The Mother with Letters on the Mother  

 

Contents

 

Pre-Content

 

 

PART ONE

THE MOTHER

 

PART TWO

LETTERS ON THE MOTHER

 

Section One

The Mother: Individual, Universal, Transcendent

 

The Mother and the Purpose of Her Embodiment

Who Is the Mother?

The Mother and the Supramental Descent

Sri Aurobindo's Recognition of the Mother

 

The Mother: Some Events in Her Life

The Mother's Year of Birth

Early Visions and Experiences

Studying Occultism with Max Théon

Early Occult Experiences

Meeting Jnan Chakrabarti

Arrival in Pondicherry

Some Occult and Spiritual Experiences

The Mother's Illness in 1931 and Her Temporary Retirement

 

Three Aspects of the Mother

Individual, Universal, Transcendent

The Universal Mother and the Individual Mother

The Mother's Universal Action and Her Embodied Physical Action

Concentration on the Embodied Mother

The Transcendental Mother and the Embodied Mother

The Transcendent Mother and the Higher Hemisphere

The Eternal Mother

 

The Mother, the Divine and the Lower Nature

The Consciousness and Force of the Divine

The Mother in the Tantra

The Mother in the Gita

The One and the Supreme Mother

The Cosmic Divine and the Mother

The Self, the Divine and the Mother

The Mother and Self —Realisation

The Mother, the Jivatman and the Soul

The Mother's Interest in the World

The Mother and the Lower Prakriti

 

Forms, Powers, Personalities and Appearances of the Mother

Nirguna and Saguna (Formless and with Form)

Many Powers and Forms

Adyashakti

Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati

Maheshwari

Mahakali

Krishna —Mahakali

Mahakali and Kali

Kali

Durga

Mahalakshmi

Mahasaraswati

The Radha —Power

The Mother's Vibhutis

Different Appearances of the Mother

False Appearances of the Mother

 

Section Two

The Mother, Sri Aurobindo and the Integral Yoga

 

Two in One

One Consciousness

One Force

One Path

No Less nor Greater

One in Two Bodies

Appendix: Two Texts

 

Incarnation and Evolution The Mystery of Incarnation

The Reason for Their Embodiment

Connections in Past Lives

Carrying on the Evolution

The Guru, the Divine and the Truth

The Mother, Sri Aurobindo and the Overmind

The Mother, Sri Aurobindo and the Supramental Descent

The Triple Transformation and Control over Death

 

Difficulties of the Pathfinders

The Burden of Humanity

Difficulties and the Sunlit Path

Vital Sensitiveness

Self —imposed Bareness

Joyous Sacrifice

No Grand Trunk Road

 

Helpers on the Way

Sadhana through the Mother and Sri Aurobindo

The Only Way to Advance

Taking Refuge in Their Protection

Their Attitude towards the Sadhaks

Faithfulness to the Light and the Call

Openness to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo

Their Presence

Calling the Mother and Sri Aurobindo

Receiving Their Influence

Following a Hostile Influence

Misinterpreting Their Words

Criticisms, Humility and Faith

Taking on the Sadhaks' Difficulties

Dealing with the Sadhaks

Awareness of the Sadhaks' Movements

Their Knowledge of Human Nature

Their Patience

Their Help

Speaking One's Thoughts Freely

Sri Aurobindo's Coming out of Retirement

 

The Mother and Sri Aurobindo in Dreams, Visions and Experiences

Visions, Dreams and Experiences of Their Unity

Other Dreams and Experiences

 

Section Three

The Mother and the Practice of the Integral Yoga

 

Yoga Aspiration and Surrender to the Mother

Yoga, Sadhana, Dhyana

Aspiration

Aspiration and the Psychic

The Psychic Fire and Offering

Aspiration, Rejection, Surrender

Surrender to the Mother

 

Opening, Sincerity and the Mother's Grace

The Meaning of Opening

Opening to the Mother and the Integral Yoga

Loyalty and Fidelity

The Psychic and Opening

Sincerity

The Mother's Grace

Opening and Presence

 

The Mother's Presence

She Is Always Present

Feeling the Mother's Presence

Spiritual Possibility due to the Mother's Presence

The Mother's Presence and the Adverse Forces

The Mother's Presence and Human Imperfection

The Mother's Emanations

The Mother's Knowledge and Her Emanations

The Mother's Awareness of Thoughts and Actions

Feeling the Mother's Presence and Seeing Visions

Feeling the Mother's Presence through a Photograph

Remembering the Mother and Feeling Her Presence

The Psychic and the Mother's Presence

Feeling the Mother's Presence in Sleep

Feeling the Mother's Presence at Work

Union with the Mother

 

The Mother's Force

What Is the Mother's Force?

Progress in Sadhana and the Mother's Force

Reliance on the Mother's Force

Becoming Conscious of the Mother's Force

Descent of the Mother's Force

Pressure of the Descending Force

Faith and the Working of the Mother's Force

Surrender to the Mother and the Working of Her Force

Assimilation of the Mother's Force

Calling the Mother's Force

Receptivity and Openness to the Mother's Force

Pulling the Mother's Force

The Mother's Force and the Forces of the Lower Nature

The Mother's Force and the Three Gunas

Conditions for the Working of the Mother's Force

Discrimination and the Working of the Mother's Force

Mental Knowledge and the Working of the Mother's Force

The Mother's Force and the Body

The Mother's Therapeutic Force

Receiving the Mother's Force at a Distance

 

Sadhana through Work for the Mother

Finding the Mother's Force in Work and Action

Work for the Mother in the Integral Yoga

Work for the Mother as Karmayoga

Following the Mother's Will

The Mother's Consciousness and the Divine Law

Opening to the Mother in Work

Remembering the Mother in Work

Offering Actions to the Mother

Work for the Mother and the Worker's Ego

 

The Mother's Lights

Lights and the Mother

The Mother's White Light

The Mother's Diamond Light

The Golden Light of Mahakali

Seeing Light around the Mother

 

The Mother in Visions, Dreams and Experiences

Seeing the Mother in Visions and Dreams

Developing the Ability to See the Mother

Experiences of the Mother and Her Powers

Hearing the Mother's Voice

Visions, Voices and Progress in Sadhana

 

The Mother's Help in Difficulties

Difficulties and the Mother's Help

Difficulties and the Mother's Force

Difficulties and the Mother's Grace

Turning to the Mother for Help

Personal Effort and the Mother's Help

Opening to the Mother in Difficulty

The Mother's Protection

Calling the Mother in Difficulty

Praying to the Mother

The Mother's Help and the Hostile Forces

Natural Disasters, Adverse Forces and the Mother's Help

Helping Others and the Mother's Help

The Mother's Help in Worldly Matters

 

Section Four

The Mother in the Life of the Ashram

 

The Mother and the Sadhana in the Ashram

The Mother Does the Sadhana

The Mother's Victory

Being Taken Up by the Mother

Broad Lines of the Sadhana

The Mother and Other Paths of Yoga

Turning Entirely to the Mother

Acceptance of the Mother

Confidence in the Mother

Recognising the Mother's Divinity

Discontent with the Mother

 

The Mother as Guru and Guide

The Mother's Way of Dealing with Sadhaks

The Mahakali Method

Understanding the Mother's Actions

Misunderstanding the Mother's Words

Asking Questions to the Mother

Writing to the Mother

Leaving the Mother and the Ashram

 

The Mother and the Discipline in the Ashram

The Mother in Sole Charge of the Ashram

Demands on the Mother's Time

The Mother and Material Things

The Mother and the Vital Difficulties of the Sadhaks

The Mother's Attitude towards Quarrels between the Sadhaks

The Mother and the Satisfaction of Desires

The Mother and the Control of Sexual Desire

Uneasiness in Mixing with Others

The Mother's Advice on Some Practical Matters

Imitation of "Great Sadhaks"

 

Work for the Mother in the Ashram

All Ashram Work Is the Mother's Work

Doing Work for the Mother

Work for the Mother and Kartavyam Karma

Work, Sadhana and the Mother

Vital Energy and the Mother's Work

The Mother and the Organisation of Work

The Mother's Use of Department Heads

The Mother and Clashes between Workers

The Mother and Mistakes in Work

 

Relation between the Mother and Her Children

True Relation with the Mother

Inner Contact with the Mother

The Right Way of Loving the Mother

Receiving What the Mother Gives

Telling the Whole Truth

Psychic Relation with the Mother

The Vital Element of Love

Devotion or Bhakti for the Mother

Consecration to the Mother

The Mother's Love

Inner Union and Outer Relation with the Mother

Relation with the Mother and with Others

False Suggestions of the Mother's Displeasure

Nearness to the Mother and Progress in Sadhana

Closeness to the Mother and Speaking French

Special Relation with the Mother

 

Meeting the Mother

Right Attitude during Interviews with the Mother

Impossibility of Giving Interviews to Everyone

Interviews with Outsiders

Significance of Birthday Interviews

Right Use of Birthday Interviews

Group Meditation with the Mother

The Morning Pranam

Experiences during Pranam

Right Way to Make Pranam

The Mother's Expression at Pranam

The Mother's Smile at Pranam

Smiles and Seriousness

Wrong Ideas about the Mother's Showing Displeasure

Wrong Ideas about the Mother's Smile and Touch

The Mother's Hand at Pranam

Feeling the Mother's Touch at Pranam

Flowers at Pranam

Avoiding Pranam

Pranam and Non —Pranam Days

Fixed Places at Pranam

The Change from Pranam to Meditation

Outsiders at Pranam

Making Pranam at a Distance

Making Pranam to Others

Pranam in the Reception Hall

The Soup Ceremony

The Value of Darshan

Public Darshan Days

The First Blessing

 

Aspects of the Mother's Life in the Ashram

The Mother's Music

The Mother's Attitude towards Music and Other Arts

Golconde

The French Book L'Ether Vivant

Meeting the Dead

Speaking to People about Past Lives

Sending Ethereal Beings to the Sadhaks

An Occult or Yogic Faculty

The Mother Takes upon Herself Difficulties and Illnesses

The Mother and Medicines

The Mother and Eye Treatment

Giving Money to the Mother

The Mother's Accounts

The Mother's Attire

The Mother's Photograph

The Mother's Naming of Cats

The Mother's Symbol

The Mother's Flag

 

Section Five

On Three Works of the Mother

 

On Prières et Méditations de la Mère

General Comments on the Mother's Prières

Comments on Specific Prières

Hearing the Mother Read Her Prières

Reading the Mother's Prières

 

On Conversations with the Mother

Comments Mother's Conversations and Prières

 

On Entretiens avec la Mère

Comments on Specific Entretiens

 

PART THREE

TRANSLATIONS OF PRAYERS OF THE MOTHER

 

Prayers and Meditations

November 28, 1913

February 15, 1914

August 27, 1914

August 31, 1914

September 1, 1914

September 25, 1914

September 28, 1914

September 30, 1914

October 5, 1914

October 7, 1914

October 14, 1914

October 25, 1914

November 8, 1914

February 15, 1915

March 3, 1915

March 7, 1915

March 8, 1915

December 26, 1916

December 27, 1916

December 29, 1916

March 31, 1917

April 28, 1917

July 12, 1918

December 28, 1928

 

Radha's Prayer

Radha's Prayer

 

NOTE ON THE TEXTS

The Mother's Lights

 

Lights and the Mother

 

Yesterday when the Mother came down in the evening to give Darshan, I saw her face shining with crimson light like the sun when it rises in the morning. What is the meaning of crimson light?

Crimson light indicates the manifestation of love in the material atmosphere.

5 July 1933

 

*

 

 

When I write to the Mother I often see flashes of light which are tiny, round and of different colours  —white, gold, green, blue and yellow. What are they?

When you write, you put yourself probably in contact with the Mother's forces  —these lights of different colours are the play of her forces.

14 October 1933

 

*

 

 

Looking at the Mother on the terrace in the evening, I saw a dark blue light around her like the colour of the flower named "Radha's consciousness". Is the light around her of different colours? For I have also seen white light around her many times, and sometimes a pretty pale blue light.

There are various lights around the Mother indicating the forces that come from her. White is her own characteristic light, the pale blue is mine,  —the golden, dark blue and others correspond to various other forces.

26 October 1933

 

*

 

 

We normally see your force working in us as a pale blue light and the Mother's force working as a white light. But today  

 

Page – 262


I saw a red —coloured force working in me, red like a lotus flower. Was this your force too?

It must have been a special force working. The blue light is the characteristic force as the white is of the Mother, but we are not limited to that, the other forces and therefore the other lights are also ours.

24 November 1933

 

*

 

 

Today I saw emerging from the Mother the whitish blue light of Sri Aurobindo. Why did I see it so? Is it because both are the same?

All the lights are put out by the Mother from herself.

6 March 1934

 

*

 

 

Today at Pranam while feeling the Mother's Powers pouring   into me, I saw the sacred word মা [Ma] inscribed in dark blue light in the corner of my breast below the right shoulder. Does it have any significance?

It means the impression of the Name with its power in some part of the being  —(vital mental).

9 April 1934

 

*

 

 

The lights are the Mother's Powers  —many in number. The white light is her own characteristic power, that of the Divine Consciousness in its essence.

15 July 1934

The Mother's White Light

 

Last night I got contact with the Light and prayed for its descent. But it got lost as soon as my mind began to get into a white peaceful Mother's consciousness.

That was quite right. The contact with the Light must create peace.

 

Page – 263


I felt myself in a mind all white, but each time I tried it was impossible to get a rapid downward pull of the Light. After that I got into feelings and nice sensations in the body, but they took me down to a low state.

(1) The Mother's consciousness (white) is not only peace, but Light and Power.

(2) When one gets into contact with the Light above the mind, the first result should be peace in the mind.

(3) Whatever Power of the Light descends should descend into the peace of the mind without disturbing it.

(4) If you pull down the Light into an active mind, then the action of the Light may get deformed and may be used by the mind in a wrong way, with confusion and disturbance or for purposes and movements that are those of an inferior consciousness and not those of the Truth.

(5) There cannot be any real incompatibility between the Mother's consciousness and contact with the Light above.

2 June 1932

 

*

 

 

What is the colour of the light around the Mother?

The Mother's special colour is white, but all the other colours are hers also.

7 June 1933

 

*

 

 

In the evening when the Mother came out, I saw a huge white light following behind her. At first I thought it was an illusion, but when I kept on looking at it I knew it was no illusion. I was full of joy.

The white light is the Mother's light and it is always around her.

22 August 1933

 

*

 

 

Today at Pranam I saw a pale blue light around the Mother. Is pale blue the colour of her light?

 

Page – 264


The pale blue light is my light  —white light is the Mother's (sometimes gold also). People generally see either the white or both the white and the pale blue around her.

4 September 1933

 

*

 

 

When the Mother comes on the terrace in the evening, I often see white light around her; it is clearly visible around her body and sometimes the top of the whole building seems to emit light. One day I thought that there may be a background of light behind all material things which can be seen physically. Is it true? Is there any systematic process to open oneself to that physical vision?

The white Light around the Mother is the Mother's own light  —that of the Divine Consciousness. Many nowadays are able to see it around her when she is on the roof. One can also see all objects in this light  —it means that the light has descended here and is floating around everything.

10 September 1933

 

*

 

 

Last night after eight o'clock after returning from work, I sat for meditation. My mind and vital became quiet and opened to the Mother. My heart became vast and opened to her. Then in this quietness something very soothing descended from my chest down to my navel and below it. Then, below the navel, I saw a bright white light penetrating and it filled the whole area with light; then it rose up above the navel till even the head was filled with light. I am unable to express the peace and quietness I felt at that time. The peace was very pure. Now whenever I sit for meditation, I see a very white light coming around me.

The white Light is the Mother's light. Wherever it descends or enters, it brings peace, purity, silence and the openness to the higher forces. If it comes below the navel, that means that it is working in the lower vital.

31 July 1934

 

*

 

Page – 265


The Mother's white light is the light of the Divine Consciousness; you are living more and more under it and it is that that is liberating you.

25 August 1934

 

*

 

 

What you saw in vision was a supraphysical body of the Mother made probably of her white light which is the light of the Divine Consciousness and Force that stands behind the universe.

30 January 1935

 

*

 

 

I am sending you a letter received from X. She has written her experiences and wants to know their meaning. She says that now she concentrates in the heart. Formerly she felt it was dark, but now, concentrating on the Mother and Sri Aurobindo for a long time, she sees a white ray in which their bodies become more brilliant.

The important experience is that of the white ray in the heart  —for that is a ray of the Mother's light, the white light, and the illumining of the heart by this light is a thing of great power for this sadhana. The intuitions she speaks of are a sign of the inner consciousness growing in her  —the consciousness which is necessary for Yoga.

28 July 1937

 

*

 

 

It [the Mother's light] is always there in the inner Purusha.

 

*

 

 

That means the light of the divine consciousness (the Mother's Consciousness, white light) in the vital. Blue is the higher mind, gold the divine Truth. So it is the vital with the light of the higher mind and the divine Truth in it emanating the Mother's light.

 

The Mother's Diamond Light

 

(a) It [the diamond light] means the essential Force of the Mother.

 

Page – 266


(b) The diamond light proceeds from the heart of the Divine Consciousness and it brings the opening of the Divine Consciousness wherever it goes.

(c) The Mother's descent with the diamond light is the sanction of the Supreme Power to the movement in you.

(d) The Mother's diamond light is a light of absolute purity and power.

(e) The diamond light is the central consciousness and force of the Divine.

 

*

 

 

The Mother's light is white  —especially diamond white. The Mahakali form is usually golden, of a very bright and strong golden hue.

12 October 1935

 

*

 

 

The diamond is the symbol of the intensest light of the Mother's consciousness, so your visions indicate that you saw her full of that light and radiating it. Other jewels must be symbols of other forces, the ruby indicating power in the physical.

23 February 1936

 

*

 

 

The diamond is the symbol of the Mother's consciousness; the colour depends on the particular force which her consciousness puts forth upon you at the moment.

14 April 1936

 

*

 

 

The diamond is the symbol of the Mother's light and energy  —the diamond light is that of her consciousness at its most intense.

13 November 1936

The Golden Light of Mahakali

 

Today at Pranam I saw a light like a golden thread coming from the Mother to me, but it vanished in a short time. Once I saw this light very clearly when she was standing on the

 

Page – 267


terrace, just before coming down the staircase. Is this light from inside or outside? Since I saw it only for a while, I cannot believe my own eyes.

The golden Light is the light of the Divine Truth on the higher planes above the ordinary mind  —a light supramental in origin. It is also the light of Mahakali above the mind. The golden light is also often seen emanating from the Mother like the white Light.

17 September 1933

 

*

 

 

The line of golden light is a line of the light of the higher Divine Truth encircling the Akash of the heart and the diamond mass is the Mother's light pressing into that Akash. It is therefore a sign of these powers working on the psychic —emotional centre.

17 December 1936

 

*

 

 

One night I found a vast light, yellowish white, cool and peaceful, coming down from above. Is this the light of the higher mind consciousness or of some spiritual consciousness?

It depends on the shade of the yellow. If it is golden white it comes from above the mind and the combination suggests the Maheshwari —Mahakali power. Higher Mind colour is pale blue.

21 March 1938

Seeing Light around the Mother

Sometimes I see an outline of white light around Mother. Is it that truly I can see Mother's Light?

Of course you can see it. Nowadays it is visible to many.

2 July 1933

 

*

 

 

Last evening when the Mother was walking on the terrace I saw a light on her body. What was it?

 

Page – 268


Many see light around the Mother. The light is there always.

26 July 1933

 

*

 

 

Today as soon as the Mother took her seat in the Pranam Hall I saw that white light was playing both on her left and right sides. Was there any particular reason why I saw like this?

No. One can always see white Light around the Mother, for it is her light, always there.

8 August 1933

 

*

 

 

This evening when the Mother came to give us darshan, I saw Sri Aurobindo's light around her like a cloud. Was this a formation of the mind or the vital? Was there a mistake in it?

If seeing the Mother's Light is a mistake or a mental or vital formation, then the realisation of the Divine and all spiritual experience can be questioned as a mental or vital formation or mistake and all Yoga becomes impossible.

6 September 1933

 

*

 

 

While watching the Mother walk on the terrace, I saw a light like moonlight around her. How strong and bright it was. Seeing it, my being became quiet and gradually settled into a deep indrawn condition.

People see all kinds of lights around the Mother when she walks on the roof. They are all the flowing out of different forces. If it was like the moonlight in appearance it would be the spiritual force.

1 November 1933

 

*

 

 

What people see around the Mother is first her aura, as it is called nowadays, and secondly the forces of Light that pour out from her when she concentrates, as she always does on the roof for instance. (Everybody has an aura  —but in most it is weak and not very luminous, in the Mother's aura there is the full play  

 

Page – 269


of lights and powers.) People do not see it usually because it is a subtle physical and not a gross material phenomenon. They can see only on two conditions, first if they develop sufficient subtle sight, secondly if the aura itself begins to become so strong that it affects the sheath of gross matter which conceals it. The Mother has certainly no idea of making people see it  —it is of themselves that one after another, some 20 or 30 in the Asram, I believe, have come to see. None of them are big Yogis, some of them are mere beginners. It is certainly one of the signs that the higher Force (call it supramental or not) is beginning to influence Matter.

15 November 1933

 

*

 

 

Some people see light etc. around the Mother but I am not able to do so. What is the obstruction in me?

It is not an obstruction  —it is simply a question of the growth of the inner senses. It has no indispensable connection with spiritual progress. There are some very far on the path who have very little of this kind of vision if any  —on the other hand sometimes it develops enormously in mere beginners who have as yet had only very elementary spiritual experiences.

1 December 1933

 

*

 

 

X says that she sees white light streaming out from the Mother when she sees her walking on the terrace. And some days, when the Mother is meditating, she sees some figure behind her.

There is always light around the Mother which the eyes can see if the inner vision opens. There are also many beings that are around her.

4 September 1934

 

Page – 270