Page 48 - NAMAH-Jan-2017

Shifting to the Dispensary

Dr. Nirodbaran, a medical doctor trained in the UK, was among the foremost disciples of Sri Aurobindo. He looked after
the medical needs of the Ashram inmates for a long time. Over the years he developed a sweet and intimate relationship
with Sri Aurobindo whose letters to Dr. Nirodbaran are often full of wit and humour. These healthy banters were often directed
towards the medical field as it was during that time. In. January 1935, Dr. Nirodbaran took charge of the Ashram Dispensary.

Dr. B asked me to shift over to the Dispensary today itself, but I refused, waiting for your full instructions
about the furniture, table lamp, management work, etc.

I think there is everything needed over there, table lamp and all. You had better go and see. If so, you will
need to take only your personal things. One thing the Mother wants to say — she asks you to keep the
Dispensary meticulously clean... As a “foreign degree doctor” you will understand the necessity. You
can move in whenever you like, handing over your wooden responsibilities to Dikshit.

Now that I shall be in charge of the Dispensary I feel afraid about my prestige. People expect great things
from an England-returned doctor (who I may confide in you, hasn’t had enough time for experience). If
you can’t save my prestige, save at least my face.

People are exceedingly silly — but I suppose they can’t help themselves. The more I observe
humanity, the more that forces itself upon me — the abysses of silliness of which its mind is capable.

The prestige I can’t guarantee, but hope to save something of the face.

Above all, you are putting me in front of my very weakness — to be conquered, perhaps.

It had to be faced someday.

I have no desire to eat though I am hungry. I can’t even sleep at night. Can it be due to the hypersecretion
of the endocrines from yogic pressure?

Confound your endocrines! You have got to eat. Yoga can’t be done on a hungry stomach. Sleep
also is indispensable.

Everybody seems to be happy to find me shifted from the “timber throne” to the Dispensary, and says,
“Now is the right man in the right place”!

Men are rational idiots. The timber-godown made you make a great progress and you made
the timber-godown make a great progress. I only hope it will be maintained by your successor.

But I don’t know how long the right man will be right for them. They want me to entertain them with
“paayas”1 to celebrate the occasion.

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