescent and in
\nfavour of it. The Governor Martineau, GaebeIe, the Police Lieutenant and the
\nCommissaire form his political committee. By threats and bribes the Maires of
\nall the Communes except two have been forced or induced to declare on his side.
\nHe has bought or got over most of the Hindu traders in Pondicherry. He has
\nbrought over 50,000 rupees for his election and is prepared to purchase the
\nwhole populace, if necessary. Is it British rupees, I wonder? The British
\nGovernment is also said to be interfering in his behalf and it is certain that a
\nMahomedan Collector of Cuddalore has asked his co-religionists to vote for this
\nmaster of corruption. A violent administrative pressure is being brought to bear
\nupon both at Pondicherry and Karikal and the Maires being on his side the
\nelectoral colleges will be in his hands with all their possibilities of fraud
\nand violence.
\n              
\n<\/span>Lemaire has for him most of the Christian and Renoncants (except the
\nyoung men who are for Richard) and Pierre. But the Pierre party is entirely
\ndivided. Kosia[?] refuses to declare himself, most of the others are Bluysenites,
\nthe Comite Radical has thrice met without Pierre being able to overcome the
\nopposition against him. Lemaire had two chances, one that if the people could be
\ngot to vote, Pierre’s influence over the mass might carry the day for him, the
\nother that Nandagopalu might intimidate the enemy and counteract the
\nadministration. But Nandagopalu instead of intimidating is himself intimidated;
\nhe is hiding in his house and sending obsequious messages to GaebeIe and
\nMartineau. So great at one time was the despair of the Lemairistes, that Pierre
\noffered through Richard to withdraw Lemaire, if GaebeIe withdraws Bluysen, the
\ntwo enemies then to shake hands and unite in support of Richard or another
\ncandidate. Gaebele would have been glad to accept the offer, but he<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-445<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

cannot,
\nhe has taken huge sums from Bluysen. The leaders are almost all bought over by
\n<\/i>Bluysen and those who remain on Lemaire’s side dare not act. The only weapon
\nnow in Lemaire’s hands is vague threat and rumour, that the Cabinet has fallen,
\nthat Martineau is suspended, that the new Police Captain is his man etc. There
\nare also rumours of a sudden coup d’ etat <\/i>by Lemaire on the election day,
\nof Appaswami being carried off Dr killed, of the Election Committee being in his
\nhands and it is true that the President is a Lemairiste. But I do not see how
\nthese things are going to be done. There may, of course, be a sudden Lemairiste
\nrally, but at present it seems as if Bluysen by the help of the Administration
\nmoney, the British Government and the devil were likely to win an easy victory.
\n                 
\n<\/span>Laporte had some chance of strong backing at the beginning but his own
\nindolence and mistakes have destroyed it. He is now waiting on God and Lemaire
\ninto whose shoes he dreams of stepping, – for Lemaire has promised him that if
\nhe gets no favourable answer from France he will desist in Laporte’s favour and
\nLaporte being a man of faith is sitting quiet in that glorious expectation.
\n    
\n            <\/span>Then
\nthere is Richard. He has neither agent, nor committee, nor the backing of a
\nsingle influential man. What he has is the sympathy and good wishes of all the
\nHindus and Mahomedans in Pondicherry and Karikal with the exception of the
\nVaniyas who are for Bluysen. The people are sick to death of the old candidates,
\nthey hate Bluysen, they abhor Lemaire and if only they could be got to vote
\naccording to their feelings, Richard would come in by <\/i>an overwhelming
\nmajority. But they are over- awed by <\/i>the Government and wait for some
\ninfluential man among the Hindus to declare for him. No such man is forthcoming.
\nAll are either bought by <\/i>Bluysen or wish to be on the winning side. Under
\nthese circumstances the danger is that the people will not vote at all and the
\nelectoral committee will be forced to. manufacture in their names bogus votes
\nfor Bluysen. On the other hand an impression has been made at Karikal, where the
\nyoung men are working zealously for Richard; some of its communes are going to
\nsupport him; some of the leaders who are themselves pledged to Bluysen have
\npromised to tell<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-446<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\ntheir followers that they are free to vote for Richard if they wish;
\nthe Mahomedan leaders of Karikal are for Bluysen or rather for his money, but the mass have resolved to vote neither for Bluysen nor Lemaire, and either not to vote at all or for Richard. At Pondicherry, Villenour has promised to declare for Richard the day before the election so as to avoid prolonged administrative pressure. Certain sections of the community e.g. the young men
\namong
\n the Christians and a number of the Mahomedans,-Richard is to speak at the mosque and a great number may
\npossibly come over and a certain nucleus of the Hindus are certain to vote for him. We count also on the impression that can be given during the next few days. If in addition Chandernagore can give a large vote for Richard, there is a chance not of
\ncarrying Richard but of preventing a decisive vote at the first election, so that there may be a second ballot. If that is done, great
\nnumbers who hesitate to vote for Richard in the idea that Bluysen must carryall before him, may pick up courage and turn the whole situation,
\n – to say nothing of the chances of Lemaire retiring and his whole vote coming over or a great part of it. There- fore, I say, throw aside all other considerations and let the young men of Chandernagore at least put all their strength on Richard’s side and against the two unspeakable representatives of Evil who dispute the election between them. For if they do not, humanly speaking, Chandernagore seems to be doomed.

\n               
\nI wrote to you in my last doubtfully about Bluysen’s or rather Gaebele’s professions about Chandernagore and the
\nSwadeshis. Since then, even Martineau has condescended to let us
\nknow
\n that he is trying to get the British police sent away from
\nPondicherry. But all this is either sheer falsehood or late repentance for the convenience of the moment. The damning facts are that Bluysen saw the Viceroy on his last visit, that it is known on this occasion the whole talk was about this cession
\nof Chandernagore, that on his return he told Bharati the cession of Chandernagore was a settled fact and while before his trip northward, he was gushing over to the Swadeshis, afterwards he roundly
\ndeclared that he could not help us openly because the Cabinet was pro-English and he must follow the Cabinet, that he went to Karikal and declared to a .number of people (this has only<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-447<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\nyesterday come to my knowledge) that Chandernagore was going to be ceded to the British with Bluysen’s consent; that, on his second and present visit, he was entertained by the Collector of Cuddalore on his way and that that Collector has condescended to act as an electoral agent for him with his co-religionists. It is perfectly clear now that the man has
\ntold himself to England,
\n–
\n selling and buying himself and others seem to be his only profession in the world. Therefore every vote given for Bluysen in Chandernagore is a vote for the cession of Chandernagore to the British.
\nOn the other hand, if you vote for Lemaire, it means the same thing at a later date. For he was the first to broach the question in the public press in France, he has advised the
\nsuppression of the vote in French India, he has English connections and is an Anglophil. Not only so, but although asked by the Hindus to recant his former views if he wanted their vote, he has refused to do it, and this refusal has contributed largely to the failure of Pierre to carry the Hindus with him. Let these facts be widely known in Chandernagore both about Bluysen and Lemaire, let it be known that Richard is a Hindu in faith, a Hindu in heart and a man whose whole life is devoted to the ideal of lifting up humanity and specially Asia and India and supporting the oppressed against the strong, the cause of the future which is our cause against all that hampers and resists it. If after that,
\nChandernagore still votes for Bluysen or Lemaire, it is its own choice and it will have itself to thank for anything that may follow.

\n                
\n I have more to write of these things from the spiritual point of view, but I
\n shall leave it till tomorrow or the day after as this letter must go at once.
\n Put faith in God and act. You have seen that when He wills He can bring about
\n impossibilities. Do not look too much at the chances of success and failure
\n in this matter. (<\/font>Sanskrit
\n written in Bengali script.<\/font>) [karmalJyeviidhikiiraste].<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n


\n

\nKali<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-448<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n <\/p>\n

 \n<\/p>\n

\n
\n5th .May, 1914<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nT<\/b>he election is over, – or what they call an election,
\n –
\n with
\nthe result that the man who had the fewer real votes has got the majority. As (or M. Richard’s votes, they got rid of them in Pondicherry and Karikal by the simple process of reading Paul Bluysen wherever Paul Richard was printed. Even where he brought his voters in Karikal to the poll himself, the results were published “Richard – 0”. At Villenour people were simply prevented from voting for him or anyone else. As for the results they had been arranged on the evening before the election by M. Gaebele and were made to fit in with his figures. The extent to which this was done you can imagine from the fact that at Nandagopalu’s village where there is no single Bluysenite, there
\nwere
\n only 13 “votes” for Lemaire and all the rest for Bluysen.
\nThe same result in Madanapalli which is strong for Pierre, except in one college where Sada (President of the Cerc1e Sportif) was interpreter and did not allow any humbug; knowing whom they had to deal with, they did not dare to falsify the results. There Bluysen got only 33 votes against 200 and more for Lemaire. In most places, this would have been the normal result, if there had been any election at all. As for Richard, he would probably have got a thousand votes besides the Chandernagore total; as in some five colleges of Pondicherry alone he had about 300 which were transmuted into zero and we know of one village in which he had 91 who were prevented forcibly from voting. Bluysen
\nnormally would hardly have got 5000 in the whole of French India. Of course protests are being prepared from every side and if Bluysen is not supported by the Cabinet which is likely to come in after the election in France, the election may be invalidfited. Otherwise for some time he may reign in spite of the hatred and contempt of the whole population by the terror of the administration and the police. This Madrasi population is so deficient in even the rudiments of moral courage that one cannot hope very much from it.
\n . .

\n               
\nMeanwhile Richard intends to remain in India for 2 years<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-449<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\nand work for the people. He is trying to start an Association of
\nthe young men of Pondicherry and Karikal as a sort of training ground from which men can be chosen for the Vedantic Yoga. Everything is a little nebulous as yet. I shall write to you about it when things are more definite.

\n               
\nSince writing the above I have received your last letter. As for the election, we must wait to see whether Bluysen is validated or not. Even if he is not, I do not think Richard can stand again until the new party in Pondicherry is increased and organised and that will have to be done quietly at first. There is, however, just one possibility, that if something happens which it is just now needless to mention, it might be feasible to unite Gaebele and Pierre in a candidature of reconciliation. The idea was raised by Pierre himself and very reluctantly rejected by Gaebele before the elections. Another time it might succeed and even if Richard were not the candidate chosen, he would get a great influence by engineering the settlement. Otherwise we shall have to await a more favourable opportunity. As for Bluysen he has made him- self a byword for every kind of rascality and oppression, and is now the enemy much rather than Lemaire. These things we shall see to afterwards. The young men of Pondicherry and Karikal are sending a protest with signed declarations of facts observed in the election and two hundred signatures to the
\nMinister, the Chambre and the Temps <\/i>newspaper. It has also been read aloud by the President in the Commission of Recessment
\nand produced a great impression, – moral only, of course. In France, the opinion of the “jeunesse” is much valued and joined with the Lemairiste protests, it may possibly have some effect, unless either Bluysen buys the Validation Committee or is
\nsupported by the French “homme d’etat”. There is an ugly rumour that Poincare supports Bluysen; there are always corrupt financial dealings underlying French politics which the outside world does not see. If so, we must put spiritual force against the banded forces of evil and see the result.

\n               
\nNext as to money matters. My present position is that I have exhausted all my money along with Rs. 60 Richard forced on me and am still in debt for the Rs. 130 due for the old rent. I
\ndo not like to take more money from Richard, for he has sold<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-450<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\none fourth of his wife’s fortune (a very small one) in order to be able to come and work for India, and the money he has can only
\ncarry
\n him through the 2 years he thinks of staying here. I
\nshould therefore be impoverishing them by taking anything from them. Of course, they. believe that money will come whenever it is necessary but then God’s idea of necessity and ours do not always agree. As for Rangaswamy, there is a fatality about his money,
\n –
\n it is intercepted by all sorts of people and very little
\nreaches me even on the rare occasions when he sends anything.
\nI
\n have no hope therefore, of any regular help from that quarter.
\nEven in the fact of your being unable to meet him, fate has been against us. On the other hand, Saurin writes that he has been able to “fix” Rs. 1000 a year for me in Bengal. Is this merely the refixing of Das’ promise or something else? As for fixing, any- thing may be fixed orally or on paper, the difficulty is to realise
\nwhat
\n has been fixed. He says also there is Rs. 500 awaiting me,
\nmy share of the garden money. He wants it for his “commerce”, but when I have no money to live on, I can hardly comply. He does not tell me what I am to do to get the money, but only
\nthat
\n I can get it whenever I want it. I am writing to him to
\nMeherpur, but if you see him in Calcutta, ask him to get it and send it to me at once. With this money I may be able to go on for a few months till something definite and regular can be settled and worked out. As for the sum I need monthly, so long as S. and the others do not return, I need Rs. 50 monthly for my own
\nexpenses and Rs. 10 not for myself, but still absolutely indispensable. When S. and the others return, that will no longer be sufficient.
\nI am
\n writing to S. to try and make some real bandobast about
\nmoney before coming back. Please also press Shyam Babu and the others for the money due to me. This habit of defalcation of money for noble and philanthropic purposes in which usually the ego is largely the beneficiary is one of the curses of our movement and so long as it is continued Lakshmi will not return to this country. I have sharply discontinued all looseness of this kind myself and it must be discouraged henceforth wherever we meet it. It is much better and more honest to be a thief for our own personal benefit, than under these holy masks. And always, if one must plunder, it is best to do it as a Kshatriya, not with the<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-451<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\ncorruption of the Vaishya spirit of gain which is the chief enemy in our present struggle. What you have to do, is to try to make some real arrangement, not a theoretical arrangement by which the burden of my expenses may be shifted off your shoulders until I am able to make my own provision. Meanwhile get me Rs. 150 and the Rs. 500 due to me (garden money) and if after- wards we can make no other arrangement, we shall then have to consider the question again. It is this point of equipment, not only for myself but for my work in which the opposition of the Kaliyuga forces is just now the most obstinate. It has somehow to be overcome.

\n               
\nRichard has paid the Rs. 51. I am keeping the sum as the Rs. 50 for last month plus 1. Please cut it off from the sum you would otherwise have sent,
\n– (not, however, from the Rs. 130 for the payment of the rent). Please also get us some cloths sent from Calcutta, as they are very urgently needed, especially as I may now have to go out from time to time breaking
\nmy old rule of seclusion. I am also in need of a pair of shoes as Bharati has bagged the pair I had.

\n               
\nThen for more important subjects. You write about Biren being here. I do not hold the same opinion about Biren, as Saurin etc. do, who are inclined towards a very black
\ninterpretation of his character and actions. It seems to me that events have corroborated all he said about his relations with certain undesirable persons. Moreover I see that he has taken Yoga earnestly and has made for him a rapid progress. I am also
\nunaware of anything he has said to others which would help any evil-minded person in establishing a wrong interpretation of your philosophic and social activities. I fail to find in him, looking at him spiritually, those ineffable
\nblacknesses which were supposed to dwell in him, only flightiness, weakness, indiscretion, childish and erratic impulsiveness and self-will and certain undesirable possibilities <\/i>present in many young Bengalis, in a certain type indeed, which has done much harm in the past. All these have recently much diminished and I hope even to eradicate them by the Yoga. In fact, the view of his presence here forced on me by that which guides us, is that he was sent here as the representative of this type and that I have to change and purify it. If I can do<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-452<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\nthis in the representative, it is possible in the future to do it in the class, and unless I can do it, the task I have set for myself for India will remain almost too difficult for solution. For as long
\nas that element remains strong, Bengal can never become what it
\n .
\nis intended to be.

\n               
\nYou will say, supposing I am wrong and Saurin right, or supposing I fail. In any case he cannot strike your work except by first striking at me, since he does not know anything about you directly or independently of his stay here. Still, there is the possibility (intellectually) of even that happening. That raises a whole question which it is necessary to settle, – the entire
\nseparation of Vedantic Yoga from other activities. You must realise that my work is a very vast one and that I must in doing it, come in close contact with all sorts of people including Europeans, perhaps even officials, ‘perhaps even spies and officials. For instance, there is Biren. There is a French man, named Shair Siddhar
\nnow in Chandernagore, who came to me and whom I had to see and sound. He is a queer sort of fool with something of the knave, but he had possibilities which I had to sound. There is Richard who is to know nothing about Tantricism. There are a host of possible <\/i>young men whom I must meet and handle, but who may not turn out well. It is obviously impossible for me to do this work, if the close
\nconnection with Tantrics remains and everyone whom I meet and receive is supposed by people there to be a mighty and venerable person who is to be taken at once into perfect confidence by reason of having been for a time in my august shadow. It won’t do at all. The whole thing must be rearranged on a reasonable basis.

\n               
\nFirst, it must be known among our friends that my whole action is about to be such as I have described, so that they may not again repeat that kind of mistake.

\n               
\nSecondly, those immediately connected with me, must be
\naloof physically from Tantricism,
\n –
\n because of the discredit it
\nbrings, – and intangible by evil-minded persons.

\n               
\nThirdly, Biren and others of that kind must be made to understand that Tantra for us is discontinued until further notice which can be only in the far future.

\n               
\nFourthly, the written basis of Vedantic Yoga has now be-<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-453<\/font><\/p>\n

\n


\ncome impossible and must be entirely changed and as far as possible, withdrawn from circulation.

\n               
\nThese are details, but important details. There is one matter, however, which has to be settled, that of the Brahmin. The Brahmin, it appears, has made himself impossible as an agent or, at least, he is so considered. Then as for your direct
\ncommunication with Sarathi, it is looked upon with dislike by Sarathi’s people and I do not know what Sarathi’s own sentiment in the matter may be. Of course, the reason they allege is obvious enough. There is one of my own people here who might do it, but he is so useful in other important matters that I hesitate to use him as an agent in this. That is why I am in a difficulty and I get no light on the question from above, only the intellect stumbles about between possibilities against all of which there is
\nan objection, especially from the new point of view,
\n –
\n which demands for the present a spotless peace and irreproachable reputation in these matters for the centre of yogic activity here.
\nNevertheless, the thing must be done, although as the last legacy of the old state of things. I shall write to you on the old lines about it in a few days, as also about the future of the Tantric Yoga. Judging from what I have heard of the facts, I do not think the
\ndifficulty about S. is likely to materialise,
\n –
\n unless there are facts
\nbehind of which I do not know. Unfortunately the manner in which the Tantric Yoga has been carried on is so full of the old faults of the former Tantric Sadhana that a catastrophe was inevitable. The new Yoga cannot be used as a sort of sauce for old dishes,
\n –
\n it must occupy the whole place, on peril of serious difficulties in the Siddhi and even disasters. I shall write to you about what I propose to do about Vedantic Yoga and
\npublication, – as yet it has not been sufficiently formulated to write. At present we have only started a new society here called L’Id<\/i>\u00e9e Nouvelle <\/i>(the New Idea) and are trying to get an
\nauthorisation.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-454<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nDear Moti Babu (<\/font>This note is by a
\ndisciple but the signature is illegible<\/font>.)-<\/p>\n

               
\nWe are in absolute want of clothes. Will you please pay a little attention to
\nthat point and relieve us from this absolute want. K. is going out nowadays and
\nat least for that we want some clothes.
\n               
\nDo not send it in login’s name, he is going back to Bengal. Send it to David.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nYours,<\/p>\n

[June, 1914?]<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nI have
\nreceived from Grindlays Rs. 400. That leaves Rs. 200 out of the Rs.1000 which I
\nhope will be received by next August. We have also the clothes and shoes but for
\nmyself only the slippers are useful as the shoes are too large. I have written
\nto Saurin about the garden money and he says he has asked Sukumar to send it.
\nBut I have received nothing as yet. If I get this money and the remaining Rs.
\n200 from Das that will be Rs. 1100 in hand. With 100 more and 130 on account of
\nthe old rent, say Rs.250 altogether, we shall be provided for bare necessities
\nfor a year during which other conditions may arise. That Rs. 250 ought to come
\nfrom Sham Babu and Sharma, but there is little hope ( money once swallowed by a
\npatriot being disgorged again. His philanthropic stomach digests sovereignly. I
\nmust seek it else- where. If this can be done, the only burden which will fall
\non you is to refurnish us with apparel and footwear from time to time. At the
\nsame time an attempt should be made to keep up the arrangement with Das if
\npossible, for we do not know whether our attempt to provide otherwise will
\nsucceed.
\n               
\nThat attempt takes the form of a new philosophical Review <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-455<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nwith Richard and myself as Editors – the Arya, <\/i>which is to be brought out
\nin French and English, two separate editions, – one
\nfor France, one for India, England and America. In this Review my new theory of
\nthe Veda will appear as also translation and explanation of the Upanishads, a
\nseries of essays giving my sys- tem of Yoga and a book of Vedantic philosophy
\n(not Shankara’s but Vedic Vedanta) giving the Upanishadic foundations of my
\ntheory of the ideal life towards which humanity must move. You will see so far
\nas my share is concerned, it will be the intellectual side of my work for the
\nworld. The Review will be of 64 pages to start with and the subscription Rs.6
\nannually. Of the French edition 600 copies will be issued, and it will cost
\nabout Rs.750 a year minus postage. Richard reckoned 200 subscribers in France at
\nthe start, i.e. Rs. 1200 in the year. For the English edition we are thinking
\nof an issue of 1000 copies, at the cost of about Rs. 1200 annually. We shall
\nneed therefore at least 200 subscribers to meet this expense and some more so
\nthat the English edition may pay all its own expenses. Let us try 250
\nsubscribers to start with, with the ideal of having 800 to 1000 in the first
\nyear. If these subscribers can be got before the Review starts, we shall have a
\nsound financial foundation to start with. The question is, can they be got? We
\nare printing a prospectus with specimens of the’ writings from my translation
\nand commentary on a Vedic hymn, and an extract from Richard’s collections of
\nthe central sayings of great sages of all times called the Eternal Wisdom to
\nshow the nature of the Review. This is supposed to come out in the middle of
\nthis month, and the Review on the 15th August, so there will be nearly two
\nmonths for collecting subscribers. How far can you help us in this work? There
\nis always one thing about which great care has to be taken, that is, there
\nshould be no entanglement of this Review in Indian politics or a false
\nassociation created by the police finding it in the house of some political
\nsuspects they search for; in that case people will be afraid to subscribe. My
\nidea is that young men should be got as agents who would canvas for the Review
\nall over Bengal, but there so many young men are now political suspects that
\nit may not be easy to find any who will be free and active and yet above
\nsuspicion. In that case some other method
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-456<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nmust
\nbe tried. I should like to know from you as soon as possible
\nhow far you
\ncan help us and how many copies of the prospectus we should send to you. If the
\nReview succeeds, if, that is to say, we get in India 850 regular subscribers,
\nand 250 in France etc. we shall be able’ to ,meet the expense of the
\nestablishment, translation-staff etc. and yet have enough for each of the
\neditors to live on with their various kinds of families, say Rs. 100 a month for
\neach. In that case the money-question will practically be solved. There will of
\ncourse be other expenses besides mere living and there may be from time to time
\nexceptional expenses, such as publication of books etc., but these may be met
\notherwise or as the Review increases its subscribers. Therefore use your best
\nendeavour towards this end.
\n               
\nThe second part of my work is the practical, consisting in the practice of Yoga,
\nby an ever increasing number of young men all over the country. We have started
\nhere a society called the New Idea with that object, and a good many young men
\nare taking up Vedantic Yoga and some progressing much. You say it has spread in
\nthe North all over. But in what way? I am not at all enamoured of the way in
\nwhich it seems to be practised outside Bengal. It seems there to be mixed up
\nwith the old kind of Tantra, sometimes of the most paiśācika <\/i>and
\nundesirable kind and to be kept merely as a sauce for that fiery and gruesome
\ndish. Better no Vyapti at all outside Bengal, if it is not to be purified and
\ndivine Yoga. In Bengal itself, there are faults which cannot but have
\nundesirable consequences. In the first place, there is the misplacement of
\nvalues. Vedanta is practised, or so it seems to be in some quarters, for the
\nsake of Tantra, and in order to give a force to Tantra. That is not right at
\nall. Tantra is only valuable so far as it enables us to give effect to Vedanta
\nand in itself has no value or necessity at all. Then the two are mixed up in a
\nmost undesirable fashion, so that the Vedanta is likely to be affected by the
\nsame disrepute and difficulties on the way of profession as hamper the
\nrecognition of the truth in Tantra i.e. in its real sense, value and effectivity.
\nThere are difficulties enough already, let us not wilfully increase them. You
\nhave seen, for instance, that in recent political trials Yoga pamphlets and
\nbooks seem to have been kept together everywhere with the queerest<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-457<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nincongruity. That is a thing we could not control, we can only hope that it will
\nnot happen again. But meanwhile the work of publicity and spreading our yoga has
\ngot an unnecessary difficulty thrown in its way. Do not let any add to it by
\nassociating Vedanta and Tantra together in an inexpressible fashion. The Tantric
\nYogins are few and should be comparatively reticent – for Vedanta is a wider
\nthing and men may then help to fulfil it in all kinds of ways. Let the Tantriks
\nthen practise Vedanta silently, not trumpeting abroad its connection with their
\nown particular school but with self-restraint and the spirit of self-sacrifice,
\nknowing that they are only one small corps in a march that is vast and so meant
\nto be world-embracing. The more they isolate themselves from the rest of the
\nhost that is in formation, the more they will be free for their own work and the
\nmore they will help without hampering the wider march.
\n               
\nThen as to the work of the Tantric discipline and Kriya itself. Remember that
\nTantra is not like Vedanta, it is a Yoga for material gains, that has always
\nbeen its nature. Only now not for personal gains, but for effectivity in certain
\ndirections of the general Yoga of mankind. The question I wish you to ask your-
\nself, is whether you think that with its present imperfect basis it can really
\ndo the work for which it was intended. I see that it cannot. There have been two
\nstages; first, the old Tantra which has broken down and exists only in a
\nscattered way ineffectual for any great aid of humanity; secondly, our new
\nTantra which succeeded at first because it was comparatively pure in spite of
\nthe difficulties created by the remnants of egoism. But since then two things
\nhave happened. It has tried to extend itself with the result of bringing in
\nundesirable elements; secondly, it has tried to attempt larger results from a
\nbasis which was no longer sufficient and had begun to be unsound. A third stage
\nis now necessary, that of a preparation in full knowledge no longer resting on a
\nblind faith in God’s power and will, but receiving consciously that will, the
\nillumination that guides its workings and the power that determines its results.
\nIf the thing is to be done it must be done no longer as by a troop stumbling on
\ncourageously in the dark and losing its best strength by failures and the
\nresults of unhappy blunders, but with the full divine<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-458<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\npower working
\nout its will in its instruments.
\n               
\nWhat is
\nnecessary for that action? First, that the divine knowledge and power should
\nmanifest perfectly in at least one man in India. In myself it is trying so to
\nmanifest as rapidly as the deficiencies of my mind and body will permit, and
\nalso, – this is important, – as rapidly as the
\ndefects of my chief friends and helpers
\nwill permit. For all those have to be taken on myself spiritually and may retard
\nmy own development. I advance, but at every fresh stage have to go back to
\nreceive some fresh load of
\nimperfection that comes from outside. I want now some breathing time however
\nbrief which will enable me to accomplish the present stage which is the central
\nof my advance. This once accomplished, all the rest is inevitable. This not
\naccomplished, the seed of our Yogic movement is externally a failure or a
\npitiful small result. That is the first reason why I call a halt.
\n               
\nThe second necessity is that others should receive the same
\npower and light. In the measure that mine grows, theirs, also will increase and
\nprosper provided always they do not separate themselves from me by the Ahankara.
\nA sufficient Vedantic basis provided, a long, slow and obscure Tantra will no
\nlonger be necessary. The power that I am developing if it reaches consummation,
\nwill be able to accomplish its effects automatically by
\nany method chosen. <\/i>If it
\nuses Tantric Kriya, it will then be because God
\nhas chosen that means, because He wishes to put the Shakta part of Him forward
\nfirst and not the Vaishnava and that Kriya will then be irresistible in its
\neffect perhaps even’
\nstrange and new in its means and forms. I have then to effect that power and
\ncommunicate it to others. But at present the forces of the material Prakriti
\nstrive with all their remaining energy against the’ spiritual mastery that is
\nbeing sought to impose on them. And it is especially in the field to which your
\nKriyas have belonged and kindred fields that they are still too strong for me.
\nYou will remember what has been written, that the Sadhana shall first be applied
\nin things that do not matter and only afterwards used for life. This is not an
\nabsolute rule, but it is the rule of necessity to apply for some time now in
\nthis particular matter. I see that I have the necessary powers; I shall communicate them next to you and some others, so that there may<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-459<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nbe a centre of irresistible spiritual light and effective force when- ever
\nneeded. Then a rapid and successful Kriya can be attempted. This is the second
\nreason why I have called a halt.
\n               
\nThe first and supreme object you must have now is to put forward in yourself and
\nin others the Vedantic Yoga in the sense I have described. The spread of the
\nidea is not sufficient, you must have’ real Yogins, not merely men moved
\nintellectually and emotionally by one or two of the central ideas of the Yoga.
\nSpreading of the idea is the second necessity, for .that the Review at present
\noffers itself among other means. The other means is to form brotherhoods, not
\nformal but real, (not societies of the European kind but informal groups of
\npeople united by one effort and one feeling) for the practice of the Vedantic
\nYoga (without any necessary thought of the Tantric). But of this I shall write
\nto you hereafter.
\n               
\nFinally as to commercial matters. I had arranged things according to the last
\nidea, but at the last moment an objection was made, that the arrangement was not
\na very reasonable one, – an objection which
\nmy reason was forced to admit. It was then proposed to send the Brahmin as a
\ncommercial agent and I so wrote to you. But afterwards when I asked for him to
\nbe sent I was informed that the Brahmin was no longer possible as a commercial
\nagent as he was now an object of suspicion to the third party. Another man I had
\nfixed on is so circumstanced that he cannot go now. There the matter stands. As
\nfor your suggestion, these people here never objected to dealing direct with
\nyou, the objection was mine due to the terms and the accidents of your
\ncorrespondence. On the other hand every attempt I have made personally to get
\nthe matter settled has been frustrated by Krishna. I have made these
\nattempts contrary to the inner instructions received and by the light of the
\nreason. That always fails with me; if it succeeds momentarily, it brings some
\ncoarse result afterwards. The point now is that if you do as you suggest, it
\nmust be so done that there shall not be the least chance of the transaction
\ninterfering with our business here, –
\nI mean not
\nany commercial business, but the enterprises (Society, Re- view etc.) we are
\nstarting. The question is not one of direct communication, but of right
\nhandling and specially of the right per-<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-460<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nson not only
\nfrom the point of view of the buyer and seller but with regard to the third
\nparty who is indirectly interested in the transaction. In any case you must
\nwrite to me what you propose to do, before you act.
\n                
\n By the way there was a very shocking and
\n (<\/font>Written in Bengali.<\/font>)
\n [aślil] <\/i>word in your last letter to me with regard to my past activities,
\n – Bande Mataram, Karmayogin <\/i>etc. I do not wish to repeat it here. Please
\n do not use such an indecorous expression in writing in future. In personal talk
\n it does not matter, but not, if you please in correspondence. As to your request
\n for details of my life about which you wrote to Bejoy it is a very difficult
\n matter for there is very little one can write without offending people, as for
\n example S. Mullick, B. Pal, S. S. Chakraborty and revealing party secrets. However
\n we shall see what can be done. But let me know what you are writing about me
\n and how and where you mean to publish it.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nA. G.<\/p>\n

[July, 1914]
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nI write today
\nonly about two business matters. As to the Review, I do not think we can
\ndispense with the 200 subscribers whom you promise. The
\nonly difficulty is that, if there are political
\nsuspects among them, it will give the police a handle for connecting politics
\nand the Review and thus frightening the public. But this is not a sufficient
\nreason for the Review refusing so many subscribers or for so large a number
\nbeing deprived of the enlightenment it may bring them. Therefore, some arrangement should be made. I should suggest that you should make those subscribers who
\nare mainly interested in Yoga, and as for those who decline to give up political
\nopinions of a vehement nature or to conceal them so as not to fall into police
\nsnares, they may without becoming subscribers on our list receive the Review  <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-461<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nfrom trustworthy agents appointed by you as our representatives. The agent must
\nlet us or you know the number of copies wanted, send in the money and receive
\nthe Review from us or you in a packet as a declared agent commissioned to sell a
\ncertain number of copies, receiving (nominally) a discount on each copy sold. I
\nsuggest this arrangement but if another would be more convenient, please let
\nus know. You must organise the subscription matter before starting for your
\npilgrimage so that we may have a fair start in August. I shall write a longer
\nletter to you about Yoga and other matters as soon as I have a little time.
\n               
\nThe Psalmodist was here. He asked for the Calcutta address
\nand I gave it to him. It appears he is sending it to Calcutta in connection with
\na business he wants to wind up. It is difficult to understand because he says it
\nis a commercial secret, but he tells me you will understand if I send you the
\naccompanying cabalistic figures, – God save us from all
\nmysteries except those of Tantric
\nYoga.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nKali<\/p>\n

[July – Aug.,
\n1914?]
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

Again a
\nbusiness letter. Enclosed you will find two samples of paper, taken from a
\nsample book of the Titaghur Mills which we want made to order, of a certain
\nsize, for our Review. Will you please see at once <\/i>the agent in Calcutta,
\nwhose address is given, and ask him for all the particulars, the price, whether
\nthe paper of that sample, of the size required, is available or can be made to
\norder by them, in what minimum amount, within what time etc. and let the Manager
\nknow immediately by the British post.
\n               
\nWhat about the commercial transaction and my last letter? The Psalmodist’s
\nbrother is asking for reply.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nK.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-462<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nP.S. Received your letter. Please let us know how many copies of the Arya <\/i>you want sent
\nto you for sale, since you cannot get subscribers. I shall write later. The
\ndivorce from Tantrism is necessary if you are to do the work of the Review or
\nthe other work I wish you to undertake. You must surely see that. Neither
\nwill work if there are any occurrences of the old kind mixing them up together.<\/p>\n

               
\n(<\/font>Note
\nby the Manager of the Arya; <\/i>signature is not legible<\/font>) If
\nit is possible please make some subscribers. Subscribers’ book is nearly as blank
\nas it was at the time of our purchasing it.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nYours,<\/p>\n

29 August, 1914
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

Before your
\nletter came, i.e. yesterday, the news was published that the Government had
\ndrawn back from its proposal, and today the Amrita Bazar <\/i>with its comment
\narrived. I presume, therefore, no immediate answer from me is needed. But in
\ncase anything of the kind is raised again, I shall give you my opinion in the
\nmatter.
\n               
\nWe gain nothing by preaching an unconditional loyalty to the Government, such as
\nis the fashion nowadays, or doing anything which even in appearance strengthens
\nthe disposition towards an abject and unmanly tone in politics. Gandhi’s loyalism is not a pattern for India which is not South Africa, and even Gandhi’s
\nloyalism is corrected by passive resistance. An abject tone of servility in
\npolitics is not "diplomacy" and is not good politics. It does not
\ndeceive or disarm the opponent; it does encourage nervelessness, fear and a
\ncringing cunning in the subject people. What Gandhi has been attempting in
\nSouth Africa is to secure for Indians the position of kindly treated serfs, – as
\na
\nstepping-stone to something better. Loyalty and Ambulance Corps mean the same
\nthing in India. But the conditions of India<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-463<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nare not those of South Africa; our position is different and our aim is
\ndifferent, not to secure a few privileges, but to create a nation of men fit for
\nindependence and able to secure and keep it. We have been beaten in the first
\nattempt, like every other nation similarly circumstanced. That is no reason why
\nthe whole people should go back to a condition of abject fear, grovelling
\nloyalty and whining complaints. The public Nationalist policy has always been
\n1. Eventual independence.
\n2. No cooperation without control.
\n3. A masculine-courage in speech and action.
\nLet us add a fourth,
\n4. Readiness to accept real concessions and pay their just price,
\nbut no more. Beyond that, I do not see the necessity of any change.
\nWe recognise that immediate independence is not practicable and we are ready
\nto defend the British rule against any foreign nation, for that means defending
\nour own future independence.
\n               
\nTherefore, if the Government accepts volunteers or favours the institution of
\nBoy Scouts, we give our aid, but not to be mere stretcher-bearers.
\n               
\nThat is the side of principle; now let us look at that of policy.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\n1. I don’t
\nappreciate Sarat Maharaj’s position. If self- sacrifice is the object, every
\nhuman being has the whole of life as a field for self-sacrifice and does not
\ndepend on any Government for that. We can show our sacrificing activities every
\nmoment, if we want. It is not a question of sacrifice at all, it is a question
\nof military training. If the young men wish to organise for charitable work, the
\nGovernment is not going to stop it, even though they may watch and suspect. I
\nput that aside altogether.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\n2. The leaders suggested cooperation in return for
\nsome substantial self-government. They are now offering cooperation without any
\nreturn at’ all. Very self-sacrificing, but not political. If indeed, Government
\nwere willing to train "thousands of young men" in military service as
\nvolunteers, Territorials or Boy Scouts, whether for keeping the peace or as a
\nreserve in case of invasion, then we need not boggle about the return. But,
\nafter so much experience, do these addle-headed politicians think the Govern-<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-464<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nment is going to do that except in case of absolute necessity and as a choice
\nbetween two evils? When will that absolute necessity come? Only if the war goes
\nagainst them seriously and they have to withdraw their troops from India. I
\nshall discuss that point later on.
\n               
\n3. Meanwhile what have the Government done? After testing the temper of the
\npeople and, you may be sure, watching closely what young men came forward as
\nvolunteers and who did not, they have removed an offer which had already been
\nwhittled down to a mere harmless Ambulance Corps in which the young men have
\nplenty of chances of getting killed, but none of learning real warfare. Mere
\ncommon sense warns us not to trust such an administration and to think ten times
\nbefore accepting its offers. We know Lord Hardinge’s policy; (1) sweet words,
\n(2) quiet systematic coercion, (3) concession where obstinacy would mean too
\ngreat a row and too much creation of deep-seated hostility.
\n               
\nHaving prefaced so much, let us look at the utility of the
\nthings offered .us or offered by <\/i>us.
\n               
\n1. Ambulance Corps.
\n               
\nThe only possible utilities would be two, (1) to train two thousand young men to
\nbe steady under fire, (2) to train them to act together under discipline in an
\neasy but dangerous service. Now it is quite possible for us to create courage in
\nour young men without these means, and 1 hope our best men, or let me say, our
\nmen generally do not need to become stretcher-bearers in an European war in
\norder to have the necessary nerve, courage, steadiness and discipline. If
\ntherefore an Ambulance Corps is again suggest- ed and accepted, either refuse or
\nlet only those young men go who are enthusiastic, but still light-headed,
\nself-indulgent or undisciplined. Possibly, the experience may steady and
\ndiscipline them. It may be necessary to let this be done; if the circumstances
\nare such that to refuse entirely would reflect on our national courage or be
\ninterpreted as a backing out from a national engagement .<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\nBoy Scouts, –
\nVolunteer Corps, – Territorials.
\n               
\nAll these are entirely good, provided the police are kept at a distance, and
\nprovided officers as well as men are trained and the Government control is
\nlimited to the giving of military discipline <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-465<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nin the first two cases. Even without the second proviso, any of these things
\nwould be worth accepting.
\n               
\nOnly in the case of volunteers going to the scene of war, you must see that we
\nare not crippled by all our best men or even a majority being sent; only enough
\nto bring in an element among us who have seen actual warfare.
\n               
\nI think any of these things may one day become possible. Since the last year new
\nforces have come into the world and are now strong enough to act, which are
\nlikely to alter the whole face of the world. The present war is only a
\nbeginning, not the end. We have to consider what are our chances and what we
\nought to do in these circumstances.
\n               
\nThe War is open to a certain number of broad chances: <\/font><\/p>\n

\n               
\nI. Those bringing about
\nthe destruction of the two Teutonic empires, German and Austrian.
\n               
\nThis may happen either by an immediate German .defeat, its armies being broken
\nand chased back from Belgium and Alsace-Lorraine to Berlin, which is not
\nprobable, or by the Russian arrival at Berlin and a successful French stand
\nnear Reims or Compiegne; or by the entry of Italy and the remaining Balkan
\nStates into the War and the invasion of Austro-Hungary from two sides.
\n               
\nII. Those bringing about the weakening or isolation of the
\nBritish Power. .
\n               
\nThis may be
\ndone by the Germans destroying the British Expeditionary Force, entering Paris
\nand dictating terms to France, while Russia is checked in its march to Berlin by
\na strong Austro- German force operating in the German quadrilateral between the
\nforts of Danzig, Thorn, Posen and Konigsberg. If this happens Russia may
\npossibly enter into a compact with Germany based on a reconciliation of the
\nthree Empires and a reversion to the old idea of a simultaneous attack on
\nEngland and a division of her Empire between Germany and Russia.
\n               
\nIII. Those bringing about the destruction of British Power. This may happen by
\nthe shattering of the British fleet and a German landing in England. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n               
\nIn either
\nof these two last cases an invasion of India by
\nGermany, Russia or Japan is only a question of time, and<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-466<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nEngland will be unable to’ resist except by one of three means. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n               
\n1. Universal conscription in England and the Colonies. <\/font><\/p>\n

\n               
\n2. The aid of Japan or some other foreign power.
\n               
\n3. The aid of the Indian people.
\n               
\nThe first is useless far the defence of India, in Case III, and
\ncan only be applied in Case II, if England is still mistress of the seas. The
\nsecond is dangerous to England herself, since the ally who helps, may also
\ncavet. The third means the concession of self-government to’ India.
\n               
\nIn Case I, there will only remain four considerable Powers in Europe and Asia,
\nRussia, France, England, Japan, – with perhaps a
\nBalkan Confederacy or Empire as a fifth: That means as the next stage a
\nstruggle between England and Russia in Asia. There again England is reduced to
\none of the three alternatives or a combination of them.
\n               
\nOf course, the War may take different turns from the above, with slightly
\naltered circumstances and results; the one thing that is impossible is that it
\nshould leave the world as it was before. In any case, the question of India must
\nrise at no very long date. If England adopts mare or less grudgingly the
\nthird alternative, our opportunity arrives and we must be ready to take it, – on
\nthis basis,: continuance of British rule and cooperation until we are strong
\nenough to stand by ourselves. If not, we must still decide how we are to
\nprepare ourselves, so as not to pass from one foreign domination to a worse.
\n               
\nI want those of you who have the capacity to consider the situation as I have
\ndescribed it, to think over it, enlarging our old views which are no longer
\nsufficient, and accustom yourselves to act always with these new and larger
\nconceptions in your minds. I shall write nothing myself about my views, just as
\nyet, as that might prevent you from thinking yourselves.
\n               
\nOnly, two things you will see obviously from it, first, the necessity of
\nseizing on any opportunity that arises of organisation or military training (net
\nself-sacrificing charity, that has already been done); secondly, the necessity
\nof creating an organisation and finding the means, if no opportunity presents
\nitself. It will be necessary for someone from Bengal to come and see me before
\nlong, but that will probably not be till October or later.<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-467<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n    I shall write
\nto you before long farther on the subject, as , also on other
\nmatters.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nK.<\/p>\n

[September,
\n1914?]
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

I have not written for a long time for several reasons. Our position here since
\nthe war has become increasingly difficult and delicate, as the administration is
\nrun for the moment by certain subordinates who are actively hostile to the
\nSwadeshis. I have therefore adopted a policy of entire reserve, including
\nabstension from correspondence with Bengal even with officially unobjectionable
\npeople. Our correspondence now is chiefly limited to Arya <\/i>business.
\n               
\nYour internal struggle in the Yoga has naturally its causes.
\nI shall help you as much as possible spiritually, but you must get rid of
\neverything that gives a handle to the enemy in ourselves. Your letters for a
\nlong time showed a considerable revival of rajasic egoism, contracted, I
\nsuppose, by association with the old Tantrics, and that always brings in our
\nYoga disagreeable consequences. If you could make yourselves entirely pure
\ninstruments, things would go much better. But there is always something in the
\nPrana and intellect which kicks against the pricks and resists the purifier.
\nEspecially get rid of the aham- kartā <\/i>element, which usually disguises
\nitself under the idea "I am ,the’ chosen Yantra". -Despise no one, try
\nto see’ God in all and the Self in all. The Shakti in you will then act better
\non your materials and environment.
\n               
\nThere is another point. You sent a message about an "Aurobindo Math"
\nwhich seemed to show you had caught the contagion which rages in Bengal. You
\nmust understand that my mission is not to create Maths, ascetics and Sannyasis;
\nbut to call back the souls of the strong to the Lila of Krishna and Kali. That
\nis my teaching, as you can see from the Review, and
\nmy<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-468<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nname must
\nnever be connected with monastic forms or the monastic ideal. Every ascetic
\nmovement since the time of Buddha has left India weaker and for a very obvious
\nreason. Renunciation of life is one thing, to make life itself, national,
\nindividual, world- life greater and more divine is another. You cannot enforce
\none ideal on the country without weakening the other. You cannot take away the
\nbest souls from life and yet leave life stronger and greater. Renunciation of
\nego, acceptance of God in life is the Yoga I teach, – no other
\nrenunciation.
\n               
\nSaurin has written to you about Bejoy’s detention. M. Richard wrote to the
\nMadras Government, but with the usual result.
\n               
\nHere one of the Swadeshis, a certain V. V. S. Aiyar has been hauled up for
\ncirculating unauthorised pamphlets from America. n appears the Government of
\nPondicherry have established a censorship in the French P.O. and open letters
\netc. from abroad. They have intercepted some wonderful pamphlets of the usual
\nsanguinary order asking India to rise and help Germany, which some fool had sent
\nto his address from New York. On the strength of this a case has been trumped up
\nagainst Aiyar who knew nothing about either the New York idiot or his pamphlets.
\nThe funny thing is that all the time Aiyar seems to be fervently anti-German in
\nhis sentiments and pro-Belgian and pro-Servian! So this wonderful French
\nadministration insists on making him a martyr for the cause he denounces. One
\nthing I could never appreciate is the utility of this pamphleteering business of
\nwhich Indian revolutionists are so fond. Pamphlets won’t liberate India; but
\nthey do seem to succeed in getting their distributors and non-distributors also
\ninto prison. My connection with Aiyar has been practically nil, as in normal
\ntimes I only saw him
\nonce in two years. But here all the Swadeshis are lumped together; so we have
\nto be careful not only that we give no handle to our enemies, but that other
\npeople don’t give them a handle against us, – which is just a little difficult.
\n    <\/i>            
\nYou <\/i>have decided, it seems, to carry on Tantra and Mantra, anu$thiina <\/i>and
\npure Vedanta together! My objection to it was from the standpoint of the Review
\nand Vedantic work generally. Anu$thiina <\/i>and the Review do not go well
\ntogether. Of course, a<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-469<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nsynthesis is always possible, but amalgamation is not synthesis.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nA. G.
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n               
\nP.S. By the
\nway, try to realise one thing. The work we wish to do cannot produce its effects
\non the objective world until my Ashtasiddhi is strong enough to work upon that
\nworld organically and as a whole, and it has .not yet reached that point. No
\namount of rajasic eagerness on my part or on yours or anybody else’s will fill
\nthe place or can substitute itself as the divine instrument which will be
\ndefinitely effective. In the matter of the Review Bejoy has found that out by
\nthis time! I have found it out myself by constant experience and warning. You
\nalso, if you wish to profit by my teaching, should learn it also without the
\nnecessity of experience.
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n[1914 –
\n19151]
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nRecently in
\nthe papers there has appeared a case of one Rashbehary Bose, against whom a
\nwarrant of extradition has been granted by the Chandernagore Administrator in
\na political case. <\/i>Although ordinarily we do not concern ourselves with
\npolitical matters, this concerns me and my friends, because it is an attack on
\nthe security of our position. If this kind of thing is allowed to go
\nunchallenged then any of us may at any moment be extradited on a trumped-up
\ncharge by the British police. I must therefore, ask you to interest yourself in
\nthe matter, even though it interferes with your Yoga. The case is clearly a
\npolitical one; for the main charges in the Delhi case seem to be (1) a charge
\nof conspiracy on a clause relating to State (i.e. political) offences (2) a
\ncharge of murder under Sec. 302 read in connection with this State offence
\nsection, therefore an assassination with a political intention; (3) a charge
\nunder Explosives Act which is an extraordinary measure passed in view of certain political conditions. Moreover, all these cases are tried<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-470<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\ntogether and form part of the same transaction, i.e. a political conspiracy
\ndirected against the existing form of Government and having for its object the
\nchange or overthrow of that Government. Under the Extradition Treaty between
\nFrance and England, – unless that has been
\naltered by the latest Treaty to which
\nI have not had access, – there can be no Extradition for (1) a political
\noffence, (2) an offence of a political character or tendency, (3) on a charge
\nwhich, though preferred as for an ordinary offence, is really an excuse or
\ndevice for laying hands on a political offender. Rashbehary Bose is reported to
\nbe in hiding either in Chandernagore or the Punjab. If anybody moves therefore,
\nit can only be a relative or friend on his behalf, – a
\nrelative would be much better. What you have to do is to get hold of someone
\nentitled to act for him, consult the text of the latest Extradition Treaty
\nbetween France and England and, if it is as I have stated, then let it be put in
\nthe hands of a lawyer of the French Court who must move in the matter according
\nto the French procedure about which I know nothing. I presume he would have to
\nmove the Government in France or failing there, the Court of Cassation in Paris,
\nbut the latter would be an expensive affair. So long as Bose is not handed over
\nto the British (if he is in Chandernagore), the Court of Cassation has, I should
\nsuppose, the power of cancelling the warrant. I do not know whether it is
\nnecessary first to appeal to the Procureur General in Pondicherry before going
\nto the Higher Court. On these points of procedure Bose’s representative will
\nhave to consult a French lawyer. In case he is handed over, the Hague decision with regard to Savarkar will come in the way and make the thing almost
\nhopeless. The French Government might still move on the ground that Bose is a
\nFrench subject, but it could only succeed by strong diplomatic pressure which
\nthe present French Government might be unwilling to employ. In any case it might
\nbe worthwhile to get a decree of the Court of Cassation so as to establish the
\nprinciple. There is always however, the danger in these political cases, where
\njustice and law are so seldom observed, of an opposite decision making the
\nposition worse than
\n before. It
\nwould be worthwhile finding out what exactly was done and on what grounds in
\nCharuChander Ray’s case and<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-471<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

seeing whether these grounds
\ncan be made to apply. If you will give me the exact
\nfacts of the warrant, the charges etc., I may be able to get a letter written to
\nFrance so that Jaures or others may move in the matter.
\n               
\nAs to your Tantric Yoga, the reasons of your failures are so obvious that I am
\nsurprised you should attribute it all to the Goddess and not to the unpardonable
\nblunders we have all been making in our Yogic Kriya. Kali of the Tantra is not a
\ngoddess who is satisfied with mere tamasic faith and adoration. Perfection in Kriya is indispensable or at least a conscientious and diligent attempt at
\nperfection. This has not been made; on the contrary all the defects that have
\nmade Tantra ineffective throughout the Kaliyuga abound in your anuşthana. All
\nthis must be changed, for the warning has been given and it will be wise to give
\nheed to it. If not, – well, you know what the Gita says about’ those who from
\nAhankara hear not. .
\n               
\nThe root of the whole evil is that we have been attempting an extension of
\nTantric Kriya without any sufficient Vedantic basis. You especially were going
\non the basis that if a man had faith, enthusiasm, intellectual and emotional
\nsincerity and proffered self-surrender, all that was necessary was there and
\nhe could go on straight to difficult Tantric Anusthana. This basis is condemned. A
\nmuch stronger .and greater foundation is necessary. It was the basis of the
\nsattwic Ahankara, which said to itself, "1 am the chosen of Kali, I am her
\nBhakta, I have every claim on her, I can afford to be negligent about other
\nthings, she is bound to help and guard me." It is this sattwic Ahankara
\nwhich I have long felt to be the great obstacle in our Yoga; some have it in the
\nSattwa-rajasic form, others in the Sattwa-tamasic, but it is there in you all,
\nblinding your vision,’ limiting your strength, frustrating your progress. And
\nits worst quality, that it is unwilling to admit its own defects, or if it
\nadmits one, it takes refuge in another. Open your eyes to this enemy within you
\nand expel it. Without . that purification
\nyou can have no success. "To do rajasic Kriya in a sattwfc spirit" is
\nmerely to go on in the old way while pretending to oneself that there is a
\nchange. Going on in the old way is out of the question. That path can only lead
\nto the pit. I speak strongly because I see clearly, if not yet with absolute<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-472<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nv<\/font>ision,
\nyet without that misleading false light which marred all my seeing till
\nnow and allowed me to be swept in the flood of con- fused Sattwo-rajasic impure
\nShakti which came with you from Bengal. .
\n               
\nMy first
\ninstruction to you therefore is to pause, stand on the defensive against your
\nspiritual enemies and go on with your Vedantic Yoga. God is arranging things for
\nme in my know- ledge, but the process is not yet finished. I shall send you (it
\nwill take two or three letters) the lines on which I wish the Vedantic and
\nTantric lines to be altered and developed; afterwards we shall see when we have
\nrecovered these from Shastras, that is, Upanishadic elements, how to work them
\nout in practice.
\n               
\nPlease send me the Rs. 50 with you, as I am again in the position of having to
\nreplace money diverted to current expenses and have very little of any other use
\nto me. Also try and get the rest of the money from Das. If not, you will have to
\nfind me an additional 20 for the last month and another 20 for next in addition to the monthly
\nRs. 50 and deduct the sum of Rs. 20 from Das’s payment when
\nyou do get it.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nKali
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n               
\nP.S. I have a sum of Rs. 10 to pay monthly for a purpose unconnected with our
\nown expenses and in addition certain additional expenses of my own which I
\ncannot dispense with; for this reason Rs. 50 is insufficient. I hope Das will be
\nin a position to send the balance of the money this time.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n[1915?]
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

Your letter and enclosure (SO) reached us all right. We have not received the Rs.
\n200 due from Das. As for the Rs. 500, that has n6thing to do with ‘the garden
\nmoney of my uncle, it is a sum promised to me which Saurin was to have brought,
\nbut it was not paid in time. He tells me he told you about it before he came and<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-473<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nhe wrote also from here. Our actual expenses here are Rs.115 a month; this can
\nbe reduced if we get another house, but you know that is not easy in
\nPondicherry. I note that we are to get Rs. 50 from you in the latter part of
\nthis month.
\n               
\nSo much for money matters. It is regrettable that the Government should think
\nyou are mixed up in political matters and that you are on the list of suspects.
\nBut once they get that idea into their heads, it is impossible to change it;
\nonce a suspect, always a suspect is their rule. They are particularly good at
\npurchasing trouble for themselves and others in this way and just now they
\nare all fear and suspicion and see revolutions in every bush. The only thing is
\nto be extremely careful. You should not on any account move out of Chandernagore
\nso long as the war measures are in force; for in these times innocence is no
\ndefence. It is regrettable that Bengal should be unable to find anything
\nin the Arya, but not surprising. The intellect of Bengal has been so much
\nfed on chemical tablets of thought and hot-spiced foods that anything strong and
\nsubstantial is indigestible to it. Moreover people in India are accustomed only
\nto second-hand thoughts, – the old familiar ideas of the six philosophies,
\nPatanjali etc., etc. Any new presentation of life and thought and Yoga upsets
\ntheir expectations and is unintelligible to them. The thought of the Arya demands
\nclose thinking from the reader; it does not spare him the trouble of thinking
\nand understanding and the minds of the people have long been accustomed to have
\nthe trouble of thought spared them. They know how to indulge their minds, they
\nhave forgotten how to exercise them.
\n               
\nIt does not matter very much just now, so long as the people who practise the
\nYoga read and profit. The Arya presents a new philosophy and a new method
\nof Yoga and everything that is new takes time to get a hearing. Of course, in
\nreality it is only the old brought back again, but so old that it has been
\nforgotten. It is only those who practise and experience that can at first understand it. In a way, this is good, because it is meant to change the life of
\npeople and not merely satisfy the intellect. In France it has been very much
\nappreciated by those who are seeking the truth, because these people are not
\nshut up in old and received ideas, they are on the look-out for’ something which
\nwill change<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-474<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nthe inner and
\nouter life. When the same state of mind can be brought about here, the Arya will
\nbegin to be appreciated. At present, Bengal only understands and appreciates
\npolitics and asceticism. The central ideas of the Arya are Greek to it.
\n               
\nSoon after the Arya began, I got a letter from some graduates saying that
\nwhat they wanted was "man-making". I have done my share of man-making
\nand it is a thing which now anybody can do; Nature herself is looking after it
\nall over the world, though more slowly in India than elsewhere. My business is
\nnow not man-making, but divine man-making. My present teaching is that the world
\nis preparing for a new progress, a new evolution. Whatever race, whatever
\ncountry .seizes on the lines of that new evolution and fulfils it, will be the
\nleader of humanity. In the Arya I
\nstate. the thought upon which this new evolution will be
\nbased as I see it, and the method of Yoga by which it can be accomplished. Of
\ncourse, I cannot speak plainly yet my whole message, for obvious reasons; I have
\nto put it in a severe, colourless fashion which cannot be pleasing to the
\nemotional and excitement-seeking Bengali mind. But the message is there, for
\nthose who care to understand. It has really three parts: (1) for each man as an individual
\nto change himself into the future type of
\ndivine humanity, the men of the new Satyayuga which is striving to be born;
\n(2) to evolve a race of such men to lead humanity and (3) to call all humanity
\nto the path under the lead of these pioneers and this chosen race. India and
\nespecially Bengal have the best chance and the best right to create that race
\nand become the leaders of the future, – to do in the right
\nway what Germany thought of doing in the wrong way. But first they must learn to
\nthink, to cast away old ideas, and turn their faces resolutely to the future.
\nBut they cannot do this, if they merely copy European politics or go on
\neternally reproducing Buddhistic asceticism. I am afraid the Ramakrishna
\nMission with all its good intentions is only going to give us Shankaracharya and
\nBuddhistic humanitarianism. But that is not the goal to which the world is
\nmoving. Meanwhile remember that these are very difficult times and careful
\nwalking is necessary. It is just possible that the war may come to an end in a
\nfew months, for the old immobility is beginning to break down and the forces at
\nwork behind the veil<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-475<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nare straining towards a solution. While the war continues, no- thing great can
\nbe done, we are fettered on every side. After- wards things will change and we
\nmust wait for the development.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nK.<\/b><\/p>\n

[ 1915?]<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

I have not
\nwritten for a long time because nothing definite came to me to be written. We
\nare in a state of things in which every movement fails to come to a decisive
\nresult because every- where and in everything the forces are balanced by
\ncontrary forces. At the present moment the world is passing through an upheaval
\nin. which all forces possible have been let loose and none therefore has a
\ntriumphant action. Ordinarily, there are certain puissances, certain ideas which
\nare given a dominant impulsion and conquest, those opposing them being easily
\nbroken after a first severe struggle. Now everything is different. Wherever a
\nforce’ or an idea tries to assert itself in action all that can oppose rushes to
\nstop it and there. follows a "struggle of exhaustion". You see that in
\nEurope now; no one can succeed; nothing is accomplished; only that which
\nalready was, maintains itself with difficulty. At such a time one has to act as
\nlittle as possible and prepare
\nand fortify as much as possible, – that is to say, that
\nis the rule
\nfor those who are not compelled to be in the battle of the’ present and whose
\naction tends more towards the future.
\n               
\nI had hoped that we should be much more "forward" at this period, but
\nthe obstacles have been too great. I have not been able to get anything active
\ninto shape. Consequently, we have to go on as
\nbefore for some time longer. Our action depends on developing sufficient
\nspiritual power to overcome the enormous material obstacles opposed to us, to
\nshape minds, men, events, means, things. This we have got as yet in very
\ninsufficient quantity. You have done well in confining yourself to Vedantic
\nYoga; you can see for yourself that the Tantric bears no secure and<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-476<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nsufficient
\nfruit without a very strong and faultless Vedantic basis. Otherwise you have a
\nmedley of good and bad Sadhakas associating together and
\nthe bad spoil the Kriya of the good; for a collective
\nYoga is not like a solitary one, it is not free from collective influences; it
\nhas a collective soul which cannot afford to be in some parts either raw or
\nrotten. It is this which modern Tantrics do not understand, their aspiration
\nis not governed by old Shastra founded on the experience of centuries. A cakra for
\ninstance, must either be perfectly composed or immediately governed
\nand protected by the spiritual force of some powerful Guru. But our modern minds
\nare too impatient to see to these things. As for your external difficulties, I
\nmean with regard to the bad ideas the Government or the police have about you
\nand the consequent obstacles and pressure, that is a result of past Karma and
\nprobably of some present associations and can hardly be cured. I see people are
\ninterned who have no connection at all with politics or have long cut off
\nwhatever connection they had. Owing to the war, the authorities are uneasy and
\nsuspicious and being ill-served by their police act on prejudgments and often on
\nfalse
\nreports. You have to sit tight, spiritually defend yourself and physically avoid
\nputting yourself where the police can do you any harm, and so far as possible,
\navoid also doing anything which would give any colour or appearance of a
\nfoundation for their prejudices. More can hardly be done. One cannot throw aside
\nfriends because they are suspects; in that case, we should have to begin with
\nourselves. If on the ground of such associations we are ourselves more
\nsuspected, – as for instance, the officials make it a grievance against me that
\nalthough I am doing nothing political myself, yet I associate with my Madrasi
\nfriends against whom they have chosen to launch warrants for sedition, etc., it
\ncannot be helped. We cannot suffer political or police dictation in our private
\nfriendships.
\n               
\nWhat has become of the Prabartak? The last number was very good, but for
\na long time we have had no other. Is the administration withholding visa or are
\nthere other reasons for the irregularity? I hope it is not a discontinuance. We
\nhave the Arya here visaed without delay or difficulty.<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-477<\/font>
\n <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nIf you have difficulties of any kind, it is well to let me know at once; for I
\ncan then concentrate what force I have more particularly to help you. The help
\nmay not be always or immediately effective, but it will count and may be more
\npowerful than a general will, not instructed in the particular necessity. You
\nmust not mind if you do not get always a written answer; the un- written will
\nalways be there.
\n               
\nI leave it to the Manager of the Arya to write to you about business
\nmatters.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\nK.<\/p>\n

[ 1919?]
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nIf you want discipline, the first thing of that kind I would impose on you or
\nask you to impose on yourselves is self-discipline, ātma-samyama, and
\nthe first element in that is obedience to the law of the Yoga I have given to
\nyou. If you bring in things which do not belong to it at all and are quite
\nforeign to it, such as "hunger-strikes" and vehement emotional revolt
\nagainst the divine Will, it is idle to expect any rapid progress. That means
\nthat you insist on going on your own bypath and yet demand of me that I shall
\nbring you to my goal. All difficulties can be conquered, but only on condition
\nof fidelity to the Way that you have taken. There is no obligation on anyone to
\ntake it, -it is a difficult and trying
\none, a way for heroes, not for weaklings, – but once taken,
\nit must be followed, or you will not arrive.
\n               
\nRemember what is the whole basis of the Yoga. It is not founded upon the
\nvehement emotionalism of the Bhaktimarga to which the temperament of Bengal is
\nmost prone, though it has a different kind of Bhakti, but on samatā and
\nātma-samarpana, Obedience to the divine Will, not assertion of self-will, is the very
\nfirst mantra. But what can be a more violent assertion of self. will than
\nto demand the result you desire, whether external or<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-478<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

internal,
\n at once, (<\/font>Written
\n in Bengali<\/font>.) [ei muhūrtte,
\n ei kşane<\/font>] and not in God’s Muhurta, God’s moment?
\n You say that there is complete utsarga, but it cannot be complete, if there
\n is any kind of revolt or vehement impatience. The revolt and impatience mean
\n always that there is a part of the being or something in the being which does
\n not submit, has not given itself to God, but insists on God going out of his
\n way to obey it. That may be very well in the Bhaktimarga, but it will not do
\n on this Way. The revolt and impatience may come and will come in the heart or
\n the Prana when these are still subject to imperfection and impurity; but it
\n is then for the will and the faith in your Buddhi to reject them, not to act
\n upon them. If the will consents, approves and supports them, it means that you
\n are siding with the inner enemy. If you want rapid progress, the first condition
\n is that you should not do this; for every time you do it, the enemy is strengthened
\n and the ś<\/font>uddhi postponed. This is a difficult lesson
\n to learn, but you must learn it. I do not find fault with you for taking long
\n over it. I myself took full twelve years to learn it thoroughly, and even after
\n I knew the principle well enough, it took me quite four years and more to master
\n my lower nature in this respect. But you have the advantage of my experience
\n and my help; you will be able to do it more rapidly, if you consciously and
\n fully assist me, by not associating yourself with the enemy Desire; jahi kamam
\n dura-sadam, remember that utterance of the Gita, it is a keyword of our Yoga.
\n               
\nAs for Haradhan, he should show the way in calm, patience and endurance. He has
\nbeen a soldier. How does he think the nations of Europe could have carried this
\nwar to an end, if they had grown so impatient of the fatigue of the trenches,
\nsuffering, disturbance, scarcity, continual postponement of the result, and
\ndeclared that either they must have victory in a given time or throw up the
\nstruggle? Does he expect the inner war with our lower selves, the personal habit
\nof thousands of lives and the human inheritance of ages, to be less arduous or
\nto be carried out by a rapid and easy miracle? Hunger-striking to force God or
\nto force anybody or anything else is not the true spiritual means. I do not
\nobject to Mr. Gandhi or anyone else following it for <\/font>
\n 1 Written in Bengali.<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-479<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nquite other than spiritual purposes, but here it is out of place; these things,
\nI repeat, are foreign to the fundamental principle of our Yoga.
\n               
\nShuddhi is the most difficult part of the whole Yoga, it is the condition of all
\nthe rest, and if that is once conquered, the real conquest is accomplished. The
\nrest becomes a comparatively easy building on an assured basis, – it may take longer
\nor shorter, but it can be done tranquilly and steadily. To prevent the Shuddhi
\nthe lower nature in you and around you will exhaust all its efforts, and even
\nwhen it cannot prevent: it will try to retard. And its strongest weapon then is,
\nwhen you think you have got it, suddenly to break in on you and convince you
\nthat you have not got it, that it is far away, and so arouse disappointment,
\ngrief, loss of faith, discouragement, depression and revolt, the whole army of
\ntroubles that wait upon impure Desire. When you have once found calm, peace of
\nmind, firm faith, equality and been able to live in it for some time, then and
\nonly then you may be sure that Shuddhi is founded; but you must not think it
\nwill not be disturbed. It will be, so long as your heart and Prana are still
\ncapable of responding to the old movements, have still any memory and habit of
\nvibrating to the old chords. The one thing necessary when the renewed trouble
\ncomes, is to stand back in your mind and will from it, refuse it the sanction of
\nyour higher being, even when it is raging in the lower nature. As that habit of
\nrefusal fixes itself, – at first you may not be able to do it, the Buddhi may be
\nlost in the storm, – you will find that the asuddhi, even though it still
\nreturns, becomes less violent, more and more external, until it ceases to be
\nanything more than a faint and short-lived touch from outside and finally comes
\nno more. That is the course it has followed with me, not only with regard to
\nthis kind of disturbance, but with regard to all imperfections. You, since you
\nhave chosen to share my Yoga for mankind, must follow the same way, undergo the
\nsame disturbances.
\n               
\nThis is a thing which it is necessary for you to understand clearly. I myself
\nhave had for these fourteen years, and it is not yet finished, to bear all the
\npossible typical difficulties, troubles, downfalls and backslidings that can
\nrise in this great effort to change the whole normal human being. How else could
\nI have<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-480<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

been
\n able to help or guide others on the same way? Those who join me at the present
\n stage, must share in my burden, especially those who are themselves chosen in
\n any degree to lead, help and guide. It may be that when I have the complete
\n Siddhi, – which I have not yet, I am only on the way to it, – then, if it be
\n God’s will to extend very largely and rapidly my work in this body, those who
\n come after may have the way made very easy for them. But we are the pioneers
\n hewing our way through the jungle of the lower Prakriti. It will not do for
\n us to be cowards and shirkers and refuse the burden, to clamour for everything
\n to be made quick and easy for us. Above all things I demand from you endurance,
\n firmness, heroism, – the true spiritual heroism. I want strong men. I do not
\n want emotional children. Manhood first,
\n [devatva] (<\/font>Written in Bengali.)<\/font>
\n can only be built upon that. If I do not get it in those who accept my Yoga,
\n then I shall have to understand that it is not God’s will that I should succeed.
\n If that be so, I shall accept his will calmly. But meanwhile I go on bearing
\n what- ever burden he lays on me, meeting whatever difficulties he puts in the
\n way of my Siddhi. Personally, I am now sure of success in everything except
\n in the kāya-siddhi, – which is still doubtful, and in my work. The work
\n can only succeed if I find noble and worthy helpers, fitted for it by the same
\n struggles and the same endurance. I expect them in you.
\n               
\nAgain you must not expect the śuddhi or any part of the śuddhi [or siddhi] to be simultaneous and complete at once in all whom you associate
\nwith you. One may attain, others progress, others linger. You must not expect a
\nsudden collective miracle. I have not come here to accomplish miracles, but to
\nshow, lead the way, help on the road to a great inner change of our human
\nnature, – the outer change in
\nthe world is only possible if and when that inner transmutation is effected and
\nextends itself. You must not expect to establish a perfect sarhgha all at
\nonce and by a single leap. If you make such demands on me, I can only say that I
\ncannot do what is not God’s will. Go forward calmly and firmly, not attached to
\nsuccess, not disturbed by unsuccess; my help will then not fail you.
\n                
\n As to your idea of work, it seems to me a little crude in form;
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n


\nPage-481<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nbut I have no objection to your beginning it, since you feel the pressing
\nnecessity. I shall write to you later on about it at more length. The only
\nreason why I do not lay great stress on outer work, is that it must always be
\nkaccha, much embarrassed by difficulties, at best only a preparatory thing, until we
\nare inwardly and spiritually ready. That is no reason why it should not be
\ndone. Work done in the right spirit will itself become a means of the inner
\nSiddhi.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nKali<\/p>\n

[ 1919 –
\n19201]
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\n About your scheme of a weekly paper, – as for the name it is not difficult to
\n find; it could be called the Standard Bearer. But are you quite sure you will
\n be able to live up to the name and carry the thing on in the requisite manner
\n ? Nolini and Suresh are not likely to be able to write; one does not write at
\n all in English, the other can do it if he likes, but is even more
\n (<\/font>Written in Bengali.<\/font>)
\n [manthargati] than in Bengali. To write for an English weekly would be beyond
\n his present energies. As for myself, I am at present unable to write or do anything
\n substantial, because of the extreme pressure of my Yoga, which has entirely
\n occupied my time, – except for what I am obliged to give to the Arya and even
\n that I have cut short as much as possible, – for the last few months. This state
\n of things is likely to go on for the rest of the (English) year; whether it
\n will be changed in the beginning of the next is more than I can tell with any
\n certainty. The whole work might fall on your two Chandernagore writers. An English
\n weekly cannot be conducted like a Bengali monthly or fortnightly. And it is
\n not going to be a political paper of the ordinary kind which can be filled up
\n anyhow. It will have to maintain a high reputation to be at all successful.
\n These things however are for you to consider; you know your own strength <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-482<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nand how far the field in Bengal is ready. As to the symbol, none has come to me.
\nI am not altogether favourably inclined to the Uttar Yogi idea nor anyone else
\nhere. It sounds too like the old style of spiritual pretension, and, when it is
\nput in a current English production, suggests bujruki. Plain colours and
\nas few symbols as may be are what we want at the beginning. Indian spirituality
\nhas lost itself in a jungle of symbols and Shlokas and we have to get out of
\nthem on to the plain and straight ways and the open heights, where we can see
\nthe "much work that has still to be done". Why any editor? Let the
\nShaktiherself be the editor.
\n                
\n As to articles for the Prabartak, Nolini used to be your mainstay and he is
\n now in another atmosphere, mainly hitherto of marriage and football, and complains
\n of an inability to write. As for the other he has produced nothing since he
\n left here, except a drama for the Bijoli and the answer to his Prabasi articles
\n was written and sent before he left for Bengal. Moni’s inspiration flows in
\n channels hardly suitable for the Prabartak. As for my- self it was only as a
\n result of a solitary inspiration and with much trouble of rewriting that I got
\n one thing done for you. Since then I have been too much occupied by my Yoga
\n and not at all visited by any prera1;ui or at least none which lasted long enough
\n to produce more than a few lines. In this matter I am entirely dependent on
\n the (<\/font>Sanskrit
\n written in Bengali script.<\/font>) [yathā
\n niyukto’smi], as I have no natural control of the language and I have no time
\n at present for exercising it by constant practice. It seems to me that Prabartak
\n is getting on well enough as it is, though, if Nolini could write, it could
\n produce an element of greater variety. You should be able to develop more writers
\n with the necessary spiritual experience, grasp of the thought and literary ability,
\n – these things the inner Shakti can bring to the surface if it is called upon
\n for them, – so that Prabartak will not have to depend on three or four people
\n only for its sustenance.
\n               
\nThere is nothing more, I think, to add immediately, – if
\nthere is, I will keep it for later answering, so that this letter may not be
\nfarther delayed. By the way, with regard to your design for the paper, the only
\nthing that now suggests itself to me is the <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-483<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nHansa in the Sun, as the free Soul lodged in the vij\u00f1āna and the
\nlegend, "In this sign thou shalt conquer", which is appropriate, but
\nhas the disadvantage of being borrowed from Christianity and Constantine. It
\nwould perhaps be better if you could find a Sanskrit equivalent or substitute.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nK.
\nJanuary 2, 1920
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nI write today
\nonly for your question about Manindranath and the other. We have been imprisoned
\nin an inferno of rain for the last few days and I have only just been able to
\nget a reliable answer. They have only to get’ a sauf-conduit from the Chandernagore Administrator and then, as they are called here by the French
\nGovernment for government work, nobody can interfere with their going and
\ncoming. This is what I am told and it ought obviously to be so. How are your
\npeople going to vote? Martineau and Flandin are the two candidates at present
\nand Martineau is impossible.
\n               
\nI note with some amusement the Secretary’s letter to Bejoy,
\nChatterjee.
\nThe logic of the Bengal Government’s attitude is a little difficult to follow.
\nHowever, I suppose the King’s proclamation will make some difference, but I
\nfancy the Government of India is the chief obstacle in these matters and they
\nwill perhaps try to limit the scope of this qualified amnesty. Still I hope
\nthat the restrictions on your own movements will be removed before long. We have
\nreceived a postcard from Bejoy notifying to the Arya a change of address
\nwhich shows that after five long years he has been released from his quite
\ncauseless imprisonment, but he is now interned in or near Ramnagar in Birbhum.
\nAs for me, I do not see, if Lajpatrai is coming to India, how they can object to
\nmy going to Bengal. But, allowed or not allowed, I have not the least intention
\nof doing that at present or for another year at the earliest. When I do go,
\nthis or that circumstance<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-484<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nwill make no difference. Mr. Gandhi, like the man in Macedonia with St. Paul,
\nsent me a message to "come over and help", but I had to say that I was
\nnot ready to join in the old politics and had no new programme formed for a more
\nspiritual line of
\nwork, and it would be no use my going out till I saw my way. 
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n               
\nAs to the Standard
\nBearer, I cannot write now, as it would take too long and delay this letter.
\nI shall write afterwards or send word. Your insured packet reached us yesterday.
\nThe increase comes in a good moment, as with Saurin in Bengal the Aryan Stores
\nis simply marking time and the Arya is in a new economic phase which
\nmeans for the moment some diminution of income.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\nA. G.<\/p>\n

In a few days
\nyou will be getting 50 copies of "War and S.D." [<\/font>War and
\nSelf-Determination<\/font>]<\/p>\n

K. Amrita<\/p>\n

Pondicherry May, 1920
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.<\/p>\n

               
\nIt is only now for the first time since Sirish left that I get some time to
\nwrite. It is not possible for me to write all I have to say, much must wait till
\nyou come here; I will confine myself to what is of pressing importance for the
\nwork.
\n               
\nThe circumstances under which you have to work have now changed a great deal and
\nyou will have in order to meet it to enlarge your view and inner attitude on
\nmany sides; this I think you are preparing to do, but it will be as well for me
\nto make it as precise as possible. Up till now you were working alone in a
\nBengal which was in a state, first, of the last fragmentary and chaotic
\nagitations of the old violent spirit of rajasic politics, and then of torpor and
\ninaction; and the thing that had to be done<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-485<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nwas to get rid of the errors of the past (errors once necessary for the development, but likely if persisted in to ruin and frustrate the future), to get at a firm spiritual basis and found a centre of spiritual unity and action, a samgha, <\/i>on a small scale but sure of its principle and capable of a large development. This
\nhas now been done, but at the moment of its firm effectuation, new
\nconditions have come in which create a new and larger problem. First, many imprisoned forces have been set loose and, secondly, the chaos of incertitude, confused agitation and unseeing unrest which has followed upon the war and is felt all over the world, is now at work in Bengal. The nature of this unrest is a haste to get something done without knowing what has to be done, a sense of and vague response to large forces without any vision of or hold on the real possibilities of the future of humanity and the nation. The old thing~ are broken up in their assured mould and are yet persisting and trying to form themselves anew, the new exist for the most part only in vague idea without a body or clear action and without any power as yet to form what is lacking to them. The old politics in India persist in a chaos of parties and programmes centred round the Congress quarrel and the Re- forms, and in Bengal we have a rush of the commercial and
\nindustrial spirit which follows the Western principle and, if it succeeds on these lines, is likely to create a very disastrous
\nreproduction or imitation of the European situation with its corrupt capitalism and the Labour struggle and the war of classes. And all that is the very reverse of our own ideal. The one advantage for us is that it is a chaos and not a new order; and it is essential that we should throw our spirit and idea upon this fermentation, and draw what is best among its personalities and forces to the side and service of our ideal so as to get a hold and a greater mass o\u00a3 effectuation for it in the near future.

\n               
\nThis, as I conceive it, has to be done on two lines. First what has already been created by us and given a right spirit, basis and form, must be kept intact in spirit, intact in basis and intact in form and must strengthen and enlarge itself in its own strength and by its inherent power of self-development and the divine force within it. This is the line of work on which you have to proceed. We have to confront the confusion around us with<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-486<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n


\na thing that is sure of itself and illumined by self-knowledge and a work that by its clear form and firm growth will present more and more the aspect of an assured solution of the problems of the present and the future. The mind of the outside world may be too shallow, restless and impatient to understand a great, profound and difficult
\ntruth like ours on the side of the idea, but a visible accomplishment, a body of things done has always the power to compel and to attract the world to follow it. The only danger then is that when this body of things becomes prominent and attractive, numbers may rush into it and try to follow the externals without realising and reproducing in themselves the truth and the power of the real thing that made it possible. It was that against which I warned you when there came the first possibility of a- considerable expansion. It is your business to enlarge your field of work and the work itself but not at the cost of any lowering or adulteration of its spirit. The first condition you have to assure is that all who have the work in hand or share in its direction must- be of the spirit and work from the self outward; they must be men of the Yoga; but, secondly, all who enter in must have this imposed on them as the thing to be developed, must learn to develop this self-realisation first and foremost and the work only as its expression. The safety of the work lies in a strict adherence to this principle. The majority of the educated people of Bengal care only to get something done,
\n– and are not troubled by the fact that really nothing sure and lasting does get done or else only something that is likely to do as much harm as good; they care nothing about the spiritual basis of life which is India’s real mission and the only possible source of her greatness, or give to it only a slight, secondary or incidental value, a something that has to be stuck on as a sentiment or a bit of colouring matter. Our whole principle is different and you have to insist on our principle in all that you say and do. Moreover, you have got a clear form for your work in association and that form as well as the spirit you must maintain; any
\nloosening of it or compromise would mean confusion and an impairing of the force that is working in your Sangha.

\n               
\nBut on the other hand there is another line of work which is also necessary at the present moment because the Shakti is mo-<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

Page-487<\/span><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n


\nving in that direction also and the Shakti is the doer of the work,
\n–
\n and that is for others, like Barin to enter into the fermenting mass and draw out of it elements that are fit but not yet ready to take our whole idea and first to get into and then occupy existing or newly created means and activities, – as he is doing with the Narayana,
\n <\/i>–
\n which can be increasingly made instruments of our purpose. This work will be attended with all the difficulties and uncertainties and obstacles which go with a mixed and yet unformed working, – such as you had at the beginning, but have now got over, – but we must trust to the divine Shakti to overcome them. The one difficulty that it is in our power to avoid is that of the relation between those who are working on these different lines. There the first necessity is that there should be no clash or spirit of rivalry, sense of division or monopolising personal or corporate egoism to bring discord among those who receive their inspiration from the same source and have the same ideal. A spiritual unity and a readiness for co-operation must be the guiding principle of their relations.

\n             I have already
\n answered to Sirish the first very natural question that arose in your mind at
\n the inception of these new conditions, why Barin and others should cast themselves
\n separately into the
\n (<\/font>Written in Bengali)<\/font>
\n [arūp] <\/i>to create a
\n (<\/font>Written in Bengali<\/font>)
\n [rūp] <\/i>out of it, when there is already a form and a body of associated
\n communal work in the spirit of our ideal and why all should not unite in that
\n form and create a greater power of associated driving force to bring about a
\n rapid enlargement and victory of the ideal. The first thing is that the particular
\n form given is the right thing for those who are already associated together,
\n because it has arisen out of themselves and by the Will that guides, but it
\n may well be that the same precise form may not be applicable or intended everywhere.
\n The spirit, the truth must be the same, but the formations may be different
\n with advantage to the spirit. To insist on one form only might well bring in
\n that rigidity which grew upon Indian society and its civilisation in the past
\n and brought about an imprisonment and decline of the spirit. India was strongest
\n and most alive when she had many variations of form but one spirit. And I think,
\n – that at least was the prevision<\/font> <\/p>\n

Page-488<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nthat came on me in the Alipur Jail and I do not yet see a different prospect,
\n –
\n that this will be the case also in the future. Then,
\nsecondly, there is a psychological necessity which we cannot at the present moment leave out of consideration. The Sangha at Chandernagore is a thing that has grown up with my power
\nbehind and yours at the centre and it has assumed a body and
\ntemperament which is the result of this origination. But there are others, people of strong personality and full of Shakti, who
\nreceive their spiritual force direct from me and are made them- selves to be central spirits and direct radiators of the Shakti, and for these to subordinate themselves to the existing body and
\ntemperament would not be easy for any and in most cases impossible,
\n–
\n such a subordination would not have grown out of themselves and would only be imposed by nigraha, <\/i>a thing contrary to the
\nprakrti,
\n <\/i>–
\n and it would besides clog up the natural action of the
\npower in them. And on the other hand to bring them in as coordinated central figures into the existing form would not be feasible, for it would mean a disturbing change and new
\nfermentation of forces in the work that is already being well done on established lines. It would mean, even if at all successful, a sort of conducting by spiritual committee and that is not the line on which the Shakti has proceeded at Chandernagore. The more perfect coordination of all who are at work can only come, as far as I can see, after I myself go to Bengal and can act by my direct presence. Thirdly, there are a considerable number of people in the country who are not yet of us, yet can be given the necessary turn, but owing to temperamental and other causes they would not be drawn to the existing centre, but could be easily drawn by Barin, Saurin, Bejoy and others. And in all these and similar cases we must leave freedom to the guiding Shakti to use her own means and instruments. Finally, there are things to be done which need to be done, but which I would not like to impose on your Sangha as it now stands, first, because it would disturb the characteristic frame and ideal temperament of your work, a thing which it is important to keep, and secondly because it would impose on you unnecessary complications; and these things can best be done by Barin and others while seeming to work independently for their own hand. And there are needs also
\n to<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-489<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nbe met for which these other activities are required. Of that I can better speak to you in person than by letter. This
\nbeing the situation, the need that remains is to keep a right relation between those who are working, and that means to extend the spirit of unity which is our basis so as to embrace all the work and workers, undeterred by differences of mentality and divergences of action. In our work we have to fix our relations with three different kinds of people, first, those who are working for the country but without any greater idea or spiritual motive, secondly, those who have the spiritual motive but not the same ideal and inspiration as ourselves, thirdly, those who have the same ideal and
\ninspiration, but are working in different bodies and at first on different lines. Our relation to the first class of people and their work must be based on the fundamental principle of our Yoga to see God in all and the one Self in all acting through different natures and all energies, even those which are hostile, as workings of the Divine Shakti although behind the veil of the
\nahankāra <\/i>and the ignorant mentality. There are movements at work new and old which are not the definite reality of the future but are needed at the present moment as part of the transition. It is in this light for example that I regard many things that are in process in Europe and I am even moved to give a temporary spiritual support to efforts and movements which are not in consonance with our own and must eventually fail or cease by exhaustion of their utility but are needed as transitional powers. This too is how I regard the work of men like Tilak and Gandhi. We work in the faith that it is our vision of the future that is the central divine will, the highest actualisable possibility and therefore the one thing that must be made the object of our
\naction; but that does not mean that the Shakti is not working in her own covert way and for her own ends through others. No doubt these movements are of a western and materialistic inspiration or else an imperfect mixture, and some day it may be we shall have to give battle to them as certainly we shall have to overcome the spirit that informs them. But that time has not come yet, and meanwhile what we have to do is to develop and spread our own vision and idea and give it body so as eventually. to confront the things that are in possession of the present with a realisation of the things that<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-490<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\nbelong to the future. I think that at this juncture we should avoid a too direct attack or criticism of them as that only creates avoidable opposition to our own work. The positive rather than the negative method is the one we should adopt until we are strong enough to convince by our visible strength and work the minds that are now attracted by the present power and activity of other movements, – to assert our own ideal as the true and the right way but not to invite conflict by a destructive frontal attack on the others.

\n               
\nAs for the second class, such as the other spiritual movements in Bengal, our attitude to most should be that of a benevolent neutrality and a sympathy for such of their elements as are at all in consonance with our own ideal. The one thing which we have to get rid of is the idea of Maya and ascetic abandonment of the life and effort of humanity; and also though that is social and religious rather than directly spiritual, the clinging to old forms and refusal to admit new developments. The movements that admit life and Ananda and are ready to break
\n away
\n from the old narrowness of social and other forms, are so much to the good even though they have not the full largeness of the integral
\nspiritual idea and realisation. These we must leave to go on their way and run themselves out or else enlarge themselves till they are ready to coalesce with us. I do not mean that with regard to either of these classes we should refrain from all criticism of the insufficiency of ideal or method, but this should be as far as
\npossible quite general, a discussion and the enforcement of a greater principle and truer method, distinguishing truth from error but not too pointedly aggressive against particular things or so
\nexpressed as to seem to hit straight at this or that person or body. To insist on our own propaganda and work is always necessary and sometimes though not always to meet any attack on it; but we need not go out of our way to invite conflict. To this rule there may be particular exceptions; I only indicate what seems to me for the present the right general attitude.

\n               
\nThis once understood, the really important thing becomes at once our own work and the relation between different.
\n workers, and here, as I have said, what we need is the growth of spiritual unity and a readiness to take the work of others as<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

Page-491
\n<\/SPAN>
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nsupplementing one’s own and, wherever it is called for and possible, to cooperate. There is a danger here from the subtler forms of egoism. It is not enough to realise unity among those who are already working with one mind as one soul in many bodies; there must be unity of spirit with others who are
\nfollowing different ways or working separately for the present and complete samatā <\/i>with regard to their action, even if it seems to one wrong or imperfect, and patience with regard to mental and
\nmoral divergences. This should be easy for you, as it means only getting rid of the remnants of your sattwic Ahankara; it may not be so easy for others who have still a rajasic Ahankara to trouble them. But if people like you and Barin give the example, that difficulty can eventually be got over; if on the contrary you also allow misunderstandings among yourselves, the work is likely to be very unnecessarily hampered. I may give as an instance, the matter about the Prabartak. <\/i>Certain casual utterances of Saurin’s made in answer to queries and not volunteered, have come to you quite misreported as a sort of intentional campaign to belittle the paper and the other half of what he said, namely, that the Prabartak <\/i>was inspired, though not actually written by me and the spirit and substance were that of my ideal, never reached your ears. I may add also that the alleged incident to which you took exception, as to his method of raising money, never actually happened. Again the advertisement or rather paragraph about Narayana <\/i>in the Amrita Bazar <\/i>was not inserted by Barin, but by someone else according to that other person’s idea after a
\nconversation with him. Barin was not responsible for the form nor had he any intention of claiming the Narayana <\/i>as the sole and direct mouthpiece of my ideas. It is these misunderstandings which I want to see all of you avoid and it can be easily done if
\nthose who are among the principal channels of the Shakti preserve the spiritual unity which ought to prevail among those who derive their inspiration from the same source and follow the same ideal. Others less developed may give cause for offence owing to their inability to control the rajasic ego still working in them, but calm, patience, prema <\/i>and
\nsamatā <\/i>are the spirit in which we should meet such causes of offence; otherwise where is the perfection we seek by our Yoga? Let me add, while I am<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-492<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

on
\n this subject, that Haradhan seems to have been misinformed about Nolini. As
\n a matter of fact he has mixed with no 
\n (<\/font>Written in
\n Bengali.) <\/SPAN> [dal], <\/i>nor engaged
\n in any kind of associated activity while in Bengal. And if he had, it would
\n have been with no other purpose than to draw others to our Yoga and our way
\n of thinking; but as a matter of fact he remained inactive.

\n               
\nAs for the other matter of the different lines of work, there is one instance which illustrates the difficulties that may arise. Barin has taken up the Narayana <\/i>with the idea of gradually and eventually making it another instrument of propaganda for our ideas, and if he succeeds, that will be so much the more strength for us. It will not be a mere doubling of the work of the Prabartak, <\/i>as it will present our ideas in a different way and so as to catch minds of a different type from those who are
\nnaturally attracted by the Prabartak <\/i>which demands from its readers a mind already turned to spiritual things or at least naturally able to enter into that atmosphere. To others who are of a less spiritual and intuitive, a more intellectual or literary and artistic temperament, the articles of the Prabartak <\/i>written out of an
\nexperience to which they are strangers, are not easily assimilable, and it is these minds which it may be possible to approach through the Narayana. <\/i>But if there is not a right understanding, the attitude of the two to each other may be that of separation and
\ncompetition rather than of activities supplementary to each other in the same work. In addition he has now the chance of getting hold of a strong publishing agency in Calcutta, as Sirish must already have told you, but he hesitates to take it up from fear that it may be regarded as a rival agency to the Prabartak Publishing House. He is not afraid of any misunderstanding between you and him, but of others connected with either work taking things in the wrong light and bringing in an unwholesome spirit of com- petition. This is a thing which might easily happen, but must not be allowed to happen. I have told him that I would write to you and ask you to see that there is no misunderstanding in the matter, before giving him sanction to take up the possibility. Afterwards, it will be for you and him to see that things on both sides are managed in the right spirit. This agency, if it comes into<\/font>\n<\/p>\n


\nPage-493<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nBarin’s control, will be conducted with the same idea and method as the Narayana <\/i>and all the profits except what is necessary for the maintenance and extension of the agency, will come to us and our work. These two things are the first fields the Shakti has offered to his energy and they are of a kind for which he is well fitted; their success means for us a great advantage. A time is now corning in which the Shakti is pressing to break down the barriers in which we have had hitherto to move and we must be ready to follow her indications without allowing our personal preferences and limitations to attempt to dictate to her any mind-made limits.

\n               
\nAs for the extension of the work you are doing, I have spoken in general terms to Sirish and it is not necessary to add anything in this letter. When you come, I shall perhaps have more to say about it. It is regrettable that at this moment the physical strain should take an effect on your body; I trust it is only a part of a temporary invasion of raga, <\/i>of which many of us including myself have recently felt some touch. But you must be careful not to throw too much strain on the physical system. A timely sparing of the physical system when there is an
\nindication of overstrain is often necessary before the Shakti has taken perfect possession of the more external parts of the Adhara or the
\nvij\u00f1āna <\/i>will is strong enough to set right at once weakenings and disturbances. There remains the question of your visit to
\nPondicherry. I had thought to delay it for a short time until I saw my way more clearly on certain important matters ; but I now believe this is not necessary and it will be as well for you to come as soon as may be. I hardly suppose that Nelson’s curious reservation about your visit means anything serious; otherwise he would have been more positive about it. I take it that they do not like the idea and would be suspicious about its motive and watch your actions more narrowly after it; but as they are obstinately
\ndetermined to be suspicious about anything we do in any case, this by itself cannot be allowed to be an obstacle. I should suggest
\ntherefore that you might come over after making arrangements for work in your absence in such a way that the visit may be a fairly long one.

\n               
\nThe work of the Arya <\/i>has fallen into arrears and I have to<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-494<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

spend
\n just now the greater part of my energy in catching up, and the rest of my time,
\n in the evening, is taken up by the daily visit of the Richards. I hope to get
\n over the worst part of this necessity by the middle of June, so that by the
\n time you come I may have a freer atmosphere to attend to the currents of the
\n work and the world about me. There is now the beginning of a pressure from many
\n sides inviting my spiritual attention to the future <\/font>
\nकर्म
\n<\/font> (<\/font>Written
\n in Devanagari.)<\/font> [karma] <\/i>and
\n this means the need of a greater out flowing of energy than when I had nothing
\n to do but support a concentrated nucleus of the Shakti. I doubt however, whether
\n I shall be in a fit condition for meeting the demand till August, especiaI1y
\n as I have not been able to get the physical basis yet put right by the power
\n of the Vijnana. After that we shall see what and how much can actually be done
\n under the new circumstances. Mean- while your visit may help to get things into
\n preparatory line both in the inward motor-power and the outward determination.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n

\nA. G.

\n

\nPondicherry September 2, 1920

\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n


\nDear M.

\n

\n My impression about your marriage idea is that you are going too fast. What
\n you say about the commune and the married couple is quite right as our ideal
\n or rather as one side of our ideal, but there is here a question of time and
\n tactics. In our work, especially in the preparatory and experimental part of
\n it, there must be not only spiritual hardihood, <\/font>
\nसाहस<\/font> <\/font>
\n(sāhasam<\/i>) , but skill and prudence, <\/font>
\nकौशलं<\/font> <\/font>
\n (kauśalam<\/i>). The question is whether it is necessary or wise and advisable to
\n engage in a battle with society at the moment on a point which it considers
\n to be vital but which is to us subordinate. Our first business is to establish
\n our communal system on a firm spiritual, secondly on a firm economical foundation,
\n and to spread it wide, but the complete  <\/font> <\/p>\n

\nPage-495<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\nsocial change can only come as a result of the other two. It must come first in spirit~ afterwards in form. If a man enters into the commune by spiritual unity, if he gives to it his life and labour and considers all he has as belonging to
\nall, the first
\nnecessity is secured. The next thing is to make the movement economically self-sufficient, and to do that requires at the present moment all the energy you can command. These two things
\nare, the one a constant, the other an immediate necessity. The
\ninstitution of a communal ceremony of marriage can only be a future necessity, it involves nothing essential at the moment. The idea is that the family in future is not to be a separate unit, but a sub-unit of the communal whole. It is too early to decide exactly what form the family life will
\ntake, it may take many forms, not always the same. The principle is the important thing. But this principle can be observed whatever the form of the marriage,
\nceremony they may have gone through at the time of personal union, whether recognised or not by the present social system. An external necessity does not arise in the present case, as Khagen is not marrying outside his caste.

\n               
\nIt remains to be seen whether this step, though not necessary, is advisable. In the first place by your action you declare your commune to be an entirely separate thing from the rest of Hindu society; you will be following in the way of the Brahma Samaj or more exactly in that of Thakur Dayananda. That means
\na violent scission and a long struggle, which is likely greatly to
\ncomplicate your other work and put difficulties in the way which need not have been there. My own idea was for our system to grow up in the
\nsociety, not out of it, though different from it, first bringing in a new spiritual idea, a field in, which
\nopposition
\nand intolerance cannot now long endure,
\n –
\n secondly, justifying
\nitself on the outward plane by becoming a centre of economical regeneration and new power for the country, a work in which we shall have sympathy more than
\nopposition and getting forward with other matters according to need and opportunity and with a considerable freedom and latitude, meeting social orthodoxy with the plea of re-embodying the old free Hindu idea in new forms rather than with the profession of a
\nviolent rejection both of the past and the present. In this process a clash will be
\n inevit-
\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n


\nPage-496<\/font><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n


\nable sooner or later, but a deliberate precipitation of the conflict in so extreme a form as you suggest was not within my intentions. That was to come, but only when we were strong and had already a hold on the country, so that we might have a strong support as well as
\nenemies.

\n               
\nYour point is that the commune should not depend either
\non Government or society for the validity of the union. It seems to me sufficient if that is spiritually insisted on or at most given an outward indication. I would suggest that the exchange of gar- lands should be done before the commune, as it was done in the old svayamvara <\/i>before the assembly. The conventional marriage can then be added as a concession to the present society, as in old times the
\nsampradāna <\/i>by the father was added to the svayamvara <\/i>although in fact the svayamvara <\/i>itself would have been quite valid without it. If a case should arise in future where the mutual giving would be necessary by itself, we might then go to the more extreme course. This would, it seems to me, satisfy everything immediately necessary or advisable, first, the
\nassertion of free choice as the principle of marriage, secondly, the formal inclusion of the-couple in their united life in the commune, apart from any conventional marriage ceremony, thirdly, the
\njustification of a continuity between our movement and the great past of India. The movement of course is not to stop with the forms of the past or a modernisation of them, but this sort of
\npreliminary advance under cover will prepare more easily its future advance into the open, which we can afterwards make as rapid as we choose. At the same time it will have the advantage of
\nawaking  less vehement opposition at a moment when it seems to me we are not yet ready for a frontal attack in the social field and a decisive battle. If a battle becomes necessary, of course we must not flinch from it, but I should myself prefer to have it after I have reached the proper stage in my Yoga and after I return to Bengal. At present I have so many calls upon an energy which is still largely occupied with pushing forward to its own
\nperfection that I do not quite like the idea of the heavy drain on it such a struggle would entail. This at least is my present view on the matter.

\n               
\nThe Standard Bearer <\/i>is, I am afraid, subject to the criticism<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-497<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n


\npassed on it; the criticism is general and I felt it myself. It is a sort of weekly Arya; <\/i>but the Arya <\/i>style and method are not what is wanted for a weekly paper. What you need to do is to make the ideas easy to the people and give them a practical
\ndirection. At present you give only a difficult philosophy and abstract principles. I shall write more about this matter hereafter as soon as I find time.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n

\nA. G.

\n

\nPondicherry No~. 11, 1920

\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nDear M.

\n

\nIt has become necessary for me to give a categorical denial to all the rumours and ascriptions of opinion which irresponsible people are publishing from time to time about me. The
\nJanmabhumi <\/i>nonsense is especially idiotic and I do not understand how anyone with brains in his head could have accepted such childish rubbish as mine. Please. write an article in the next issue of the Standard Bearer <\/i>saying that in view of the conflicting rumours that have been set abroad, some representing me as for the Reforms and others as for Non-Cooperation, you (that is the Standard Bearer) <\/i>have written to me and received the following reply which you are authorised to publish. “All these assertions are without foundation. I have made no
\npronouncement of my political views. I have authorised nobody whether publicly or privately to be the spokesman of my opinions. The rumour suggesting that I support the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and am opposed to Non-Cooperation is without basis. I have nothing to do personally with the manifesto of Sir
\nAshutosh Chaudhuri and others citing a passage from my past writings. The recorded opinions of a public man are public property and I do not disclaim what I have written; but the responsibility for its application to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and the present situation rests entirely with the
\nsigna-<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-498<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\n


\ntories to the manifesto. The summary of my opinions in the Janmabhumi, <\/i>representing me as an enthusiastic follower of Mahatma Gandhi, of which I only came to know the other day, is wholly unauthorised and does not <\/i>‘render justice to my views’ either in form or in substance. Things are attributed to me in it which I would never have dreamed of saying. It is especially adding insult to injury to make me say that I am ready to
\nsacrifice my conscience to a Congress mandate and recommend all to go and do likewise. I have not stated to anyone that ‘full
\nresponsible self-government completely independent of British control’ or any other purely political object is the goal to the attainment of which I intend to devote my efforts and I have not made any rhetorical prophecy of a colossal success for the
\nNon-Cooperation movement. As you well know, I am identifying myself with only one kind ‘of. work or propaganda as regards India, the endeavour to reconstitute her cultural, social and economic life within larger and freer lines than the past on a spiritual basis. As regards political questions, I would request my friends and the public not to attach credence to anything purporting to be a
\nstatement of my opinions which is not expressly authorised by me or issued over my signature.”

\n               
\nI shall write to you about other matters in another letter.

\n<\/font>\n<\/p>\n


\nA. G.<\/font><\/p>\n


\n

\n               
\nP. S. Please ask Mani Naik to see my sister before he comes here. She wants to send with him certain utensils
\n for our use.<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPage-499<\/font>\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Letters to M.                                                                                    3 July, 1912 Dear M.                    Your money (by letter and wire) and clothes reached safely. The French Post Office…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-27-supplement-volume-27","wpcat-16-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=780"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}