Talks by Nirodbaran (April 1971 – September 1971)
— Edited by Sunayana and Maurice
| Price: Rs 280 Pages: 218 Dimensions (in cms): 14x22 ISBN: 978-93-5210-288-4 | Soft Cover | |
| Publisher: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department, Pondicherry | ||
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About Talks by Nirodbaran (April 1971 – September 1971)
In this new, third instalment of the talks given at the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education prior to Sri Aurobindo’s birth centenary in 1972, Nirodbaran continues to share his reminiscences. Quoting extensively from their correspondence on subjects as varied as his work as a doctor in the Ashram, his budding prowess as a poet under Sri Aurobindo’s tutelage, and questions and answers on the practice of the Integral Yoga, Nirod evokes the humour that characterised his long relationship with the Master and well as the words of encouragement and spiritual support constantly offered to him. During this period of talks, two sadhaks were invited by Nirod as guest speakers. Kireet Joshi spoke on how he came to the Ashram and Arindam Basu spoke on a few aspects of Sri Aurobindo’s yoga.
REVIEW
The present book is a continuation of the series of talks delivered by Nirodbaran to the students of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education in 1971. A total number of twenty-one talks were delivered by him from April to September 1971 out of which nineteen were based on his epistolary exchanges with Sri Aurobindo and two were delivered on Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri. While many of these letters can be classified as medical correspondence the rest deal with a host of interesting themes such as karmayoga, the difference between yogic and ordinary action, reason and intuition, opening oneself, the importance of morale during illness, remembering the Mother at work, vital relations and vital thoughts, the attitude of doctors at the Ashram, the inferiority and superiority of women, the supramental descent and death, overcoming the perils of falls in yoga, and Avatarhood, to name a few.
But the most remarkable feature of this book is Sri Aurobindo’s delightful sense of humour, which can be found in abundance in these epistolary exchanges.Those who have read Nirodbaran’s Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo in two volumes are well aware of the humorous side of Sri Aurobindo’s personality. Although the text of some of the letters of Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo have been included in Talks by Nirodbaran, such is the beauty of these letters that even a reader who has read them multiple times in the past would surely find them as refreshing as ever. Sri Aurobindo was not quite known as a smiling Guru but he surely knew how to make others smile.
Let’s quote a few passages from the humorous letters for the benefit of the reader:
Nirodbaran: At times I wonder why the Divine is so meticulously particular as regards contagion, infection. Is he vulnerable to the viruses, bacilli, microbes, etc.?
Sri Aurobindo: And why on earth should you expect the Divine to feed himself on germs and bacilli and poisons of all kinds? Singular theology yours! (p. 10)
Nirodbaran: Last night I tried to compose a poem. It was a failure; I fell asleep over its first two lines!
Sri Aurobindo: You call it a failure — when you have discovered a new soporific. (pp. 15–16)
Nirodbaran: Why are we made up of so many contradictory elements: one aspect has aspiration towards Him, religion, morality, aesthetic qualities; the other a tremendous pull towards baser elements…?
Sri Aurobindo: It takes many ingredients to make a nice pudding. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: Shall I adopt the surrealist method, i.e., keep quiet for a while and whatever strikes first, go ahead with it, only be careful in case of poisons? You remember once I told you of this method and you cried, “Good Lord, no!”?
Sri Aurobindo: I did and I repeat it; I don’t want this Asram transferred to the next world by your powerful agency. (p. 76)
Nirodbaran: I wonder why you flared up at the idea of my using the surrealist method.
Sri Aurobindo: I didn’t flare up. I was cold with horror. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: … I hear from reliable authority that the Supramental descent is very near. Is it true, Sir?
Sri Aurobindo: I am very glad to hear it on reliable authority. It is a great relief…(p. 78)
Nirodbaran: No luck about intuition?
Sri Aurobindo: None! Too thorny a subject to tackle without leisure and space. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: Is the Divine so helpless against these forces or beings?
Sri Aurobindo: Do you expect the Divine to force a man into heaven against his own will? (p. 131)
Nirodbaran: People are saying that it [the Supramental] has come down into the physical, evidenced by great peace and calm. Is this then that calm and peace or the deluge before the new creation?
Sri Aurobindo: Into whose physical? I shall be very glad to know—for I myself have not got so far, otherwise I would not have a queasy eye. But if you know anybody who has got it (the Supramental in the physical, not the eye) tell me like a shot. I will acclaim him “Grand First Supramental” at once. (p. 218)
At the same time, we come across important guidance on the path of Yoga from Sri Aurobindo. Although these replies were given nine decades ago, their relevance has not diminished even a bit. For instance, on page 127, we find Nirodbaran asking Sri Aurobindo: ‘How to remember the Mother during work? I have tried to follow a mental rule, but it is not a success. Or is it the inner consciousness that remembers while the outer is busy?’ Sri Aurobindo replied: ‘One starts by a mental effort—afterwards it is an inner consciousness that is formed which need not be always thinking of the Mother because it is always conscious of her.’ On another occasion, Nirodbaran asked Sri Aurobindo: ‘What is meant exactly by “opening oneself”? Calling you, praying to you, remembering you, etc.?’ Sri Aurobindo answered: ‘These are acts of the mind, openness is a state of consciousness which keeps it turned to the Mother, free from other movements, expecting and able to receive what may come from the Divine.’ (pp. 124–25)
During the course of these talks, we find Nirodbaran at times sharing certain vignettes about some of his contemporaries. Through these interesting anecdotes, memories of some of the long- forgotten members of the Ashram are refreshed. The book also contains an autobiographical talk by Dr Kireet Joshi in which he recalls how his association with Sri Aurobindo Ashram started and a philosophical deliberation by Prof. Arabinda Basu in which he discusses Sri Aurobindo as a Rishi and an Avatar.
Talks by Nirodbaran provides a vivid glimpse of the intimate relationship Nirodbaran had with Sri Aurobindo. Hundreds of spiritual guides across the globe have had thousands of disciples but seldom in the history of spirituality have we come across the unique bond of love, affection and indulgence that Sri Aurobindo had with his disciples. Here was one Guru with whom they could take liberties, ask any question under the sun and argue incessantly. And Sri Aurobindo – the all- compassionate Guru – instead of getting miffed bore these epistolary attacks indulgently. Reading these letters not only rejuvenates a tired heart but also makes us realize how fortunate the disciples of Sri Aurobindo were to have a Guru like him!
—Anurag Banerjee
Anurag Banerjee is a multiple award-winning author, researcher, poet and translator who is the Founder and Director of Overman Foundation, a leading research institute situated in Kolkata.
Reviewed in February, 2024
But the most remarkable feature of this book is Sri Aurobindo’s delightful sense of humour, which can be found in abundance in these epistolary exchanges.Those who have read Nirodbaran’s Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo in two volumes are well aware of the humorous side of Sri Aurobindo’s personality. Although the text of some of the letters of Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo have been included in Talks by Nirodbaran, such is the beauty of these letters that even a reader who has read them multiple times in the past would surely find them as refreshing as ever. Sri Aurobindo was not quite known as a smiling Guru but he surely knew how to make others smile.
Let’s quote a few passages from the humorous letters for the benefit of the reader:
Nirodbaran: At times I wonder why the Divine is so meticulously particular as regards contagion, infection. Is he vulnerable to the viruses, bacilli, microbes, etc.?
Sri Aurobindo: And why on earth should you expect the Divine to feed himself on germs and bacilli and poisons of all kinds? Singular theology yours! (p. 10)
Nirodbaran: Last night I tried to compose a poem. It was a failure; I fell asleep over its first two lines!
Sri Aurobindo: You call it a failure — when you have discovered a new soporific. (pp. 15–16)
Nirodbaran: Why are we made up of so many contradictory elements: one aspect has aspiration towards Him, religion, morality, aesthetic qualities; the other a tremendous pull towards baser elements…?
Sri Aurobindo: It takes many ingredients to make a nice pudding. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: Shall I adopt the surrealist method, i.e., keep quiet for a while and whatever strikes first, go ahead with it, only be careful in case of poisons? You remember once I told you of this method and you cried, “Good Lord, no!”?
Sri Aurobindo: I did and I repeat it; I don’t want this Asram transferred to the next world by your powerful agency. (p. 76)
Nirodbaran: I wonder why you flared up at the idea of my using the surrealist method.
Sri Aurobindo: I didn’t flare up. I was cold with horror. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: … I hear from reliable authority that the Supramental descent is very near. Is it true, Sir?
Sri Aurobindo: I am very glad to hear it on reliable authority. It is a great relief…(p. 78)
Nirodbaran: No luck about intuition?
Sri Aurobindo: None! Too thorny a subject to tackle without leisure and space. (Ibid.)
Nirodbaran: Is the Divine so helpless against these forces or beings?
Sri Aurobindo: Do you expect the Divine to force a man into heaven against his own will? (p. 131)
Nirodbaran: People are saying that it [the Supramental] has come down into the physical, evidenced by great peace and calm. Is this then that calm and peace or the deluge before the new creation?
Sri Aurobindo: Into whose physical? I shall be very glad to know—for I myself have not got so far, otherwise I would not have a queasy eye. But if you know anybody who has got it (the Supramental in the physical, not the eye) tell me like a shot. I will acclaim him “Grand First Supramental” at once. (p. 218)
At the same time, we come across important guidance on the path of Yoga from Sri Aurobindo. Although these replies were given nine decades ago, their relevance has not diminished even a bit. For instance, on page 127, we find Nirodbaran asking Sri Aurobindo: ‘How to remember the Mother during work? I have tried to follow a mental rule, but it is not a success. Or is it the inner consciousness that remembers while the outer is busy?’ Sri Aurobindo replied: ‘One starts by a mental effort—afterwards it is an inner consciousness that is formed which need not be always thinking of the Mother because it is always conscious of her.’ On another occasion, Nirodbaran asked Sri Aurobindo: ‘What is meant exactly by “opening oneself”? Calling you, praying to you, remembering you, etc.?’ Sri Aurobindo answered: ‘These are acts of the mind, openness is a state of consciousness which keeps it turned to the Mother, free from other movements, expecting and able to receive what may come from the Divine.’ (pp. 124–25)
During the course of these talks, we find Nirodbaran at times sharing certain vignettes about some of his contemporaries. Through these interesting anecdotes, memories of some of the long- forgotten members of the Ashram are refreshed. The book also contains an autobiographical talk by Dr Kireet Joshi in which he recalls how his association with Sri Aurobindo Ashram started and a philosophical deliberation by Prof. Arabinda Basu in which he discusses Sri Aurobindo as a Rishi and an Avatar.
Talks by Nirodbaran provides a vivid glimpse of the intimate relationship Nirodbaran had with Sri Aurobindo. Hundreds of spiritual guides across the globe have had thousands of disciples but seldom in the history of spirituality have we come across the unique bond of love, affection and indulgence that Sri Aurobindo had with his disciples. Here was one Guru with whom they could take liberties, ask any question under the sun and argue incessantly. And Sri Aurobindo – the all- compassionate Guru – instead of getting miffed bore these epistolary attacks indulgently. Reading these letters not only rejuvenates a tired heart but also makes us realize how fortunate the disciples of Sri Aurobindo were to have a Guru like him!
—Anurag Banerjee
Anurag Banerjee is a multiple award-winning author, researcher, poet and translator who is the Founder and Director of Overman Foundation, a leading research institute situated in Kolkata.
Reviewed in February, 2024
