Works of Sri Aurobindo

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-41_May 28_1969.htm

May 28, 1969

(Mother looks a little overburdened.)

I have nothing to say.

Do you have anything, any news?

I don’t have any news, but there’s one thing here. They’ve found

 in Pavitra’s things the record of an experience he had three years

 ago, just when his cancer was beginning. Would you be inter

ested to know the text of that experience? …

Is it interesting? … As for me, I have nothing to say. I have nothing to say, things are going on …. It’s difficult.

Yes.

But anyway …

Pavitra has remained here, not at all mingled; now and then, wholly conscious, otherwise very tranquil. It’s good – not a hindrance, you understand …. Now and then, he manifests something, which shows he remains conscious. That’s all.

As for me, I am continuing … it’s not easy That’s all. So I can listen to this.

(Satprem reads out)

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Pavitra’s experience

Night of February 5, 1966

"It is a night of fully conscious spiritual experience, a

 night of torture and glory.

"I walked through large rooms in which beings without

communication with outside were living. And other rooms

 where wretched beings were dragging out a wretched life.

 They took notice of my presence, which seemed to bring

 them a ray of light from outside. A few reacted well, with a

smile; others fled. A few knocked against me. Then I went

 into other rooms. The same goal always seemed to justify

my presence. For, as I went by, a few showed a sign of hope.

 But at the same time obstacles, sufferings, tortures of all

 kinds fell on me. They were not deliberately inflicted tortures,

but sorts of reactions of ignorance and suffering.

"This work progressively became more and more difficult

 for me. I moved about with difficulty, walked more and

 more slowly, as though overburdened, until it finally became

 difficult I-Or me to find my way … to escape.

"These experiences seemed to last /Or a long time. When

they ended, I found myself in my physical body, surprised

that it bore no marks of all that I had just undergone.

"But I slowly began to understand the meaning of all that

 had taken place. An immense gratitude rose from my heart

 towards the Supreme, as did an entire self-giving so that His

 Will "ray be accomplished everywhere.

"I perceived the meaning of the great promise:

‘I shall deliver you from all evil, fear not.’ [[Bhagavad Gita, 18.4.66. ]]

"That promise of victory from the Divine embodied on the

 earth carried me away with joy.

"I repeat that I was fully conscious for as long as those

experiences lasted.

"That is all I have to say."

Is it after this that he fell ill?

It’s about that time. That’s when he started walking with two

 canes.

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(After a long silence) It would mean that he took upon himself quite a few people’s burdens …. So that would explain what happened: on the day he left, a number of people were terribly attacked by things, as if those were coming back onto them; things that had been taken away from them and which were coming back onto them-especially women.

(long silence)

There was in him a being more conscious than lie. That’s obvious. It was that same being which absorbed [others' suffering].

So ultimately, it’s on the earth, by taking a body on earth, that one can deliver those worlds?

(Mother has not heard)

Those subtle worlds that are imprisoned worlds, it’s by taking a body on earth that one can deliver them?

They are worlds of the vital.

That, of course [i.e., taking a body to deliver them].

(Mother goes into a contemplation,

 at times letting out a moan)

I understand better why he came [into Mother].

It’s to escape all those horrors.

Very well.

There’s only one solution, the direct contact of the physical with the Supreme. It’s the only thing.

There.

But the body’s cells … (I don’t know whether it’s specific to this body; I can’t believe this body to be so exceptional), they are ABSOLUTELY convinced, and they keep trying and trying and trying all the time, all the time, for every misery, every difficulty, every … There’s only one solution, only one thing: "You, You alone, to You – You alone exist." That’s what expressed itself as the illusion of the world in the consciousness of people such as Buddhists and others, but that was a half translation.

The true translation is, "You alone exist, You alone." All the rest … all the rest is misery. Misery, suffering … darkness.

Oof! …

Page 201


Maybe – maybe if … In Sri Aurobindo’s conception, the Supermind clearly escaped all this misery.

There’s only That. Otherwise, it’s difficult.

Maybe half-measures are no longer sufficient …. I don’t know. Maybe the time has come to take a clear stand.

This body has taken its stand. But I thought that … One must be very, very enduring – very enduring – so I wasn’t urging others to do it; but that [["That" seems to refer to the difficulty of the present situation, but Mother may also be alluding to Pavitra's departure. ]] may be saying that perhaps THE TIME HAS COME. I don’t know.

Oof!

We’ll get out of this.

Yes! (Mother laughs) Of course we’ll get out of it.

I would like us to be able to say, "We’re now getting out of it"!

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