(Letter to Mother from Satprem)
Rameswaram, January 21, 1959
Sweet Mother,
Here is what X told me: 'I have received a message from my guru.# In my vision, the Mother was there, next to my guru, and she was smiling. My guru told me that your present difficulties are a period of testing, but I could already give you the first stage of tantric initiation and that for you, the three stages of initiation
1. The French translation of Sri Aurobindo's Thoughts and Aphorisms.
2. X's deceased guru.
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could be done in an accelerated way.
I will therefore give you initiation this Friday or Saturday, on the day of the full moon or the day before. This first stage will last three months during which you will have to repeat 1 lakh' times the mantra that I will give you. At the end of three months, I will come to see you in Pondicherry - or you will come here for a fortnight, and as soon as I have received the message from my guru, I will give you the second stage that will last three months as well. At the end of these three months, you will receive the full initiation.' X warned me that the first stage I am to receive provokes attacks and tests but that all this disappears with the second stage. Forewarned is forearmed. For what reason I do not know, but X told me that the particular nature of my initiation should remain secret and that he will say nothing about it to Swami, and he added (in speaking of the speed of the process), 'But you will not be less than the Swami.' (!!) There, I wanted you to know - besides, you were present in X's vision. All this happened at a time when I was in the most desperate crisis I have ever known. Sweet Mother, there is no end to expressing my gratitude to you, and yet with the least trial, I am reduced to nothing. Why have you so much grace for me?
I would like very much to return to Pondicherry for the February Darshan and once again begin working for you. Today I am sending a second lot to Pavitra and tomorrow I will start on the Aphorisms, for I do not want to make you wait any longer. I will send a third and final lot to Pavitra by the end of the month, in time for printing. I am very touched, sweet Mother, by your attention and the money you are sending me.
Sweet Mother, may my entire life be at your service, may my entire being belong to you. I owe you everything.
With love and gratitude, I am your child.
Signed: Satprem
Sweet Mother, do not waste time writing to me; you have so many things to do and I feel a little awkward disturbing you so often.
1. One lakh = one hundred thousand.
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(Mother's reply)
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Pondicherry, 1.27.59
My dear child,
I was waiting to answer your letter of the 21st until the Friday and Saturday you mentioned had gone by. And then I felt that you were returning the Aphorisms, so I waited a bit more. I have just received them along with your letter of the 23rd, but I have not yet looked at them. Besides, if you intend returning for the February 'darshan,' I think it would be preferable for us to revise the whole book together. There will not be very much work on my side since the Wednesday and Friday classes were discontinued in the beginning of December, and I still do not know when they will resume.' Right now, I am translating the Aphorisms all alone and it seems to go quickly and well. This could also be revised and the book on the Dhammapada prepared for publication.
For the time being, I am going downstairs only in the mornings at 6 for the balcony darshan and I immediately come back up without seeing anyone - then in the afternoons, I go down once more at about 3 to take my bath and at 4:30 I come back up again. I do not yet know what will happen next month. I shall have to find some way to meet you so that we can work together - I am going to think it over.
I do not ask you to write me your news,# because I know that these are things it is better not to write about. But you know that it keenly interests me.
My love is always with you, enfolding and upholding you.
The blessings of the Grace are upon you.
Signed: Mother
1. They would never resume.
2. About the tantric initiation.
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ISBN 2-902776-33-0