Nobility, high-mindedness, largeness of Spirit, and magnanimity are the qualities that go to adorn the aristocrat. In Europe there was the landed aristocracy. The base of character is a capacity for accomplishment. Social accomplishment is mostly wealth and status. In the earlier centuries, wealth was in the form of land. In India life was permeated and saturated by Spirit. Aristocracy in India was of the Spirit. We may as well call it Spiritual Aristocracy. In an article written in 1907, Sri Aurobindo describes at length the various facets of that Personality.

The whole creation is from one word OM. Each word we speak has that significance in its own world. Each important event of our life is a world of its own. In each such world, there is a WORD that determines its course.  Man, out of ignorance, unconsciousness, selfishness, and secretiveness neglects that word. It leads to other results. The other man's point of view, a spiritual view of life or wisdom enables one to know such a word. It avoids a tragic course or opens up a possibility.

When man awoke from his slumber in the physical consciousness, he became aware of himself. That is how selfishness is born. We are usually sorry that people are not aware of their defects. Mother says that we are not aware of spiritual prerogative. In her terminology it is called unconsciousness. Here I revert to my usual theme that today man in India is not aware of the enormous social potentials the country has. I would go further and say we are not aware of our rights, our privileges as a student, as a lawyer, or as an officer.

Every day before you go out, if you stand or sit before The Mother and tell Her all that you are going to do that day, the day will be smooth, and most of the works, perhaps all, will be completed successfully. It is an unfailing method for a long time to come. Most people who are overwhelmingly successful, by the very process of their success, end up with a lot of problems that crop up every day. They preside over a vast empire but are imprisoned within a long chain of tangles. Such people enjoy solving even one of their problems. This method is greatly helpful to them.

When democracy is ushered into national life, a great many hearts aspired for the crown. When aspiration rises as ambition, it still retains the fire. It is fire that knows no dying. There are others who have not worked for one full day. Hard work is anathema to them. Their undying aspiration for the unattainable - maybe it is empty unpardonable ambition - has a meaning. It is the subtle imaginary extension in unformed people of the real aspiration of those who are going to reach the goal.

An important issue came up between friends. One was an industrialist and junior. The other was an elderly retired teacher. The teacher had taken a radical decision in his life. The industrialist, being bound to him by loyalty, wanted to go with him. He never knew the facts. The teacher could not bring himself to reveal all the facts, as any argument after the event would sound like self-justification. Faith blossoms unspoken. Faith does not discover its form in words. "Well, how can I accept without knowing what happened?" is the question.

I have referred to a water diviner more than once. As he had a versatile personality with many facets, each time I dwell on one of them. The endowment he had was a subconscious sensation. His subconscious responded to a movement of water underground. That vibration makes a neem twig - a forked one - in his hand move, denoting the presence of water underground. Once he was invited by an admirer of his to discover streams of water underground. His admirer had a few rich friends living in the same neighbourhood. As agreed, the water diviner and the customer met at the bus stand.

We all heartily laugh at folly. It provides hilarious episodes. Folly is common. No one can escape its touch in one aspect of his life or another. But, complete folly is as rare as it is delightful. In innocent people, when folly reaches its completeness, their faith in their foolish ways will be delightfully sweet. In repeating a foolish thing for the tenth or nth time, unmindful of their personal experience, you can find them as inspired as they were in their first achievement. The urge of folly will possess them and compel them to instant action.

One becomes a Rishi on attaining Brahmic consciousness. Sri Aurobindo said that there were about half a dozen in the Ashram who had attained it. One whose consciousness has risen to the Akshara Brahman attains Brahmic consciousness. Akshara Brahman is the Timeless aspect of Brahman, the other being kshara Brahman. The Brahman Sri Aurobindo speaks of is the Fullness of Brahman. An American devotee who came here took to consecration. He could meditate for hours on end. Once he sat in meditation for seven hours.

One works himself to death to fill the house with affluence and opulence so that it will flower into an affectionate home.  This ideal is shipwrecked by the fact that there is a generation gap. The son often stands for exactly the opposite values on which his father built an empire. Either he walks out or loses interest in maintaining it. The wife is a factor, a central factor. She is unable to accept the line on which her husband grows. Friction spoils the affection at home. Separation puts an end to the man's hope.