'Lala Lajpat Rai's deportation'⁶⁶

On the occasion of Lala Lajpat Rai's deportation, how Sri Aurobindo with his indomitable will inspired the people of the Punjab is not only striking but also highly elevating. It was far into the night. Sri Aurobindo was asleep. One of his co-workers came in and gave him the news of Lala Lajpat's deportation. While searching for paper to write on, he found a piece of packing paper within his reach. He in no time wrote out the following words for publication in his Bande Mataram on the morrow:

> "Men of the Punjab! Race of the lion! Show these men who would stamp you into the dust that for one Lajpat they have taken away, a hundred Lajpats will arise in his place."

> "Swaraj is my birthright," so said Tilak.

> "Swaraj," said Rai, "is our war-cry, our all-inspiring and all-absorbing aim in life."

According to Sri Aurobindo, "Swaraj means fulfilment of our national life."

From:Chinmoy,Sri Aurobindo: The Infinite, Agni Press, 1997
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/sai