सुप्रसिद्ध विद्वान् सर रमेशचन्द्र दत्त इतिहासमर्मज्ञ पुरुष थे। उन्होंने अनेक ग्रन्थोंकी रचना की थी। एक बार वे श्रीअरविन्दके पास गये और उनसे उनकी कुछ रचनाओंकी पाण्डुलिपियाँ पढ़नेको माँगीं।
ये रचनाएँ रामायण तथा महाभारतकी अंग्रेजी अनुवाद थीं। इसके पहले दत्त महाशय भी महाभारत, रामायणका अंग्रेजी अनुवाद किया था और उस अनुवादको लंदनके एक प्रकाशकने प्रकाशित करनेके लिये ले लिया था। अब श्रीअरविन्दके इस अनुवादको पढ़कर दत्तके विस्मयकी सीमा नहीं रही। अरविन्द कई दिनोंसे आत्मप्रचारसे विमुख थे और आत्मपरिचयकी स्पृहा भी उन्हें नहीं थी। यह तो सब था ही, पर अपनी रचनाके सम्बन्धमें भी वे उदासीन थे। इतना जानते हुए भी गुणग्राही और उदारहृदय दत्त महाशयने मुक्तकण्ठसे उनसे कहा-‘ऋषिवर! मैंने भी यह अनुवाद किया है। और लंदनकी ‘एवरमिन्स लाइब्रेरी’ को प्रकाशनार्थ भेजा है। बहुत दिन हो गये, शायद वह छप भी गया ।होगा, परंतु आपका यह अनुवाद इतना सुन्दर हुआ है कि मेरे उस अनुवादको प्रकाशित करानेमें मैं अब लज्जाका अनुभव कर रहा हूँ। ‘
सर रमेशचन्द्रके मुखसे यह बात सुनकर यदि अन्य कोई होता तो फूला न समाता। परंतु श्रीअरविन्द तनिक भी उल्लसित नहीं हुए, बल्कि शीलभावसे बोले- ‘यह सब मैंने छपानेके हेतु नहीं लिखा है और न मेरे जीवन कालमें यह छप सकेगा।’
फिर भी दत्त महाशय अपने लोभका संवरण नहीं कर सके। वे बार-बार मुक्त कण्ठसे कहते रहे ‘इस अमूल्य सामग्रीका प्रकाशन तो हो ही जाना चाहिये।’ परंतु श्रीअरविन्द किसी प्रकार भी राजी नहीं हुए।
कहना नहीं होगा कि श्रीअरविन्दने अपने जीवनमें न जाने कितनी अमूल्य सामग्रीका निर्माण किया होगा। वह सब यदि प्रकाशमें आ जाती तो आज साहित्यकी कितनी अभिवृद्धि हुई होती।
Well-known scholar Sir Rameshchandra Dutt was a man of history. He had composed many books. Once he went to Sri Aurobindo and asked him to read the manuscripts of some of his works.
These works were English translations of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Prior to this Dutt Mahasaya had also translated Mahabharata, Ramayana into English and had taken that translation to a London publisher for publication. Now there was no limit to Datta’s astonishment after reading this translation of Sri Aurobindo. Arvind was away from self-promotion for many days and he did not even have the desire for self-introduction. All this was there, but he was indifferent even in relation to his creation. Knowing this much, the meritorious and generous-hearted Dutt Mahasaya said to him in a muktakantha – ‘ Rishivar! I have also translated this. And has been sent to London’s Evermins Library for publication. It has been a long time, maybe it was published as well. It must have been, but this translation of yours has become so beautiful that I am now feeling ashamed to publish that translation of mine. ,
Hearing this from the mouth of Sir Rameshchandra, if it was anyone else, he would not have been overjoyed. But Sri Aurobindo did not get elated even a bit, but said with modesty – ‘I have not written all this for publication, nor will it be published in my lifetime.’
Even then Mr. Dutt could not cover his greed. He kept saying again and again in a free voice, ‘This priceless material must be published.’ But Sri Aurobindo did not agree in any way.
It goes without saying that Sri Aurobindo must have produced many invaluable materials in his life. If all that had come to light, how much literature would have grown today.
