Act V
Scene 1
(Aurobindo comes to a Bengal partitioned and distressed. Aurobindo and Mother Bengal.)
MOTHER BENGAL: My child, you come to me in my moment of utter distress. Look at my state. How long will you suffer me in this way to grovel in the dust?
AURO: Mother, look into my bleeding heart. The stab in your heart is a stab in the heart of every one of us, your children. We are determined to let you, our mighty Mother, no longer lie prostrate and dismembered. Our first task will be to restore you to your full stature, whole and strong, and at the same time to launch a supreme effort to free you for ever from your thraldom. The fire that we shall kindle here will spread all over the world. For the moment our love for you will be the love of fire; there will be a fire everywhere till the black forces ranged against our Bharat Mata are a heap of ashes, and her benign face shines with the light of liberty. We stand vowed to do or be vanquished. If our efforts are crowned with success, then only shall we begin our second task—the task of the spiritual liberation of our sisters and brothers at home and abroad. Rest assured, we shall look to your great need first. Nothing will see us swerve an inch from our path. Bless us, O Mother.
MOTHER BENGAL: Your words are worthy of the great soul in you that speaks them. Your Mother will be with you at all times. Mother India expects her children in Bengal to rise and join hands with her children everywhere from North to South, from East to West. Godspeed to you and your sisters and brothers in the vast sacrifice you have undertaken.
Scene 2
(The residence of P. Mitter, Bar-at-law, Aurobindo and Barin. Jatin Banerjee, whom Aurobindo had helped to get into the Baroda army for military training.)
- MITTER: Aurobindo Babu, Barin and Jatin did their best to organise the youths. But of late there has been a sharp difference of opinion between them. Barin differs from Jatin’s principle of military discipline with regard to the youths who, he says, will do better through love and sympathy than under subjection to a military regime. He fears that strict discipline may scare away the tender ones. Jatin insists on military discipline as essential to an effective basis for our organisation. Until the two views are harmonised, there will be no progress in the work. It is now yours to do the needful.
AURO: Both of them are right, each from his own point of view. (Looking at Jatin) You and Barin have sacrificed so much for the Mother. The spirit of sacrifice and self-accommodation must govern your actions. First of all, let there be love and sympathy in dealing with the new recruits. Then let them be inspired by love of the country to sacrifice their life. Once this love has taken firm root in their youthful hearts you have to introduce military training and discipline to make of them strong, obedient instruments. Jatin, certainly you can co-operate with Barin and Barin with you through the next necessary stages. Don’t you agree to this?
BARIN and JATIN: (In one voice) Certainly that is the best course.
Scene 3
(Bengal National College. Principal Aurobindo Ghosh’s English class. The class begins with the recital of “Bande Mataram” in chorus. Among the authorities Rash Behari Ghosh, Sir Gurudas Banerjee and Nagendra Nath Guha happen to overhear it from afar. Recitation over, all take their seats; one of the students stands up.)
STUDENT: Sir, may I ask you a question not relevant to our lesson?
AURO: Yes, you may. No harm.
STUDENT: Sir, we feel inspired when you speak of India’s renaissance. But when we turn to her drawbacks our whole outlook is obscured by doubt.
AURO: Well, my boy, do you believe with me that the spirit of nationalism that is now stirring the hearts and souls of our countrymen is a gift of the Divine? Do you believe that the Divine Himself is our Leader?
THE CLASS IN A BODY: Yes, Sir, we do.
AURO: Then take it from me that whatever drawbacks stand in India’s way will be swept away by His Force. The Nation is rising and will go on rising, maybe at times through ups and downs, to the infinite heights. If she does not, she will be an ignominious failure, and ultimately become extinct. But have no such fear. India rises to do God’s Will, to give His Message to the world, to help humanity out of its human darkness into its innate divinity. India’s renaissance is as sure as God Himself. Cast doubt away. Be sincere in your unshakeable faith. It will carry you through.
Scene 4
(Prof. Manomohan Ghosh in Dacca Government College. The Professor of English and his students. One of the students stands up.)
STUDENT: Sir, today we would like to hear from you something about your younger brother Aurobindo.
MANO: (Placing his right hand on his chest) Alas, what about my poor self?
STUDENTS IN A CHORUS: Aurobindo Ghosh’s life is a life of stupendous sacrifice.
MANO: As if mine were a life of sheer enjoyment! Do you ever care to know that once upon a time I walked in step with Laurence Binyon and Oscar Wilde? It will be a big surprise to you if I say that I was on the way to being a great poet. Now it is all a dream to me. I came over to India to offer my poetic inspiration to her. Strangely enough, she has not recognised it.
STUDENTS: But we, your students, have recognised your poetic inspiration.
MANO: Have you? Then I am prepared to say something about my younger brother Aurobindo! You know, he is fully responsible for the failure of my career. He is a bar to my success. The Government fail to swallow his fiery speeches. My only crime is that I too came of the same parents. They might be thinking that my room too is not free of bombs and ammunitions!
(The students burst into hilarious laughter.)
STUDENTS: Sir, pray, tell us something in favour of Aurobindo Ghosh.
MANO: Well, my boys, truth is a very sacred thing. I do not use it so often as you people do.
STUDENTS: But why?
MANO: The reason is so simple. The more you use it the sooner it gets spoiled.
STUDENTS: For our sake, for your beloved students’ sake use it at once.
MANO: Listen, then. I do not care a straw for anybody’s unwillingness to subscribe to my firm belief. There are only two and a half men in India: one is Aurobindo and the other Barin, and the half is Tilak!
Scene 5
(Aurobindo, Rash Bihari Ghosh, Sir Gurudas Banerjee and Naqendra Nath Guha.)
RASH BIHARI: Aurobindo Babu, please do not take me amiss. We admit that Nationalism is an invaluable thing. But to preach it in the College, we believe, is not advisable. You always insist on admitting the boys who have been rusticated from Government institutions on political grounds. You say that they are just the sort of stuff that you want for this College. Moreover it is not safe at all. The Government have already started looking upon our College with an eye of suspicion.
AURO: (After heaving a deep sigh) I think our College must have an ideal of its own. Will you be pleased if it follows other Colleges in toto?
GURUDAS: Not at all. But the thing is, if the students pay more attention to politics and nationalism than to their studies, then their studies will go to the dogs.
AURO: I don’t think politics and nationalism stand as a bar to their mental culture. One has to adore one’s Motherland first. Mere mental information is of no use. I believe that one who has no love for his country is no better than a learned fool, although one may be rich in mental attainments.
GURUDAS: I must say, you are quite ahead of our age. Nationalism, politics and mental culture—these three cannot go together.
AURO: I am sorry, I fail to share your views. The name of our College is Bengal National College. Will it not be a negation of the raison d'ętre of the College if it keeps clear of Nationalism?
NAGENDRA: Aurobindo Babu, you are always noted for your clarity of thought and expression, depth of understanding and the facility with which you make the abstruse intelligible. I am deeply convinced that your own lofty spirit of Nationalism will fill the country with a powerful idealism that will build up our Nation. But our College is a different matter . ..
Scene 6
(22nd August 1907. Bengal National College. The resignation of Aurobindo’s Principalship of the College. His beloved pupils request of him a few words of advice. Their faces are overwhelmed with sorrow at his resignation. He has been profusely garlanded by these students.)
AUROBINDO: I have been told that you wish me to speak a few words of advice to you. But in these days I feel that young men can very often give better advice than we older people can give.
(One of the students stands up.)
STUDENT: Excuse me, Sir. If so, they speak of inspiration received from outstanding leaders like you. (Cheers.)
AURO: When we established this college and left other occupations, other chances of life, to devote our lives to this institution, we did so because we hoped to see in it the foundation, the nucleus of a nation, of the new India which is to begin its career after this night of sorrow and trouble, on that day of glory and greatness when India will work for the world. (Thunderous applause.) . . . When I come back I wish to see some of you becoming rich, rich not for yourselves but that you may enrich the Mother with your riches. I wish to see some of you becoming great, great not for your own sakes, not that you may satisfy your own vanity, but great for her, to make India great, to enable her to stand up with head erect among the nations of the earth, as she did in days of yore when the world looked up to her for light. Even those who will remain poor and obscure, I want to see their very poverty and obscurity devoted to the Motherland ... Work that she may prosper. Suffer that she may rejoice.
(Repeated cries of “Bande Mataram.” In reply one of the students stands up.)
STUDENT: (With a choked voice) Words cannot express our feelings. The brilliant future of our country you have called up before our minds has impressed itself upon our hearts. We feel too that it can be realised by us if we have a leader of your stature to guide us. We give you our soul’s word that we will follow you, your noble ideal, your noble sacrifice.
(Loud cries of “Bande Mataram.”)
Scene 7
(Bipin Pal and Aurobindo.)
PAL: Aurobindo Babu, I have come to you with a special request. I know, you won’t say nay, nor am I going to take nay from you. The Bande Mataram has now become much too big a burden for me to carry single-handed. I need your personal help as Assistant Editor. It must cope successfully with the rapid growth of the Nationalist movement. I could think of no better person to take up the job than you. Besides, I have every hope that from your powerful pen it will go on producing the needed type of food the country requires from day to day. Now tell me ‘yes.’
AURO: Thank you for your confidence in me, Mr. Pal. I agree to take up this work provided I have a free hand in the matter.
PAL: Assuredly you will have everything entirely your own way. It’s no business venture. There is no clash of ideals in the Party. So there is no question of interference with your work.
AURO: Thanks again, Mr. Pal.
PAL. Now that the Bande Mataram has your magic pen, I am sure India will no longer remain a slumbering Nation.
AURO: And your trumpet voice will remain hushed? Your ceaseless stream of eloquence runs direct from your heart to inspire and conquer the hearts of our countrymen.
PAL: Ah, pray, do not extol me to the skies. My voice, you may at best compare it with a sword. But who can ever deny that the pen is mightier than the sword?
AURO: If I have extolled you to the skies, to what super-skiery ether would you be said to have extolled me?
PAL: Now, Aurobindo Babu, I expect you to join hands with me at once. The rising tide of Nationalism must suffer no stemming because of any failure on our part to rise to the situation as it develops, henceforth perhaps from moment to moment.
AURO: His work will be done by Him. We are mere instruments. But as instruments, we must be ready too.
PAL: I fully agree. May Mother India bless you. Good-bye. Let us meet this evening at the Bande Mataram Office.
AURO: Very well.
(Exit Pal.)
Scene 8
(Bhupendra Nath Dutt, brother of Swami Vivekananda, and Aurobindo.)
BHUPEN: You know I have been accused of sedition for two articles in the Sandhya . But I wish to offer defence in court.
AURO: Defence! You, Bhupendra Nath Dutt, brother of the indomitable Narendra Nath Dutt, will offer defence. No, never shall you do so.
BHUPEN: But why? May I know the cause of your objection?
AURO: It is very simple. Bhupen, it does not become you, a fiery revolutionary, to recognise an alien court. You must always be ready to meet prosecution with absolute indifference. You must accept all punishments in utter silence as a matter of course with erect head and dauntless heart. This is the spirit with which you must be surcharged to drive away the British from India.
BHUPEN: I am now convinced, Chief. And I consider myself to be a thing of some worth, for it is from you that I have taken oath of the revolutionary movement. I am ever at your service.
AURO: Bhupen, be sure, India cannot perish. Ours is a race that can by no means become extinct. In us is the abode of Sanatana Dharma , the Eternal Religion. A day shall come when this Religion of ours will be the future Religion of the entire world. Our high mission is to purge barbarism out of humanity and to Aryanise the world. To this end India must recognise herself first. This is the peerless work. To initiate this work Sri Ramakrishna came into the world. His dearest disciple, Naren, walked through fire and water to preach it all over the world.
BHUPEN: I needs must remain beholden to God at least for one thing.
AURO: (Bursting into laughter) That’s fine. You are not much indebted to God. Only for one thing . . . And what is it?
BHUPEN: It is this that God had not sent his representatives—Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Aurobindo—at one and the same time. Ramakrishna played his divine role in secret and left the earth. Now, Chief, you have come on the scene. I am sure you too will meet with tremendous success. If God had sent all the three at a time, undoubtedly I would have been a terrible loser.
AURO: How do you mean?
BHUPEN: That I need not explain to you, for you have already read my mind and felt my heart.
