I have committed a sin or betrayed Sri Aurobindo by staying silent and even nodding, just going along with the flow of the conversation, when my mother, out of ignorance, called him ‘takla’ after seeing his photo on the internet? She didn’t mean anything bad, but I feel very guilty that I couldn’t stand up for my guru, my lord, who has shown me so much grace. I feel I have failed him, and I am filled with shame.🫣

There is nothing to feel ashamed or guilty or inflict harsh words upon yourself. Most human beings do such things out of ignorance, sometimes even as a sign of closeness where they drop off all decency and decorum with someone they feel deeply connected. In either case the act or the words spoken were neither out of resistance or illwill. There is no malice or feelings against Sri Aurobindo. So do not torment yourself. Your aggressive response might have flared up into conscious resistance in her. However if you feel, you can always try to explain who Sri Aurobindo is or else give her a simple book by Sri Aurobindo so that she can get a glimpse into his vast personality.

Affectionately,

Alok Da