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A LOVER OF LIGHT AMONG LUMINARIES : Dilip Kumar Roy During their conversations they had light moments as well. Even during such light moments, Russell's learning and scholarship was reflected. Mrs. Dora Russell said that she had borne two children and two should be the optimum number in those days. Correcting her, with laughter Russell said: "No, Dora, statistics would have us bear 2.4 children per couple..... though it is somewhat difficult to manage."42
Dilip Roy was very much impressed by the original and advanced thinking of Russell. But he would not forego his attitudes oriented towards mystical truth. He could not fully appreciate Russell's Western way of thinking which encouraged doubt at the expense of spiritual certitude. Dilip Roy grew fond of reading books by Russell even when he returned to India and joined Sri Aurobindo Ashram in order to fulfil his spiritual aspirations. Hence, it proved to be an obstacle and Dilip Roy found it very difficult to keep faith in his gurudev's mystical sayings. Sri Aurobindo, in his turn, wrote to him many loving letters to cure his disciple of the influence of Russell's philosophy. Once, for instance. Sri Aurobindo argued very coherently against Roy's admiration for Russell in the matters of spirituality:
"About Russell-I have never disputed his abilities or his character; I am concerned only with his opinions and there too only with those opinions which touch upon my province-- that of spiritual Truth. In all religions, the most narrow and stupid even, and in all non-religions also, there are great minds, great men, fine characters. I know little about Russell, but I never dreamed of disputing the greatness of Lenin, for instance, merely because he was an atheist -- nobody would, unless he were an imbecile. But the greatness of Lenin does not debar me from refusing assent to the credal dogmas of Bolshevism, and the beauty of character of an atheist does not prove that spirituality is a lie of the imagination and that there is no Divine. I might add that if you can find the utterances of famous Yogis childish when they talk of marriage or on other matters. I cannot be blamed for finding the ideas of Russell about spiritual experience, of which he knows nothing, very much wanting in
light and substance.”:43
During his sadhana, when Dilip Roy began to see various colours. he reported it to Sri Aurobindo to know about the authenticity of such experiences. Sri Aurobindo, very lovingly, asked him not to doubt such spiritual experiences and wrote:
“Develop this power of that inner sense and all that it brings you. These first seeings are only an outer fringe- behind lie
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