Chapter 2India Renascent

The patriot who passes judgment on a great movement in an era of change and turmoil, should be very confident that he has something worth saying before he ventures to speak; but if he can really put some new aspect on a momentous question or emphasize any side of it that has not been clearly understood, it [is] his bounden duty however obscure he may be to ventilate [it.] The commonplace that India is in transition has of late been strongly impressed on us by certain English empiricists; they have devoted whole articles and pamphlets to marshal proofs and enumerate instances in support of this proposition It is time that an Indian who has devoted his best thoughts and aspirations to the service of his country, should have in his turn a patient hearing India is indeed a snake who has rejected her outworn winter weeds Jottings from a notebook used by Sri Aurobindo at Cambridge in 1891 and 1892.