Act IV, Scene 7
(Patkar and one of his friends. Both are Aurobindo’s students.)FRIEND: Patkar, at times I see you visit our Professor Arvind Ghosh’s place. I take it he has great affection for you.
PATKAR: As if he only has affection for me and I have none for him!
FRIEND: Who says that you have none? Affection you have; in addition, you have great admiration for him.
PATKAR: My dear friend, you are right. I am all admiration for him!
FRIEND: Patkar, pray tell me something about the Professor.
PATKAR: It does my heart good to tell people about his high qualities. I will tell you of an incident that actually took place yesterday. I was at his place. He was deeply absorbed in his studies. A large sum of money was kept in a tray on his table. So I could not help asking him why he had kept his money like that. The Professor said, “Well, it is a proof that we are living in the midst of honest and good people.” “But you never keep an account which may testify to the honesty of the people around you?” I asked him. With a smiling face he said, “It is God who keeps account for me. He gives me as much as I want and keeps the rest to Himself. At any rate He does not keep me in want, then why should I worry?” Could you conceive such living faith in God and in His constant presence? To my sorrow, he leaves for Bengal shortly, and is not expected to return.
FRIEND: Really?
PATKAR: Now that the Partition of Bengal has taken place he feels her call and goes to her rescue. He will certainly light a fire in the minds of the youths of Bengal and change the situation. We have seen the stuff he is made of, a hidden fire! Don’t you think so?
FRIEND: I quite agree with you. I feel his fire will spread beyond Bengal to every part of his beloved land.
