Esha's recollections of some episodes of her life, as narrated to Nirodbaran in Bengali, who translated it in English. This is presented here in form of a book.
Sri Aurobindo : Contact
Nirodbaran on Esha's story : Esha, the late Dilip Kumar Roy's niece, was a little girl visiting the Ashram when I came to know her through my niece Jyotirmoyee with whom she had become very friendly. She wanted to settle in the Ashram, but her mother did not want it as she was still a minor. When after many years she came to the Ashram again and stayed with Sahana Devi, I became more closely acquainted with her. By that time she had already married and obtained her divorce and had decided to settle here. I came to her help and made all possible arrangements for the purpose. Since then I have come to know her well and listened to her narration of the incidents of her life. As I found them interesting I began to note them down and was thinking of publishing them in Mother India when somehow she got wind of it and strongly objected to it. As I felt I had Sri Aurobindo's sanction for it, I did not listen to her. In spite of my disregarding her objection, luckily she did not stop recounting her saga. Of course she narrated it in Bengali and later I put it down in English as faithfully as I could. When the story began to appear in Mother India, she insisted more than once that I should stop it. My answer was that I believed it could be helpful to many readers and that Sri Aurobindo seemed to support me.
THEME/S
One day I was thinking of all that I had told Nirod-da. Sahana Auntie says that there is something like an Intermediate Zone and people going there hear lots of things and take them to be genuine. Since the Guru isn't now in his body, one can't verify their truth directly from him. Who knows if I am not hearing the same kind of thing?
Then I heard the Guru's voice: "Shame! Sitting before the Samadhi you are thinking like this? And you believe it?"
"Lord, if you were in your body, the question would not arise. Others too would believe it."
"It doesn't matter in the least. The effect would be just the same whether I were in the body or not."
"But people won't believe — "
"It's not with their belief, but with your own that I am concerned."
"I understand, Lord. But I am so insignificant — where is the power in me by which I can write or speak about you?"
"Oh, you are priding yourself on your humility? Beware! The consciousness in which you find yourself at present may not remain at all times. So do sadhana from now on."
"I don't tell everything to Nirod-da lest he should disbelieve it. That's why I did not speak of the incident regarding Sri Ramakrishna."
"No, you must be candid. Whether he believes you or not, you have to tell him."
Home
Disciples
Esha
Books
Share your feedback. Help us improve. Or ask a question.