35 Letters on Himself and the Ashram VOLUME35 THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SRI AUROBINDO ©SriAurobindoAshramTrust 2011 Published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department Printed at Sri Aurobindo Ashram Press, Pondicherry PRINTEDININDIA Letters on Himself and the Ashram Publisher’s Note This volume contains letters in which Sri Aurobindo referred to his life and works, his sadhana or practice of yoga, and the sadhanaofmembersofhisashram.Manyofthelettersappeared earlier in Sri Aurobindo on Himself and on the Mother (1953) and On Himself: Compiled from Notes and Letters (1972). These previously published letters, along with many others, appear here under the new title Letters on Himself and the Ashram. Thelettersincludedinthepresentvolumehavebeenselected from Sri Aurobindo’s extensive correspondence with members of the Ashram and outside disciples between November 1926 and November 1950. Letters he wrote before November 1926 are published in Autobiographical Notes and Other Writings of Historical Interest, volume 36 of THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SRI AUROBINDO. That volume also contains remarks by Sri Aurobindoonhislifeandworksthatwerewrittenascorrections of statements made by biographers and others, public messages on world events, letters to public figures, and public statements on his ashram andpath of yoga. The letters on the sadhana of members of the Ashram se- lected for publication in Part Four of the present volume differ from those published in Letters on Yoga, volumes 28–31 of THE COMPLETE WORKS, in that they are framed historically by events and conditions in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram between 1926and1950.ThedatesandthequestionsofSriAurobindo’s correspondentsthataccompanymanyofthelettersinthepresent volumemakethehistoricalcontextclear.Thelettersincludedin Letters on Yoga were also written to Ashramites and outside disciples during the 1926–1950 period, but they deal with Sri Aurobindo’syogainamoregeneralway,andthusarelessinneed of the contextualisation provided by the questions and dates. The letters in the present volume have been arranged by the editors in five parts, the last of which includes mantras andmessages.Thetextshavebeencheckedagainstallavailable handwritten, typed and printed versions. CONTENTS PARTONE REMARKSONHISLIFEANDWORKSANDON HISCONTEMPORARIESANDCONTEMPORARYEVENTS Section One Reminiscences and Remarks on Events in His Outer Life His Life andAttempts to Write about It 5 His Name 8 Life in England, 1879–1893 9 Life in Baroda, 1893–1906 13 Political Career,1906–1910 17 Outer Life in Pondicherry, 1910–1950 28 Section Two General Remarks on His Life Remarks on His Life in Pondicherry after 1926 35 His Temperament and Character 44 Heredity, Past Lives, Astrology 55 SectionThree Remarks on Himself as a Writer and on His Writings On Himself as a Writer 63 Writing for Publication 67 On His Published Prose Writings 74 The Terminology of His Writings 141 SectionFour Remarks on Contemporaries and on Contemporary Problems Remarks on Spiritual Figures in India 161 Remarks on European Writers on Occultism 183 Remarks on Public Figures in India 184 Remarks on Public Figures in Europe 203 Remarks on Indian Affairs,1930–1946 205 Remarkson the World Situation, 1933–1949 209 CONTENTS PARTTWO HISSADHANAORPRACTICEOFYOGA Section One Sadhana before Coming to Pondicherry in 1910 Ordinary Life andYoga 227 Early Experiences 231 The Realisation of January 1908 239 Experiences in Alipur Jail, 1908–1909 263 Section Two Sadhana in Pondicherry, 1910–1950 The Early Years inPondicherry, 1910–1926 269 The Realisation of 24 November 1926 270 The Sadhana of 1927–1929 273 GeneralRemarkson the Sadhana of the 1930s 277 The Supramental Yoga and Other Spiritual Paths 298 Remarks on the CurrentState of the Sadhana, 1931–1947 319 SectionThree Some Aspects of the Sadhana in Pondicherry Inner Vicissitudes and Difficulties 371 Unusual Experiences and States of Consciousness 383 PARTTHREE THELEADERANDTHEGUIDE Section One The Guruand the Avatar The Guru 395 The Question of Avatarhood 399 Section Two Help and Guidance Help from the Guide 437 Guidance through Correspondence 450 CONTENTS SriAurobindo’s Force 479 Therapeutic Forceand Healing 497 Lights, Visions, Dreams 515 Darshan 520 Contact with People Outside the Ashram 526 PARTFOUR THEPRACTICEOFYOGAINTHEASHRAMANDOUTSIDE Section One The Practiceof Yoga in the Ashram, 1926–1950 Entering Sri Aurobindo’s Path 539 Admission, Staying, Departure 559 The Ashramand Its Atmosphere 630 Sadhana inthe Ashram 634 Discipline in the Ashram 672 Rulesin the Life of the Ashram 676 The Ashramand Religion 696 Human Relations and the Ashram 705 Work in the Ashram 742 Life and Death in the Ashram 759 Miscellaneous Matters 794 Section Two The Practiceof Yoga in the Ashramand the Outside World The Ashramand the Outside World 811 Yoga Centres and Movements 814 PARTFIVE MANTRASANDMESSAGES Section One Mantras On Mantras 825 Mantras Written by SriAurobindo 829 CONTENTS Section Two Messages MessagesWritten for Special Occasions 837 NOTEONTHETEXTS 847