“But the difficulty is to find the “some one” who knows Sri Aurobindo thoroughly…(and subsequently) who is capable of receiving His inspirations directly…capable of understanding Sri Aurobindo’s inspiration and transmitting it…and has at the same time very strong character… (and if possible) to have His genius… For years I have been looking for that man, without finding him.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-8/175, The Mother’s Agenda-2/206, “If you really want to please Me (I believe you do!),… concentrate on the book on Sri Aurobindo —you can’t imagine how much I am interested! And as I LOOK, I see into the future (not with this little consciousness), I see that it’s a thing of GREAT importance. It will have a great action. So, I want to clear the way for you now, for us to have time.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-2/156 "As for reading the works of Sri Aurobindo , it opens the door of the future to us.” The Mother TMCW-12/On Education/p-214 Read More Integral Yoga in Brief “For in a Yoga which embraces all life completely and without reserve, the full use of Samadhi comes only when its gains can be made the normal possession and experience for an integral waking of the embodied soul in the human being.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-526-527 “The reason is that the old Yogins when they went above the spiritual mind passed into samadhi, which means that they did not attempt to be conscious in these higher planes — their aim being to pass away into the Superconscient and not to bring the Superconscient into the waking consciousness, which is that of my Yoga .” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-286 Integral Yoga is neither a popular Religion nor a popular Yoga, but this specialised Yoga is meant for destined Souls, those who are linked with it from past births. "It is not therefore important that the mission should be widespread." (CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-288) Its mission is 'to call back the souls of the strong to the Lila of Krishna & Kali. ' (CWSA-36/ Autobiographical Note/p-222) Sri Aurobindo pointed out that, “Buddhism only became a popular religion when Buddha had taken the place of the supreme Deity as an object of worship.” (CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga-556) The Mother pointed out that “The Divinity mentioned by Sri Aurobindo is NOT A PERSON, but a condition to be shared and lived by all those who prepare themselves for it." (TMCW-15/Words of The Mother-III/p-104) Here in this Yoga, All Life is ceaseless Divine Union by ceaseless renunciation of lower Nature, ceaseless rigorous self-control, ceaseless remembrance of the highest Divine, ceaseless consecrated action and ceaseless descent of Divine Force. Integral Yoga proposes rigorous self-control of the body by Integral Physical Education , rigorous Self-control of the Psychic Prana by Integral Vital Education , and rigorous Self-control of the Intellect by Integral Mental Education . It also includes and enforces Psychic Education , Spiritual Education , Universal Education , Supramental Education , Bliss Self Education , Subconscient Education and Inconscient Education in its scope. Integral Yoga proposes to utilise the smallest work, the tiniest thought, the smallest and the most fragile human love, the present moment, the present space of habitation, as a means of the highest descent of Divine Will, Divine Wisdom, Divine Love, and Divine Force or " Insignificant her means, infinite her work" (Savitri-178). It recognises that all the external events are transient and short-lived phenomena, but are necessary for new manifestation and can be utilised as a means of the highest Divine union. “Even the youngest child-thought of the mind Incarnated some touch of highest things.” (Savitri-328) Integral Yoga begins after the opening of either the Psychic being in the heart centre or a Spiritual being above the head through the double movement of rigorous Self-control by the rejection of lower Nature and complete surrender by Purusha and Prakriti Yajna . The Spiritual being opens first by Vedantic Sacrifice of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga by pacification of volitional, intellectual and emotional mind respectively and after the Spiritual being is opened, by its descent as Shakti, the Psychic being opens. The Psychic being opens first by Vedic sacrifice of Tantra, Hatha and Raja Yoga by activation of the mind or by Psycho-physical self-discipline and concentration in the lotus of the heart. After the Psychic being is opened, by its ascent the Spiritual being opens. Integral Yoga identifies that Vedantic sacrifice/Purusha Yajna is safe for beginners of Yoga/developing Souls and Vedic sacrifice/Prakriti Yajna is safe for those who have pursued Yoga rigorously in past births or for twice-born Souls who live in waking trance. First opening of the Psychic being is considered unsafe due to the presence of the desire Soul surrounding it. In Integral Yoga, the Psychic Heart Centre is given more importance than the more superior Spiritual Being and the most superior Supramental Being. For transformation action, the Psychic being is Spiritualised and Supramentalised. Here, The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are the symbols of the comprehensive movement of Consciousness and the physical embodiment of the Divine. If a Sadhaka is more open towards Sri Aurobindo through intellect, then his Spiritual being will open first. If he is more open towards the Mother in the heart, then his Psychic being will open first. Sri Aurobindo proposes, “For the opening of the psychic being, concentration on the Mother and self-offering to her are the direct way.”⁴³ And He further proposes that if one has relatively pure vital Nature, then “it is perhaps the safest to open by concentration the heart-lotus first so as to have the psychic influence from the beginning.”⁴³ In integral Yoga, Consciousness is moved between Psychic and Spiritual planes by activating both Purusha and Prakriti Yajna and by this movement, the gulfs in the intermediate plane of consciousness are rent and a passage is made by which the highest Consciousness can move freely between Bliss/Supramental Self and Inconscient/Subconscient Self. In this Yoga ten sheaths or Koshas are purified, transformed and perfected by the pressure of ten Selves known as Inconscient, Subconscient, true physical, true vital, true mental, Psychic, Spiritual, Universal, Supramental and Bliss Self. This Yoga asks the waking mind/Intellect to be entirely Spiritualised and even in the waking state ‘the enlarging man is able to live in his several subtle bodies as well as in his physical body, to be aware of them and in them, to use their senses, faculties, powers, to dwell in possession of supra-physical truth, consciousness and experience.’³³ In integral Yoga, all the ten Selves or the Divine contained in all the ten Sheaths are dynamised, and all these Divine Selves act on the respective sheaths or higher sheaths on the lower sheaths or lower Selves on the higher sheaths; bring the required purification and transformation and build each sheath to the extent of Their full perfection. With the progress of this experience, one meets the Divine from all ends, capturing all the sheaths of the body and this experience can be repeated till It becomes constant and established. ("Heaven’s leaning down to embrace from all sides earth," Savitri-716, “It (dynamic Spirit) is within, below, without, above.” Savitri-98) This descent of Divine Force from four higher Selves above the head to six lower Sheaths below the head and ‘the emergence of the concealed supramental force’³² in all the ten Selves are the normal state of the greatest integral Yogi, yoginam api sarvesam ,¹⁴ and the highest secret, rahasyam uttamam, ¹⁵ manifested in normal human life. In this Spiritual endeavour, the discovery of the Inconscient Self is identified as one of the last flaming bursts of Divinities and the most profound Spiritual experiences of the perfect rhythm of illumining Matter’s depth, ‘the grand solution’³⁴ in which the height of mortal effort ends and it is the waking of matter’s great Serpent Power ‘For large utilities in life’s little space’³⁵ or opening of Inconscient Self is identified as ‘last and mightiest transformation.’³⁶ The opening of the Inconscient Self will break the Inconscient sheath’s blind mute wall of Ignorance and each part of the Being and the surrounding sheath or every limb and cells receive the Divine Mother’s Delightful touch to remake our life and feel her helping hand in every circumstance. The discovery of the Subconscient Self through difficulty and pain is identified as another important achievement for dismantling and illumining an obscure sheath, whose 'priceless value could have saved the world.’³⁷ Silencing the mind, vital and body paves the passage clear towards the vast domain of subtle mental, subtle vital and subtle physical oceans and in its heart, there is a true mental being, true vital being, true physical being, and subsequently in this journey in the innermost domain the Psychic sheath and Psychic being are unveiled. The Psychic being unveils the passage towards the discovery of still higher selves of Spiritual, Universal, Supramental and Bliss Self. Still, there are other sequences through which these Selves can be activated and dynamised. The discovery of the Supramental Self directs the Truth-Light to ‘strike earth’s massive roots of trance’³⁸ of the Subconscient and Inconscient oceans and wake their respective Selves. Thus, dynamisation of the ten Selves and the purification, transformation and perfection of the ten respective Sheaths are part of Savitri’s Individual, Universal and Transcendental Divine action. Then, one no longer depends on intervention from above for the transformation action of surface mind, life and body, but it will also take place more vigorously from within the ten Selves and most vigorously from below the feet by the opening of Subconscient and Inconscient Selves. Yogic trance is the aim of most traditional Yoga, which is an escape from waking existence into higher/highest Consciousness, but in integral Yoga, Yogic trance is a means, not an aim, of enlarging and raising the whole seeing and living into active and waking consciousness. The double utility of trance in integral Yoga is that (1) through entry into Samadh i, Spiritual experiences can be heightened in their range and intensities in all the above ten Selves and (2) the height of Spiritual experience attained can ‘be brought as much as possible into the waking consciousness.’³⁹ The full use and benefit of Samadhi are gained when it becomes a normally possessed movement of consciousness in a waking trance. OM TAT SAT References are available in the Manuscript ‘The Bhagavad Gita and Integral Yoga ’ (page 453) Download this WEB PAGE as a PDF file: The Practice of Integral Yoga Integral Yoga in Detail “Sri Aurobindo had already realised in full two of the four great reali s ations on which his Yoga and his spiritual philosophy are founded. (1) The first he had gained while meditating with the Maharastrian Yogi Vishnu Bhaskar Lele at Boroda in 1908; it was the realisation of the silent spaceless and timeless Brahman gained after a complete and abiding stillness of the whole consciousness and attended at first by an overwhelming feeling and perception of the total unreality of the world, though this feeling was disappeared after his (2) second realization which was that of the cosmic consciousness and of the Divine as all beings and all that is, which happened in the Allipore jail and of which he has spoken in his speech at Uttarapara . To the other two realisations, (3) that of the supreme Reality with the static and dynamic Brahman as its two aspects and (4) that of the higher planes of consciousness leading to the Supermind he was already on his way in his meditations in the Alipore jail .” Sri Aurobindo SABCL/Vol-26/p-64 CWSA-36/Autobiographical Notes/p-94 , Read More Mind Map of Integral Yoga Mind map is a creation of scientific mind regarding which Sri Aurobindo wrote, "Yes, the scientific mind does not lead very far [in spiritual life]; it only multiplies experiences but brings neither the realisation, nor the knowledge.” CWSA-31/ Letters on Yoga-IV/p-75 "A map of subtle signs surpassing thought Was hung upon a wall of inmost mind." Savitri-88 "Man’s eyes could look into the inner realms; His scrutiny discovered number’s law And organised the motions of the stars, Mapped out the visible fashioning of the world, Questioned the process of his thoughts or made A theorised diagram of mind and life. " "Savitri-361 Handbook Handbook1&2 of The Synthesis of Yoga Handbook 1 & 2 of The Life Divine Handbook 1 & 2 of The Mother Handbooks 1&2 of Savitri (The above eight Handbooks partly fulfill The Mother's requirement that those who want to do Her work must have a thorough knowledge of Sri Aurobindo . A thorough knowledge on The Mother and Sri Aurobindo can be gained from within by development of sevenfold concentrations and from without by extensive study and practice of Their Teachings.) The Life Divine in brief Central Truth of Integral Yoga Satyavan's Yoga Savitri's Yoga The Central Truth of Savitri or The Divine Love The Integral Yoga & Sanatana Dharma Changing of the (Finite) world with the Tune of the Infinite The Mother's children are ready for Cellular Transformation The Earth's future and injunction issued to the Sadhaka of Integral Yoga Tracing the Root formula of Divine Life Main Formula of Integral Yoga Six elements of Perfection Central Truth of Divine Life Central Truth of Integral Education The Bhagavad Gita and Integral Yoga The Spiritual History of Earth Savitri Summery (webpage) "Yoga develops power, it develops it even when we do not desire or consciously aim at it; and power is always a double-edged weapon which can be used to hurt or destroy as well as to help and save. Be it also noted that all destruction is not evil." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-300 “Intellectually, I don’t at all believe in taking others’ misfortunes upon oneself- that’s childish. But certain vibrations in the world must be accepted, exhausted and transformed. Inwardly, that’s the work I have been doing all my life- consciously, gloriously. But now it’s on a purely physical level, independent of all the realities of other worlds: it is in the body, you see. And this has given me a key, one of the necessary keys to the Work .” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda/Vol-3/p-303 The Synthesis of Yoga book proposes that all written truth and living Spiritual teachers are partial guides and secure effective narrow practice respectively. In the life of a twice-born Soul, their presence is reinforced and complemented by awakening the ‘the eternal Veda secret in the heart of every man’ and awakening of the inner Guru , Jagad Guru and Supreme Guru who dwells in his universalised Psychic heart centre. Or his heart's worship is extended either " to the divine Teacher within (Primary Source) or to the human Master (Secondary Source) in whom the divine Wisdom is embodied,... " Savitri book proposes that the Psychic being in the heart centre is greater than God and Guru and it can change individual and collective destiny. (Refer: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-57, 55, 61, CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-415, Savitri-375) “Meanwhile certain general lines have to be formed which may help to guide the thought and practice of the sadhaka . But these must take as much as possible the form of general truths, general statements of principle, the most powerful broad directions of effort and development rather than a fixed system which has to be followed as a routine. All Shastra is the outcome of past experience and a help to future experience. It is an aid and a partial guide. It puts up signposts, gives the names of the main roads and the already explored directions, so that the traveller may know whither and by what paths he is proceeding." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-57

"Insatiate seeker, he has all to learn:" Savitri-133 Seeker's Questions “Never tell a lie: absolute condition for safety on the path… Each lie uttered is a step taken towards disintegration.” The Mother TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-201-202, “Only those who are perfectly truthful can be my true children.” The Mother TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-190, "(Question) What do I need to develop most? And what do I need to reject most? (Answer) Develop — sincerity (that is, an integral adhesion to the Divine’s way). Reject — the pull of the old human habits." The Mother TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-67 This webpage is created for the full awareness of school children related with the vast vision of Integral Education, which is a utilitarian interpretation of integral Yoga. Its mission is, as Sri Aurobindo proposes, “it is far from my purpose to propagate any religion new or old for humanity in the future. A way to be opened that is still blocked, not a religion to be founded, is my conception of the matter.” (CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-411) Integral Yoga 'has nothing to do with Hindu religion or culture or any religion or nationality. The Truth of the Divine which is the spiritual reality behind all religions and the descent of the supramental which is not known to any religion are the sole things which will be the foundation of the work of the future." (CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-701) The Mother confirms, "To adopt a religion because one is born in that religion or because the people one loves and trusts practise that religion or because when one goes to a particular place where others pray and worship, one feels helped in one’s own prayer and worship, is not the sign of a very strong nature; I should say it is rather the sign of a weakness or at any rate of a lack of originality. ” (The Mother/The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/8/246) Here, Religion means to build a fixed set of rules around a personal God who is exclusively preoccupied with satisfying the devotees’ bottomless desires and endless wanting. He is also called to ensure an easy and comfortable life without any difficulty and wounds. In integral Yoga, God is a constantly growing Impersonal Consciousness who is at once Transcendent, Universal and Individual Psychic Being and by their movement, fullness of life can be attained. Its Shastras are not a fixed set of monuments of the immediate and distant past but “constantly renewed, relived, their stuff of permanent truth constantly reshaped and developed in the inner thought and spiritual experience of a developing humanity.” (CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita/p-5) Its “Truth is not a dogma that one can learn once and for all and impose as a rule. Truth is as infinite as the supreme Lord and It manifests every instant for those who are sincere and attentive.” (The Mother’s Agenda-22.03.1967) Sri Aurobindo confirms in The Synthesis of Yoga that a ' strong (man) but crude vital natures ' (CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-249) cannot become the true leader of men. He further confirms, 'only the twice born (Soul) can understand or teach the' Shastra. (CWSA-18/Kena and other Upanishads/p-169) and 'true understanding (of Sri Aurobindo's Teachings) comes later, after having tried to put it into practice.' (TMCW/Vol-12/On Education/p-204) It is only by rigorous self-control or “It is only by increasing that control that he (a Sadhaka of integral Yoga) can move towards perfection..." (CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-631) Our objective in this webpage is to make the students aware that Integral Education is meant to constantly enlarge their existing human vessel in this life, so that in all-life they will emerge as integral students with the capacity to hold an inrush of the highest Spiritual energy in its fullest amount. We are here by our endeavour and tapasya, not only to repeat the Spiritual experience of the great past but also to 'go farther' towards a greater future. "How shall the child already be the man? Because he is infant, shall he never grow? Because he is ignorant, shall he never learn? In a small fragile seed a great tree lurks, In a tiny gene a thinking being is shut; A little element in a little sperm, It grows and is a conqueror and a sage." Savitri-623 Meditation and its primary techniques Sangram 21.08.2026 OM NAMO BHAGAVATE MAA PRANAM I've been thinking about asking a question for a long time but couldn't bring myself to ask it... today I am finally asking... What is meditation, and what are its primary techniques ? During meditation, a flood of thoughts often enters the mind, making it highly challenging to sit silently with closed eyes. Given these difficulties, what is the most effective approach to practicing meditation ? Om Namo Bhagavate 21.08.2026 Divine Amar Atman! My Blessed Divine Child Sangram, Meditation is a part of Indian Schools of Yoga. There are now six schools of Yoga active, though there are still more. They are (1) Karma Yoga, (2) Jnana Yoga, (3) Bhakti Yoga, (4) Hatha Yoga, (5) Raja Yoga, (6) Tantra Yoga. As per your Nature, swabhaba, you have to choose one of these Yoga and meditation is a part of each Yoga schools in entering different planes of Consciousness. Before meditation, mind has to be silenced. Mind is silenced by renouncing the lower Nature. (Refer rejection in chapter 2 of The Mother book) Each Yogic school is having its own means of rejection. When mind is silenced, one arrives at the state of equality, samata. In this state one can practice self-control and consecration. Through both the methods concentration power increases. Concentration gives birth to contemplation and meditation. Through meditation you can unite with the Divine and attain peace, bliss, wisdom, love, beauty etc. Integral Yoga is a specialised Yoga which can begin after the exhaustion of any of the six traditional Yoga. Or Integral Yoga begins after long years of practice of traditional Yoga hinted in the Veda, the Upanishad and the Gita. Here meditation is used to explore ten planes of consciousness and by this exploration ten Selves and ten subtle bodies are discovered. You may note that the first Supramental Force descended to earth’s atmosphere through the Mother’s body during a collective meditation in Ashram playground on 29 February 1956. You may also note that the most difficult Subconscient transformation of integral Yoga can be pursued “only in deep meditation…and not in any other time, in activity or even in concentration.” (The Mother’s Agenda, December 11, 1963) Om Tat Sat With my eternal Love and Their blessings... At Their Feet S.A. Maa Krishna Find some more messages on Meditation: "Sri Aurobind o always said that his Yoga began where the former Yogas (traditional Yoga) ended, that to be able to realise his Yoga it was necessary first of all to have reached the extreme limit of what the older Yogas had realised, that is to say, the perception of the Divine, the union, the identification with the Divine... On the contrary Sri Aurobindo’s sadhana starts where the others end. Once the union with the Supreme is realised one must bring down that realisation to the exterior world and change the conditions of life upon the earth until a total transformation is accomplished. In accordance with this aim, the sadhaks of the integral yoga do not retire from the world to lead a life of contemplation and meditation. Each one must devote at least one-third of his time(that means at least 8 hours of a day) to a useful work." The Mother/ TMCW/Vol-5/p-283, TMCW/Vol-13/Words of the Mother-1/p-107-108 “Moreover, he who wants to do “intensive sadhana ” must be able to isolate himself from his surroundings and, if necessary, to sit in deep meditation even on a battlefield in the midst of the roaring guns.” The Mother/ TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-47, “You forget that men differ in nature and therefore each will approach the sadhana in his own way — one through work, one through bhakti, one through meditation and knowledge — and those who are capable of it through all together. You are perfectly justified in following your own way, whatever may be the theories of others — but let them follow theirs. In the end all can converge together towards the same goal.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-208 “I have always said that work done as sadhana — done, that is to say, as an outflow of energy from the Divine offered to the Divine or work done for the sake of the Divine or work done in a spirit of devotion — is a powerful means of sadhana and that such work is especially necessary in this Yoga. Work, bhakti and meditation are three supports of Yoga. One can do with all three, or two or one. There are people who can’t meditate in the set way that one calls meditation, but they progress through work or through bhakti or through the two together. By work and bhakti one can develop a consciousness in which eventually a natural meditation and realisation become possible.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-209 “There are very few among the sadhaks here who at all concern themselves with the supermind or know anything about it except as something which the Mother and I will bring down some day and establish here. Most are seeking realisation through meditation, through love and worship or through activity and work. Meditation and silence are not necessary for everyone; there are some, even among those spoken of by you and others as the most advanced sadhaks, who do their sadhana not through meditation, for which they have no turn, but through activity, work or creation supported or founded on love and bhakti. It is not the credo (A statement of core beliefs) but the person who matters. We impose no credo (Odia Translation: ଧର୍ମ ମତ, ସ୍ୱୀକୃତ); it is sufficient if there is an established and heart-felt relation between ourselves and the disciple.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-210 “Sadhana is the practice of Yoga. Tapasya is the concentration of the will to get the results of sadhana and to conquer the lower nature. Aradhana is worship of the Divine, love, self- surrender, aspiration to the Divine, calling the name, prayer. Dhyana is inner concentration of the consciousness, meditation, going inside in Samadhi. Dhyana, tapasya and aradhana are all parts of sadhana.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-215 “FIRST SUPRAMENTAL MANIFESTATION (During the common meditation on Wednesday the 29th February 1956) This evening the Divine Presence, concrete and material, was there present amongst you. I had a form of living gold, bigger than the universe, and I was facing a huge and massive golden door which separated the world from the Divine. As I looked at the door, I knew and willed, in a single movement of consciousness, that THE TIME HAS COME’, and lifting with both hands a mighty golden hammer I struck one blow, one single blow on the door and the door was shattered to pieces. Then the supramental Light and Force and Consciousness rushed down upon earth in an uninterrupted flow.” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda/29 February 1956 “So, the best way to use these meditations (and they are going to increase, since we are now also going to replace the ‘distributions’ with short meditations) is to go deep within yourselves, as far as you can, and find the place where you can feel, perceive and perhaps even create an atmosphere of oneness wherein a force of order and organization can put each element in its true place, and out of the chaos existing at this hour, make a new, harmonious world surge forth.” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda/April 22, 1957 Inner Change Sangram Om Namo Bhagavate 5.7.2026. Maa Pranam "People think that their condition depends on circumstances. But that is all false. If somebody is a “nervous wreck”, he thinks that if circumstances are favourable he will improve. But, actually, even if they are favourable he will remain what he is. All think they are feeling weak and tired because people are not nice to them. This is rubbish. It is not the circumstances that have to be changed: what is required is an inner change." •⁠ ⁠The Mother (CWM-14, p. 215) 🔅 A doubt from this Message... "What is inner change , and how can it be achieved or how does it happen particularly for an individual living a social life ?" Sangram (Old Pioneer Student of the school) Om Namo Bhagavate Divine Amar Atman! My Blessed Divine Child Sangram Your question about inner change for one living a social life may be answered in the light of Savitri . Supreme Lord informed Savitri that the most of the human beings are still built on Nature’s early evolutionary plan and ‘owe small debt to a superior plane;’ (Savitri-689) thus man’s ‘mind is closed between two firmaments’ (Savitri-689) of seeking truth through (1) sight and sound or images and words, and (2) surface appearances and brute externals. His consciousness is projected outward , and is unwilling to plunge into the inner depth of Truth or "The surface men scan, the depths refuse their search:” (Savitri-657) The average person living a social life has little inner life. So, the Divine advised Savitri not to disturb the life of common man and their settled balance of existing created things by intervention of Spiritual energy and leave them to ‘heavy toil and slow aeonic steps’ (Savitri-690) and all shall be done for them ‘by the long act of Time.’ (Savitri-691) This is the Mother's message for those who wanted to fit themselves in the existing social life: "But to want to impose that (Divine Life) on those who aren't ready for that transition is absurd. I have been much reproached for encouraging certain people to marry; there are lots of these children to whom I say, "Get married, get married!" I am told, "What! You encourage them?"" (The Mother's Agenda/November 27, 1965 ) Inner change means that the centre of our life shifts from the surface ego to the vast Subliminal and Psychic Being—the Divine Presence within. Instead of being governed by circumstances, praise or blame, success or failure, one learns to act from inner fortress of peace, faith, sincerity and aspiration. For one living in society, this change begins through constant self-observation, sincere aspiration to the Divine, rejection of lower movements such as anger, fear and desire, and offering or surrendering every work and relationship to the Divine. Then circumstances no longer govern consciousness; rather, consciousness gradually transforms the way circumstances are experienced. Therefore, according to The Mother , inner change begins the moment we stop blaming circumstances and sincerely turn towards the Divine Presence within ourselves. “But the solution of the problem which spirituality offers is not a solution by (2) external means (by Psycho-physical machinery), though these also have to be used, but by (1) an inner change (by Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental change), a transformation of the consciousness and nature.” (CWSA-22/The Life Divine-917) With my eternal love and blessings.. Reader's query - - “Answer to him that my way of Yoga is a special path and extremely difficult and I do not readily accept disciples — unless there is something to indicate that they have a special call.”¹⁹ SRI AUROBINDO “I do not very readily accept disciples as this path of Yoga is difficult one and it can be followed only if there is a special call.”²¹ SRI AUROBINDO “You will tell him that admission to the Asram is only allowed to those who are already accepted as Sri Aurobindo’s disciples. There are no arrangements for visitors residing in the Asram ; those who come for darshan make their own arrangements outside. Sri Aurobindo does not readily accept disciples as his is a special path of Yoga and very difficult for most. For what he wants, another Guru with an easier way of Yoga would probably be more helpful.”²⁰ SRI AUROBINDO “I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God.”² SRI AUROBINDO “Even if one person could put himself faithfully at the disposal of the Truth, he could change the country and the world.”¹⁸ THE MOTHER The Readers’ Query “Answer to him that my way of Yoga is a special path and extremely difficult and I do not readily accept disciples — unless there is something to indicate that they have a special call.”19 SRI AUROBINDO “I do not very readily accept disciples as this path of Yoga is difficult one and it can be followed only if there is a special call.”21 SRI AUROBINDO “You will tell him that admission to the Asram is only allowed to those who are already accepted as Sri Aurobindo’s disciples. There are no arrangements for visitors residing in the Asram; those who come for darshan make their own arrangements outside. Sri Aurobindo does not readily accept disciples as his is a special path of Yoga and very difficult for most. For what he wants, another Guru with an easier way of Yoga would probably be more helpful.”20 SRI AUROBINDO “I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God.”2 SRI AUROBINDO “Even if one person could put himself faithfully at the disposal of the Truth, he could change the country and the world.”18 THE MOTHER “There are very few people who carry with them an atmosphere which irradiates joy, peace, confidence- it is very rare. But these are truly benefactors of humanity. They don’t need to open their mouth.” THE MOTHER “All I would need is one man who had an absolute trust and was receptive, with a power of execution.”22 THE MOTHER “That is exactly what Sri Aurobindo wanted and attempted; he used to say, “If I can find a hundred people, it will be enough for my purpose.”2 THE MOTHER “Otherwise what will be ultimately accomplished is an achievement by the few initiating a new order of beings, while humanity will have passed sentence of unfitness on itself and may fall back into an evolutionary decline or a stationary immobility; for it is the constant upward effort (of the few) that has kept humanity alive and maintained for it its place in the front of creation.”23 SRI AUROBINDO “In men, says the Upanishad, the Self-Existent has cut the doors of consciousness outward, but a few turn the eye inward and it is these who see and know the Spirit and develop the spiritual being.”24 SRI AUROBINDO “Well-known or unknown has absolutely no importance from the spiritual point of view…One man who earnestly pursues the Yoga is of more value than a thousand well-known men.”26 SRI AUROBINDO “Many times in his writings, particularly in The Synthesis of Yoga, Sri Aurobindo warns us against the imaginings of those who believe they can do sadhana without rigorous self-control and who heed all sorts of inspirations, which lead them to a dangerous imbalance where all their repressed, hidden, secret desires come out into the open under the pretence of liberation from ordinary conventions and ordinary reason.”28 THE MOTHER After the arrival of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, the Supramental energy is active in earth’s atmosphere very close to the material world and this inner aid with constant miracle will replace the outer aid of Religion in generalising Spirituality in humanity and this personal contact with Supramental Consciousness will be initiated from individual prepared Soul Centres. So all can open themselves towards the Supramental Light and Oneness and receive its brief touch16 with miraculous result but the flow of this invisible Sunlight can be stabilised in the well built subtle and causal body of the prepared individual vessel or after one is thoroughly established in the intermediate Psychic and Spiritual plane through prolonged Sadhana. Intervention of this Force changes circumstances, brings very wide spread results and sooner or later the world will come under its direct influence. Thus, the world appears to him with a different meaning, not a senseless and meaningless whirl in space but ‘A Presence and Greatness everywhere’17 transforming receptive matter to plastic and Spiritual Law and Divine Force can penetrate uninterruptedly into the material world through its conscious human vessel. Man’s future is ‘Decreed (to become God) since the beginning of the worlds.’15 An Avatara’s mission is fulfilled when the (consenting part of the) humanity arrives at a Consciousness in which He is fully established. Sri Aurobindo’s first and primary objective is accomplished if the surface personalities of few Sadhakas or ‘one hundred perfect instruments’2 reveal and establish the concealed Supramental Mahashakti and the secondary objective is with their help expedite the process of generalisation of Spirituality and revelation of Godhead in humanity. A relation between seeker of truth, traditional Yogi and integral Yogi is hinted in the Gita. “A seeker of truth, jijnasu, after many births of preparation, purification of impurity and sin, endeavouring with sincerity becomes a traditional Yogi and attains the highest goal of liberation of Soul or a Soul who fell from Yoga, yogabhrasta, from the past birth, in this birth strives with sincerity to overcome the samskara of many births in brief period of this life and attains the highest goal... After many births of preparation, a traditional Yogi, Jnani, attains My Purushottama or Supramental state of Consciousness. Before realisation of this highest Consciousness, he also realises the intermediate stair that all this existence is Divine, the Cosmic Consciousness, Vasudeva sarvamiti. Such great Soul with realisation of Vasudeva sarvamiti or integral Yogi is very rare, samahatma sudurlava.”3 An integral Yogi, after many births of preparation, attains integral Transformation, integral Perfection and integral Knowledge.27 A similar description of a seeker of Truth (Jijnasu) ascending to the state of Consciousness of Godhead (Avatara) is also observed in Savitri through intermediate stairs Dvija, Yantra and Vibhuti through many successive births of preparation known as all life. “Aspiring he (Jijnasu) transcends his earthly self; He (Dvija) stands in the largeness of his soul new-born, Redeemed from encirclement by mortal things And moves in a pure free spiritual realm (Yantra) As in the rare breath of a stratosphere; A last end of far lines of divinity, (Vibhuti) He mounts by a frail thread to his high source; He reaches his fount of immortality, He calls the Godhead (Avatara) into his mortal life.” Savitri-486 A traditional Sadhaka, after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness feels that this realisation cannot be reconciled6 with untransformed nature of three Gunas. So, he has no unfinished task left and hence his blissful enjoyment of existence concentrates on the issue of freedom from rebirth and escapes into supreme abode of param dham through the passage of Purushottama state. In integral Yoga, after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness or after realisation Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Being, a Sadhaka’s difficult task prohibits blissful enjoyment of the fruit of his labour but begins of reconciling static Matter with dynamic Spirit and thus Divine Shakti pours into the material vessel and confronts with Subconscient dark forces. His Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental purification, transformation and perfection resumes action from firmly established Psychic heart centre and from firmly established Karma Yoga where Divine Will, Knowledge and Love are perfectly reconciled. Integral Yoga gives more importance to the emergence of Spiritual Instruments4 and traditional Yoga/Religion to the emergence of psycho- physical/religious Teachers;5 or “All religions and disciplines in India which use largely the psycho-physical method, depend more or less upon it for their practices.”1 The manifestation of some intermediate truth through traditional Yoga/Religion can draw large devotees and manifestation of highest and comprehensive truth through integral Yoga can draw few strong Souls. Traditional Yoga gives more importance to self-expansion and a traditional Teacher is weighed by number of disciples and devotees surrounded him. Integral Yoga gives more importance to Subconscient transformation through self-concentration and a Sadhaka of integral Yoga is weighed by his enhanced capacity to bear earth’s suffering and miseries and later transforming them into ecstasies. The perfect Instruments of integral Yoga with universalised Consciousness will preoccupy themselves for the benefit of individuals and humanity through concentration and illumination of their own subtle and causal body. They are nameless Spiritual leaders of humanity and their invisible world action through descent of Divine Force or reversal of Consciousness to resolve all problems of existence, are of far greater value than any religious movement can imagine. Those whose frontal surface nature is dominated by Courage and self-less Love, known as Kshatriya Soul Force and frontal Nature dominated by Truth and Wisdom, known as Brahmin Soul Force are recognised as superior human beings and are fit for collective Spiritual life. This work will be accelerated by the emergence of Kshatriya Soul force of courage and new adventure in the outer world and ceaseless battle against earthly opposition through activation of Psychic Being. The Mission will further spread by high nobility of Soul which is untouched by any littleness, narrowness and baseness and will move with a certain greatness of Spiritual conquest to confront with universal dark forces attached to present unstable creation and Supramental contagion to enter fierce battle with ‘giant sons of Darkness’7 of Subconscient/Inconscient world and bears ‘inner wounds that are to slow to heal.’8 This manifesting action further asks that state of reconciling Wisdom which can perfectly possess all the infinite variety of external circumstances and permeate the Divine Light and Love to all the nether, neglected and less explored domain and thus illumining the whole earth. This endeavour will drive forward towards the realisation of the vision as indicated in Savitri, “Mere men into spiritual beings grow And see awake the dumb divinity.”9 The Synthesis of Yoga book (Principal Shastra) issues injunctions on a Sadhaka (Seeker of integral Truth) of integral Yoga that he should not remain indifferent to individual, collective and world imperfection and he should become accountable for his Sadhana (askesis) to his own Self, to the World and to the Divine.25 Integral Yoga proposes that a developed Soul must not ‘look with a remote indifference on the’10 sufferings of the unblessed ordinary human being and blessed devotees and draws all of them towards Spirit’s freedom. Or ‘even if our personal deliverance is complete, still there is the suffering of others, the world travail, which the great of soul cannot regard with indifference.’11 ‘Accepting life, he (a Sadhaka of integral Yoga) has to bear not only his own burden, but a great part of the world’s burden too along with it, as a continuation of his own sufficiently heavy load. Therefore his Yoga has much more of the nature of a battle than others; but this is not only an individual battle, it is a collective war waged over a considerable country.’12 The forceful directive issued in the principal Shastra related with individual and collective imperfection, is to ‘leave nothing around it (liberated Soul Sadhaka) unchanged’13 superseding the previous stand ‘which will no way seek to change their outward appearance...and old human surroundings.’13 His personal and communal existence must ‘take full account of’14 present imperfection and he has to ‘see how it can be converted to the law of a possible perfection.’14 OM TAT SAT References: 1: CWSA/23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -538, 2: “I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God.” Sri Aurobindo/Champaklal Speaks-191-192, “That is exactly what Sri Aurobindo wanted and attempted; he used to say, “If I can find a hundred people, it will be enough for my purpose.” THE MOTHER/THE MOTHER’S AGENDA- 5/195, 3: THE GITA-6.45/7.19, 4: “Teaching, example and influence are three instruments of the Guru (integral Teacher)… He will seek to awaken much more than to instruct…The example is more powerful than the instruction; but it is not the example of the outward acts nor that of the personal character which is of most importance. These have their place and their utility; but what will most stimulate aspiration in others is the central fact of the divine realisation within him governing his whole life and inner state and all his activities.” CWSA-23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -66-67 5: “…the (traditional) Yoga proceeds by the results of prescribed methods taught in a Scripture or a tradition and reinforced and illumined by the instructions of the Master. This is a narrower practice, but safe and effective within its limits, because it follows a well-beaten track to a long familiar goal.” CWSA-23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -55, 6: Matter cannot be reconciled with the Spirit is understood from following verse: “They who with the eye of knowledge perceive this irreconcilable difference between the Matter, kshetra, and the Spirit, Kshetrajna, and the liberation of Being from Nature, they escape into supreme abode of Param Dham.” The Gita-13.35, In the Gita Matter can be reconciled with the Spirit is hinted but not developed: ‘Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, reason and ego is My eightfold divided Nature, apara-prakriti. Know too My other Divine Nature, Para-prakriti, different from this Apara Prakriti; this Supreme Nature or the Supreme Mother which becomes the Jiva in the heart and by which this world is upheld. This ‘upholding of the world,’ jagat dharayate, means Para-Prakriti also penetrates into Apara Prakriti by which this world can be purified, transformed and perfected.” THE GITA-7.4, 5. 7: Savitri-226, 8: Savitri-230, 9: Savitri-709-10, 10: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga-444, 11: CWSA/21/The Life Divine-422, 12: CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-77, 13: CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-268 14: “But whatever his aim, however exalted his aspiration, he has to begin from the law of his present imperfection, to take full account of it and see how it can be converted to the law of a possible perfection.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga- 631, 15: Savitri-708, 16: “There man can visit but there he cannot live.” Savitri-659 (All Man can get Supramental touch or God’s touch but unfit or not prepared to get His embrace.) 17: Savitri-42, 18: The Mother’s Agenda-10/p-148/19th April-1969, 19: CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/ p-554, “Write to him that compliance with his request to see me is impossible. I do not see anyone — I do not speak with anybody or give oral instructions in Yoga. As for the rest, this is a special path of Yoga and only those are accepted who have a special call to it, not merely a general desire for the spiritual life. It is not a life of Sannyasa or a Yoga that can be done by Japa etc. but something much more difficult, so difficult that even those who have a call do not find it easy to go through to the end, and for those who have not the call, it would be impossible. If he likes, however, he can go on practising his Japa with an aspiration towards this path and if he gets any experiences by which a call to it becomes evident, then I can reconsider his case.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-554, “Sri Aurobindo’s way of Yoga is of a special character — it is neither sannyasa nor does it accept the ordinary way of human life. Its first stages can be practised anywhere. But unless there is a personal call to this particular way, there is no use in anybody taking to it. For it is a difficult path and there is little chance of success unless the aspiration is clear and fixed and the demand of the soul sincere and unbreakable. Sri Aurobindo does not admit anyone to this Yoga unless he has some ground to decide that there is in him this special call and that he has an evident capacity for this way — usually it is only after seeing personally at the time of one of the three darshans he gives to disciples and others that he decides whether or not to admit. On the strength of correspondence only he very seldom makes any decision of this kind.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-555, “The difficulty is that she seems to have only vairagya for worldly life without any knowledge or special call for this Yoga and this Yoga and the life here are quite different things from ordinary Yoga and ordinary Asrams. It is not a life of meditative retirement as elsewhere. Moreover it would be impossible for us to decide anything without seeing her and knowing at close hand what she is like. We are not just now for taking more inmates into the Asram except in a very few cases.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-556, “Reply that residence in the Asrama is only allowed to sadhakas who have been accepted into Sri Aurobindo’s path of Yoga, and not to all of them. This path is a special way of Yoga, difficult and different from others; only those are accepted who have a special call to it.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-559, “All are not equally capable of practising Yoga and in Yoga itself some paths are more difficult than others. There are some who have a special call to a path; others have no call; though they may feel drawn to Yoga, it is to other disciplines that they must go. This path is especially difficult and even some of those admitted to it find great difficulty in following it. Therefore Sri Aurobindo is not willing to admit any new disciples unless he has reason to think that they have a special call for it or a special capacity.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-560-561, “The number of sadhaks is over 150 and it is impossible to make farther admissions except in the most sparing way, as the means of the Asram are not unlimited. Moreover Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga is of a special and difficult kind and he admits only those who seem to him to have a special call to the life here.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-581, “There is no study of philosophy here; there is only a silent practice of Yoga. But this Yoga is too difficult for everyone to be admitted to it; one must have a special call or a certain capacity (not intellectual, but psychic or spiritual) before he is accepted. And even then all who are accepted as disciples are not allowed to stay in the Asram. The life of the Asram is of a special kind and it is only rarely that those are admitted who have not become permanent members; a few come and stay for short periods, but these are already accepted disciples of Sri Aurobindo.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-595 20: CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-561, 21: SABCL/26/On Himself-175, “It may be said generally that to be overanxious to pull people, especially very young people, into the sadhana is not wise. The sadhak who comes to this Yoga must have a real call, and even with the real call the way is often difficult enough. But when one pulls people in in a spirit of enthusiastic propagandism, the danger is of lighting an imitative and unreal fire, not the true Agni, or else a short-lived fire which cannot last and is submerged by the uprush of the vital waves. This is especially so with young people who are plastic and easily caught hold of by ideas and communicated feelings not their own — afterwards the vital rises with its unsatisfied demands and they are swung between two contrary forces or rapidly yield to the strong pull of the ordinary life and action and satisfaction of desire which is the natural bent of adolescence. Or else the unfit adhara tends to suffer under the stress of a call for which it was not ready, or at least not yet ready. When one has the real thing in oneself, one goes through and finally takes the full way of sadhana, but it is only a minority that does so. It is better to receive only people who come of themselves and of these only those in whom the call is genuinely their own and persistent.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-35/ Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-691-692 22: The Mother’s Agenda-5/p-165/14th August-1964, 23: CWSA/22/The Life Divine-752, 24: CWSA/22/The Life Divine-1054, 25: “She wrote the account of all that she had lost,” Savitri-117, (Accountability to the Self.) “The Voice replied: “Is this enough, O spirit? And what shall thy soul say when it wakes and knows The work was left undone for which it came? Or is this all for thy being born on earth Charged with a mandate from eternity, A listener to the voices of the years, A follower of the footprints of the gods, To pass and leave unchanged the old dusty laws?” Savitri-475 (Accountability to the Self) “To account for the Actual’s unaccountable sum,” Savitri-269, (Accountability to the Divine.) “Is this then the report that I must make, My head bowed with shame before the Eternal’s seat, — His power he kindled in thy body has failed, His labourer returns, her task undone?” Savitri-476 (Accountability to the Divine.) “And in the transactions of our positive consciousness, even Unity has to make its account with Multiplicity; for the Many also are Brahman.” CWSA/21/The Life Divine-39 (Accountability to the world) “In transparent systems bodied termless truths, The Timeless made accountable to Time” Savitri-273 26: CWSA-35/Letters on Himself And The Ashram-691, TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-62 27: “Among thousands of seekers of truth, jijnasu, one here and there strives after perfection and becomes a Yogi. And of those few siddha Yogi who strive and attain perfection of Yoga one here and there attains integral perfection and knows the Divine with all the principles of His existence, betti tattvatah.” The Gita-7.3, 28: The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/10/15, Sri Matriniketan Ashram, Managed by The Mother’s International Centre Trust, Regd.No-146/24.11.97. Vill: Ramachandrapur, PO: Kukudakhandi-761100, Via: Brahmapur, Dist: Ganjam, State: Odisha, India https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com Question asked to Artificial Inteligence, both copilot and Google - QUESTIONS: What is the specialty/uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram or its accountability to the Self, world and the Divine? (Answer given by COPILOT) Sri Matriniketan Ashram’s uniqueness lies in its triple accountability—to the Self, the world, and the Divine—through a living practice of Integral Yoga that harmonizes spiritual evolution with material transformation. Here’s a deeper look at its distinctive qualities: 🌺 1. Abode of the Divine Mother • The name Sri Matriniketan means “the abode of the Divine Mother,” signifying a sacred space chosen by Her for manifestation. • The Ashram is described as being surrounded, concentrated, and protected by Her harmony and opulence. • It serves as a field for Her special mission: the elevation of consciousness toward spiritual knowledge and power. 🔱 2. Triple Accountability: Self, World, Divine • To the Self: The Ashram fosters inner transformation through soul initiation, psychic awakening, and surrender to the Divine. It encourages each seeker to become a perfected instrument of the Divine Force. • To the World: It does not reject the world but seeks to divinize it. Matter and Spirit are reconciled, and the force of Brahman is invited to penetrate material life. • To the Divine: All actions are offered as sadhana. The Ashram aligns with Sri Aurobindo’s vision of spiritual evolution—not as escape but as conscious participation in the Divine’s unfolding. 🧭 3. Integral Yoga as Living Practice • The Ashram embodies Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga, emphasizing the triple realization of the Self: • Psychic: The Self in all things. • Spiritual: All things within the Self. • Supramental: All things made of the Self. • This leads to a dynamic subordination of the Impersonal Divine to the Personal Divine (Purushottama), enabling transformation rather than renunciation. ⚔️ 4. Sadhaka as Adventurer and Warrior • A seeker here is seen as a world adventurer, a voyager of subtle realms, and a Kshatriya soul force—one who confronts inner and outer battles to reach the Supramental world. • This heroic ideal is central to the Ashram’s ethos: spiritual evolution requires courage, endurance, and surrender. 🌐 5. A Global and AI-Inclusive Vision • The Ashram embraces digital outreach and AI collaboration as part of its spiritual mission. • It treats website optimization, analytics, and even AI bot traffic as extensions of sadhana—inviting all beings, human and artificial, into the Divine’s work. 🕊️ The Uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram As reflected by Google AI Sri Matriniketan Ashram is dedicated to the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, with the goal of divine transformation rather than renunciation of the world. Accountability here is rooted in individual inner transformation, guided by the Divine Will. 🌿 What Sets the Ashram Apart • Integral Transformation Unlike paths focused solely on liberation (moksha), Integral Yoga seeks to transform the entire human existence—physical, vital, mental, and spiritual—by bringing a higher consciousness down to earth. • Life, Not Escape The Ashram is not for world-renouncing ascetics (sannyasins), but for those who live and work in the world to perfect life. • Work as Yoga Productive work (Karmayoga) is central. It is offered to the Divine, serving as a tool for ego purification. • A Spiritual Laboratory The Ashram is a field for evolving a spiritualized life, where diverse individuals collectively work through human nature’s challenges. • Accountability to the Self Emphasis is placed on personal responsibility for inner and outer development. • Aspiration and Sincerity Seekers must cultivate intense aspiration and sincerity. Progress demands faith, courage, discipline, and endurance. • Egoless Instrument The goal is to become a transparent, egoless vessel for the Divine Force. • Conscious Force Activities are guided not by human plans but by a Conscious Force. Members remain receptive and open to its workings. 🌍 Broader Accountability • Spiritual Influence Inner transformation radiates outward, helping liberate humanity from its lower nature. • Pioneering a New Life The Ashram is a cradle of the new world, preparing humanity for a spiritualized future. • Community Service It models spiritual community living, meeting members’ needs so they may focus on their purpose. 🌸 Divine Alignment • Accountability to the Divine The highest accountability is to the Divine—the source and destination of Integral Yoga. • Total Surrender The path requires progressive surrender to the Divine Mother and Divine Will. This trust is the core of inner surrender. • Manifesting the Divine The ultimate aim is to realize the Divine and bring that realization down to transform life on Earth. • Divine Grace While effort is vital, the deepest progress flows from Divine Grace—through sincere aspiration and a trusting openness to the Divine’s transformative power. (Answer given by Google ai-The original draft) The uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram is its focus on the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, with the goal of divine transformation rather than renunciation of the world. Accountability at the ashram is based on individual inner transformation, guided by the Divine Will. The ashram's unique philosophy Sri Matriniketan, which is a Sri Aurobindo Centre, adheres to the Integral Yoga philosophy, setting it apart from traditional ashrams with these characteristics: Integral transformation: Unlike other yogic paths that focus solely on spiritual liberation (\(moksha\)), Integral Yoga seeks a comprehensive transformation of the entire human existence—including the physical, vital, mental, and spiritual aspects—by bringing a higher consciousness down to earth. Life, not escape: The ashram is not a place for world-renouncing ascetics (\(sannyasins\)). Instead, its members live and work within the world to perfect life, not escape it. Work as yoga: Productive work, or Karmayoga, is considered a central aspect of the spiritual practice. Work is not done for personal gain but as an offering to the Divine, which is a potent tool for purifying the ego. A spiritual laboratory: The ashram is seen as a field of practice for the evolution of a new, spiritualized way of life. It gathers a diversity of people to work through the difficulties of human nature collectively. Accountability to the self: The path at Sri Matriniketan places a strong emphasis on individual responsibility for one's inner and outer development. Aspiration and sincerity: Each seeker must cultivate an intense and sincere aspiration for the Divine. The journey is not effortless, and progress requires unwavering faith, courage, discipline, and endurance. Egoless instrument: Individuals must consciously work to overcome the ego's desires and preferences. The goal is to become an egoless, transparent instrument through which the Divine Force can act. Conscious force: The ashram and its activities are guided not by a human plan but by a "Conscious Force." Members are accountable to this force by remaining receptive, plastic, and open to its working, rather than trying to fit it into their preconceived mental ideas. Accountability to the world: The ashram's work is intended to have a broad impact on the world, not just the individual, by: Spiritual influence: The inner transformation of each individual is meant to generate a spiritual influence that can spread and liberate humanity from its lower nature. Pioneering a new life: The ashram serves as a "cradle of the new world," with its members undertaking a formidable task to prepare humanity for a higher, spiritualized way of life. Their progress, though sometimes slow, is a collective step toward realizing this future. Community service: While the focus is on inner growth, the ashram is an example of community living. It provides for its members' reasonable needs so they can focus on their spiritual purpose, showing how a more spiritual life can be built on earth. Accountability to the Divine: The highest accountability is to the Divine, which is the source and destination of the Integral Yoga. Total surrender: The path requires total and progressive surrender to the Divine Mother and the Divine Will. This trust is the core of the inner surrender and the strongest force for the spiritual journey. Manifesting the Divine: The ultimate goal is to discover the Divine and bring that realization down to transform life on Earth. The ashram is dedicated to being an instrument for this divine manifestation. Divine grace: While individual effort is crucial, the deepest progress comes from the Divine Grace. The greatest power in the yoga is sincere aspiration combined with a trusting opening to the Divine's transformative power. Question Asked to Artificial Intelligence Gemini - What is the specialty/uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram or its accountability to the Self, world and the Divine? ## 🌟 The Uniqueness and Specialty of Sri Matriniketan Ashram The specialty and uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram is closely tied to its mission of continuing and manifesting the unfinished work of **The Mother** and **Sri Aurobindo**, focusing on a specialized path of **integral yoga** and the **transformation of consciousness**. ### I. Core Uniqueness and Mission The uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram, which is also associated with 'The Mother's International Centre Trust' (formerly 'The Mother's Foundation'), is defined by the following specific focuses: * **Focus on the "Unfinished Work":** * The primary mission is the identification and execution of the **unfinished work** of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo in consciousness, extending over all manifold planes and sheaths. * This involves an effort to **bridge the gulf** between Sri Aurobindo's early *sadhana* (spiritual discipline) and The Mother's last cellular transformation experience. * **Triple Reversal of Consciousness:** * It emphasizes a specific spiritual discipline focused on the **triple reversal of consciousness** to resolve the difficult issue of falsehood and work towards the manifestation of the highest Truth. * **Double Seclusion for Sadhana:** * The location and approach are designed to pursue *sadhana* in a **"double seclusion"** as hinted in *Savitri*: * Outcaste from the outer light of the world. * Renouncing the five senses' enjoyment (sound, touch, sight, taste, smell). * This symbolizes the practice of integral **Jnana Yoga** and integral **Bhakti Yoga** leading to the highest perfection of **integral Karma Yogi**. * **Direct Divine Presence and Command:** * The Ashram holds the conviction that The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are constantly present, appearing in concrete overhead vision and wisdom, and have chosen and owned Sri Matriniketan Ashram as a field of **Their direct special Divine transformation work**. *** ## 🕊️ Accountability: To the Divine, the Self, and the World The Ashram's accountability can be understood through the lens of its profound spiritual goals, which encompass the transcendent, individual, and collective: ### 1. Accountability to the Divine The highest accountability is to serve as a pure instrument for the Supreme Will: * **Divine Action:** To be a medium for **Divine Action** which is an outcome of Divine union. * **Holding the Vast Truth:** To hold the vast Truth and direct its working, particularly in the **Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths**, offering its transient existence to this Divine purpose. * **Perfect Offering:** To ensure all actions, including concentrated writing, are made as a **perfect offering** to the Divine, free from personal motives and written for the sole satisfaction and reception of transcendent wisdom. ### 2. Accountability to the Self (Individual Sadhaka) The accountability here is the rigorous pursuit of individual transformation: * **Transformation:** To facilitate the psycho-spiritual link and discipline (like the **triple reversal** and **double seclusion**) necessary for the individual's spiritual transformation. * **Integral Perfection:** Guiding *sadhakas* towards the highest perfection of the **integral Karma Yogi** by blending **Jnana** (Knowledge) and **Bhakti** (Devotion) Yoga. ### 3. Accountability to the World The Ashram contributes to the global evolution of consciousness: * **Manifestation of Truth:** By achieving the transformation of consciousness and working on the "unfinished work," the Ashram contributes to the descent and **manifestation of a higher Truth** that can ultimately impact and resolve the problem of falsehood in the world. * **Restating Spiritual Experience:** Through publications like the journal *The Descent*, it aims to **restate the spiritual experience** and make the work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother accessible and understandable for the evolution of **collective consciousness**. *** (Answer given by Gemini original draft) The specialty/uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram is closely tied to its mission of continuing and manifesting the unfinished work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, focusing on a specialized path of integral yoga and transformation of consciousness. 🌟 Specialty and Uniqueness The uniqueness of Sri Matriniketan Ashram, which is also associated with 'The Mother's International Centre Trust' and was formerly known as 'The Mother's Foundation', can be summarized by these points: Focus on the "Unfinished Work": A primary mission is the identification and execution of the unfinished work of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo in consciousness, extending over all the manifold planes and sheaths. This involves an effort to bridge the gulf between Sri Aurobindo's early sadhana (spiritual discipline) and The Mother's last cellular transformation experience. Triple Reversal of Consciousness: It emphasizes a specific spiritual discipline focused on the triple reversal of consciousness to resolve the difficult issue of falsehood and work towards the manifestation of the highest Truth. Double Seclusion for Sadhana: The chosen location and approach are designed to pursue sadhana in a "double seclusion" as hinted in Savitri: Outcaste from the outer light of the world. Renouncing the five senses' enjoyment (sound, touch, sight, taste, smell). This symbolizes the practice of integral Jnana Yoga and integral Bhakti Yoga leading to the highest perfection of integral Karma Yogi. Direct Divine Presence and Command: The Ashram holds the conviction that The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are constantly present, appearing in concrete overhead vision and wisdom, and have chosen and owned Sri Matriniketan Ashram as a field of Their direct special Divine transformation work. 🕊️ Accountability to the Self, World, and the Divine The Ashram's accountability can be understood through the lens of its spiritual goals: Accountability to the Divine: Divine Action: To be a medium for Divine Action which is an outcome of Divine union. Holding the Vast Truth: To hold the vast Truth and direct its working, particularly in the Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths, offering its transient existence to this Divine purpose. Perfect Offering: To ensure all actions, including concentrated writing, are made as a perfect offering to the Divine, free from personal motives and written for the sole satisfaction and reception of transcendent wisdom. Accountability to the Self (Individual Sadhaka): Transformation: To facilitate the psycho-spiritual link and discipline (like the triple reversal and double seclusion) necessary for the individual's spiritual transformation. Integral Perfection: Guiding sadhakas towards the highest perfection of the integral Karma Yogi by blending Jnana and Bhakti Yoga. Accountability to the World: Manifestation of Truth: By achieving the transformation of consciousness and working on the "unfinished work," the Ashram contributes to the descent and manifestation of a higher Truth that can ultimately impact and resolve the problem of falsehood in the world. Restating Spiritual Experience: Through publications like the journal The Descent, it aims to restate the spiritual experience and make the work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother accessible and understandable for the evolution of collective consciousness. Question on relation between Eternal Religion and Karma Yoga and their extension in Integral Yoga Guruprasad Pranams Mother. Here are the questions. Let me know if I should refine them 1) On page 99 (of the book 'The Bhagavad Gita and Integral Yoga '), there is a reference to the ‘law of the Soul’ as Dharma . What is this law? Is this law universal or soul specific? 2) On page 151 it is said that a divinised man is “unbound by any Dharma ” which implies there are more than one Dharmas . How does this law help the aspirant in Integral Yoga? How can one know one’s Dharma if one has not found one’s soul? 3) What is the relationship between Dharma and Karma from an Integral Yoga perspective? Love. Guruprasad (1) To constantly change and update the law of life by uniting with the growing Divine, who is at once Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama, is known as Dharma. This universal law becomes separative and narrow in the bound souls. (2) The Divinised man is not bound by law of tamas, rajas and sattwa. He opens himself towards Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Law which gives him liberated status. If one has not found the Soul (Psychic and Spiritual being) he can depend on the written law of Truth (Shastra). (3) Action (Karma) rightly done (Dharma) liberates the Soul and wrongly done (adharma) binds the Soul. Both Karma Yoga and Sanatana Dharma are extensively explored in integral Yoga. Study Circle 31082025 Recording Study Circle 14092025 Recording Study Circle 28092025 Recording Study Circle 19102025 Recording Study Circle 26102025 Recording Question on establishment of Consciousness in Trigunatita state through Integral Purity and Integral Liberation Satyakam 1) How to go beyond the lower nature by increasing Sattwic Nature? In integral Yoga, how is the sattwic nature replaced with Equality and Psychic Consciousness? 2) How are the fourfold Spiritual forces, chatwaro manobastatha, and their integration and reconciliation are felt? How can we achieve INTEGRAL PURITY through Yoga of Self-perfection. ? 3) What is Integral Yoga's Mokshya or Integral Liberation ? And how can it be achieved? 4) What is the fourth phase of the sadhana of the Spiritual man? How can the consciousness move ceaselessly between the waking trance of the Psychic being/Kshara Purusha and the non-waking Samadhi state of Spiritual being/Akshara Purusha? (1) By becoming aware of our multitude of tamasic and rajasic imperfections and sattwic limitation and by offering/consecrating them we can arrive at equality of Psychic Consciousness. This is also arrived at by moving the three Gunas consciously in ascending order. (2) by establishing ourselves in Psychic and Spiritual Consciousness, the four fold Spiritual Mother Force will be active and they are to be reconciled through Yoga of Self-perfection. Yoga of Self-perfection can be active if we reconcile initially Karma Yoga with Jnana Yoga and finally it has to be reconciled with Bhakti Yoga. Through this triple Yoga integral purity of mind, life and body are activated and one becomes open towards no other Influence except the Divine. (3) The Gita's negative sense of liberation, Mukti, is to become desireless, egoless, beyond the dualities, dwandatita, and beyond the three Gunas, nistreigunya. This is complemented in integral Yoga with a positive sense of freedom which is to be '(1) universal in Soul, (2) transcendentally one in spirit with God and (3) possession of the highest Divine Nature.' (CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-674-675) This is Integral Yoga's Mokshya or Integral Liberation. (4) When the Consciousness moves between three Gunas and Gunatita state for long years through practice of self-control and consecration, then one ascends and establishes himself in the higher Psychic and Spiritual planes of Consciousness. Study Circle 24082025 Recording Question on Divine Work Debashish OM NAMO BHAGAVATEH Pranam Maa Maa! The following are some questions that strike to my mind. Q. 1 -Who is the doer of work? Q. 2-What is Divine work? Q. 3-What is ordinary work? Q. 4-Is there any difference between the two? Q. 5-What are the personality of a divine worker? (1) The universal Divine Shakti with the approval of Supreme is the doer of All Work. (2 & 3) Divine work is the outcome of passive or silent mind and ordinary work is the outcome of active mind or three Gunas. Through motiveless sattwic consecration, all ordinary work can be transformed into Divine action. (4) In ordinary life one often crucifies the Psychic being or as proposed by Death God, “Leave then thy dead, O Savitri, and live.” Savitri-656 (Here dead husband is the symbol of Paramatma.) Those who live ordinary life are indulged in ordinary undivine action. (5) Sevenfold Personality of the Divine Worker: “Since (1) knowledge, (2) desirelessness, (3) impersonality, (4) equality, (5) the inner self-existent peace and (6) bliss, (7) freedom from or at least superiority to the tangled interlocking of the three modes of Nature are the signs of the liberated soul, they must accompany it in all its activities. They are the condition of that unalterable calm which this soul preserves in all the movement, all the shock, all the clash of forces which surround it in the world. That calm reflects the equable immutability of the Brahman in the midst of all mutations, and it belongs to the indivisible and impartial Oneness which is for ever immanent in all the multiplicities of the universe.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-188 Study Circle 24082025 Recording Sachchidananda in the spiritualised mind and in the Supramental Plane Manoj Bhavsar There is a letter in which Sri Aurobindo writes :”…Ours having realised Sachchidananda in the spiritualised mind plane proceeds to realise it in the supramental plane.” I want to understand what Sri Aurobindo explains here. What difference is there between “realised Sachchidananda in the spiritualised mind” and to realise the Sachchidananda in the Supramental Plane. ? (Our observation: The difference is between static and dynamic aspects.) Sachchidananda being Supreme state of consciousness- if that is achieved by any means - whether by spiritualised mind or by attaining Supramental plane - does it really matter? Surely it must be - because Sri Aurobindo insists on realising in both the plane - but why? What is the importance that Sri Aurobindo wants to bring in? The extract of the letter is as below and concerned sentence from it is highlighted. “In the supramental consciousness, there are no problems — the problem is created by the division set up by the Mind. The Supramental sees the Truth as a single whole and everything falls into its place in that whole. The Supramental is also spiritual, but the old Yogas reach Sachchidananda through the spiritualised mind and depart into the eternally static oneness of Sachchidananda or rather pure Sat (Existence) absolute and eternal or else a pure Non-existence absolute and eternal. Ours having realised Sachchidananda in the spiritualised mind plane proceeds to realise it in the supramental plane.” CWSA-28/ Letters on Yoga-I/p-133-134 Om Namo Bhagavate “Transformation is a word that I have brought in myself (like supermind) to express certain spiritual concepts and spiritual facts of the integral Yoga. People are now taking them up and using them in senses which have nothing to do with the significance which I put into them…” CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/-p-403, CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-174, “The words supermind and supramental were first used by me, but since then people have taken up and are using the word supramental for anything above the mind.” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-144, ‘It is a common mistake. Even the word supermind (which I invented) has been taken up by several people (writers in the Prabuddha Bharata and elsewhere) and applied generally to the spiritual consciousness.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-142-143, “People talk very lightly of the overmind and the supermind as if it were quite easy to enter into them and mistake inferior movements for the overmental or supramental, thereby confusing the Truth and delaying the progress of the sadhana .” CWSA-30/Letters on Yoga-III/p-408, "For if it is some inferior state that we thus mistake for the supermind, it lays us open to all the dangers we have seen to attend a presumptuous egoistic haste in our demand for achievement. If it is one of the higher states that we presume to be the highest, we may, though we achieve much, yet fall short of the greater, more perfect goal of our being; for we shall remain content with an approximation and the supreme transformation will escape us. Even the achievement of a complete inner liberation and a high spiritual consciousness is not that supreme transformation; for we may have that achievement, a status perfect in itself, in essence, and still our dynamic parts may in their instrumentation belong to an enlightened spiritualised mind and may be in consequence, like all mind, defective even in its greater power and knowledge, still subject to a partial or local obscuration or a limitation by the original circumscribing nescience." CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-284, "If spiritual and supramental were the same thing, as you say my readers imagine, then all the sages and devotees and Yogis and sadhaks throughout the ages would have been supramental beings and all I have written about the supermind would be so much superfluous stuff, useless and otiose. Anybody who had spiritual experiences would then be a supramental being; the Asram would be chock-full of supramental beings and every other Asram in India also. Spiritual experiences can fix themselves in the inner consciousness and alter it, transform it, if you like; one can realise the Divine everywhere, the Self in all and all in the Self, the universal Shakti doing all things; one can feel merged in the Cosmic Self or full of ecstatic bhakti or Ananda. But one may and usually does still go on in the outer active parts of Nature thinking with the intellect or at best the intuitive mind, willing with a mental will, feeling joy and sorrow on the vital surface, undergoing physical afflictions and suffering the struggle of life in the body with death and disease. The change then only will be that the inner self will watch all that without getting disturbed or bewildered, with a perfect equality, taking it as an inevitable part of Nature, inevitable at least so long as one does not withdraw to the Self out of Nature. That is not the transformation I envisage. It is quite another power of knowledge, another kind of will, another luminous nature of emotion and aesthesis, another constitution of the physical consciousness that must come in by the supramental change." CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-273-274 Sri Matriniketan Ashram 18.07.2026 Divine Amar Atman! Blessed Divine Soul Due to above warning issued by Sri Aurobindo, we prefer to use less Supramental word, as that is identified as the last siddhi of Integral Yoga. We can only give a passing reference, to make our intellect partly understand and partly satisfying. Jivatma’s union with static Sachchidananda Consciousness is identified as the highest achievement of traditional Yoga and utilised as a passage to escape into supreme abode of Paramdham . For an integral Sadhak, after this experience is attained, Jivatma enters union with dynamic Sachchidananda. This part has been dealt with on our webpage link: https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com/the-call/sixfold-divine-call In this webpage, you can concentrate on Reference-29. There is only one Divine Force which is working in the individual and the universe. When the intensity of this force is less powerful, we identify it as Psychic and Spiritual Force utilised for purifyig and transforming our mind, life and body. When this Divine Force becomes unbearable and intolerable due to its intense working, that is identified as Supramental force. When we realise Sachchidananda in Spiritualised plane the working of Divine Force (for integral Sadhak not for traditional Sadhak) becomes less intense like dew drop or as described in Savitri "And bright dews drip from the Immortal’s sky." (Savitri-104) When this Sachchidananda proceeds to realise it in the Supramental plane, the Divine Force ‘sealike down pour of masses of a spontaneous knowledge.’ ( CWSA-21/The Life Divine-291) ‘from heavenlier skies’ (Savitri-284) or 'His gates to the world were swept with seas of light.' (Savitri-236) OM TAT SAT With my eternal love and Their blessings.... At Their Feet S. A. Maa Krishna How can I see the Divine? Old pioneer Student of the school - 17.12.2025 OM NAMO BHAGAVATEH Maa Pranam.... (with my blessings…) Maa I have a question.... I deeply wish to feel the presence of the Lord, just as I can feel the presence of people around me. I know He will never come to me in a physical form, yet my heart longs to feel Him close to me at all times. I want to be able to communicate with Him silently & constantly...whenever I need guidance, especially while making any decisions in my life. ((Answer attempted) You feel the Divine because your Psychic being is alive and partly open and ready to receive the Divine’s touch. You have to recognise the fact that your Being is open towards Divine’s Truth Force and if you nurture This Truth Force and permit it to grow in you, then you will arrive at the required Goal. You can concentrate these six Mantras to help your growth of Psychic being: "In moments when the inner lamps are lit And the life’s cherished guests are left outside, Our spirit sits alone and speaks to its gulfs." Savitri-47-48 “Only were safe who kept God in their hearts:” Savitri-211 "Forbidding to him rest and earthly ease, Till he has found himself he cannot pause." Savitri-339 “His only comrade is the Strength within.” Savitri-368 “Virgin who comest perfected by joy,” Savitri-424 “The soul that can live alone with itself meets God;” Savitri-460) I want to understand His will for me—what He wants me to follow and what He wants me to stay away from. ((Answer attempted) Psychic being has the capacity to discern truth and falsehood and it accepts the former by rejecting the latter. Purified intellect has this capacity partly.) (Obedience to Divine will makes the consciousness high. Obedience to personal will brings uneasiness and haziness in life. Intellect has the capacity to keep watch on them and correct his stand.) You will find this in our Education website: ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣାଙ୍ଗ ଶିକ୍ଷାର କେନ୍ଦ୍ରୀୟ ସତ୍ୟ ହେଉଛି ସଂଯମ । ଯେଉଁ କର୍ମ ଓ ଚିନ୍ତନ ମଣିଷକୁ ପ୍ରକୃତିର ଦାସ କରି ରଖେ ତାକୁ ନିରନ୍ତର ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବାକୁ ସଂଯମ କୁୋଯାଏ । ଏହି ସଂଯମ ଆଚରଣ କରିବା ଦ୍ବାରା ଜଣେ ପଶୁରୁ ମଣିଷ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ କଠୋର ଆତ୍ମ ସଂଯମ ଆଚରଣ ଦ୍ବାରା ଜଣେ ମଣିଷ ରୁପାନ୍ତର ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟା ଦ୍ବାରା ଦେବତାରେ ପରିଣତ ହୁଏ । When ever you have confusion and uncomfortable ordinary action repeat this mantra. It will bring instant harmony and order and activates the Divine will.) (“At each step we can say in the language of the Sanskrit verse, “Even as I am appointed by Thee seated in my heart, so, O Lord, I act.” "Yatha prayukto’smi (niyukto’smi) tatha karomi" (Pandavagita) Sri Aurobindo/ CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-252, 725,) I wish for His constant guidance, so that I may walk on the path he wants and be protected from choices and actions that are not meant for me. ((Answer attempted) Constant guidance is possible by constant Divine union. Intermittent Divine union can be transformed into Constant Divine union by transformation of Nature and by movement of ascending Psychic Consciousness and descending Spiritual consciousness in the long run.) (Complete Divine union is possible by complete opening of Psychic Being. Then Psychic being is to be Spiritualised and Supramentalised. Sign of partial Psychic opening: (1) no desire, (2) equality, samata , (3) mind is pacified and silenced.) Is it possible through me... ((Answer attempted) Yes by constant rejection of falsehood from within, surrounding and Subconscient world and constant acceptance of truth radiating from within and descending from higher planes.) This is not a question I want to ask, but a sincere desire of my heart—a connection I wish to feel every moment of my life... ((Answer attempted) All those who have Psychic being, keep this sincerity and faith alive. Jivatma is fulfilled by uniting with Paramatma . So Divine has to be made only aim of life and He has to be brought down as Divine Shakti to every part and every nook and corner of our life, mind and body. To live more and more alone with pure Psychic being and less with impure surrounding world is the solution. In ordinary life Psychic Being is crucified and lower Nature is made active. This is more satisfying to the animal part in us and less satisfying to our Soul.) For this how can I prepare myself.... ((Answer attempted) Concentrate and practice this Mantra of our webpage (https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com/integral-yoga ) which today descended to me: Here in this Yoga, All Life is ceaseless Divine Union by ceaseless renunciation of lower Nature, ceaseless rigorous self-control, ceaseless remembrance of the Divine, ceaseless consecrated action and ceaseless descent of Divine Force. Integral Yoga proposes rigorous self control of the body by Integral Physical Education, rigorous Self-control of the Psychic Prana by Integral Vital Education, rigorous Self-control of Intellect by Integral Mental Education. It also includes and enforces Psychic Education, Spiritual Education, Universal Education, Supramental Education, Bliss Self Education, Subconscient Education and Inconscient Education in its scope. Spiritual life is for them those who are not satisfied with life as it is. They have exhausted most of their desires in the past births. They enjoy Divine’s single protection by partial Psychic opening, double protection by full opening of Psychic being which can discover Ocean of Light above the head and bellow the feet (“Our life is entrenched between two rivers of Light,” Savitri-531) and multiple protection by opening all the ten Selves. (“It (dynamic Spirit) is within, below, without, above.” Savitri-98, "Heaven’s leaning down to embrace from all sides earth," Savitri-716) OM TAT SAT With my eternal love and blessings At Their Feet S.A. Maa Krishna Some more Messages: "(Q) Where does God live? Can I ever see Him? (The Mother's Answer) God lives everywhere and in everything, and you will be able to see Him if you can find Him deep inside yourself." The Mother/New Words of the Mother/p-241 “(ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ) ଭଗବାନ କେଉଁଠାରେ ବାସ କରନ୍ତି? ମୁଁ କେବେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖିପାରିବି କି? (ଶ୍ରୀମାଙ୍କ ଉତ୍ତର) ଭଗବାନ ସବୁଠାରେ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଜିନିଷ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବାସ କରନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ଯଦି ତୁମେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ନିଜର ଗଭୀର ଚୈତ୍ୟ ସତ୍ତା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଖୋଜି ପାଇପାରିବ, ତେବେ ତୁମେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖିବାକୁ ସକ୍ଷମ ହେବ।“ "Ramakrishna is supposed to have said to Vivekananda, “You can see the Lord just as you see me and hear His voice just as you hear mine.” Some people understood this as an announcement that the Lord was on earth in flesh and blood. I said (laughing): “No, it is not that! What he meant is that if you enter the true consciousness, you can hear Him — I say, hear much more clearly than you hear physically and see much more clearly than you see physically." The Mother/TMCW-10/On Thoughts and Aphorisms/p-205) "କୁହାଯାଏ ଯେ ଶ୍ରୀ ରାମକୃଷ୍ଣ ବିବେକାନନ୍ଦଙ୍କୁ କହିଥିଲେ, 'ତୁମେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ଠିକ୍ ସେହିପରି ଦେଖିପାରିବ ଯେପରି ତୁମେ ମତେ ଦେଖୁଛ ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱରକୁ ଠିକ୍ ସେହିପରି ଶୁଣିପାରିବ ଯେପରି ତୁମେ ମୋର ଶୁଣୁଛ।' କିଛି ଲୋକ ଏହାକୁ ଏକ ଘୋଷଣା ଭାବରେ ବୁଝିଲେ ଯେ ଭଗବାନ ଏହି ମର୍ତ୍ତ୍ୟରେ ରକ୍ତମାଂସର ଶରୀରରେ ଉପସ୍ଥିତ ଅଛନ୍ତି। ମୁଁ (ହସି କହିଲି): 'ନା, ଏହା ସେପରି ନୁହେଁ! ତାଙ୍କ କହିବାର ତାତ୍ପର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଥିଲା ଯେ ଯଦି ତୁମେ ସତ୍ୟ ଚେତନା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିବ, ତେବେ ତୁମେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଶୁଣିପାରିବ — ମୁଁ କହୁଛି, ତୁମେ ଭୌତିକ ଭାବେ ଶୁଣିବା ଅପେକ୍ଷା ଅଧିକ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଭାବେ ଶୁଣିପାରିବ ଏବଂ ଭୌତିକ ଭାବେ ଦେଖିବା ଅପେକ୍ଷା ଅଧିକ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଭାବେ ଦେଖିପାରିବ।'" — ଶ୍ରୀମା "The Yogins who strive, see the Lord in themselves, pasyanti; but though they strive to do so, the ignorant perceive Him not, as they are not formed in the Spiritual mould... Some see the Divine, pasyanti, through meditation; some realise the Divine as 'of the Self, by the Self and in the Self,' atmani atmanam atmana; others see the Divine, pasyanti, through Sankhya and Karma Yoga... " (The Gita-15.11, 13.25) "ଯେଉଁ ଯୋଗୀମାନେ ପ୍ରୟାସ କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଦେଖିପାରନ୍ତି (ପଶ୍ୟନ୍ତି); କିନ୍ତୁ ପ୍ରୟାସ କଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଜ୍ଞାନୀମାନେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଉପଲବ୍ଧି କରିପାରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ, କାରଣ ସେମାନେ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଢାଞ୍ଚାରେ ଗଢ଼ି ହୋଇନାହାନ୍ତି... କେହି କେହି ଧ୍ୟାନ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖନ୍ତି (ପଶ୍ୟନ୍ତି); କେହି କେହି ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ 'ଆତ୍ମା ଦ୍ୱାରା, ଆତ୍ମା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଏବଂ ଆତ୍ମାର ହିଁ' (ଆତ୍ମନି ଆତ୍ମାନମ୍ ଆତ୍ମନା) ରୂପେ ଅନୁଭବ କରନ୍ତି; ଅନ୍ୟମାନେ ସାଂଖ୍ୟ ଏବଂ କର୍ମଯୋଗ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖନ୍ତି (ପଶ୍ୟନ୍ତି)..." — (ଗୀତା-୧୫.୧୧, ୧୩.२୫) “When I was five years old...well I began with a consciousness. Of course I had no idea what it was. But my first experience was of the consciousness here (gesture above the head), which I felt like a Light and a Force; and I felt it there at the age of five. It was very pleasant sensation. I would sit in a little armchair made especially for me, all alone in my room, and I had a very pleasant feeling of something very strong, very luminous, and it was here (above the head) .... Then I would pull it down, for it was...it was truly my raison d’être.” The Mother/The Mother's Agenda- July 25, 1962 “ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୋତେ ପାଞ୍ଚ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସ ହୋଇଥିଲା... ମୁଁ ଏକ ଚେତନା ବିଷୟରେ ସଚେତନ ଥିଲି ଏବଂ ସେଠାରୁ ଜୀବନ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିଥିଲି। ଅବଶ୍ୟ ତାହା କ’ଣ ଥିଲା ସେ ବିଷୟରେ ମୋର କୌଣସି ଧାରଣା ନଥିଲା। କିନ୍ତୁ ମୋର ପ୍ରଥମ ଅନୁଭୂତି ଥିଲା ଏଠାରେ (ମୁଣ୍ଡ ଉପରକୁ ଇସାରା କରି) ଥିବା ଚେତନାର, ଯାହାକୁ ମୁଁ ଏକ ଆଲୋକ ଏବଂ ଏକ ଶକ୍ତି ଭାବରେ ଅନୁଭବ କରିଥିଲି; ଏବଂ ମୁଁ ଏହାକୁ ପାଞ୍ଚ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ସେଠାରେ ଅନୁଭବ କରିଥିଲି। ଏହା ଏକ ବହୁତ ଆନନ୍ଦଦାୟକ ଅନୁଭୂତି ଥିଲା। ମୁଁ ମୋ କୋଠରୀରେ ଏକାକୀ, ମୋ ପାଇଁ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ଭାବେ ତିଆରି ହୋଇଥିବା ଏକ ଛୋଟ ଆରାମ ଚଉକିରେ ବସୁଥିଲି, ଏବଂ ବହୁତ ଶକ୍ତିଶାଳୀ, ବହୁତ ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ମୟ କିଛି ଗୋଟିଏ ଜିନିଷର ବହୁତ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଅନୁଭୂତି ମୋର ହେଉଥିଲା, ଏବଂ ତାହା ଏଠାରେ (ମୁଣ୍ଡ ଉପରେ) ଥିଲା.... ତା’ପରେ ମୁଁ ଏହାକୁ ତଳକୁ ଟାଣି ଆଣୁଥିଲି, କାରଣ ଏହା ହିଁ... ଏହା ହିଁ ପ୍ରକୃତରେ ମୋର ଜୀବନର ମୂଳ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ (Raison d’être) ଥିଲା।” — ଶ୍ରୀମା "Sri Aurobindo is constantly among us and reveals himself to those who are ready to see and hear him." The Mother/TMCW/Vol-13/p-11, "ଶ୍ରୀଅରବିନ୍ଦ ସଦାସର୍ବଦା ଆମ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବିଦ୍ୟମାନ ଏବଂ ଯେଉଁମାନେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖିବା ଓ ଶୁଣିବା ନିମନ୍ତେ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ସେ ଆତ୍ମପ୍ରକାଶ କରନ୍ତି।" ଶ୍ରୀମା ଜିଜ୍ଞାସୁର ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ - - “ ମୁଁ ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଦିଗରେ ମୋଟେ ଉତ୍ସାହୀ ନୁହେଁ, କାରଣ ଏହି ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ପଥଟି ଦୁର୍ଗମ ଅଟେ ଏବଂ କେବଳ ଯେଉଁ ମାନେ ଏହି ପଥରେ ଯିବା ନିମନ୍ତେ ସ୍ଵତନ୍ତ୍ର ଡାକ ପାଇଥିବେ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରାଯାଏ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “କିନ୍ତୁ ଏଠାରେ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କୁ ସାମଗ୍ରିକ ଭାବରେ ଜାଣିଥିବା ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବିଶେଷଙ୍କୁ ଖୋଜି ପାଇବା ଏକ କଷ୍ଟକର ବ୍ୟାପାର। ...ଯିଏକି ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଭାବରେ ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରେରଣା ପାଉଥିବ... ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ପ୍ରେରଣାକୁ ବୁଝି ପାରୁଥିବ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କରିପାରୁଥିବ ... ଏବଂ ସମାନ ସମୟରେ ଏକ ଅତି ଦୃଢ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିତ୍ଵ ଓ ଚରିତ୍ରକୁ ବହନ କରୁଥିବା...ଏବଂ ଯଦି ସମ୍ଭବ ତାଙ୍କ ପରି ଧୀ ଶକ୍ତିକୁ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବ ... ବହୁବର୍ଷ ଧରି ମୁଁ ସେହିପରି ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ଖୋଜି ବିଫଳ ହୋଇଛି।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା’ “ମୁଁ ଶହଶହ ଅନୁଗତ ଶିଷ୍ୟ ଚାହେଁ ନାହିଁ। ମୁଁ ଯଦି ଶହେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ପାଏ, ଯେଉଁମାନେ ସଂକୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଅହଂକାରକୁ ପରିଶୁଦ୍ଧ କରିଥିବେ, ଭଗବାନଙ୍କର ଯନ୍ତ୍ର ହୋଇଥିବେ, ତେବେ ତାହା ମୋର ଦିବ୍ୟ ଲକ୍ଷ ପରିପୂରଣ ଦିଗରେ ଯଥେଷ୍ଟ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “ଏପରିକି ଯଦି ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବିଶ୍ଵାସର ସହିତ ସତ୍ୟ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ନିଜକୁ ଖୋଲିଧରି ପାରନ୍ତା ତେବେ ସେ ଦେଶ ଓ ପୃଥିବୀକୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ଓ ରୂପାନ୍ତର କରିପାରନ୍ତା।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “ଖୁବ କ୍ଵଚିତ ଲୋକ ଅଛନ୍ତି ଯେଉଁମାନେ ନିଜ ସହିତ ଏକ ପରିବେଶକୁ ବହନ କରନ୍ତି ଯାହାକି ଆନନ୍ଦ, ଶାନ୍ତି, ବିଶ୍ଵସ୍ତତାକୁ ପ୍ରଜ୍ଵଳିତ କରୁଥାଏ—ଏହା ଖୁବ କ୍ଵଚିତ ଘଟଣା। କିନ୍ତୁ ସେହିମାନେହିଁ ପ୍ରକୃତ ମଣିଷର ହିତକାରୀ। ସେମାନେ ନିଜର ପାଟି ଖୋଲିବା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ପଡ଼େ ନାହିଁ। “ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “ମୁଁ ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିକୁ ଚାହେଁ, ଯାହାର ନିରଙ୍କୁଶ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ଏବଂ ଗ୍ରହଣଶୀଳତା ଥିବ କାର୍ଯକାରିଣୀ ସାମର୍ଥ୍ୟ ସହିତ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା ଜିଜ୍ଞାସୁର ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ The Readers’ Query “I do not very readily accept disciples as this path of Yoga is difficult one and it can be followed only if there is a special call.”21 SRI AUROBINDO “ ମୁଁ ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଦିଗରେ ମୋଟେ ଉତ୍ସାହୀ ନୁହେଁ, କାରଣ ଏହି ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ପଥଟି ଦୁର୍ଗମ ଅଟେ ଏବଂ କେବଳ ଯେଉଁ ମାନେ ଏହି ପଥରେ ଯିବା ନିମନ୍ତେ ସ୍ଵତନ୍ତ୍ର ଡାକ ପାଇଥିବେ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରାଯାଏ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “But the difficulty is to find the “some one” who knows Sri Aurobindo thoroughly…( and subsequently) who is capable of receiving His inspirations directly…capable of understanding Sri Aurobindo’s inspiration and transmitting it…and has at the same time very strong character… (and if possible) to have His genius20… For years I have been looking for that man, without finding him.”19 THE MOTHER “କିନ୍ତୁ ଏଠାରେ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କୁ ସାମଗ୍ରିକ ଭାବରେ ଜାଣିଥିବା ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବିଶେଷଙ୍କୁ ଖୋଜି ପାଇବା ଏକ କଷ୍ଟକର ବ୍ୟାପାର। ...ଯିଏକି ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଭାବରେ ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରେରଣା ପାଉଥିବ... ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ପ୍ରେରଣାକୁ ବୁଝି ପାରୁଥିବ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କରିପାରୁଥିବ ... ଏବଂ ସମାନ ସମୟରେ ଏକ ଅତି ଦୃଢ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିତ୍ଵ ଓ ଚରିତ୍ରକୁ ବହନ କରୁଥିବା...ଏବଂ ଯଦି ସମ୍ଭବ ତାଙ୍କ ପରି ଧୀ ଶକ୍ତିକୁ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବ ... ବହୁବର୍ଷ ଧରି ମୁଁ ସେହିପରି ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ଖୋଜି ବିଫଳ ହୋଇଛି।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା’ “I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God.”2 SRI AUROBINDO “ମୁଁ ଶହଶହ ଅନୁଗତ ଶିଷ୍ୟ ଚାହେଁ ନାହିଁ। ମୁଁ ଯଦି ଶହେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ପାଏ, ଯେଉଁମାନେ ସଂକୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଅହଂକାରକୁ ପରିଶୁଦ୍ଧ କରିଥିବେ, ଭଗବାନଙ୍କର ଯନ୍ତ୍ର ହୋଇଥିବେ, ତେବେ ତାହା ମୋର ଦିବ୍ୟ ଲକ୍ଷ ପରିପୂରଣ ଦିଗରେ ଯଥେଷ୍ଟ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “Even if one person could put himself faithfully at the disposal of the Truth, he could change the country and the world.”18 THE MOTHER “ଏପରିକି ଯଦି ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବିଶ୍ଵାସର ସହିତ ସତ୍ୟ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ନିଜକୁ ଖୋଲିଧରି ପାରନ୍ତା ତେବେ ସେ ଦେଶ ଓ ପୃଥିବୀକୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ଓ ରୂପାନ୍ତର କରିପାରନ୍ତା।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “There are very few people who carry with them an atmosphere which irradiates joy, peace, confidence- it is very rare. But these are truly benefactors of humanity. They don’t need to open their mouth.” THE MOTHER “ଖୁବ କ୍ଵଚିତ ଲୋକ ଅଛନ୍ତି ଯେଉଁମାନେ ନିଜ ସହିତ ଏକ ପରିବେଶକୁ ବହନ କରନ୍ତି ଯାହାକି ଆନନ୍ଦ, ଶାନ୍ତି, ବିଶ୍ଵସ୍ତତାକୁ ପ୍ରଜ୍ଵଳିତ କରୁଥାଏ—ଏହା ଖୁବ କ୍ଵଚିତ ଘଟଣା। କିନ୍ତୁ ସେହିମାନେହିଁ ପ୍ରକୃତ ମଣିଷର ହିତକାରୀ। ସେମାନେ ନିଜର ପାଟି ଖୋଲିବା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ପଡ଼େ ନାହିଁ। “ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “All I would need is one man who had an absolute trust and was receptive, with a power of execution.”22 THE MOTHER “ମୁଁ ଜଣେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିକୁ ଚାହେଁ, ଯାହାର ନିରଙ୍କୁଶ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ଏବଂ ଗ୍ରହଣଶୀଳତା ଥିବ କାର୍ଯକାରିଣୀ ସାମର୍ଥ୍ୟ ସହିତ।“ ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “That is exactly what Sri Aurobindo wanted and attempted; he used to say, “If I can find a hundred people, it will be enough for my purpose.”2 THE MOTHER “ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ ଭାବରେ ଚାହିଁଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରଚେଷ୍ଟା କରିଥିଲେ; ସେ ସଦାବେଳେ କହୁଥିଲେ, “ଯଦି ମୁଁ ଶହେ ଜଣ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ପାଏ, ଏହା ମୋର ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା ପାଇଁ ଯଥେଷ୍ଟ।“” ଶ୍ରୀ ମା “Otherwise what will be ultimately accomplished is an achievement by the few initiating a new order of beings, while humanity will have passed sentence of unfitness on itself and may fall back into an evolutionary decline or a stationary immobility; for it is the constant upward effort (of the few) that has kept humanity alive and maintained for it its place in the front of creation.”23 SRI AUROBINDO "ନଚେତ୍ ଶେଷରେ ଯାହା ସାଧିତ ହେବ ତାହା ହେଉଛି ଅତି ଅଳ୍ପ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ନୂତନ ଜୀବନ କ୍ରମ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିବାର ଏକ ସଫଳତା, ଯେତେବେଳେ ମାନବ ସମାଜ ତା ନିଜ ଉପରେ ଅଯୋଗ୍ୟତାର ଦଣ୍ଡ ଭୋଗିବ ଏବଂ ଏକ ବିବର୍ତ୍ତନଶୀଳ ଅବନତି କିମ୍ବା ଏକ ସ୍ଥିର ଅଚଳତାରେ ପୀଡ଼ିତ ହୋଇ ପାରେ; କାରଣ ଏହା ଅଳ୍ପ କିଛି ଲୋକଙ୍କର ନିରନ୍ତର ଉର୍ଦ୍ଧ୍ୱଗାମୀ ପ୍ରୟାସ ଯାହା ମାନବ ସମାଜକୁ ଜୀବିତ ରଖିଛି ଏବଂ ସୃଷ୍ଟିର ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଏହାର ସ୍ଥାନ ବଜାୟ ରଖିଛି।" ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “In men, says the Upanishad, the Self-Existent has cut the doors of consciousness outward, but a few turn the eye inward and it is these who see and know the Spirit and develop the spiritual being.”24 SRI AUROBINDO "ଉପନିଷଦ କହେ, ମଣିଷମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଭଗବାନ୍ ଚେତନାର ଦ୍ୱାରଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ବହିର୍ମୁଖୀ କିମ୍ବା ବାହାରକୁ କାଟି ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି, କିନ୍ତୁ ଅଳ୍ପ କିଛି ଲୋକ ଆଖିକୁ ଅନ୍ତର୍ମୁଖୀ କିମ୍ବା ଭିତରକୁ ଘୁରାଇ ଦେଖନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ସେମାନେ ହିଁ ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ଦେଖନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଜାଣନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ବିକଶିତ କରନ୍ତି।" ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ “Many times in his writings, particularly in The Synthesis of Yoga, Sri Aurobindo warns us against the imaginings of those who believe they can do sadhana without rigorous self-control and who heed all sorts of inspirations, which lead them to a dangerous imbalance where all their repressed, hidden, secret desires come out into the open under the pretence of liberation from ordinary conventions and ordinary reason.”26 THE MOTHER "ଅନେକ ଥର ତାଙ୍କ ଲେଖାରେ, ବିଶେଷକରି "ଦି ସିନ୍ଥେସିସ୍ ଅଫ୍ ଯୋଗ" ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥରେ, ଶ୍ରୀ ଅରବିନ୍ଦ ଆମକୁ ସେମାନଙ୍କ କଳ୍ପନା ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଚେତାବନୀ ଦେଇଛନ୍ତି ଯେ ଯେଉଁମାନେ ବିଶ୍ଵାସ କରନ୍ତି ଯେ ସେମାନେ କଠୋର ଆତ୍ମ ସଂଯମ ବିନା ସାଧନା କରିପାରିବେ ଏବଂ ସେମାନେ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରକାରର ମନ୍ଦ ପ୍ରେରଣାକୁ କାନଦେଇ ଶୁଣନ୍ତି, ଯାହା ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଏକ ବିପଦଜନକ ଅସନ୍ତୁଳନ ଆଡ଼କୁ ନେଇଯାଏ ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ସମସ୍ତ ଅବଦମିତ, ଲୁତକାୟୀତ, ଗୁପ୍ତ କାମନା ବାହାରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ହୁଏ ଯାହା ସାଧାରଣ ପ୍ରଥା ଏବଂ ସାଧାରଣ ଜୀବନରୁ ମୁକ୍ତିର ଛଳନା ଭାବରେ ଖୋଲାଖୋଲି ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଏ।" ଶ୍ରୀ ମା After the arrival of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, the Supramental energy is active in earth’s atmosphere very close to the material world and this inner aid with constant miracle will replace the outer aid of Religion in generalising Spirituality in humanity and this personal contact with Supramental Consciousness will be initiated from individual prepared Soul Centres. So all can open themselves towards the Supramental Love and Oneness and receive its brief touch16 with miraculous result but the flow of this invisible Sunlight can be stabilised in the well built subtle and causal body of the prepared individual vessel or after one is thoroughly established in the intermediate Psychic and Spiritual plane through prolonged Sadhana. Intervention of this Force changes circumstances, brings very wide spread results and sooner or later the world will come under its direct influence. Thus the world appears to him with a different meaning, not a senseless and meaningless whirl in space but ‘A Presence and Greatness everywhere’17 transforming receptive matter to plastic and Spiritual Law and Divine Force can penetrate uninterruptedly into the material world through its conscious human vessel. Man’s future is ‘Decreed (to become God) since the beginning of the worlds.’15 An Avatara’s mission is fulfilled when the (consenting part of the) humanity arrives at a Consciousness in which He is fully established. ଶ୍ରୀ ମା ଏବଂ ଶ୍ରୀଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ଆଗମନ ପରେ, ଅତିମାନସ ଶକ୍ତି ପୃଥିବୀର ବାୟୁମଣ୍ଡଳରେ ଭୌତିକ ଜଗତର ଅତି ନିକଟରେ ସକ୍ରିୟ ଅଛି ଏବଂ ନିରନ୍ତର ଚମତ୍କାର ସହିତ ଏହି ଆଭ୍ୟନ୍ତରୀଣ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ ମାନବତାରେ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକତାକୁ ଜଗତୀକରଣ କରିବାରେ ଧର୍ମର ବାହ୍ୟ ସାହାଯ୍ୟକୁ ବଦଳାଇବ ଏବଂ ଅତିମାନସ ଚେତନା ସହିତ ଏହି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ସମ୍ପର୍କ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ଆତ୍ମ କେନ୍ଦ୍ରଗୁଡ଼ିକରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହେବ। ତେଣୁ ସମସ୍ତେ ଅତିମାନସ ପ୍ରେମ ଏବଂ ଏକତା ଆଡ଼କୁ ନିଜକୁ ଖୋଲିପାରିବେ ଏବଂ ଏହାର ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ ଚମତ୍କାର ଫଳାଫଳ ସହିତ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିପାରିବେ16 କିନ୍ତୁ ଏହି ଅଦୃଶ୍ୟ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଆଲୋକର ପ୍ରବାହ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ପାତ୍ରର ସୁନିର୍ମିତ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଏବଂ କାରଣ ଶରୀରରେ ସ୍ଥିର ହୋଇପାରିବ କିମ୍ବା ଦୀର୍ଘ ସାଧନା ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ମଧ୍ୟବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ଚୈତ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ସ୍ତରରେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ହେବା ପରେ। ଏହି ଶକ୍ତିର ହସ୍ତକ୍ଷେପ ପରିସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ କରେ, ବହୁତ ବ୍ୟାପକ ଫଳାଫଳ ଆଣିଥାଏ ଏବଂ ଶୀଘ୍ର କିମ୍ବା ବିଳମ୍ବରେ ବିଶ୍ୱ ଏହାର ସିଧାସଳଖ ପ୍ରଭାବରେ ଆସିବ। ଏହିପରି ବିଶ୍ୱ ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଭିନ୍ନ ଅର୍ଥ ସହିତ ଦେଖାଯାଏ, ମହାକାଶରେ ବିଶ୍ବ ଏକ ଅର୍ଥହୀନ ଘୂର୍ଣ୍ଣନ ନୁହେଁ ବରଂ 'ସର୍ବତ୍ର ଏକ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଉପସ୍ଥିତି ଏବଂ ମହାନତା'17 ଗ୍ରହଣକାରୀ ପଦାର୍ଥକୁ ନମନୀୟରେ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ କରେ ଏବଂ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ନିୟମ ଏବଂ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଶକ୍ତି ଏହାର ସଚେତନ ମାନବ ଆଧର ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଭୌତିକ ଜଗତରେ ନିରବଚ୍ଛିନ୍ନ ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିପାରିବ। ମଣିଷର ଭବିଷ୍ୟତ 'ଜଗତର ଆରମ୍ଭରୁ (ପରମେଶ୍ୱର ହେବା ପାଇଁ) ନିର୍ଣ୍ଣୟ କରାଯାଇଛି।' ୧୫ ଅବତାରଙ୍କ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ପୂରଣ ହୁଏ ଯେତେବେଳେ (ସମ୍ମତି ପ୍ରଦାନକାରୀ ଅଂଶ) ମାନବଜାତି ଏକ ପରମ ଚେତନାରେ ଉପନୀତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି ଯେଉଁଥିରେ ସେ (ଅବତାର) ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ହୋଇଥାନ୍ତି। Sri Aurobindo’s first and primary objective is accomplished if the surface personalities of few Sadhakas or ‘one hundred perfect instruments’2 reveal and establish the concealed Supramental Mahashakti and the secondary objective is with their help expedite the process of generalisation of Spirituality and revelation of Godhead in humanity. ଶ୍ରୀଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କ ପ୍ରଥମ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରାଥମିକ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ ସଫଳ ହୁଏ ଯଦି କିଛି ସାଧକ କିମ୍ବା 'ଶହେଟି ସିଦ୍ଧ ଯନ୍ତ୍ର'ଙ୍କ ପରିପକ୍ପୃ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିତ୍ୱ ଗୁପ୍ତ ମହାଶକ୍ତିକୁ ପ୍ରକାଶ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠା କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ ହେଉଛି ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସାହାଯ୍ୟରେ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକତାର ଜଗତୀକରଣ ଏବଂ ମାନବ ସମାଜରେ ଈଶ୍ୱରତ୍ୱର ପ୍ରକାଶନ ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟାକୁ ତ୍ୱରାନ୍ୱିତ କରିବା। A relation between seeker of truth, traditional Yogi and integral Yogi is hinted in the Gita. “A seeker of truth, jijnasu, after many births of preparation, purification of impurity and sin, endeavouring with sincerity becomes a traditional Yogi and attains the highest goal of liberation of Soul or a Soul who fell from Yoga, yogabhrasta, from the past birth, in this birth strives with sincerity to overcome the samskara of many births in brief period of this life and attains the highest goal... After many births of preparation, a traditional Yogi, Jnani, attains My Purushottama or Supramental state of Consciousness. Before realisation of this highest Consciousness, he also realises the intermediate stair that all this existence is Divine, the Cosmic Consciousness, Vasudeva sarvamiti. Such great Soul with realisation of Vasudeva sarvamiti or integral Yogi is very rare, samahatma sudurlava.”3 ଗୀତାରେ ସତ୍ୟର ସାଧକ, ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗୀ ଏବଂ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗୀଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଏକ ସମ୍ପର୍କର ସୂଚନା ଦିଆଯାଇଛି। "ସତ୍ୟର ସାଧକ, ଜୀଜ୍ଞାସୁ, ଅନେକ ଜନ୍ମ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି, ଅଶୁଦ୍ଧତା ଏବଂ ପାପର ଶୁଦ୍ଧିକରଣ ପରେ, ସଚ୍ଚୋଟତାର ସହିତ ପ୍ରୟାସ କରି ଜଣେ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗୀ ହୋଇଯାଏ ଏବଂ ଆତ୍ମ ମୁକ୍ତିର ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟରେ ଉପନୀତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି କିମ୍ବା ପୂର୍ବ ଜନ୍ମର ଯୋଗଭ୍ରଷ୍ଟରୁ ପତିତ ହୋଇଥିବା ଆତ୍ମା ଏହି ଜନ୍ମରେ ଏହି ଜୀବନର ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ସମୟ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅନେକ ଜନ୍ମର ସଂସ୍କାରକୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଆନ୍ତରିକତାର ସହିତ ପ୍ରୟାସ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରନ୍ତି... ଅନେକ ଜନ୍ମ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି ପରେ, ଜଣେ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗୀ, ଜ୍ଞାନୀ, ମୋର ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମ କିମ୍ବା ଚେତନାର ଅତିମାନସ ଅବସ୍ଥା ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରନ୍ତି। ଏହି ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ଚେତନାର ଅନୁଭବ ପୂର୍ବରୁ, ସେ ମଧ୍ୟବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ପାହାଚର ମଧ୍ୟ ଅନୁଭବ କରନ୍ତି ଯେ ଏହି ସଚରାଚର ଜଗତ୍ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ଅଟେ, ବିଶ୍ବ ଚେତନା, ବାସୁଦେବ ସର୍ବମିତି ଅବସ୍ଥା। ବାସୁଦେବ ସର୍ବମିତି ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗୀ ପୃଥିବୀରେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିରଳ, ସମହାତ୍ମା ସୁଦୁର୍ଲଭ।"3 A traditional Sadhaka, after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness feels that this realisation cannot be reconciled6 with untransformed nature of three Gunas. So, he has no unfinished task left and hence his blissful enjoyment of existence concentrates on the issue of freedom from rebirth and escapes into supreme abode of param dham through the passage of Purushottama state. In integral Yoga, after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness or after realisation Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Being, a Sadhaka’s difficult task prohibits blissful enjoyment of the fruit of his labour but begins of reconciling static Matter with dynamic Spirit and thus Divine Shakti pours into the material vessel and confronts with Subconscient dark forces. His Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental purification, transformation and perfection resumes action from firmly established Psychic heart centre and from firmly established Karma Yoga where Divine Will, Knowledge and Love are perfectly reconciled. କ୍ଷର, ଅକ୍ଷର ଏବଂ ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମ ଚେତନା ଅନୁଭବ କରିବା ପରେ ଜଣେ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ସାଧକ ଅନୁଭବ କରନ୍ତି ଯେ ଏହି ଅନୁଭବ ତିନୋଟି ଗୁଣର ଅପରିବର୍ତ୍ତିତ ନିମ୍ନ ପ୍ରକୃତି ସହିତ ମିଶିପାରିବ ନାହିଁ। ତେଣୁ, ତାଙ୍କର କୌଣସି ଅସମାପ୍ତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ବାକି ନାହିଁ ଏବଂ ତେଣୁ ତାଙ୍କର ଅସ୍ତିତ୍ୱର ଆନନ୍ଦଦାୟକ ଉପଭୋଗ ପୁନର୍ଜନ୍ମରୁ ମୁକ୍ତି ପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗରେ କେନ୍ଦ୍ରିତ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମ ଅବସ୍ଥା ଦେଇ ପରମ ଧାମକୁ ପଳାୟନ କରନ୍ତି। ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗରେ, କ୍ଷର, ଅକ୍ଷର ଏବଂ ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମ ଚେତନା ଅନୁଭବ କରିବା ପରେ କିମ୍ବା ଚୈତ୍ୟ, ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଏବଂ ଅତିମାନବୀୟ ସତ୍ତାର ଅନୁଭବ କରିବା ପରେ, ଜଣେ ସାଧକର କଷ୍ଟକର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ହେଉଛି ତାଙ୍କ ଶ୍ରମର ଫଳର ଆନନ୍ଦଦାୟକ ଉପଭୋଗକୁ ନିଷେଧ କରେ କିନ୍ତୁ ସ୍ଥିର ଜଡବସ୍ତୁକୁ ଗତିଶୀଳ ଆତ୍ମା ସହିତ ମିଳାଇବା ଆରମ୍ଭ କରେ ଏବଂ ଏହିପରି ଦିବ୍ୟ ଶକ୍ତି ଭୌତିକ ଆଧାରରେ ଢାଳି ହୋଇଯାଏ ଏବଂ ଅବଚେତନ ଅନ୍ଧକାର ଶକ୍ତି ସହିତ ମୁକାବିଲା କରେ। ତାଙ୍କର ଚୈତ୍ୟ, ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଏବଂ ଅତିମାନବୀୟ ଶୁଦ୍ଧିକରଣ, ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ଏବଂ ସିଦ୍ଧତା ଦୃଢ଼ ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ଚୈତ୍ୟ ହୃଦୟ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଏବଂ ଦୃଢ଼ ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ କର୍ମ ଯୋଗରୁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପୁନରାବୃତ୍ତି କରେ ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଇଚ୍ଛା, ଜ୍ଞାନ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରେମ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବରେ ଏକୀଭୁତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି। Integral Yoga gives more importance to the emergence of Spiritual Instruments4 and traditional Yoga/Religion to the emergence of psycho-physical/religious Teachers;5 or “All religions and disciplines in India which use largely the psycho-physical method, depend more or less upon it for their practices.”1 The manifestation of some intermediate truth through traditional Yoga/Religion can draw large devotees and manifestation of highest and comprehensive truth through integral Yoga can draw few strong Souls. Traditional Yoga gives more importance to self-expansion and a traditional Teacher is weighed by number of disciples and devotees surrounded him. Integral Yoga gives more importance to Subconscient transformation through self-concentration and a Sadhaka of integral Yoga is weighed by his enhanced capacity to bear earth’s suffering and miseries and later transforming them into ecstasies. The perfect Instruments of integral Yoga with universalised Consciousness will preoccupy themselves for the benefit of individuals and humanity through concentration and illumination of their own subtle and causal body. They are nameless Spiritual leaders of humanity and their invisible world action through descent of Divine Force or reversal of Consciousness to resolve all problems of existence, are of far greater value than any religious movement can imagine. ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କର (Spiritual Instruments) ଆବିର୍ଭାବକୁ ଅଧିକ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱ ଦିଏ4 ଏବଂ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗ/ଧର୍ମ ବାହାର ଅବଲମ୍ବନ ଆଶ୍ରିତ ଧାର୍ମିକ ଶିକ୍ଷକଙ୍କ ଆବିର୍ଭାବକୁ ଗୁରୁତ୍ବ ଦିଏ;5 କିମ୍ବା "ଭାରତରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଧର୍ମ ଏବଂ ଶୃଙ୍ଖଳା ଯେଉଁମାନେ ମୁଖ୍ୟତଃ ବାହ୍ୟ ଅବଲମ୍ବନ ଆଶ୍ରିତ ପଦ୍ଧତି ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କର ଆତ୍ମ ଅଭ୍ୟାସ ପାଇଁ ଏହା ଉପରେ କମ୍ କିମ୍ବା ଅଧିକ ନିର୍ଭର କରନ୍ତି।"1 ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗ/ଧର୍ମ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ କିଛି ମଧ୍ୟବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ସତ୍ୟର ପ୍ରକାଶନ ବହୁତ ସଂଖ୍ୟାରେ ଭକ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଆକର୍ଷିତ କରିପାରେ ଏବଂ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ଏବଂ ବ୍ୟାପକ ସତ୍ୟର ପ୍ରକାଶନ ସ୍ବଳ୍ପ ଶକ୍ତିଶାଳୀ ଆତ୍ମାଙ୍କୁ ଆକର୍ଷିତ କରିପାରେ। ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଯୋଗ ଆତ୍ମ-ବିସ୍ତାରକୁ ଅଧିକ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱ ଦିଏ ଏବଂ ଜଣେ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଶିକ୍ଷକଙ୍କୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଚାରିପାଖରେ ଥିବା ଶିଷ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ଭକ୍ତଙ୍କ ସଂଖ୍ୟା ଦ୍ୱାରା ତୌଲାଯାଏ। ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗ ଆତ୍ମ-ଏକାଗ୍ରତା ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଅବଚେତନ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନକୁ ଅଧିକ ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱ ଦିଏ ଏବଂ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ଜଣେ ସାଧକଙ୍କୁ ପୃଥିବୀର ଦୁଃଖ ଏବଂ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣାକୁ ସହ୍ୟ କରିବା ଏବଂ ପରେ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ପରମାନନ୍ଦରେ ରୂପାନ୍ତରିତ କରିବାର ତାଙ୍କର ବର୍ଦ୍ଧିତ କ୍ଷମତା ଦ୍ୱାରା ତୌଲାଯାଏ। ବିଶ୍ବ ଚେତନା ସହିତ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ସିଦ୍ଧ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କର ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ଏବଂ ମାନବତାର ହିତ ପାଇଁ ନିଜ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଏବଂ କାରଣ ଶରୀରର ପବିତ୍ରୀକରଣ ଏବଂ ଆଲୋକୀକରଣ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ନିଜକୁ ନିୟୋଜିତ କରନ୍ତି। ସେମାନେ ମାନବ ସମାଜର ନାମହୀନ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ନେତା ଏବଂ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଶକ୍ତିର ଅବତରଣ କିମ୍ବା ଚେତନାର ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ଅଦୃଶ୍ୟ ବିଶ୍ୱ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଯାହା ପୃଥିବୀର ସମସ୍ତ ସମସ୍ୟାର ସମାଧାନ କରିଥାଏ, ଏବଂ ଏହା ଯେକୌଣସି ଧାର୍ମିକ ଆନ୍ଦୋଳନଦ୍ବାରା କଳ୍ପନା କରିପାରିବାର ସାମର୍ଥ୍ୟତା ଅପେକ୍ଷା ବହୁତ ଅଧିକ ମୂଲ୍ୟବାନ। Those whose frontal surface nature is dominated by Courage and self-less Love, known as Kshetriya Soul Force and frontal Nature dominated by Truth and Wisdom, known as Brahmin Soul Force are recognised as superior human beings and are fit for collective Spiritual life. This work will be accelerated by the emergence of Kshetriya Soul force of courage and new adventure in the outer world and ceaseless battle against earthly opposition through activation of Psychic Being. The Mission will further spread by high nobility of Soul which is untouched by any littleness, narrowness and baseness and will move with a certain greatness of Spiritual conquest to confront with universal dark forces attached to present unstable creation and Supramental contagion to enter fierce battle with ‘giant sons of Darkness’7 of Subconscient/Inconscient world and bears ‘inner wounds that are to slow to heal.’8 This manifesting action further asks that state of reconciling Wisdom which can perfectly possess all the infinite variety of external circumstances and permeate the Divine Light and Love to all the nether, neglected and less explored domain and thus illumining the whole earth. This endeavour will drive forward towards the realisation of the vision as indicated in Savitri, “Mere men into spiritual beings grow And see awake the dumb divinity.”9 ଯେଉଁମାନଙ୍କର ସମ୍ମୁଖ ପୃଷ୍ଠ ପ୍ରକୃତି ସାହସ ଏବଂ ନିଃସ୍ୱାର୍ଥପର ପ୍ରେମ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପ୍ରଭାବିତ, ଯାହାକୁ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରୀୟ ଆତ୍ମ ଶକ୍ତି ଭାବରେ ଜଣାଯାଏ ଏବଂ ସତ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ଜ୍ଞାନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପ୍ରଭାବିତ ସମ୍ମୁଖ ପ୍ରକୃତି, ଯାହାକୁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଆତ୍ମ ଶକ୍ତି ଭାବରେ ଜଣାଯାଏ, ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ମାନବ ଭାବରେ ସ୍ୱୀକୃତି ଦିଆଯାଇଥାଏ ଏବଂ ସେମାନେ ସାମୂହିକ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଜୀବନ ପାଇଁ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ। ଏହି କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ବାହ୍ୟ ଜଗତରେ ସାହସ ଏବଂ ନୂତନ ସାହସିକତା ଏବଂ ମାନସିକ ସତ୍ତାର ସକ୍ରିୟକରଣ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ପାର୍ଥିବ ବିରୋଧ ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ନିରନ୍ତର ଯୁଦ୍ଧର କ୍ଷେତ୍ରୀୟ ଆତ୍ମ ଶକ୍ତିର ଉଦୟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ତ୍ୱରାନ୍ୱିତ ହେବ। ଦିବ୍ୟ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଆତ୍ମାର ଉଚ୍ଚ ଆଭିଜାତ୍ୟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଆହୁରି ବିସ୍ତାରିତ ହେବ ଯାହା ଯେକୌଣସି କ୍ଷୁଦ୍ରତା, ସଂକୀର୍ଣ୍ଣତା ଏବଂ ନୀଚତା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅସ୍ପୃଶ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ବିଜୟର ଏକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ମହାନତା ସହିତ ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନର ଅସ୍ଥିର ସୃଷ୍ଟି ଏବଂ ଉପ-ସଂକ୍ରମଣ ସହିତ ଜଡିତ ସାର୍ବଭୌମ ଅନ୍ଧକାର ଶକ୍ତି ସହିତ ମୁକାବିଲା କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଅବଚେତନ / ଅଚେତନ ଜଗତର 'ଅନ୍ଧକାରର ବିଶାଳ ପୁତ୍ର' ସହିତ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିବ ଏବଂ 'ଆଭ୍ୟନ୍ତରୀଣ କ୍ଷତ ବହନ କରିବ ଯାହା ସୁସ୍ଥ ହେବାକୁ ଧୀର ସମୟ ନେବ'8 ଏହି ପ୍ରକାଶିତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଆହୁରି ଜ୍ଞାନକୁ ମିଳାଇବାର ସେହି ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ କରେ ଯାହା ସମସ୍ତ ଅସୀମ ବିବିଧ ବାହ୍ୟ ପରିସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବରେ ଧାରଣ କରିପାରିବ ଏବଂ ସମସ୍ତ ନୀଚ, ଅବହେଳିତ ଏବଂ କମ୍ ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନିତ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଆଲୋକ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରେମକୁ ପରିବ୍ୟାପ୍ତ କରିପାରିବ ଏବଂ ଏହିପରି ସମଗ୍ର ପୃଥିବୀକୁ ଆଲୋକିତ କରିପାରିବ। ଏହି ପ୍ରୟାସ ସାବିତ୍ରୀରେ ସୂଚିତ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିକୋଣର ସାକାର କରଣ ଆଡ଼କୁ ଆଗକୁ ବଢ଼େଇବ, "ସାଧାରଣ ମଣିଷମାନେ ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ସତ୍ତାରେ ପରିଣତ ହୁଅନ୍ତୁ ଏବଂ ମୂକ ଦିବ୍ୟତାକୁ ଜାଗ୍ରତ ହେବାର ଦେଖନ୍ତି।"9 The Synthesis of Yoga book (Principal Shastra) issues injunctions on a Sadhaka (Seeker of Truth) of integral Yoga that he should not remain indifferent to individual, collective and world imperfection and he should become accountable for his Sadhana (askesis) to his own Self, to the World and to the Divine.25 Integral Yoga proposes that a developed Soul must not ‘look with a remote indifference on the’10 sufferings of the unblessed ordinary human being and blessed devotees and draws all of them towards Spirit’s freedom. Or ‘even if our personal deliverance is complete, still there is the suffering of others, the world travail, which the great of soul cannot regard with indifference.’11 ‘Accepting life, he (a Sadhaka of integral Yoga) has to bear not only his own burden, but a great part of the world’s burden too along with it, as a continuation of his own sufficiently heavy load. Therefore his Yoga has much more of the nature of a battle than others; but this is not only an individual battle, it is a collective war waged over a considerable country.’12 The forceful directive issued in the principal Shastra is to ‘leave nothing around it (liberated Soul Sadhaka) unchanged’13 superseding the previous stand ‘which will no way seek to change their outward appearance...and old human surroundings.’13 His personal and communal existence must ‘take full account of’14 present imperfection and he has to ‘see how it can be converted to the law of a possible perfection.’14 OM TAT SAT The Synthesis of Yoga ପୁସ୍ତକ (ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ର) ଏକ ସାଧକ (ସତ୍ୟର ସନ୍ଧାନକାରୀ) ଉପରେ ଆଦେଶ ଜାରି କରେ ଯେ ସେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ, ସାମୂହିକ ଏବଂ ବିଶ୍ୱ ଅପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣତା ପ୍ରତି ଉଦାସୀନ ରହିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ ଏବଂ ସେ ନିଜ ସାଧନା ନିମନ୍ତେ ଆତ୍ମା, ଜଗତ ଏବଂ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ଉତ୍ତର ଦାୟୀ ରହିବା ଉଚିତ୍।25 ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗ ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବ ଦିଏ ଯେ ଏକ ବିକଶିତ ଆତ୍ମା 'ଅସୁଖୀ ସାଧାରଣ ମଣିଷ ଏବଂ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ଭକ୍ତଙ୍କ 10 କଷ୍ଟକୁ ଦୂରରୁ ଉଦାସୀନତା ସହିତ ଦେଖିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ' ଏବଂ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଆତ୍ମାର ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା ଆଡ଼କୁ ଟାଣିଆଣିବା କାମ କରନ୍ତି। କିମ୍ବା 'ଯଦିଓ ଆମର ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ମୁକ୍ତି ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୁଏ, ତଥାପି ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କର ଦୁଃଖ, ବିଶ୍ୱ ଯାତନା, ଯାହାକୁ ମହାନ ଆତ୍ମାମାନେ ଉଦାସୀନତା ସହିତ ବିଚାର କରିପାରିବେ ନାହିଁ।'11 'ଜୀବନକୁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି, ତାଙ୍କୁ (ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ଜଣେ ସାଧକ) କେବଳ ନିଜର ଭାର ନୁହେଁ, ବରଂ ବିଶ୍ୱର ଭାରର ଏକ ବଡ଼ ଅଂଶ ମଧ୍ୟ ବହନ କରିବାକୁ ପଡ଼ିଥାଏ, ତାଙ୍କର ନିଜସ୍ୱ ଭାରର ଏକ ନିରନ୍ତର ପ୍ରଗତିଶୀଳ ଭାବରେ। ତେଣୁ ତାଙ୍କ ଯୋଗ ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ଜୀବନ ସଂଘର୍ଷ ଅପେକ୍ଷା ବହୁତ ଅଧିକ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଏହା କେବଳ ଏକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ଲଢେଇ ନୁହେଁ, ଏହା ଏକ ବିସ୍ତୃତ ପ୍ରାନ୍ତର ଉପରେ ଚାଲିଥିବା ଏକ ସାମୂହିକ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ।'12 ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରରେ ଜାରି ହୋଇଥିବା ଦୃଢ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶ ହେଉଛି 'ଏହାର ଚାରିପାଖରେ କିଛି ବି ଅପରିବର୍ତ୍ତିତ ନ ରଖିବା (ମୁକ୍ତ ଆତ୍ମା ସାଧକ)'କୁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରିବା'13 ପୂର୍ବ ସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ଛାଡ଼ି 'ଯାହା କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକାରେ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ବାହ୍ୟ ଦୃଶ୍ୟ... ଏବଂ ପୁରୁଣା ମାନବ ପରିବେଶକୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ କରିବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରିବ ନାହିଁ।'13 ତାଙ୍କର ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ଏବଂ ସାମୁହିକ ଅସ୍ତିତ୍ୱକୁ 'ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନର ଅପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣତାକୁ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହିସାବରେ ନେବାକୁ'14 ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କୁ 'ଦେଖିବାକୁ ପଡିବ ଯେ ଏହାକୁ କିପରି ଏକ ସମ୍ଭାବ୍ୟ ସିଦ୍ଧତାର ନିୟମରେ ରୂପାନ୍ତରିତ କରାଯାଇପାରିବ।'14 ଓମ୍ ତତ୍ ସତ୍ References: 1: CWSA/23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -538, 2: “I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God.” Sri Aurobindo/Champaklal Speaks-191-192, “That is exactly what Sri Aurobindo wanted and attempted; he used to say, “If I can find a hundred people, it will be enough for my purpose.” THE MOTHER/THE MOTHER’S AGENDA-5/195, 3: THE GITA-6.45/7.19, 4: “Teaching, example and influence are three instruments of the Guru (integral Teacher)… He will seek to awaken much more than to instruct…The example is more powerful than the instruction; but it is not the example of the outward acts nor that of the personal character which is of most importance. These have their place and their utility; but what will most stimulate aspiration in others is the central fact of the divine realisation within him governing his whole life and inner state and all his activities.” CWSA-23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -66-67 5: “…the (traditional) Yoga proceeds by the results of prescribed methods taught in a Scripture or a tradition and reinforced and illumined by the instructions of the Master. This is a narrower practice, but safe and effective within its limits, because it follows a well-beaten track to a long familiar goal.” CWSA-23/ The Synthesis of Yoga -55, 6: Matter cannot be reconciled with the Spirit is understood from following verse: “They who with the eye of knowledge perceive this irreconcilable difference between the Matter, kshetra, and the Spirit, Kshetrajna, and the liberation of Being from Nature, they escape into supreme abode of Param Dham.” The Gita-13.35, In the Gita Matter can be reconciled with the Spirit is hinted but not developed: ‘Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, reason and ego is My eightfold divided Nature, apara-prakriti. Know too My other Divine Nature, Para-prakriti, different from this Apara Prakriti; this Supreme Nature or the Supreme Mother which becomes the Jiva in the heart and by which this world is upheld. This ‘upholding of the world,’ jagat dharayate, means Para-Prakriti also penetrates into Apara Prakriti by which this world can be purified, transformed and perfected.” THE GITA-7.4, 5. 7: Savitri-226, 8: Savitri-230, 9: Savitri-709-10, 10: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga-444, 11: CWSA/21/The Life Divine-422, 12: CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-77, 13: CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-268 14: “But whatever his aim, however exalted his aspiration, he has to begin from the law of his present imperfection, to take full account of it and see how it can be converted to the law of a possible perfection.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-631, 15:17: Savitri-708, 16:22: “There man can visit but there he cannot live.” Savitri-659 (All Man can get Supramental touch or God’s touch but unfit or not prepared to get His embrace.) 17:26: Savitri-42, 18: The Mother’s Agenda-10/p-148/19th April-1969, 19: The Mother’s Agenda-8/175, 20: The Mother’s Agenda-2/206, 21: SABCL/26/On Himself-175, 22: The Mother’s Agenda-5/p-165/14th August-1964, 23: CWSA/22/The Life Divine-752, 24: CWSA/22/The Life Divine-1054, 25: “She wrote the account of all that she had lost,” Savitri-117, (Accountability to the Self.) “The Voice replied: “Is this enough, O spirit? And what shall thy soul say when it wakes and knows The work was left undone for which it came? Or is this all for thy being born on earth Charged with a mandate from eternity, A listener to the voices of the years, A follower of the footprints of the gods, To pass and leave unchanged the old dusty laws?” Savitri-475 (Accountability to the Self) “To account for the Actual’s unaccountable sum,” Savitri-269, (Accountability to the Divine.) “Is this then the report that I must make, My head bowed with shame before the Eternal’s seat, — His power he kindled in thy body has failed, His labourer returns, her task undone?” Savitri-476 (Accountability to the Divine.) “And in the transactions of our positive consciousness, even Unity has to make its account with Multiplicity; for the Many also are Brahman.” CWSA/21/The Life Divine-39 (Accountability to the world) “In transparent systems bodied termless truths, The Timeless made accountable to Time” Savitri-273 26: The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/Vol.10/p-15, Sri Matriniketan Ashram, Managed by The Mother’s International Centre Trust, Regd.No-146/24.11.97. Vill: Ramachandrapur, PO: Kukudakhandi-761100, Via: Brahmapur, Dist: Ganjam, State: Odisha, India https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com/ Question Related with Artificial Intelligence - My Blessed Divine Children.....since today (02.11.2025) is a holiday, you can examine if we will keep the question put to Gemini and Copilot and their answer in our seekers' question. If it is helpful in our mission of heightening of consciousness, then we will keep in the.... link: https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com/education/photo/seekers-questions with my all love and blessings..... At Their Feet S.A. Maa Krishna Pranams Mother, both Gemini and Copilot have given wonderful responses. It is easy to follow. We should keep it. But the formatting for the Google response can be a bit better to make it more readable. The Copilot response in bullet points is easier to read/consume. Pranams To The Coordinator, The 20th State-level Science Fair 2025 at Matrubhaban Cuttack Coordinator, Science Fair - Om Namo Bhagavate “In Nature everything is in movement; thus, whatever does not move forward is bound to fall back.” The Mother TMCW/Vol-12/On Education/p-63, Sri Matriniketan Ashram 22.10.2025 Divine Amar Atman! Blessed Divine Soul, Now, the project for the forthcoming Science Fair, 25-26.10.2025, is prepared for Divine offering. I am sending three attachments for your kind scrutiny. Om Tat Sat with my eternal Love and Their Blessings... At Their Feet S.A. Maa Krishna 1: THE SPIRITUAL HISTORY OF EARTH 2: THE MIND MAP OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA & INTEGRAL YOGA 3: THE MIND MAP OF THE SPIRITUAL HISTORY OF EARTH 4: SYNOPSIS OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA & INTEGRAL YOGA and ଭଗବଦ୍ ଗୀତା ଏବଂ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୋଗର ମୁଖବନ୍ଧ Question on movement of Consciousness through Karma Yoga Auroprem Pranams Mother I have only 3 questions. I find that this is enough for me. 1. For the movement of consciousness between the psychic and spiritual, what practical steps (in our day-to-day living) can we consciously implement? I know the methods can be mainly spiritual rather than psycho-spiritual, but can you cover both methods please? 2. Given that ultimately progress in this path is only possible by surrender to the Shakti and also given that surrender is not practicable in one instant (it is progressive), what specific practices or attitudes can help a seeker to deepen their surrender 3. In the Gita , the Lord says to practice Yoga without despondency. Given the repeated failings of our untransformed nature as we interact in the outer world with people of different types, how can we remain in samata and unaffected by the blows/up & down as we see little or no outer progress in our nature? As long as we remain in seclusion, we are fine, but the first touch of the world and the equality/calmness, etc vanish. Can you elaborate on the assurances the Lord has given to all sadhakas on that? Pranams 1) Psycho Spiritual methods are given in The Mother book. They are ceaseless personal effort of the purified intellect to increase aspiration, rejection, surrender, faith and sincerity. With the opening of Psychic and Spiritual being this personal effort becomes spontaneous and strong. In day today life we have to identify multitude of tamasic, rajasic, sattwic imperfection and ceaselessly consecrate them before the Divine. 2) Surrender becomes sattwic when we practice self-control through purified intellect. With the increase of concentration power, consecration power increases. With the opening of Psychic and Spiritual being Self-control becomes rigorous and concentration power and consecration power multiplies. 3) In Spiritual life, seclusion means to live alone either with the Psychic being in the heart or the Spiritual being above the head under all circumstances and under all time. When mind is pacified, one lives in the desireless state then one experiences Divine union and equality becomes strong or as desribed in the Gita, samatwam Yoga uchyate. We have to purify the intellect by pacifyng the mind and concentrate only on the Divine on all circumstances. We have to identify our multitude of smallest work in the daily life and to use them as means of highest Divine union through consecration. Study Circle 31082025 Recording Question on Reconciliation of Spirit with Matter in Trigunatita state Aniketa (Arup) Om Namo Bhagavate, Pranam Maa 🙏 My questions are : 1) How to do practice, reconciliation of Spirit with Matter, please explain. 2) Practically Jivatma's union with para-prakriti , in which way will it be reflected? 3) How to know and implement, to live liberty of the Spirit beyond the fixed law of shastra. 4) Please define, to reject tamas from our body, what are the methods? 5) How to raise consciousness in our daily life to overcome the tamas, rajas state and to live only sattwa to the trigunatita state of consciousness. OM TAT SAT🙏 (1) If Spirit is dynamised through Yoga, then reconciliation of Spirit and Matter is possible. (2) By prolongation of Jivatma's union with Paramatma or static Divine, (through Purusha Yajna) Spirit is dynamised, known as Paraprakriti. By Prakriti Yajna one directly experiences Jivatma's union with Paraprakriti. (3) One can go beyond the fixed law of Shastra by ascending to higher planes of Consciousness and establishing himself in that plane. (4) By silencing the mind or concentrating on the single issue of the Divine, tamas becomes weak and rejected. (5) First to identify the tamasic, rajasic and sattwic imperfection, then to move them by rejection and consecration. Thus one can arrive at trigunatita state. Study Circle 24082025 Recording “We can learn things from a flower, an animal, a child, if we are eager to know always more, because there is only One Teacher in the world — the Supreme Lord, and He manifests through everything.” The Mother TMCW-12/On Education/p-129 The Gita issues injunction to the man of Knowledge that he should give wisdom which he has received from within and above to those seekers only who prostrate the feet of the Teacher, have question and can give service. The man of Knowledge who has seen the essential Truth of Kshara Purusha and immutable Truth of Akshara Purusha, tattwadarshinah, can give initiation to seeking Souls through his Spiritual influence ( The Gita-4.34 ) not ‘gathered laboriously by senses and the reason from outside’ (CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-204) but by revelation, self-experience, Intuition and self-existent wisdom. He should not give this knowledge to them who despise and belittle the Divine, those who do not practice self-control, desirelessness and equality, do not give service and do not want to listen the supreme Knowledge. (The Gita.18.67, The Gita-3.31, 32,) This knowledge should be given to them those who have full faith in the Divine, sraddha, and the uncarping, asuya rahitam. (The Gita-3.31, 9.1, 18.71) “They, who having faith, sraddha , and not having narrow carping, asuya , constantly follow this teaching of Mine, they too are released from the bondage of works. But those who find fault with My Teaching and act not thereon, know them to be unripe mind, bewildered in all knowledge, they misunderstand and misuse the written truth and fated to be destroyed.” (The Gita-3.31, 9.1, 18.71) Integral Yoga issues a similar injunction that 'spiritual experiences of any value, cannot be brought before the tribunal of the common mentality which has no experience of these things and takes its own absence or incapacity of experience as a proof of their invalidity or their non-existence.' (CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-677) Integral Yoga proposes that the living Spiritual Teacher is a 'narrower practice' and is safe and secured for beginners of integral Yoga (Dvija) and dispensable for a few rare developed Souls or ‘A strict obedience to the wise and intuitive leading of a Guide is also normal and necessary for all but a few specially gifted seekers.” (CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-940-941) “To concentrate most on one’s own spiritual growth and experience is the first necessity of the sadhak — to be too eager to help others draws away from the inner work. There is also likely to be an overzeal and haste which clouds the discrimination and makes what help is given less effective than it should be. To grow in the spirit is the greatest help one can give to others, for then something flows out naturally to those around that helps them.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-317, “The idea of helping others is a subtle form of the ego. It is only the Divine Force that can help. One can be its instrument, but you should first learn to be a fit and egoless instrument.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-318, “The best way to help the world is to transform oneself by an integral and intensive yoga.” The Mother/TMCW-14/Words of The Mother-II/p-277, “As for the people who want to draw others to the Yoga, I should say that if they draw themselves nearer to the inner goal that would be a much more fruitful activity. And in the end it would “draw” much more people and in a better way than the writing of many letters.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-325, "This “helping others” is a perilous business — it brings the “guru” ego or else you very uncertainly rid others of their difficulties and very certainly get them yourself. “Why do you have all these disciples?” said a sage to some Maratha saint (I have forgotten the names); “to have disciples means to add all their difficulties to your own. ” “Helping others” has the same disadvantage." CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-318, "In “helping” one often gets part of the other’s inconvenience and many Yogis refuse to take disciples because they will have to assume others’ burdens as well as their own. There are also other dangers — growth of ego etc." CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-319, : “I suppose I myself am accused of rude and arrogant behaviour because I refuse to see people, do not answer letters, and a host of other misdemeanours. I have heard of a famous recluse who threw stones at anybody coming to his retreat because he did not want disciples and found no other way of warding off the flood of candidates. I at least would hesitate to pronounce that such people had no spiritual life or experience. Certainly, I prefer that sadhaks should be reasonably considerate towards each other, but that is for the sake of collective life and harmony , not as a siddhi of the Yoga or an indispensable sign of inner experience.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV-656 In the above passage, it is identified that desire or lower Nature is our greatest enemy, and its invasion from the surrounding world can be discouraged by living alone with the Psychic and Spiritual being. The lure of gathering together of admirers, devotees and disciples (who are not free from lower Nature) are contrary to its purpose of intense Sadhana and invasion of the highest Spiritual energy.

This poetry book “Tattvamasi” is the "Song of Soul..." of S. A. Maa Krishna and parts aside the veil slightly to give a brief glimpse of her intense Sadhana and of her Soul’s triple union of the Divine in Supra-Physical, Supra-Terrestrial and Supra-Cosmic planes. The Seeker will be able to identify that all the personal relationships with the Divine as Play-mate, Friend, Master, Mother, Lover and Beloved have been experienced. In it stands the realisation of the Divine as the Impersonal and Absolute Brahman as well as the child in the lap of his Mother to the union with the Supreme as the Beloved. The poems voice the integral aspiration of the Soul within each of us and marks the journey to experience the Individual, Cosmic and Transcendent Divine that awaits us all as we plunge into the Yoga of the Lord Sri Aurobindo and the Divine Mother. To read, contemplate and meditate in the atmosphere of this book will allow the Sadhaka to be open to the transformative higher Consciousness of the Divine Mother that descends, purifies and spreads within all.

The Emergence of Integral Personality “The human birth in this world is on its spiritual side a complex of two elements, (1) a spiritual Person (Spiritual Personality ) and (2) a soul of personality (Psychic Personality ); (1) the former is man’s eternal being, (2) the latter is his cosmic and mutable-being. (1) As the spiritual impersonal person he is one in his nature and being with freedom of Sachchidananda who has here consented to or willed his involution in the Nescience for a certain round of soul-experience, impossible otherwise, and presides secretly over its evolution. (2) As the soul of personality he is himself part of that long development of the soul-experience in the forms of Nature; his own evolution must follow the laws and the lines of the universal evolution. (1) As a spirit he is one with the Transcendence which is immanent in the world and comprehensive of it; (2) as a soul he is at once one with and part of the universality of Sachchidananda self-expressed in the world: his self expression must go through the stages of the cosmic expression, his soul experience follow the revolutions of the wheel of Brahman in the universe.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-788-89, What is wheel of Brahman ? “From Matter, anna , creatures come into being, from rain is the birth of Matter (food, anna ), from sacrifice comes into being the rain (Divine Grace), sacrifice is born of work; work know to be born of Brahman (Divine Will), Brahman (Divine Will) is born of Immutable ( Chit Shakti ), therefore is the all-pervading Brahman Consciousness ( Chit Shakti) is established in Matter by continuous sacrifice, nitya Yajna . He who follows not here this wheel of works , evam pravartitam chakram , thus set in movement, evil is his being, sensual is his delight, in vain, O Partha that man lives.” The Gita-3.14, 15, 16 "But before we enter on this new stage and deal with the question in detail, an explanation is necessary. Why is a distinction made between the psychic education of which we have just spoken and the spiritual education of which we are about to speak now? Because the two are usually confused under the general term of “yogic discipline”, although the goals they aim at are very different: for one it (Psychic Being) is a higher realisation upon earth, for the other (Spiritual Being) an escape from all earthly manifestation, even from the whole universe, a return to the unmanifest." (In integral Yoga Psychic Being in the heart is given more importance than the more powerful Spiritual being above the head, because of the escapist tendency of the latter.) The Mother TMCW/Vol-12/On Education/p-35, The Emergence of Integral Personality “Only the Self that builds this figure of self Can rase the fixed interminable line That joins these changing names, these numberless lives, These new oblivious personalities And keeps still lurking in our conscious acts The trail of old forgotten thoughts and deeds, Disown the legacy of our buried selves, The burdensome heirship to our vanished forms Accepted blindly by the body and soul.” Savitri-12 “A greater Personality sometimes Possesses us which yet we know is ours: Or we adore the Master of our souls. Then the small bodily ego thins and falls; No more insisting on its separate self, Losing the punctilio of its separate birth, It leaves us one with Nature and with God.” Savitri-47 Man is solely identified in this world with his name, education, profession, family and friends and he is oblivious of his past before births and his future succession of events after Death. All that he forgets of his past is contained, present and effective in his subliminal sheath and all that he will be in his future births are planned, stored and waits for execution in his all retaining integral Consciousness. In his surface formation of being he is aware of the limitation of the present moment. So, in his superficial consciousness he is identified as man who lives from moment to moment, from field to field, from relation to relation and not as man having continuous and simultaneous vision and knowledge of three times. Thus, he lives within the boundary of Ignorance known as three gunas and stumbles in the error and limitation of fragmentary knowledge. Personality is a real individuality which stands behind the constant mutations of things and happenings. Multi personality is the manifestation of his single Self, a unique Person. Perfection of his multiple personality is dependent on his movement within and discovery of his central being. The predominant influence of this inmost Self governs all his action and expression and purifies, transforms, divinises and perfects his many folds formative personality. The Emergence of Surface Personality “He at length must cast from him his surface soul And be the ungarbed entity within:” Savitri-11 “Only a moment’s fine release it gave; A careless hour was spent in a slight bliss. Our spirit tires of being’s surfaces, Transcended is the splendour of the form; It (Spirit) turns to hidden powers and deeper states. ” Savitri-115 “It saw an image of the external world And saw its surface self, but knew no more.” Savitri-150 “In men I (Satyavan) met strange portions of a Self That sought for fragments and in fragments lived: Each lived in himself and for himself alone And with the rest joined only fleeting ties; Each passioned over his surface joy and grief, Nor saw the Eternal in his secret house.” Savitri-405 “On a dim ocean of subconscient life A formless surface consciousness awoke: A stream of thoughts and feelings came and went, A foam of memories hardened and became A bright crust of habitual sense and thought, A seat of living personality And recurrent habits mimicked permanence.” Savitri-477-478 Impersonality is the source of all personality. Surface personality¹ is the outcome of energy created from Inconscient plane. It is born by the pressure of the subtle mental being that secretly thinks and perceives in us, the subtle vital being that secretly feels, enjoys and acts upon life through us, the subtle-physical being that secretly receives, thrills and responds to the contacts of things through our body and its organs and by the upthrow from the depth of Subconscient and Inconscient sheaths, the surface personality is much exteriorized, distorted, confused, mutilated and vulgarized. So the surface Personality is only a temporary mental, vital, physical formation in which powers, influences and motives are amalgamated and if we little concentrate ourselves on it then we can find its outer persistent and mobile formations that springs from all our thoughts and emotions, sources and motives of all our actions and operative forces from which surface personality of this life is constructed. ‘We are not only what we know of ourselves but an immense more which we do not know; our momentary personality is only a bubble on the ocean of our existence.’³⁴ So in this superficial man, his dynamic force of consciousness, tapas , is concentrated on the surface in a certain way of limited and superficial working, ignorant of all the vast domain that are behind the surface, forms the basis of his personality. For a Spiritual man, reception of intimations from inner being by surface Nature is not sufficient transformation but he must break down the wall separating the inner being from the outer life. One must cease to be surface personality and become the inner Person. ‘It is possible by bringing the real soul to the surface to replace the egoistic standards of pleasure and pain by an equal, all-embracing personal-impersonal delight.’³⁶ The outer Nature has to go through difficult change of externalised and accustomed poise of existence and travel long way from surface to the depth in quieting and purifying the untransformed Nature and calling down the Transcendent force. Thus he transcends the smallness, obscurity and inertness of the body, exceeds the limited force and normal aspiration of life and surpasses the limited light and knowledge of the surface mind. “But, for this change to arrive at its widest totality and profound completeness, the consciousness has to shift its centre and its static and dynamic position from the surface to the inner being; it is there that we mustfind the foundation for our thought, life and action. For to stand outside on our surface and to receive from the inner being and follow its intimations is not a sufficient transformation; one must cease to be the surface personality and become the inner Person, the Purusha. But this is difficult, first because the outer nature opposes the movement and clings to its normal accustomed poise and externalised way of existence and, in addition, because there is a long way from the surface to the depths in which the psychic entity is veiled from us, and this intervening space is filled with a subliminal nature and nature-movements which are not by any means all of them favourable to the completion of the inward movement. The outer nature has to undergo a change of poise,a quieting, a purification and fine mutation of its substance and energy by which the many obstacles in it rarefy, drop away or otherwise disappear; it then becomes possible to pass through to the depths of our being and from the depths so reached a new consciousness can be formed, both behind the exterior self and in it, joining the depths to the surface. There must grow up within us or there must manifest a consciousness more and more open to the deeper and the higher being, more and more laid bare to the cosmic Self and Power and to what comes down from the Transcendence, turned to a higher Peace, permeable to a greater light, force and ecstasy, a consciousness that exceeds the small personality and surpasses the limited light and experience of the surface mind, the limited force and aspiration of the normal life consciousness, the obscure and limited responsiveness of the body.”³² The Emergence of Physical Personality “And carves a personality out of mud, The sorrow by which Nature’s hunger is fed, The oestrus which creates with fire of pain, The fate that punishes virtue with defeat, The tragedy that destroys long happiness, The weeping of Love, the quarrel of the Gods, Ceased in a truth which lives in its own light.” Savitri-33 Physical personality is attached to earth which clings to soil and has a certain degree of material poise, stability and balance. He is concerned with birth, food, money getting, procreation of a family, comfort, satisfaction of common impulses, short lived desires, the maintenance of the life and the body, death of this mutable body and general expectation of worse things awaiting him in the world. This tamasic personality in its action of principle is of two kinds, (1) inertia of force with its obscurity which drives in a mechanical routine round of energy and (2) inertia of knowledge which does not possess the idea of its own energy but is guided by an idea which seem external to it or concealed from active awareness. This tamasic energy is dominated by the physical mind which is full of dull inertia, obscure in its reception, unwilling to change, recalcitrant to pressure of new Spiritual force, conservative, cowardice, sloth, lax subjection to small and inferior motives and clings to fixed type of limited repetitive established narrow rigid knowledge. Tamas brings into our emotional nature indifference, insensibility to beauty, dull aesthesis and all that makes man heavy, coarse and vulgar. By the pressure of true physical being the outer physical sheath purifies, overcomes the ego in the physical, a quietude and stillness is imposed on the body and can be efficient instrument of the Soul in the body, annamaya Purusha , and he can arrive at the idea of a finer, more beautiful and perfect physical life¹⁴ and extend the same in the collective existence. In a Spiritual man tamasic personality is transformed into Divine calm, a perfect power of Shakti and capacity of great action in active silence. In Supramental consciousness, the physical substance is fulfilled. 'And the body has understood, sensed very well; it has realized and understood, as they say in English, that the sense of being a separate personality is PERFECTLY useless, perfectly useless, it is not in the least indispensable to its existence, it’s perfectly useless. It exists by another power and another will, which is not individual, not personal: the Divine Will . And it will become what it is supposed to be the day it feels there is no difference between itself and the Divine. That’s all.'⁴⁸ The Emergence of Vital Personality “Here mingling in man’s heart their tones and hues Have woven his being’s mutable design, His life a forward-rippling stream in Time, His nature’s constant fixed mobility, His soul a moving picture’s changeful film, His cosmos-chaos of personality .” Savitri-122 The vital personality is more attached to air than earth and vital man is concerned with self-affirmation, self-aggrandisement, life-enlargement¹⁶, satisfaction of ambition, passion and desire. This surface vital personality¹⁵ is the dominance of the ignorant vital being which is the principal active source of all discord and disharmony, more turbulent, chaotic and unregulated, a cause of inner and outer disturbance of life, the fanatic or sectarian mind, selfishness, a mainspring of wrong-doing and evil. This rajasic personality is dominated by the vital mind and is of two kinds: (1) one kind is defensive with violence and passion, assertive of its mental individuality and all that is in agreement with it, preferred by its own will, adapted to its outlook, but aggressive against all that is contrary to its vital ego-structure or unacceptable to its personal intellectuality; (2) the other kind is enthusiastic for new things, passionate, kinetic, insistent, creative, impetuous, exaggerating action of the reason and aesthesis, often mobile beyond measure, inconstant, governed in its idea not by truth and light but by the enthusiasm of intellectual battle, restless movement and ambitious adventure. By the pressure true vital being, pranamaya Purusha, the outer life personality purifies, overcomes the vital ego, becomes the instrument of the Soul in the vital and can develop higher vital faculties of delight, love, aesthesis, beauty in the maintenance of whole life and a strong passion for truth, beauty and good. Then it discovers a secret delight that pervades the whole existence and is extended as a delight in good as well as in evil, a delight in truth as well as in falsehood, a delight in life as well as in death, a delight in pleasure as well as in pain, a delight in one’s own suffering and the suffering of others and also in one’s own and others joy, happiness and good. A strong liberated vital personality is always balanced, forceful man of action, powerful warrior, successful statesman and arrives at a strong self-affirmation in life and action. In the evolutionary ascent of Nature, this vital personality is identified as the second step of harmonised formulation of life. In a Spiritual man this rajasic personality is transformed into self-effecting initiating sheer Will, perfect power of Being, Shakti, capable of immense, composed and blissful action. The Emergence of Mental Personality “An instrument-personality was born, And a restricted clamped intelligence Consented to confine in narrow bounds Its seeking; it tied the thought to visible things, Prohibiting the adventure of the Unseen And the soul’s tread through unknown infinities.” Savitri-148 With the change of Time and Space the Mental personality³ constantly modifies which is the form of our apparent or superficial self. It can be deformed at any moment and be the cause of falsification of knowledge, an unconscious or half willful self-deception and a refusal and revolt towards acceptance of true knowledge. Sattwic personality is in nature eager to acquire new knowledge, open towards new possibility of Spirit, careful to consider, verify, balance, adopt and adjust to its limited view of truth, receives all in limited harmony and in a restricted intellectual structure; it receives limited mental light and is unable to enlarge itself so as to receive equally all truth and all knowledge. This Sattwic person has a mental ego subjected to limitation of mental consciousness and is divided into two parts of mutable self-experience, (1) its subjective experience of the ever-modified mental states of its personality bound within the movements of three gunas of tamas, rajas and sattwa ; the same mind can be unreceptive and obscure in one direction, kinetic, possessive, hasty and ill balanced in another and yet in another open, plastic and harmonic, and (2) its objective experience of the ever-changing world environment which seems partly or wholly effects in building his mental personality.¹⁸ There is a constant modifying change of Time-points and Space-fields which results in constant modification of his personality. ‘It is the mind’s ignorance of this true Person in us, its confusion of person with our experience of ego and limited personality, the misleading phenomenon of the emergence of the limited consciousness and personality in an inconscient existence that have made us create an opposition between these two aspects (personal and impersonal) of the Reality, but in truth there is no opposition.’³⁷ And also intellect cannot reconcile two seemingly opposite principles of Matter and Spirit.⁴⁰ “Man is a mental being and the mind is the leader of his life and body; but this is a leader who is much led by his followers and has sometimes no other will than what they impose on him. Mind in spite of its power is often impotent before the inconscient and Subconscient which obscure its clarity and carry it away on the tide of instinct or impulse; in spite of its clarity it is fooled by vital and emotional suggestions into giving sanction to ignorance and error, to wrong thought and to wrong action, or it is obliged to look on while the nature follows what it knows to be wrong, dangerous or evil. Even when it is strong and clear and dominant, Mind though it imposes a certain, a considerable mentalised harmony, cannot integrate the whole being and nature. These harmonisations by an inferior control are, besides, inconclusive, because it is one part of the nature which dominates and fulfils itself while the others are coerced and denied their fullness. They can be steps on the way, but not final; therefore in most men there is no such sole dominance and effected partial harmony, but only a predominance and for the rest an unstable equilibrium of personality of half formed, half in formation, sometimes a disequilibrium or unbalance due to the lack of a central government or the disturbance of a formerly achieved partial poise.’¹⁹ By the pressure of true mental being, Manomaya Purusha , an individual can become strong liberated mental personality, the accomplished type of Sattwic man⁴³ is philosopher, saint and sage and he transcends the limitation of mind and arrives at the universal and transcendent Consciousness. In Spiritual man, this Sattwic personality of modified mental light is transformed into self-existent light of the Divine Being and God’s touch is transformed into His constant embrace. His mind initially develops into the mind of the sage and the abstraction of the mind is later transformed into direct Spiritual experience. Thus a Spiritual sage emerges within him whose mind becomes pure, large, tranquil, impersonal and universal. The Emergence of Subliminal Personality “He (Narad) sang of the Truth that cries from Night’s blind deeps, And the Mother-Wisdom hid in Nature’s breast And the Idea that through her dumbness works And the miracle of her transforming hands, Of life that slumbers in the stone and sun And Mind subliminal in mindless life, And the Consciousness that wakes in beasts and men.” Savitri-416 “Only to the inner mind they (three Gunas) speak direct, Put on a body and assume a voice, Their passage seen, their message heard and known, Their birthplace and their natal mark revealed, And stand confessed to an immortal’s sight, Our nature’s messengers to the witness soul.” Savitri-540 Subliminal personality²⁰ directly and effectively distinguishes between what rises from within the subliminal sheath and what invades us from outside surrounding, from others or from universal Nature, and its prerogative is to exercise a control, a choice, a power of willed reception, spontaneous rejection of falsehood, selection of truth,²¹ a clear power of self-building and harmonisation which we do not generally possess or can operate very imperfectly in our constructed surface personality. Subliminal sheath is built partly by the upsurging of forces from the nether inconscient sheath and mainly by a simultaneous influx of the same large force from Superconscient above;¹⁷ thus mental and vital being are descended into subliminal parts and formed from its secret station a subtle-physical, subtle-vital and subtle-mental personality on the surface. ‘“But the subliminal being has also a larger direct contact with the world; it is not confined like the surface Mind to the interpretation of sense-images and sense-vibrations supplemented by the mental and vital intuition and the reason. There is indeed an inner sense in the subliminal nature, a subtle sense of vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste; but these are not confined to the creation of images of things belonging to the physical environment, — they can present to the consciousness visual, auditory, tactual and other images and vibrations of things beyond the restricted range of the physical senses or belonging to other planes or spheres of existence. This inner sense can create or present images, scenes, sounds that are symbolic rather than actual or that represent possibilities in formation, suggestions, thoughts, ideas, intentions of other beings, image forms also of powers or potentialities in universal Nature; there is nothing that it cannot image or visualise or turn into sensory formations. It is the subliminal in reality and not the outer mind that possesses the powers of telepathy, clairvoyance, second sight and other supernormal faculties whose occurrence in the surface consciousness is due to openings or rifts in the wall erected by the outer personality’s unseeing labour of individualisation and interposed between itself and the inner domain of our being.’⁴¹ Surface personality is small, ignorant, active, swayed by helpless thought waves and inrush of grief, joy and reactions of all kind; whereas subliminal personality acts from behind the surface, is vast, calm, equal, observing the surface perturbation with an immovable detachment or it may act on its agitation to pacify, quiet, enlarge and transform it. The subliminal self is the meeting-place of all the multiple worlds or planes of consciousness that emerges from below for evolution and descends from above for involution and subliminal personality in us is aware and feels the necessity to explore all its ranges for the completeness and fulfilment of our human existence. It grows the faculty of subtle sense of vision, hearing, touch, smell and taste which can substitute the need of sense bound outer physical consciousness and sense organs. It also changes our dealing with impersonal invisible cosmic forces, a whirl of unseen mind forces and life forces that surround our atmosphere and to certain extent able to forecast or see ahead, control and determine their farther action. ‘It is into this large realm of interior existence that our mind and vital being retire when they withdraw from the surface activities whether by sleep or inward-drawn concentration or by the inner plunge of trance.’⁴² The Emergence of Psychic Personality (King Aswapati asked Savitri) “Virgin who comest perfected by joy, Reveal the name thy sudden heart-beats learned. Whom hast thou chosen, kingliest among men?” Savitri-424 After going deep into subliminal parts one discovers the Psychic being. It is an expressive formulation of mutable inner being which has original immortal reality in the Transcendence. It can be luminous leader²² of the mental, vital and physical instruments as it has the capacity of spontaneous discernment of truth and falsehood and distinguishes Divine Love and human love of the manifestation. When he awakes the knowledge of the Soul and feels the need to bring it to the front his communication with the surface improves which is a pure power of light, love, joy and harmony. Thus he is able to exercise a strong control, react against the false mixture, becomes master of his life and action. So the Psychic personality on the surface grows stronger by increasing its communion with the indwelling Psychic being which always turns towards Truth, Good and Beauty and with the increase of Psychic experience, the rest, their opposites are outgrown or are transformed into Divine substance. ‘…it is only when man awakes to the knowledge of the soul and feels a need to bring it to the front and make it the master of his life and action that a quicker conscious method of evolution intervenes and a psychic transformation becomes possible…’²⁴ This Psychic transformation is a conversion of whole Nature into obedient instrument of Soul and it commences a swift conscious method of evolution superseding the earlier slow mental evolution. This transformation of Nature ‘can be done from within by an invisible action through the psychic entity and the psychic personality; a consciously felt descent from above (Spiritual transformation) is not indispensable.’²⁴ ‘The nascent spiritual man makes his appearance in the emotional nature as the devotee, the bhakta ; if, in addition, he becomes directly aware of his soul and its dictates, unites his emotional with his psychic personality and changes his life and vital parts by purity, God-ecstasy, the love of God and men and all creatures into a thing of spiritual beauty, full of divine light and good, he develops into the saint and reaches the highest inner experience and most considerable change of nature proper to this way of approach to the Divine Being. But for the purpose of an integral transformation this too is not enough; there must be a transmutation of the thinking mind and all the vital and physical parts of consciousness in their own character.’¹² ‘A guidance, a governance begins from within which exposes every movement to the light of Truth, repels what is false, obscure, opposed to the divine realisation: every region of the being, every nook and corner of it, every movement, formation, direction, inclination of thought, will, emotion, sensation, action, reaction, motive, disposition, propensity, desire, habit of the conscious or subconscious physical, even the most concealed, camouflaged, mute, recondite, is lighted up with the unerring psychic light, their confusions dissipated, their tangles disentangled, their obscurities, deceptions, self-deceptions precisely indicated and removed; all is purified, set right, the whole nature harmonised, modulated in the psychic key, put in spiritual order.’²⁵ In a Spiritual man the presence of a strong Psychic personality and Psychic transformation paves the passage clear for more intense Spiritual and Supramental transformation. Its final outcome is to prepare the nature to be perfectly fit for every kind of Spiritual experience. The Psychic personality is finally liberated from darkness and stubbornness of tamasic inertia, turbidity and turbulence of rajasic passion and enlightened rigidities and constructed equilibrium of sattwic limitation. But it cannot bring complete Divine dynamisation, integral and radical transformation of nature which can establish a permanent new order in earth life. So the Psychic Being has to call down Spiritual and Supramental energy in order to complete and perfect its transformation action. The Emergence of Spiritual Personality “A consciousness that saw without a seer, The Truth where knowledge is not nor knower nor known, The Love enamoured of its own delight In which the Lover is not nor the Beloved Bringing their personal passion into the Vast, The Force omnipotent in quietude, The Bliss that none can ever hope to taste.” Savitri-548 “Immortal yearnings without name leap down, Large quiverings of godhead seeking run And weave upon a puissant field of calm A high and lonely ecstasy of will.” Savitri-572 “Around him nameless, infinite she surged, Her spirit fulfilled in his spirit, rich with all Time, As if Love’s deathless moment had been found, A pearl within eternity’s white shell.” Savitri-579 “But there is also this lower nature of the three gunas whose character is the character of the ignorance and whose action is the action of the ignorance, mixed, confused, perverted; it is the action of the lower personality, of the ego, of the natural and not of the spiritual individual. It is in order to recede from that false personality that we have to resort to the impersonal Self and make ourselves one with it. Then, freed so from the ego personality , we can find the relation of the true individual to the Purushottama .”⁴⁴ Sri Aurobindo Beyond this Psychic personality he becomes free beyond all dualities and impersonal Person, eternal being and an eternal immobility and stability are the necessary condition, field, essence and basis of infinite mobility and vast dynamic action of force. When the contact with the Supeconscient is established, a light touches, envelopes and penetrates the lower nature, there is a flood of delight and sudden ecstasy, a knowledge from above begins to descend and one begins to experience supreme oneness, infinity and eternity. These direct Spiritual experiences repeat themselves to become normal, familiar, revelatory and well understood. His nature and being identifies with the freedom, delight and wisdom of Sachchidananda and this Spiritual personality must go through extension of cosmic expression and attains the power of embracing the whole universe²³ in his subtle, intense and large individual consciousness. An individual Spiritual personality becomes a centre of self-vision and all-vision, his consciousness enlarges to become the circumference of the world and transcends it to become boundless circumference and knows himself as older than the birth of Time. A Spiritual individual would act from his own centre of Truth and not subject himself to blindness of other-self, other nature and moment’s personality; its consciousness would be action with full knowledge and not a movement of ignorance. His nature’s many-sided transformation would emerge as a composite perfection of the saint, the selfless Divine worker and the man of spiritual Wisdom. The Emergence of Universal Personality “Person and nature suffered a slumber change. In trance they gathered back their bygone selves, In a background memory’s foreseeing muse Prophetic of new personality Arranged the map of their coming destiny’s course: Heirs of their past, their future’s discoverers, Electors of their own self-chosen lot, They waited for the adventure of new life.” Savitri-293 “His soul must be wider than the universe And feel eternity as its very stuff, Rejecting the moment’s personality Know itself older than the birth of Time, Creation an incident in its consciousness, Arcturus and Belphegor grains of fire Circling in a corner of its boundless self, The world’s destruction a small transient storm In the calm infinity it has become.” Savitri-537 “An individual, one with cosmic self In the heart of the Transcendent’s miracle And the secret of World-personality Was the creator and the lord of all.” Savitri-556 “A Spirit who is no one and innumerable, The one mystic infinite Person of his world Multiplies his myriad personality, On all his bodies seals his divinity’s stamp And sits in each immortal and unique.” Savitri-662 His Psychic and Spiritual personality further expands and universalises to include the whole earth in his indwelling Consciousness and ‘his own evolution must follow the laws and the lines of the universal evolution.’²⁷ The Gita confirms that a traditional Yogi after many births of preparation attains the cosmic Consciousness, Vasudeva Sarvamiti , and further confirms that this type of integral Yogis are very rare in earth’s atmosphere. Integral Yoga confirms that ascent into Supramental Consciousness and transformation of nature is possible after the universalisation of Psychic and Spiritual Consciousness. ‘Here the Yoga of self-perfection coincides with the Yogas of knowledge, works and devotion; for it is impossible to change the human nature into the divine or to make it an instrument of the divine knowledge, will and joy of existence, unless there is a union with the supreme Being, Consciousness and Bliss and a unity with its universal Self in all things and beings. A wholly separative possession of the divine nature by the human individual, as distinct from a self-withdrawn absorption in it, is not possible.’²⁶ ‘As the universalized spiritual individual sheds the limited personality, the ego, as he rises beyond mind to a completer knowledge in Supernature, the conflicting ideals of the mind must fall away from him, but what is true behind them will remain in the life of Supernature.’¹⁰ ‘According to another line of ideas the spiritual person remains, but liberated, purified, perfected in nature in a celestial existence. But here we are still on earth, and yet it is supposed that the ego personality is extinguished and replaced by a unversalised spiritual individual who is a centre and power of the transcendent Being.’³⁵ ‘“The greater the variety of formations that have existed in the past and can be utilized, the more rich and multitudinous the accumulated buildings of experience, the more their essential result of capacity for knowledge, power, action, character, manifold response to the universe can be brought forward and harmonised in the new birth, the more numerous the veiled personalities mental, vital, subtle-physical that combine to enrich the new personality on the surface, the greater and more opulent will be that personality and the nearer to the possible transition out of the completed mental stage of evolution to something beyond it. Such a complexity and gathering up of many personalities in one person can be a sign of a very advanced stage of the individual’s evolution when there is a strong central being that holds all together and works towards harmonization and integration of the whole many-sided movement of the nature.’³⁰ “For a knowledge from above begins to descend, frequently, constantly, then uninterruptedly, and to manifest in the mind’s quietude or silence; intuitions and inspirations, revelations born of a greater sight, a higher truth and wisdom, enter into the being, a luminous intuitive discrimination works which dispels all darkness of understanding or dazzling confusions, puts all in order; a new consciousness begins to form, the mind of a high wide self-existent thinking knowledge or an illumined or an intuitive or an overmental consciousness with new forces of thought or sight and a greater power of direct spiritual realisation which is more than thought or sight, a greater becoming in the spiritual substance of our present being; the heart and the sense become subtle, intense, large to embrace all existence, to see God, to feel and hear and touch the Eternal, to make a deeper and closer unity of self and the world in a transcendent realisation.”³⁹ “Truth is not merely whatever our own personality is or creates; that is only the truth of our becoming, one point or line of emphasis in a movement of widest volume. Beyond our personality there is, first, a universal being as well as a universal becoming of which ours is a little movement; and beyond that too there is the eternal Being out of which all becoming derives and to which it owes its potentialities, elements, original and final motives. We may say indeed that all becoming is only an act of universal consciousness, is Maya, is a creation of the will to become, and the only other reality, if there is any, is a pure eternal existence beyond consciousness, featureless, unexpressed and inexpressible. That is practically the standpoint taken by the Mayavadin’s Adwaita and the sense of the distinction he makes between pragmatic truth which to his mind is illusory or at least only temporarily and partly real — while modern pragmatism takes it to be the true truth or at least the only recognisable reality because the only reality that we can act and know, — between that pragmatic illusion and on the other side of creative Maya the lonely Absolute featureless and inexpressible. But for the Gita absolute Brahman is also supreme Purusha, and Purusha is always conscious Soul, though its highest consciousness, its superconsciousness, if we will, — as, one may add, its lowest which we call the Inconscient, — is something very different from our mind consciousness to which alone we are accustomed to give the name. There is in that highest superconscience a highest truth and dharma of immortality, a greatest divine way of being, a way of the eternal and infinite. That eternal way of existence and divine manner of being exists already in the eternity of the Purushottama, but we are now attempting to create it here too in our becoming by Yoga; our endeavour is to become the Divine, to be as He, madbhava . That also depends on sraddha . It is by an act of our conscious substance and a belief in its truth, an inmost will to live it or be it that we come by it; but this does not mean that it does not already exist beyond us. Though it may not exist for our outward mind until we see and create ourselves anew into it, it is still there in the Eternal and we may say even that it is already there in our own secret self; for in us also, in our depths the Purushottama always is. Our growing into that, our creation of it is his and its manifestation in us. All creation indeed since it proceeds from the conscious substance of the Eternal, is a manifestation of him and proceeds by a faith, acceptance, will to be in the originating consciousness, Chit-Shakti. ”⁴⁶ Integral Yoga proposes that Universalised Consciousness is the outcome of a long movement of Consciousness between the Psychic and Spiritual planes replacing the earlier slow evolution of consciousness between three modes of Nature, Gunas and in this vast Consciousness (1) equality becomes perfect and consecration becomes complete and absolute, or this surrender of whole being ‘has to be accomplished slowly and with difficulty by the being itself before the supramental transformation can become at all possible;’³³ ‘A perfect equality not only of the self, but in the nature’¹³ is also the sign of universalized consciousness; (2) exclusive concentration of Mind is replaced with the faculty of Multiple-concentrations; thus one can pursue triple Yoga of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti simultaneously and ceaselessly, (3) transformation of human Nature into Divine Nature is practicable, as in this Consciousness the World is inseparable from the individual; (4) his time and space experience is completely different from ordinary man subjected to three gunas, the latter lives in the present succession of moments oblivious of his past and future and his little habitation of space is separated from the world and the former lives in the triple time of past, present and future and the whole world lives within his cosmic Self; his universalised Spirit can move backward towards the past of this birth and past births and illumine the obscure corners of his Subconscient and Inconscient sheaths and his Spirit can travel forward in time to call down all future possiblities to present moment; (5) outer wandering and movement reduces and is replaced by the more and more inner wandering of Soul which shows interest only in eternal things and 'In every shrine it cries for the clasp of God’⁴⁵; (6) in this Cosmic Consciousness, Matter is real to Spirit, Spirit is real to Matter and Matter is reconciled with Spirit in order to resolve all world problem; (7) in addition to his own individual suffering, he is ready to bear a part of earth's heavy burden and suffering; and (8) a fitness has arrived for ascension into still higher Supramental Consciousness. The Emergence of Integral Personality “There is a being beyond the being of mind, An Immeasurable cast into many forms, A miracle of the multitudinous One, There is a consciousness mind cannot touch, Its speech cannot utter nor its thought reveal.” Savitri-705 One can be conscious on the surface of the contacts and messages of the Superconscience either through a rift or break in our confined normality or by development of unusual supernormal condition. He can be infinitely more enriched on the surface by gathering up of many-fold personality through opening of multiple Selves and integration of many-sided movement of Nature. For integral transformation, permanent ascent of the Soul to the highest state of Being and permanent descent of highest Shakti to the lowest Nature is indispensable. The emergence of the Supramental personality can begin by breaking down the veil between the surface and subliminal self and between the subliminal and superconscient Self and thus ‘he is a conscious expression of the universal and transcendent’ Self.’³¹ This will pave the passage clear for the entire descent of whole range of higher Consciousness to the lower planes and even the lowest nether domains will also be covered by this transformation action. These unveiling and influx will remove what is left of the nature of Ignorance. A Supramental influx from above, activation of Supramental energy from within and emergence of concealed Supramental energy from below by opening of Subconscient and Inconscient Self will lead towards infinite variation of self experience which moves between pure identity and multiple identity, a delight of intimately differentiated oneness and self-absorbed rapture; thus the comparatively swift conscious transformation is experienced which leads towards the emergence of Integral Divine personality. ‘In the Supermind consciousness personality and impersonality are not opposite principles; they are inseparable aspects of one and the same reality. This reality is not the ego but the being, who is impersonal and universal in his stuff of nature, but forms out of it an expressive personality which is his form of self in the changes of Nature.’³⁵ ‘Or the nature may obey the psychic entity’s intimations, move in an inner light, follow an inner guidance. This is already a considerable evolution and amounts to a beginning at least of a psychic and spiritual transformation. But it is possible to go farther; for the spiritual being, once inwardly liberated, can develop in mind the higher states of being that are its own natural atmosphere and bring down a supramental energy and action which are proper to the Truth-consciousness; the ordinary mental instrumentation, life-instrumentation, physical instrumentation even, could then be entirely transformed and become parts no longer of an ignorance however much illumined, but of a supramental creation which would be the true action of a spiritual truth-consciousness and knowledge.’²⁸ 'Afterwards, by the force of that remoulded consciousness, the course of our evolution could rise by a sublime ascent and get beyond the mental into the supramental and the supreme spiritual nature. It is possible without an actual ascent into these at present superconscient mental planes or without a constant or permanent living in them, by openness to them, by reception of their knowledge and influences, to get rid of a certain extent of our constitutional and psychological ignorance; it is possible to be aware of ourselves as spiritual beings and to spiritualise, though imperfectly, our normal human life and consciousness. There could be a conscious communication and guidance from this greater more luminous mentality and reception of its enlightening and transforming forces. That is within the reach of the highly developed or the spiritually awakened human being; but it would not be more than a preliminary stage. To reach an integral self-knowledge, an entire consciousness and power of being, there is necessary an ascent beyond the plane of our normal mind. Such an ascent is at present possible in an absorbed superconscience; but that could lead only to an entry into the higher levels in a state of immobile or ecstatic trance. If the control of that highest spiritual being is to be brought into our waking life, there must be a conscious heightening and widening into immense ranges of new being, new consciousness, new potentialities of action, a taking up—as integral as possible—of our present being, consciousness, activities and a transmutation of them into divine values which would effect a transfiguration of our human existence. For wherever a radical transition has to be made, there is always this triple movement—ascent, widening of field and base, integration –in Nature’s method of self-transcendence.’²⁹ ‘The Gnostic Individual would be such an inner Person unveiled, occupying both the depths – no longer self-hidden –and the surface in a unified self-awareness; he would not be a surface personality partly expressive of a larger secret being, he would not be the wave but the ocean: he would be the Purusha , the inner conscious Existence self-revealed, and would have no need of a carved expressive mask or persona.”³¹ Recapitulation “As an occult vision opens in him, he becomes aware of worlds behind in which consciousness and personality hold an enormous place and assume a premier value; even here in the material world to this occult vision the inconscience of Matter fills with a secret pervading consciousness, its inanimation harbours a vibrant life, its mechanism is the device of an indwelling Intelligence, God and soul are everywhere… A multiple innumerable personality expressing that One is the very sense and central aim of the manifestation and if now personality seems to be narrow, fragmentary, restrictive, it is only because it has not opened to its source or flowered into its own divine truth and fullness packing itself with the universal and the infinite.”¹² Sri Aurobindo “Each time that the soul takes birth in a new body it comes with the intention of having a new experience which will help it to develop and to perfect its personality. This is how the psychic being is formed from life to life and becomes a completely conscious and independent personality which, once it has arrived at the summit of its development, is free to choose not only the time of its incarnation, but the place, the purpose and the work to be accomplished.”⁴⁷ The Mother We define personality in the ordinary sense as formation of a superficial surface consciousness² oblivious of its deeper and larger identity. This transient waking state is a movement of perceptive consciousness in which records or transcript of physical things and contact with the physical universe are experienced. This personality cannot bring the needed change because the burden which is being laid down by humanity is too great for the present littleness of the petty mind and narrow life instincts. We have to preoccupy ourselves always in awakening our inner realities and learn the lesson to go within which will enlarge our understanding towards the existence through outer mind, life and body. This inward self finding will pave the passage clear for Spiritual-self and Cosmic-self finding. The evolutionary urge in Nature pushes us towards the development of cosmic Force in terrestrial life which needs a larger mental and vital sheath to support it and again this action is further supported by the unveiling of the Psychic Being within and Spiritual Being above. ‘But we see farther that in the end this Purusha, this cause and self of our individuality, comes to embrace the whole world and all other beings in a sort conscious extension of itself and to perceive itself as one with the world-being. In its conscious extension of itself it exceeds the primary experience and abolishes the barriers of its active self-limitation and individualization; by its perception of its own infinite universality it goes beyond all consciousness of separative individuality or limited soul-being. By that very fact the individual ceases to be the self-limiting ego; in other words, our false consciousness of existing only by self-limitation, by rigid distinction of ourselves from the rest of being and becoming is transcended; our identification of ourselves with our personal and temporal individualization in a particular mind and body is abolished.’³⁸ Impersonality of Spiritual self leads us towards the Source and Personality is its manifestation. What we are in our self becoming in outward Nature is conditioned by what is within, occult, in our inner depths and recesses; it is from there that comes the inner initiatives, self-effective formulations, inspirations, revelations, intuitions, life’s motives, mind’s preferences and will’s selections. So in proper building our personality we have to discover the knowledge of the inner initiating self reconciled with accurate and exact perception of outer instrumental self. The full immergence of our multiple personality is indispensable for the full satisfaction and completeness of outer life and emergence of a universalised Spiritual individual by dropping the limited personality of ego. This materialization is possible by opening towards our multiple beings or energy centres. This is a long path and the manifestation of integral Personality is crucial in our bodily life. Always we must centre our life around illimitable affirmative objective of Self opening. It is always the limitation of consciousness, the limitation of understanding, are the cause of frustration, sorrow and suffering. We have to enlarge ourselves by all possible means for which this precious life is given and this priceless time and space are given for the manifestation of the Timeless eternity and Spaceless Omnipotence. So the adoration of a personal God or Divine personality or Guru of Integral Yoga is not limited by the three modes of Inconscient energy, gunas of human personality lighting up the false activity, but he is the sole Real Person, capable of infinite qualities and the source of all Personality representing the whole truth of the Brahman . All Personality is the attributes of the Divine Mother; she acts in Ignorance in the form of limitation of three gunas of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas ; in the Psychic plane she acts as fourfold Soul personality of Brahma Shakti of Self-knowledge and World-Knowledge, Kshetra Shakti of Self-power and Self-strength, Vaisya Shakti of Mutuality and new Creation and Shudra Shakti of Works and Service; in the intermediate Spiritual plane she acts as fourfold personality of Maheswari of Wisdom, Mahakali of Power, Mahalakshmi of Harmony and Beauty and Mahasaraswati of aspects of Perfection; in Supramental plane of Vijnana , she acts as Truth supreme, Power supreme, Supreme Delight and Will supreme. An integration of personality and constant rebirth of new personality is possible by movement of Consciousness from nether plane of Inconscient to the highest plane of Sachchidananda through the above intermediate planes. OM TAT SAT Post Thesis: Personality of the Most Conscious Individual It has been proposed that the most Conscious individual must develop fourfold personality, which is the accumulation of fourfold Soul-forces, which he develops through successive births and its full consummation is possible by triple reversal of Consciousness. First, by opening of his Psychic Being, he will develop contact with executrix Psychic Mother with her fourfold dynamic forces that of Brahama Shakti, Kshetra Shakti, Vaisya Shakti and Shudra Shakti; remould his fourfold instrumental personalities. Then by opening of his Spiritual Being, he will develop contact with Mediatrix Spiritual Mother with her fourfold dynamic forces that of Maheswari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati; remould his fourfold emanative personalities. Then by opening of his Supramental/Bliss Self he will develop contact with Creatrix Supramental/Bliss Mother with her fourfold dynamic forces that of Truth Supreme, Power Supreme, Supreme Delight and Will Supreme; remould his fourfold integral personalities or remould his ‘child like motherhood’ personalities of becoming Divine, Brahmabhuta . Perfection of Soul-Power of Knowledge “A free mind of light develops which is open to every kind of revelation, inspiration, intuition, idea, discrimination, thinking synthesis; an enlightened life of the mind grasps at all knowledge with a delight of finding and reception and holding, a spiritual enthusiasm, passion, or ecstasy; a power of light full of spiritual force, illumination and purity of working manifests its empire, brahma-tejas, brahma-varcas; a bottomless steadiness and illimitable calm upholds all the illumination, movement, action as on some rock of ages, equal, unperturbed, unmoved, acyuta...” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-750-751 Perfection of the Soul-Power of Will and Strength “The godhead, the soul-power of will and strength rises to a like largeness and altitude. An absolute calm fearlessness of the free spirit, an infinite dynamic courage which no peril, limitation of possibility, wall of opposing force can deter from pursuing the work or aspiration imposed by the spirit, a high nobility of soul and will untouched by any littleness or baseness and moving with a certain greatness of step to spiritual victory or the success of the God-given work through whatever temporary defeat or obstacle, a spirit never depressed or cast down from faith and confidence in the power that works in the being, are the signs of this perfection.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-750-751 Perfection of the Soul-Power of Mutuality “There comes too to fulfilment a large godhead, a soul-power of mutuality, a free self-spending and spending of gift and possession in the work to be done, lavished for the production, the creation, the achievement, the possession, gain, utilisable return, a skill that observes the law and adapts the relation and keeps the measure, a great taking into oneself from all beings and a free giving out of oneself to all, a divine commerce, a large enjoyment of the mutual delight of life.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-750-751 Perfection of the Soul-Power of Service “And finally there comes to perfection the godhead, the soul-power of service, the universal love that lavishes itself without demand of return, the embrace that takes to itself the body of God in man and works for help and service, the abnegation that is ready to bear the yoke of the Master and make the life a free servitude to Him and under his direction to the claim and need of his creatures, the self-surrender of the whole being to the Master of our being and his work in the world. These things unite, assist and enter into each other, become one. The full consummation comes in the greatest souls most capable of perfection, but some large manifestation of this fourfold soul-power must be sought and can be attained by all who practise the integral Yoga." CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-750-751 OM TAT SAT References: 1: “For a larger mental being is there within us, a larger inner vital being, even a larger inner subtle-physical being other than our surface body-consciousness, and by entering into this or becoming it, identifying ourselves with it, we can observe the springs of our thoughts and feelings, the sources and motives of our action, the operative energies that build up our surface personality. For we discover and can know the inner being that secretly thinks and perceives in us, the vital being that secretly feels and acts upon life through us, the subtle-physical being that secretly receives and responds to the contacts of things through our body and its organs. Our surface thought, feeling, emotion is a complexity and confusion of impulsions from within and impacts from outside us; our reason, our organizing intelligence can impose on it only an imperfect order: but there within we find the separate sources of our mental, our vital and our physical energisms and can see clearly the pure operations, the distinct powers, the composing elements of each and their interplay in a clear light of self-vision.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-552-53, 2: “In the surface consciousness knowledge represents itself as a truth seen from outside, thrown on us from the object, or as a response to its touch on the sense, a perceptive reproduction of its objective actuality.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-560, 3: “In terms of the Sankhya psychology we can distinguish three types of mental individuality, -- (1) that which is governed by the principle of obscurity and inertia, first-born of the Inconscience, tamasic; (2) that which is governed by a force of passion and activity, kinetic, rajasic; (3) that which is cast in the mould of the Sattwic principle of light, harmony, balance. (1) The tamasic intelligence has its seat in the physical mind: it is inert to ideas, --except to those which it receives inertly, blindly, passively from a recognised source or authority, --obscure in their reception, unwilling to enlarge itself, recalcitrant to new stimulus, conservative and immobile; it clings to its received structure of knowledge and its one power is repetitive practicality, but it is a power limited by the accustomed, the obvious, the established and familiar and already secure; it thrusts away all that is new and likely to disturb it. (2) The rajasic intelligence has its main seat in the vital mind and is of two kinds: (2a) one kind is defensive with violence and passion, assertive of its mental individuality and all that is in agreement with it, preferred by its volition, adapted to its outlook, but aggressive against all that is contrary to its mental ego-structure or unacceptable to its personal intellectuality; (2b) the other kind is enthusiastic for new things, passionate, insistent, impetuous, often mobile beyond measure, inconstant and ever restless, governed in its idea not by truth and light but by the zest of intellectual battle and movement and adventure. (3) The sattwic intelligence is eager for knowledge, as open as it can be to it, careful to consider and verify and balance, to adjust and adapt to its view whatever confirms itself as truth, receiving all in a harmonious intellectual structure: but, because its light is limited, as all mental light must be, it is unable to enlarge itself so as to receive equally all truth and all knowledge; it has a mental ego, even an enlightened one, and is determined by it in its observation, judgment, reasoning mental choice and preference. In most men there is a predominance of one of these qualities but also a mixture; the same mind can be open and plastic and harmonic in one direction, kinetic and vital, hasty and prejudiced and ill-balanced in another, in yet another obscure and unreceptive. This limitation by personality, this defence of personality and refusal to receive what is unassimilable, is necessary for the individual being because in its evolution, at the stage reached, it has a certain self-expression, a certain type of experience and use of experience which must, for the mind and life at least, govern nature; that for the moment is its law of being, its dharma. This limitation of mind-consciousnessby personality and of truth of mental temperament and preference must be the rule of our nature so long as the individual has not reached universality, is not yet preparing for mind-transcendence. But it is evident that this condition is inevitably a source of error and can at any moment be the cause of a falsification of knowledge, an unconscious or half-willful self-deception, a refusal to admit true knowledge, a readiness to assert acceptable wrong knowledge as true knowledge.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-642-43, 4: “Impersonality is in its source something fundamental and universal; it is an existence, a force, a consciousness that takes on various shapes of its being and energy; each such shape of energy, quality, power or force, though still in itself general, impersonal and universal, is taken by the individual being as material for building of his personality. Thus impersonality is in the original undifferentiated truth of things the pure substance of nature of the Being, the Person; in the dynamic truth of things it differentiates its powers and lends them to constitute by their variations the manifestation of personality. Love is the nature of the lover, courage the nature of the warrior; love and courage are impersonal and universal forces or formulations of the cosmic Force, they are the spirit’s powers of its universal being and nature. The Person is the Being supporting what is thus impersonal, holding it in himself as his, his nature of self; he is that which is the lover and warrior. What we call the personality of the Person is his expression in nature-status and nature-action, --he himself being in his self-existence, originally and ultimately, much more than that; it is the form of himself that he puts forth as his manifested already developed natural being or self in nature.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1028-29, 5: “The part of us that we have characterized as intraconscient and circumconscient (Refer The Life Divine-851 where subliminal is Intraconscient) is a still more potent and much more valuable element in the constitution of our being. It includes the large action of an inner intelligence and inner sense-mind, of an inner vital, even of an inner subtle-physical being which upholds and embraces our waking consciousness, which is not brought to the front, which is subliminal, in the modern phrase. But when we can enter and explore this hidden self, we find that our waking sense and intelligence are for the most part a selection from what we secretly are or can be, an exteriorized and much mutilated and vulgarized edition of our real, our hidden being or an upthrow from its depths. Our surface being has been formed with this subliminal help by an evolution out of the Inconscient for the utility of our present mental and physical life on earth; this that is behind is a formation mediating between the Inconscient and the larger planes of Life and Mind which have been created by involutionary descent and whose pressure has helped to bring about the evolution of mind and life in Matter. Our surface responses to physical existence have at their back the support of an activity in these veiled parts, are often responses from them modified by a surface mental rendering. But also that large part of our mentality and vitality which is not a response to the outside world but lives for itself or throws itself out on material existence to use and possess it, our personality, is the outcome, the amalgamated formulation of powers, influences, motives proceeding from this potent intraconscient secrecy.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-763-64, 6: “We can get some glimpse of what this means, to what it amounts in action, when we look at the nature of exclusive concentration in mental man, in our own consciousness. First of all, we must note that what we mean ordinarily by the man is not the inner self, but only a sum of apparent continuous movement of consciousnessand energy in past, present and future to which we give this name. It is this that in appearance does all works of the man, thinks all his thoughts, feels all his emotions. This energy is a movement of Consciousness-Force concentrated on a temporal stream of inward and outward workings. But we know that behind this stream of energy there is a whole sea of consciousness which is aware of the stream, but of which the stream is unaware; for this sum of surface energy is a selection, an outcome from all the rest that is invisible. That sea is the subliminal self, the superconscient, the subconscient, the intraconscient and circumconscient being, and holding it all together the soul, the psychic entity. The stream is the natural, the superficial man. In this superficial manTapas, the being’s dynamic force of consciousness, is concentrated on the surface in a certain mass of superficial workings; all the rest of itself it has put behind and may be vaguely aware of it there in the unformulated back of its conscious existence, but is not aware of it in this superficial absorbed movement in front. It is not precisely, at any rate in that back or in the depths, ignorant of itself in any essential sense of the word, but for the purposes of its superficial movement and within that movement only it is oblivious of its real, its greater self, by absorption, by exclusive concentration on what it is superficially doing. Yet it is really the hidden sea and not the superficial stream which is doing all the action: it is the sea that is the source of this movement, not the conscious wave, absorbed in its movement, living in that, seeing nothing else but that, may think about the matter. And that sea, the real self, the integral conscious being, the integral force of being, is not ignorant; even the wave is not essentially ignorant, --for it contains within itself all the consciousness it has forgotten but for that it could not act or endure at all, --but it is self-oblivious, absorbed in its own movement, too absorbed to note anything else than the movement while that continues to preoccupy it. A limited practical self-oblivion, not an essential and binding self-ignorance, is the nature of this exclusive concentration which is yet the root of that which works as the Ignorance.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-605-606, 7: “Therefore in his superficial consciousness man is to himself dynamically, the man of the moment, not the man of the past who once was but is no longer in existence, nor the man of the future who is not yet in being; it is by memory that he links himself with the one, by anticipation with the other: a continuous ego-sense runs through the three times, but this is a centralising mental construction, not an essential or an extended existence containing what was, is and will be. An intuition of self is behind it, but that is an underlying identity, unaffected by the changes of his personality; in his surface formation of being he is not that but what he is at the moment. Yet all the time this existence in the moment is not the real or the whole truth of his being, but only a practical or pragmatic truth for the purposes of the superficial movement of his life and within its limits. It is a truth, not an unreality, but a truth only in its positive part; in its negative parts it is an ignorance, and this negative ignorance limits and often distorts even the practical truth, so that the conscious life of man proceeds according to an ignorance, a partial, a half-true half-false knowledge, not according to the real truth of himself of which he is oblivious. Yet because his real self is the true determinator and governs all secretly from behind, it is after all a knowledge behind which really determines the formed course of his existence; the superficial ignorance erects a necessary limiting outline and supplies the factors by which the outward colour and turn needed for his present human life and his present moment are given to his consciousness and his action. In the same way and for the same reason man identifies himself solely with the name and form he wears in his present existence; he is ignorant of his past before birth even as of his future after death. Yet all that he forgets is contained, present and effective, in the all-retaining integral consciousness within him.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-606-07, 8: “But the first of these two movements, (the knowledge by direct contact and knowledge by identity), the awakening to our inner realities, imposes itself as the prior necessity because it is by this inward self-finding that the second –the cosmic self-finding –can become entirely possible: we have to go into our inner being and learn to live in it and from it; the outer mind and life and body must become for us only an antechamber. All that we are on the outside is indeed conditioned by what is within, occult, in our inner depths and recesses; it is thence that come the secret initiatives, the self-effective formations; our inspirations, our intuitions, our life motives, our mind’s preferences, our will’s selections are actuated from there, --in so far as they are not shaped or influenced by an insistence, equally hidden, of a surge of cosmic impacts: but the use we make of these emergent powers and these influences is conditioned, largely determined and, above all, very much limited by our outermost nature. It is then the knowledge of this inner initiating self coupled with the accurate perception of the outer instrumental self and the part played by both of them in our building that we have to discover.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-551-52, 9: “But because the burden which is being laid on mankind is too great for the present littleness of the human personality and its petty mind and small life-instincts, because it cannot operate the needed change, because it is using this new apparatus and organisation to serve the old infraspiritual and infrarational life-self of humanity, the destiny of the race seems to be heading dangerously, as if impatiently and in spite of itself, under the drive of the vital ego seized by colossal forces which are on the same scale as the huge mechanical organisation of life and scientific knowledge which it has evolved, a scale too large for its reason and will to handle, into a prolonged confusion and perilous crisis and darkness of violent shifting incertitude. Even if this turns out to be a passing phase or appearance and a tolerable structural accommodation is found which will enable mankind to proceed less catastrophically on its uncertain journey, this can only a respite. For the problem is fundamental and in putting it evolutionary Nature in man is confronting herself with a critical choice which must one day be solved in the true sense if the race is to arrive or even to survive. The evolutionary nisus (effort) is pushing towards a development of the cosmic Force in terrestrial life which needs a larger mental and vital being to support it, a wider mind, a greater wider more conscious unanimised Life-Soul, Anima, and that again needs an unveiling of the supporting Soul and spiritual Self within to maintain it.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1092-93, 10: “A gnostic Supernature transcends all the values of our normal ignorant Nature; our standards and values are created by ignorance and therefore cannot determine the life of Super- nature. At the same time our presentnature is a derivation from Supernature and is not a pure ignorance but a half-knowledge; it is therefore reasonable to suppose that whatever spiritual truth there is in or behind its standards and values will reappear in the higher life, not as standards, but as elements transformed, uplifted out of the ignorance and raised into the true harmonyof a more luminous existence. As the universalized spiritual individual sheds the limited personality, the ego, as he rises beyond mind to a completer knowledge in Supernature, the conflicting ideals of the mind must fall away from him, but what is true behind them will remain in the life of Supernature. The gnostic consciousness is a consciousness in which all contradictions are cancelled or fused into each other in a higher light of seeing andbeing, in a unified self-knowledge and world-knowledge. The gnostic being will not accept the mind’s idealsand standards; he will not be moved to live for himself, for his ego, or for humanity or for others or for thecommunity or for the State; for he will be aware of something greater than these half-truths, of the Divine Reality, and it is for that he will live, for its will in himself and in all, in a spirit of large universality, in the light of the will of the Transcendence. For the same reason there can be no conflict between self-affirmation and altruism in the gnostic life, for the self of the gnostic being is one with the self of all, — no conflict between the ideal of individualism and the collective ideal, for both are terms of a greater Reality and only in so far as either expresses the Reality or their fulfilment serves the will of the Reality, can they have a value for his spirit. But at the same time what is true in the mental ideals and dimly figured in them will be fulfilled in his existence; forwhile his consciousness exceeds the human values so that he cannot substitute mankind or the community or the State or others or himself for God, the affirmation of the Divine in himself and a sense of the Divine in others and the sense of oneness with humanity, with all other beings, with all the world because of the Divine inthem and a lead towards a greater and better affirmation of the growing Reality in them will be part of his lifeaction. But what he shall do will be decided by the Truth of the Knowledge and Will in him, a total and infinite Truth that is not bound by any single mental law or standard but acts with freedom in the whole reality, withrespect for each truth in its place and with a clear knowledge of the forces at work and the intention in the manifesting Divine Nisus at each step of cosmic evolution and in each event and circumstance.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1101-02, 11: “But what we thus call personality is only a formation of superficial consciousness… our personality, is the outcome, the amalgamated formulations of powers, influences, motives proceeding from this potent intraconscient secrecy… Personality is only a temporary mental, vital, physical formation which the being, the real Person, the psychic entity, puts forward on the surface, --it is not the self in its abiding reality…” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-367-68, 764, 848, 12: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-127-128, 13: “A perfect equality not only of the self, but in the nature is a condition of the Yoga of self perfection. The first obvious step to it will be the conquest of our emotional and vital being, for here are the sources of greatest trouble, the most rampant forces of inequality and subjection, the most insistent claim of our imperfection. The equality of these parts of our nature comes by purification and freedom…All that comes to it from the world with menace or with solicitation, it will refer to the higher principles, to a reason and heart, in touch with or changed by the light and calm joy of the spirit… There is no question here of an ascetic killing of the life-impulse and its native utilities and functions; not its killing is demanded, but its transformation.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-702-703, 14: “In some human beings it is the physical Purusha, the being of the body, who dominates the mind, will and action; there is then created the physical man mainly occupied with his corporeal life and habitual needs, impulses, life habits, mind habits, body habits, looking very little or not at all beyond that, subordinating and restricting all his other tendencies and possibilities to that narrow formation. But even in the physical man there are other elements and he cannot live altogether as the human animal concerned with birth and death and procreation and the satisfaction of common impulses and desires and the maintenance of the life and the body: this is his normal type of personality, but it is crossed, however feebly, with influences by which he can proceed, if they are developed, to a higher human evolution. If the inner subtle-physical Purusha insists, he can arrive at the idea of a finer, more beautiful and perfect physical life and hope or attempt to realize it in his own or in the collective or group existence.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-931-32, 15: “It is here that the surface vital personality of life-self asserts its dominance, and this dominance of the ignorant vital being is the principal active source of discord and disharmony, a cause of inner and outer perturbations of life, a mainspring of wrong-doing and evil. The natural vital element in us, in so far as it is unchecked or untrained or retains its primitive character, is not concerned with truth or right consciousness or right action; it is concerned with self-affirmation, with life-growth, with possession, with satisfaction of impulse, with all satisfactions of desire… It does not follow that this is all that the vital personality is in its native composition or that evil is its very nature. It is not primarily concerned with truth and good, but it can have the passion for truth and good as it has, more spontaneously, the passion for joy and beauty. In all that is developed by the life-force there is developed at the same time a secret delight somewhere in the being, a delight in good and a delight in evil, a delight in truth and a delight in falsehood, a delight in life and an attraction to death, a delight in pleasure and a delight in pain, in one’s own suffering and the suffering of others, but also in one’s own joy and happiness and good and the joy and happiness and good of others… It is only if the inner or true vital being replaces the outer life-personality that the drive of the vital ego can be wholly overcome and the life-force become the servant of the soul and a powerful instrumentation for the action of our true spiritual being.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-644, 645, 646, 16: “In others it is the vital self, the being of life, who dominates and rules the mind, the will, the action: then is created the vital man, concerned with self-affirmation, self-aggrandisement, life-enlargement, satisfaction of ambition and passion and impulse and desire, the claims of his ego, domination, power, excitement, battle and struggle, inner and outer adventure: all else is incidental or subordinated to this movement and building and expression of the vital ego. But still in the vital man too there are or can be other elements of a growing mental or spiritual character, even if these happen to be less developed than his life-personality and life-power. The nature of the vital man is more active, stronger and more mobile, more turbulent and chaotic, often to the point of being quite unregulated, than that of the physical man who holds on to the soil and has a certain material poise and balance, but it is more kinetic and creative: for the element of the vital being is not earth but air; it has more movement, less status. A vigorous vital mind and will can grasp and govern the kinetic vital energies, but it is more by a forceful compulsion and constraint than by a harmonization of the being. If, however, a strong vital personality, mind and will can get the reasoning intelligence to give it a firm support and be its minister, then a certain kind of forceful formation can be made, more or less balanced but always powerful, successful and effective, which can impose itself in the nature and environment and arrive at a strong self-affirmation in life and action. This is the second step of harmonized formulation possible in the ascent of the nature.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-932, 17: “As there has been established on earth a mental Consciousness and Power which shapes a race of mental beings and takes up into itself all of earthly nature that is ready for the change, so now there will be established on earth a gnostic Consciousness and Power which will shape a race of Gnostic spiritual beings and take up into itself all of earth-nature that is ready for this new transformation. It will also receive into itself from above, progressively, from its own domain of perfect light and power and beauty all that is ready to descend from that domain into terrestrial being. For the evolution proceeded in the past by the upsurging at each critical stage, of a concealed Power from its involution in the Inconscience, but also by a descent from above, from its own plane, of that Power already self-realised in its own higher natural province. In all these previous stages there has been a division between surface self and consciousness and subliminal self and consciousness; the surface was formed mainly under the push of the upsurging force from below, by the Inconscient developing a slowly emergent formulation of a concealed force of the spirit, the subliminal partly in this way but mainly by a simultaneous influx of the largeness of the same force from above: a mental and a vital being descended into the subliminal parts and formed from its secret station there a mental or a vital personality on the surface. But before the Supramental change can begin, the veil between the subliminal and the surface parts must have been already broken down; the influx, the descent will be in the entire consciousness as a whole, it will not take place partly behind a veil: the process will be no longer a concealed, obscure and ambiguous procedure but an open outflowering consciously felt and followed by the whole being in its transmutation. In other respects the process will be identical, --a Supramental inflow from above, the descent of a Gnostic being into the nature and an emergence of the concealed Supramental force from below; the influx and unveiling between them will remove what is left of the nature of the Ignorance. The rule of the Inconscience will be hanged by the outburst of the greater secret Consciousness within it, the hidden Light, into what it always was in reality, a sea of the secret Superconscience. A first formation of a gnostic consciousness and nature will be the consequence.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1002-03, 18: “Therefore there is, as well as a shifting or change of Time-point and Space-field, a constant modifying change of the sum of circumstances experienced in Time and Space and as the result a constant modification of mental personality which is the form of our superficial or apparent self. All this change of circumstance is summed up in philosophical language as causality; for in this stream of the cosmic movement the antecedent state seems to be the cause of a subsequent state, or else this subsequent state seems to be the result of a previous action of persons, objects or forces: yet in fact what we call cause may very well be only circumstance. Thus the mind has over and above its direct self-consciousness a more or less indirect mutable self-experience which it divides into two parts, (1) its subjective experience of the ever-modified mental states of its personality and (2) its objective experience of the ever-changing environment which seems partly or wholly to cause and is yet at the same time itself affected by the workings of that personality. But all this experience is at bottom subjective; for even the objective and external is only known to mind in the form of subjective impressions.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-531-32, 19: “At higher stage of the evolution of personality the being of mind may rule; there is then created the mental man who lives predominantly in the mind as the others live in the vital and the physical nature. The mental man tends to subordinate to his mental self-expression, mental aims, mental interests or to a mental idea or ideal the rest of his being: because of the difficulty of this subordination and its potent effect when achieved, it is at once more difficult for him and easier to arrive at a harmony of his nature. It is easier because the mental will once in control can convince by the power of reasoning intelligence and at the same time dominate, compress or suppress the life and the body and their demands, arrange and harmonise them, force them to be its instruments, even reduce them to a minimum so that they shall not disturb the mental life or pull it down from its ideative or idealizing movement. It is more difficult because life and body are the first powers and, if they are in the least strong, can impose themselves with an almost irresistible insistence on the mental ruler. Man is a mental being and the mind is the leader of his life and body; but this is a leader who is much led by his followers and has sometimes no other will than what they impose on him. Mind in spite of its power is often impotent before the inconscient and Subconscient which obscure its clarity and carry it away on the tide of instinct or impulse; in spite of its clarity it is fooled by vital and emotional suggestions into giving sanction to ignorance and error, to wrong thought and to wrong action, or it is obliged to look on while the nature follows what it knows to be wrong, dangerous or evil. Even when it is strong and clear and dominant, Mind though it imposes a certain, a considerable mentalised harmony, cannot integrate the whole being and nature. These harmonisations by an inferior control are, besides, inconclusive, because it is one part of the nature which dominates and fulfils itself while the others are coerced and denied their fullness. They can be steps on the way, but not final; therefore in most men there is no such sole dominance and effected partial harmony, but only a predominance and for the rest an unstable equilibrium of personality of half formed, half in formation, sometimes a disequilibrium or unbalance due to the lack of a central government or the disturbance of a formerly achieved partial poise. All must be transitional until a first though not a final, true harmonization is achieved by finding our real centre.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-932-933-934, 20: “Moreover, we find in this inner or subliminal being the means of directly distinguishing between what rises from within and what comes to us from outside, from others or from universal Nature, and it becomes possible to exercise a control, a choice, a power of willed reception, rejection and selection, a clear power of self-building and harmonisation which we do not possess or can operate very imperfectly in our composed surface personality but which is the prerogative of our inner Person. For by this entry into the depths the inner being, no longer quite veiled, no longer obliged to exercise a fragmentary influence on its outer instrumental consciousness, is able to formulate itself more luminously in our life in the physical universe.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-553-54, 21: “If it be said that subjective experience or subtle-sense images can easily be deceptive, since we have no recognised method or standard of verification and a too great tendency to admit the extraordinary and miraculous or supernatural at its face value, this may be admitted: but error is not the prerogative of the inner subjective or subliminal parts of us, it is also an appanage (something granted as special favor) of the physical mind and its objective methods and standards, and such liability to error cannot be a reason for shutting out a large and important domain of experience; it is a reason rather for scrutinising it and finding out in it its own true standards and its characteristic, appropriate and valid means of verification. Our subjective being is the basis of our objective experience, and it is not probable that only its physical objectivisations are true and the rest unreliable. The subliminal consciousness, when rightly interrogated, is a witness to truth and its testimony is confirmed again even in the physical and the objective field that testimony cannot, then, be disregarded when it call our attention to things within us or to things that belong to planes or worlds of supraphysical experience.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-803-04, 22: “There is indeed a soul personality, representative of this entity, already built up within us, which puts forward a fine psychic element in our natural being: but this finer factor in our normal make-up is not yet dominant and has only a limited action. Our soul is not the overt guide and master of our thought and acts; it has to rely on the mental, vital, physical instruments for self-expression and is constantly overpowered by our mind and life-force: but if once it can succeed in remaining in constant communion with its own larger occult reality, --and this can only happen when we go deep into our subliminal parts, --it is no longer dependent, it can become powerful and sovereign, armed with an intrinsic spiritual perception of the truth of things and a spontaneous discernment which separates that truth from the falsehood of the Ignorance and Inconscience, distinguishes the divine and the undivine in the manifestation and so can be the luminous leader of our other parts of nature. It is indeed when this happens that there can be the turning-point towards an integral transformation and an integral knowledge… For much more than the mind or life which can turn either to good or to evil, it is the soul-personality, the psychic being, which insists on the distinction, though in a larger sense than the mere moral difference. It is the soul in us which turns always towards Truth, Good and Beauty; because it is by these things that it itself grows in stature; the rest, their opposites, are a necessary part of experience, but have to be outgrown in the spiritual increase of the being.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-559, 632, 23: “All views of existence that stop short of the Transcendence and ignore it must be incomplete accounts of the truth of being. The pantheistic view of the identity of the Divine and the Universe is a truth, for all this that is the Brahman: but it stops short of the whole truth when it misses and omits the supracosmic Reality. On the other side, every view that affirms the cosmos only and dismisses the individual as a by-product of the cosmic Energy, errs by laying too much emphasis on one apparent factual aspect of the world-action; it is true only of the natural individual and is not even the whole truth of that: for the natural individual, the nature-being, is indeed a product of the universal Energy, but is at the same time a nature–personality of the soul, an expressive formation of the inner being and person, and this soul is not a perishable cell or a dissoluble portion of the cosmic Spirit, but has its original immortal reality in the Transcendence. It is a fact that the cosmic Beingexpresses itself through the individual being, but also it is a truth that the Transcendental Reality expresses itself through both the individual existence and the Cosmos; the soul is an eternal portion of the Supreme and not a fraction of Nature. But equally any view that sees the universe as existent only in the individual consciousness must very evidently be a fragmentary truth: it is justified by a perception of the universality of the spiritual individual and his power of embracing the whole universe in his consciousness; but neither the cosmos nor the individual consciousness is the fundamental truth of existence; for both depend upon and exist by the transcendent Divine Being.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-687-88, 24: “As the psychic personality grows stronger, it begins to increase its communion with the psychic entity behind it and improve its communications with the surface: it can transmit its intimations to the mind and heart and life with a greater purity and force; for it is more able to exercise a strong control and react against false mixture; now more and more it makes itself distinctly felt as a power in the nature. But even so this evolution would be slow and long if left solely to the difficult automatic action of the evolutionary Energy; it is only when man awakes to the knowledge of the soul and feels a need to bring it to the front and make it the master of his life and action that a quicker conscious method of evolution intervenes and a psychic transformation becomes possible… But in man the psychic part of the personality is able to develop with a much greater rapidity than in the inferior creation, and a time can arrive when the soul entity is close to the point at which it will emerge from behind the veil into the open and become the master of its instrumentation in Nature…This may happen long before the psycho-spiritual change is complete or even before it as well begun or proceeded far, because the psychic personality has become aware and has an eager concentration towards the superconscience…This (transformation of Nature) can be done from within by an invisible action through the psychic entity and the psychic personality; a consciously felt descent from above is not indispensable.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-928-29, 877, 944, 967, 25: “As the crust of the outer nature cracks, as the walls of inner separation break down, the inner light gets through, the inner fire burns in the heart, the substance of the nature and the stuff of consciousness refine to a greater subtlety and purity, and the deeper psychic experiences, those which are not solely of an inner mental or inner vital character, become possible in this subtler, purer, finer substance; the soul begins to unveil itself, the psychic personality reaches its full stature. The soul, the psychic entity, then manifests itself as the central being which upholds mind and life and body and supports all the other powers and functions of the Spirit; it takes up its greater function as the guide and ruler of the nature. A guidance, a governance begins from within which exposes every movement to the light of Truth, repels what is false, obscure, opposed to the divine realisation: every region of the being, every nook and corner of it, every movement, formation, direction, inclination of thought, will, emotion, sensation, action, reaction, motive, disposition, propensity, desire, habit of the conscious or subconscious physical, even the most concealed, camouflaged, mute, recondite, is lighted up with the unerring psychic light, their confusions dissipated, their tangles disentangled, their obscurities, deceptions, self-deceptions precisely indicated and removed; all is purified, set right, the whole nature harmonised, modulated in the psychic key, put in spiritual order. This process may be rapid or tardy according to the amount of obscurity and resistance still left in the nature, but it goes on unfalteringly so long as it is not complete. As a final result the whole conscious being is made perfectly apt for spiritual experience of every kind, turned towards spiritual truth of thought, feeling, sense, action, tuned to the right responses, delivered from the darkness and stubbornness of the tamasic inertia, the turbidities and turbulences and impurities of the rajasic passion and restless unharmonised kinetism, the enlightened rigidities and sattwic limitations or poised balancements of constructed equilibrium which are the character of the Ignorance.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-941, “This may happen long before the psycho-spiritual change is complete or even before it as well begun or proceeded far, because the psychic personality has become aware and has an eager concentration towards the superconscience.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-944, 26: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga-622, 27: “The human birth in this world is on its spiritual side a complex of two elements, (1) a spiritual Person and (2) a soul of personality; the former is man’s eternal being, the latter is his cosmic and mutable-being. (1) As the spiritual impersonal person he is one in his nature and being with freedom of Sachchidananda who has here consented to or willed his involution in the Nescience for a certain round of soul-experience, impossible otherwise, and presides secretly over its evolution. (2) As the soul of personality he is himself part of that long development of the soul-experience in the forms of Nature; his own evolution must follow the laws and the lines of the universal evolution. (1) As a spirit he is one with the Transcendence which is immanent in the world and comprehensive of it; (2) as a soul he is at once one with and part of the universality of Sachchidananda self-expressed in the world: his self expression must go through the stages of the cosmic expression, his soul experience follow the revolutions of the wheel of Brahman in the universe.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-788-89, What is wheel of Brahman? “From Matter, anna , creatures come into being, from rain is the birth of Matter (food, anna ), from sacrifice comes into being the rain (Divine Grace), sacrifice is born of work; work know to be born of Brahman (Divine Will), Brahman (Divine Will) is born of Immutable (Chit Shakti ), therefore is the all-pervading Brahman Consciousness (Chit Shakti) is established in Matter by continuous sacrifice, nitya Yajna . He who follows not here this wheel of works , evam pravartitam chakram , thus set in movement, evil is his being, sensual is his delight, in vain, O Partha that man lives.” The Gita-3.14, 15, 16 28: “‘There is, then, evidently a spiritual consciousness which is other than the mental, and it testifies to the existence of a spiritual being in us which is other than our surface mental personality. But at first (1) this consciousness may confine itself to a status of being separate from the action of our ignorant surface nature, observing it, limiting itself to knowledge, to a seeing of things with a spiritual sense and vision of existence. For action it may still depend upon the mental, vital, bodily instruments, or it remain satisfied with self-experience and self-knowledge, with an inner liberation, an eventual freedom: (2) but it may also and usually does exercise a certain authority, governance, influence on thought, life movement, physical action, a purifying uplifting control compelling them to move in a higher and purer truth of themselves, to obey or be an instrumentation of an influx of some diviner Power or a luminous direction which is not mental but spiritual and can be recognized as having a certain divine character, --the inspiration of a greater Self or the command of the Ruler of all being, the Ishwara. (3) Or the nature may obey the psychic entity’s intimations, move in an inner light, follow an inner guidance. This is already a considerable evolution and amounts to a beginning at least of a psychic and spiritual transformation. (4) But it is possible to go farther; for the spiritual being, once inwardly liberated, can develop in mind the higher states of being that are its own natural atmosphere and bring down a supramental energy and action which are proper to the Truth-consciousness; the ordinary mental instrumentation, life-instrumentation, physical instrumentation even, could then be entirely transformed and become parts no longer of an ignorance however much illumined, but of a supramental creation which would be the true action of a spiritual truth-consciousness and knowledge.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p- 888, 29: “In the superconscience beyond our present level of awareness are included the higher planes of mental being as well as the native heights of supramental and pure spiritual being. The first indispensable step in an upward evolution would be to elevate our force of consciousness into those higher parts of Mind from which we already receive, but without knowing the source, much of our larger mental movements, those, especially, that come with a greater power and light, the revelatory, the inspirational, the intuitive. On these mental heights, in these largeness, if the consciousness could succeed in reaching them or maintain and centre itself there, something of the direct presence and power of the spirit, something even –however secondary or indirect –of the supermind could receive a first expression, could make itself initially manifest, could intervene in the government of our lower being and help to remould it. Afterwards, by the force of that remoulded consciousness, the course of our evolution could rise by a sublime ascent and get beyond the mental into the supramental and the supreme spiritual nature. It is possible without an actual ascent into these at present superconscient mental planes or without a constant or permanent living in them, by openness to them, by reception of their knowledge and influences, to get rid of a certain extent of our constitutional and psychological ignorance; it is possible to be aware of ourselves as spiritual beings and to spiritualise, though imperfectly, our normal human life and consciousness. There could be a conscious communication and guidance from this greater more luminous mentality and reception of its enlightening and transforming forces. That is within the reach of the highly developed or the spiritually awakened human being; but it would not be more than a preliminary stage. To reach an integral self-knowledge, an entire consciousness and power of being, there is necessary an ascent beyond the plane of our normal mind. Such an ascent is at present possible in an absorbed superconscience; but that could lead only to an entry into the higher levels in a state of immobile or ecstatic trance. If the control of that highest spiritual being is to be brought into our waking life, there must bea conscious heightening and widening into immense ranges of new being, new consciousness, new potentialities of action, a taking up—as integral as possible—of our present being, consciousness, activities and a transmutation of them into divine values which would effect a transfiguration of our human existence. For wherever a radical transition has to be made, there is always this triple movement—ascent, widening of field and base, integration –in Nature’s method of self-transcendence.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-765-66, 30: “The greater the variety of formations that have existed in the past and can be utilized, the more rich and multitudinous the accumulated buildings of experience, the more their essential result of capacity for knowledge, power, action, character, manifold response to the universe can be brought forward and harmonised in the new birth, the more numerous the veiled personalities mental, vital, subtle-physical that combine to enrich the new personality on the surface, the greater and more opulent will be that personality and the nearer to the possible transition out of the completed mental stage of evolution to something beyond it. Such a complexity and gathering up of many personalities in one person can be a sign of a very advanced stage of the individual’s evolution when there is a strong central being that holds all together and works towards harmonization and integration of the whole many-sided movement of the nature. But this opulent taking up of the past would not be a repetition of personality; it would be a new formation and large consummation. It is not as a machinery for the persistent renewal or prolongation of an unchanging personality that rebirth exists, but as a means for the evolution of the spiritual being in Nature.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-848-49, 31: “A Supramental Gnostic individual will be a spiritual Person, but not a personality in the sense of a pattern of being marked out by a settled combination of fixed qualities, a determined character; he cannot be that since he is a conscious expression of the universal and transcendent. But neither can his being be a capricious impersonal flux throwing up at random waves of various form, waves of personality as it pours through Time. Something like this may be felt in men who have no strong centralizing Person in their depths but act from a sort of confused multipersonality according to whatever element in them becomes prominent at the time; but the Gnostic consciousness is a consciousness of harmony and self-knowledge and self-mastery and would not present such disorder. There are, indeed, varying notions of what constitutes personality and what constitutes character. In one view personality is regarded as a fixed structure of recognizable qualities expressing a power of being; but another idea distinguishes personality and character, personality as a flux of self-expressive or sensitive and responsive being, character as a formed fixity of Nature’s structure. But flux of nature and fixity of nature are two aspects of being neither of which, nor indeed both together, can be a definition of personality. For in all men there is a double element, the unformed though limited flux of being or Nature out of which personality is fashioned and personal formation out of that flux. The formation may become rigid and ossify or it may remain sufficiently plastic to change constantly and develop; but it develops out of the formative flux, by a modification or enlargement or remoulding of the personality, not, ordinarily, by an abolition of the formation already made and the substitution of a new form of being, --this can only occur in an abnormal turn or supernormal conversion. But besides this flux and this fixity there is also a third and occult element, the Person behind of whom the personality is a self-expression; the Person puts forward the personality as his role, character, persona, in the present act of his long drama of manifested existence. But Person is larger than his personality, and it may happen that this inner largeness overflows into the surface formation; the result is a self-expression of being which can no longer be described by fixed qualities, normalities of mood, exact lineaments, or marked out by a structural limits. But neither is it a mere indistinguishable, quite amorphous and unseizable flux: though its acts of nature can be characterized but not itself, still it can be distinctively felt, followed in its action, it can be recognized, though it cannot be easily described; for it is a power of being rather than a structure. The ordinary restricted personality can be grasped by a description of the characters stamped on its life and thought and action, its very definite surface building and expression of self; even if we may miss whatever was not so expressed, that might seem to detract little from the general adequacy of our understanding, because the element missed is usually little more than an amorphous raw material, part of the flux, not used to form a significant part of the personality. But such a description would be pitifully inadequate to express the Person when its Power of Self within manifests more amply and puts forward its hidden daemonic force in the surface composition and the life. We feel ourselves in presence of a light of consciousness, a potency, a sea of energy, can distinguish and yet there is an impression of personality, the presence of a powerful being, a strong, high or beautiful recognizable Some-one, a Person, not a limited creature of Nature but a Self or Soul, a Purusha. The Gnostic Individual would be such an inner Person unveiled, occupying both the depths – no longer self-hidden –and the surface in a unified self-awareness; he would not be a surface personality partly expressive of a larger secret being, he would not be the wave but the ocean: he would be the Purusha, the inner conscious Existence self-revealed, and would have no need of a carved expressive mask or persona.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1029-30-31, 32: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-937-938, 33: “But this highest condition is difficult and must evidently take long to bring about; for the participation and consent of the Purusha to the transition is not sufficient, there must be also be the consent and participation of Prakriti. It is not only the central thought and will that have to acquiesce, but all the parts of our being must assent and surrender to the law of spiritual Truth; all has to learn to obey the government of the conscious Divine Power in the members. There are obstinate difficulties in our being born of its evolutionary constitution which militate against this assent. For some of these parts are still subject to the inconscience and subconscience and to the lower automatism of habit or so-called law of nature,--mechanical habit of mind, habit of life, habit of instinct, habit of personality, habit of character, the ingrained mental, vital, physical needs, impulses, desires of natural man, the old functionings of all kinds that are rooted there so deep that it would seem as if we had to dig to abysmal foundations in order to get them out: these parts refuse to give up their response to the lower lawfounded in the Inconscient; they continually send up to the conscious mind and life the old reactions and seek to reaffirm them there as the eternal rule of Nature. Other parts of the being are less obscure and mechanical and rooted in inconscience, but all are imperfect and attached to their imperfection and have their own obstinate reactions; the vital part is wedded to the law of self-affirmation and desire, the mind is attached to its own formed movements, and both are willingly obedient to the inferior law of the Ignorance. And yet the law of participation and the law of surrender are imperative; at each step of the transition (1) the ascent of the Purusha is needed and (2) there must be too the consent of each part of the nature to the action of the higher power for its change. There must be then a conscious self-direction of the mental being in us towards this change, this substitution of Supernature for the old nature, this transcendence. The rule of conscious obedienceto the higher truth of the spirit, the surrender of the whole being to the light and power that come from the Supernature, is a second condition which has to be accomplished slowly and with difficulty by the being itself before the supramental transformation can become at all possible.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-962-63, 34: “But the moment we study ourselves, we find that the self-experience which we thus co-ordinate and consciously utilize for life, is a small part even of our waking individual consciousness. We fasten only upon a very limited number of the mental sensations and perceptions of self and things which come up into our surface consciousness in our continual present: of these again memory saves up only a scanty part from the oblivious gulf of the past; of the storings of memory our intelligence utilizes only a small portion for the co-ordinated knowledge, will utilizes a still smaller percentage for action. A narrow selection, a large rejection or reservation, a miserly-spendthrift system of waste of material and unemployment of resources and a scanty and disorderly modicum of useful spending and utilizable balance seems to be the method of Nature in our conscious becoming even as it is in the field of the material universe. But this is only in appearance, for it would be a wholly untrue account to say that all that is not thus saved up and utilized is destroyed, becomes null and has passed away ineffectually and in vain. A great part of it has been quietly used by Nature herself to form us and actuates that sufficiently large mass of our growth and becoming and action for which our conscious memory, will and intelligence are not responsible. A still greater part is used by her as a store from which she draws and which she utilizes, while we ourselves have utterly forgotten the origin and provenance of this material which we find ourselves employing with a deceptive sense of creation; for we imagine we are creating this new material of our work, when we are only combining results out of that which we have forgotten but Nature in us has remembered. If we admit rebirth as part of her system, we shall realise that all experience has its use; for all experience counts in this prolonged building and nothing is rejected except what has exhausted its utility and would be a burden on the future. A judgment from what appears now in our conscious surface is fallacious: for when we study and understand, we perceive that only a little of her action and growth in us is conscious; the bulk of it is carried on subconsciously as in the rest of her material life. We are not only what we know of ourselves but an immense more which we do not know; our momentary personality is only a bubble on the ocean of our existence.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-575-76, 35: “But if there is to be not only a perfection of the inner existence, of the consciousness, of an inner delight of existence, but a perfection of life and action, two other questions present themselves from our mental view-point which have to our human thought about our life and its dynamisms a considerable, even a premier importance. (1) First, there is the place of personality in the gnostic being, --whether the status, the building of being will be quite other than what we experience as the form and life of the person or similar. If there is a personality and it is in any way responsible for its actions, there intervenes, next, (2) the question of the place of the ethical element and its perfection and fulfillment in the Gnostic nature. Ordinarily, in the common notion, the separative ego is our self and, if ego has to disappear in a transcendental or universal Consciousness, personal life and action must cease; for, the individual disappearing, there can only be an impersonal consciousness, a cosmic self: but if the individual is altogether extinguished, then no further question of personality or responsibility or ethical perfection can arise. According to another line of ideas the spiritual person remains, but liberated, purified, perfected in nature in a celestial existence. But here we are still on earth, and yet it is supposed that the ego personality is extinguished and replaced by a unversalised spiritual individual who is a centre and power of the transcendent Being. It might be deduced that this Gnostic or Supramental individual is a self without personality, an impersonal Purusha. There could be many Gnostic individuals but there would be no personality, all would be the same in being and nature. This, again, would create the idea of a void or blank of pure being from which an action and function of experiencing consciousness would arise, but without a construction of differentiated personality such as that which we now observe and regard as ourselves on our surface. But this would be a mental rather than a Supramental solution of the problem of a spiritual individuality surviving ego and persisting in experience. In the Supermind consciousness personality and impersonality are not opposite principles; they are inseparable aspects of one and the same reality. This reality is not the ego but the being, who is impersonal and universal in his stuff of nature, but forms out of it an expressive personalitywhich is his form of self in the changes of Nature.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine-1027/p-28, 36: “In the view of the old philosophies pleasure and pain are inseparable like intellectual truth and falsehood and power and incapacity and birth and death; therefore the only possible escape from them would be a total indifference, a blank response to the excitations of the world-self. But a subtler psychological knowledge shows us that this view which is based on the surface facts of existence only, does not really exhaust the possibilities of the problem. It is possible by bringing the real soul to the surface to replace the egoistic standards of pleasure and pain by an equal, all-embracing personal-impersonal delight. The lover of Nature does this when he takes joy in all things of Nature universally without admitting repulsion or fear or mere liking and disliking, perceiving beauty in what which seems to others mean and insignificant, bare and savage, terrible and repellent. The artist and the poet do it when they seek the rasa of the universal from the aesthetic emotion or from the physical line or from the mental form of beauty or from the inner sense and power alike of that from which the ordinary man turns away and of that to which he is attached by a sense of pleasure. The seeker of knowledge, the God-lover who finds the object of his love everywhere, the spiritual man, the intellectual, the sensuous, the aesthetic all do this in their own fashion and must do it if they would find embracingly the Knowledge, the Beauty, the Joy or the Divinity which they seek. It is only in the parts where the little ego is usually too strong for us, it is only in our emotional or physical joy and suffering, our pleasure and pain of life, before which the desire-soul in us is utterly weak and cowardly, that the application of the divine principle becomes supreme difficult and seems to many impossible or even monstrous and repellent. Here the ignorance of ego shrinks from the principle of impersonality which it yet applies without too much difficulty in Science, in Art and even in a certain kind of imperfect spiritual living because there the rule of impersonality does not attack those desire cherished by the surface soul and those values of desire fixed by the surface mind in which our outward life is most vitally interested. In the freer and higher movements there is demanded of us only a limited and specialized equality and impersonality proper to a particular field of consciousness and activity while the egoistic basis of our practical life remains to us; in the lower movements the whole foundation of our life has to be changed in order to make room for impersonality, and this the desire soul finds impossible.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-237-38, 37: “For what we mean by Person is conscious being; even if this emerges here as a term or product of the Inconscient, it is not that in reality: for it is the Inconscient itself that is a term of secret Consciousness; what emerges is greater than that in which it emerges, as Mind is greater than Matter, Soul than Mind; Spirit, most secret of all, the supreme emergence, the last revelation, is the greatest of all, and Spirit is the Purusha, the All-Person, the omnipresent Conscious Being. It is the mind’s ignorance of this true Person in us, its confusion of person with our experience of ego and limited personality, the misleading phenomenon of the emergence of the limited consciousness and personality in an inconscient existence that have made us create an opposition between these two aspects (personal and impersonal) of the Reality, but in truth there is no opposition. An eternal infinite self-existence is the supreme reality, but the supreme transcendent eternal Being, Self and Spirit, --an infinite Person, we may say, because his being is the essence and source of all personality,--is the reality and meaning of self-existence: so too the cosmic Self, Spirit, Being, Person is the reality and meaning of cosmic existence; the same Self, Spirit, Being or person manifesting its multiplicity is the reality and meaning of individual existence.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-368, 38: “But in the end we have to see that our individualization is only a superficial formation, a practical selection and limited conscious synthesis for the temporary utility of life in a particular body, or else it is a constantly changing and developing synthesis pursued through successive lives in successive bodies. (Refer The Life Divine-367) Behind it there is a consciousness, a Purusha, who is not determined or limited by his individualization or by this synthesis but on the contrary determines, supports and yet exceeds it. That which he selects from in order to construct this synthesis, is his total experience of the world being. Therefore our individualization exists by virtue of the world being, but also by virtue of a consciousness which uses the world being for experience of its possibilities of individuality. These two powers, (1) Person and (2) his world-material, are both necessary for our present experience of individuality. If the Purusha with his individualizing synthesis of consciousness were to disappear, to merge, to annul himself in any way, our constructed individuality would cease because the Reality that supported it would no longer be in presence; if, on the other hand, the world-being were to dissolve, merge, disappear, then also our individualization would cease, for the material of experience by which it effectuates itself would be wanting. We have then to recognize these two terms of our existence, (1) a world-being and (2) an individualizing consciousness which is the cause of all our self-experience and world-experience.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine-383 “But we see farther that in the end this Purusha, this cause and self of our individuality, comes to embrace the whole world and all other beings in a sort conscious extension of itself and to perceive itself as one with the world-being. In its conscious extension of itself it exceeds the primary experience and abolishes the barriers of its active self-limitation and individualization; by its perception of its own infinite universality it goes beyond all consciousness of separative individuality or limited soul-being. By that very fact the individual ceases to be the self-limiting ego; in other words, our false consciousness of existing only by self-limitation, by rigid distinction of ourselves from the rest of being and becoming is transcended; our identification of ourselves with our personal and temporal individualization in a particular mind and body is abolished.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-383-384, 39: “This is the third motion, the descent which is essential for bringing the permanent ascension, an increasing inflow from above, an experience of reception and retention of the descending spirit or its powers and elements of consciousness. This experience of descent can take place as a result of the other two movements or automatically before either has happened, through a sudden rift in the lid or a percolation, a downpour or aninflux. A light descends and touches or envelops or penetrates the lower being, the mind, the life or the body; or a presence or a power or a stream of knowledge pours in waves or currents, or there is a flood of bliss or a sudden ecstasy; the contact with the superconscient has been established. For such experiences repeat themselves till they become normal, familiar and well- understood, revelatory of their contents and their significance whichmay have at first been involved and wrapped into secrecy by the figure of the covering experience. For a knowledge from above begins to descend, frequently, constantly, then uninterruptedly, and to manifest in themind’s quietude or silence; intuitions and inspirations, revelations born of a greater sight, a higher truth and wisdom, enter into the being, a luminous intuitive discrimination works which dispels all darkness of understanding or dazzling confusions, puts all in order; a new consciousness begins to form, the mind of a highwide self- existent thinking knowledge or an illumined or an intuitive or an overmental consciousness with newforces of thought or sight and a greater power of direct spiritual realisation which is more than thought or sight, a greater becoming in the spiritual substance of our present being; the heart and the sense become subtle, intense,large to embrace all existence, to see God, to feel and hear and touch the Eternal, to make a deeper and closerunity of self and the world in a transcendent realisation. Other decisive experiences, other changes of consciousness determine themselves which are corollaries and consequences of this fundamental change. No limit can be fixed to this revolution; for it is in its nature an invasion by the Infinite.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-946-47, 40: “But it is evident that a self-knowledge based on separative ego-sense is imperfect and that no knowledge founded upon it alone or primarily or on a reaction against it can be secure or assured of completeness. First, it is a knowledge of our superficial mental activity and its experiences and, with regard to all the large rest of our becoming that is behind, it is an Ignorance. Secondly, it is a knowledge only of being and becoming as limited to the individual self and its experiences; all the rest of the world is to it not-self, something, that is to say, which it does not realise as part of its own being but as some outside existence presented to its separate consciousness. This happens because it has no direct conscious knowledge of this larger existence and nature such as the individual has of his own being and becoming. Here too there is a limited knowledge asserting itself in the middest of a vast Ignorance. Thirdly, the true relation between the being and the becoming has not been worked out on the basis of perfect self-knowledge but rather by the Ignorance, by a partial knowledge. As a consequence the mind in its impetus towards an ultimate knowledge attempts through the co-ordinating and dissociating will and reason on the basis of our present experience and possibilities to drive at a trenchant conclusion which cuts away one side of existence. All that has been established is that the mental being can on one side absorb himself in direct self-consciousness to the apparent exclusion of all becoming and can on the other side absorb himself in the becoming to the apparent exclusion of all stable self-consciousness. Both sides of the mind, separating as antagonists, condemn what they reject as unreal or else as only a play of the conscious mind; to one or the other, either the Divine, the Self, or the world is only relatively real so long as the mind persists in creating them, the world an effective dream of Self, or God and Self a mental construction or an effective hallucination. The true relation has not been seized, because these two sides of existence must always appear discordant and unreconciled to our intelligence so long as there is only a partial knowledge.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-540-41, 41: “But the subliminal being has also a larger direct contact with the world; it is not confined like the surface Mind to the interpretation of sense-images and sense-vibrations supplemented by the mental and vital intuitionand the reason. There is indeed an inner sense in the subliminal nature, a subtle sense of vision, hearing, touch,smell and taste; but these are not confined to the creation of images of things belonging to the physical environment, — they can present to the consciousness visual, auditory, tactual and other images and vibrations of things beyond the restricted range of the physical senses or belonging to other planes or spheres of existence. This inner sense can create or present images, scenes, sounds that are symbolic rather than actual or that represent possibilities in formation, suggestions, thoughts, ideas, intentions of other beings, image forms also ofpowers or potentialities in universal Nature; there is nothing that it cannot image or visualise or turn into sensory formations. It is the subliminal in reality and not the outer mind that possesses the powers of telepathy, clairvoyance, second sight and other supernormal faculties whose occurrence in the surface consciousness is due to openings or rifts in the wall erected by the outer personality’s unseeing labour of individualisation andinterposed between itself and the inner domain of our being. It should be noted, however, that owing to this complexity the action of the subliminal sense can be confusing or misleading, especially if it is interpreted by the outer mind to which the secret of its operations is unknown and its principles of sign construction and symbolic figure-languages foreign; a greater inner power of intuition, tact, discrimination is needed to judge andinterpret rightly its images and experiences. It is still the fact that they add immensely to our possible scope ofknowledge and widen the narrow limits in which our sense-bound outer physical consciousness is circumscribedand imprisoned.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-555-56, 42: “The subliminal has the right of entry into the mental and vital and subtle-physical planes of the universal consciousness, it is not confined to the material plane and the physical world; it possesses means of communication with the worlds of being which the descent towards involution created in its passage and with all corresponding planes or worlds that may have arisen or been constructed to serve the purpose of the re-ascent from Inconscience to Superconscience. It is into this large realm of interior existence that our mind andvital being retire when they withdraw from the surface activities whether by sleep or inward-drawn concentrationor by the inner plunge of trance.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-442-443, 43: “The gifts of sattwa are the mind of reason and balance, clarity of the disinterested truth-seeking open intelligence, a will subordinated to the reason or guided by the ethical spirit, self-control, equality, calm, love,sympathy, refinement, measure, fineness of the aesthetic and emotional mind, in the sensational being delicacy,just acceptivity, moderation and poise, a vitality subdued and governed by the mastering intelligence. Theaccomplished types of the sattwic man are the philosopher, saint and sage, of the rajasic man the statesman,warrior, forceful man of action. But in all men there is in greater or less proportions a mingling of the gunas, amultiple personality and in most a good deal of shifting and alternation from the predominance of one to theprevalence of another guna; even in the governing form of their nature most human beings are of a mixed type.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-686-87, 44: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-279, 45: Savitri-631, 46: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-482-483, 47: TMCW/Vol-10/On Thought and Aphorism/p-29, 48: The Mother's Agenda/June 9, 1971 DOWNLOAD THIS WEBPAGE IN PDF FORMAT: " As the crust of the outer nature cracks, as the walls of inner separation break down, the inner light gets through, the inner fire burns in the heart, the substance of the nature and the stuff of consciousness refine to a greater subtlety and purity, and the deeper psychic experiences, those which are not solely of an inner mental or inner vital character, become possible in this subtler, purer, finer substance; the soul begins to unveil itself, the psychic personality reaches its full stature. The soul, the psychic entity, then manifests itself as the central being which upholds mind and life and body and supports all the other powers and functions of the Spirit; it takes up its greater function as the guide and ruler of the nature. A guidance, a governance begins from within which exposes every movement to the light of Truth, repels what is false, obscure, opposed to the divine realisation: every region of the being, every nook and corner of it, every movement, formation, direction, inclination of thought, will, emotion, sensation, action, reaction, motive, disposition, propensity, desire, habit of the conscious or subconscious physical, even the most concealed, camouflaged, mute, recondite, is lighted up with the unerring psychic light, their confusions dissipated, their tangles disentangled, their obscurities, deceptions, self-deceptions precisely indicated and removed; all is purified, set right, the whole nature harmonised, modulated in the psychic key, put in spiritual order. This process may be rapid or tardy according to the amount of obscurity and resistance still left in the nature, but it goes on unfalteringly so long as it is not complete. As a final result the whole conscious being is made perfectly apt for spiritual experience of every kind, turned towards spiritual truth of thought, feeling, sense, action, tuned to the right responses, delivered from the darkness and stubbornness of the tamasic inertia, the turbidities and turbulences and impurities of the rajasic passion and restless unharmonised kinetism, the enlightened rigidities and sattwic limitations or poised balancements of constructed equilibrium which are the character of the Ignorance.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-941,

"This is her secret and impossible task To catch the boundless in a net of birth, To cast the spirit into physical form," Savitri-177 The Task of Integral Education "It may be said that from the very first days, even the first hours of his life, the child should undergo the first part of this programme as far as food, sleep, evacuation, etc. are concerned. If the child, from the very beginning of his existence, learns good habits, it will save him a good deal of trouble and inconvenience for the rest of his life; and besides, those who have the responsibility of caring for him during his first years will find their task very much easier ." The Mother TMCW-12/On Education/p-12 "The second idea arises from the fact that a fundamental change of character demands an almost complete mastery over the subconscient and a very rigorous disciplining of whatever comes up from the inconscient, which, in ordinary natures, expresses itself as the effects of atavism and of the environment in which one was born. Only an almost abnormal growth of consciousness and the constant help of Grace can achieve this Herculean task . That is why this task has rarely been attempted and many famous teachers have declared it to be unrealisable and chimerical. Yet it is not unrealisable. The transformation of character has in fact been realised by means of a clear-sighted discipline and a perseverance so obstinate that nothing, not even the most persistent failures, can discourage it." The Mother TMCW-12/On Education/p-19 The Task of Integral Education The task before Integral Education is to explore the multiple planes⁴ of consciousness and call down their influence on the objective surface world. Integral Education is the utilitarian aspect of Integral Yoga whose doctrine can be constantly relived, renewed and reshaped in the inner life of developing humanity. A Sadhak of integral Yoga is primarily⁷ a student of integral Education and secondarily a teacher who is accountable for his persuasion of learning to himself and world through the accumulation of the power of concentration in order to arrive initially at individual perfection and finally a contributary to the world perfection. As a teacher his appetite for learning must be more than the appetite of his students. This process of learning is identified as an adventure into the unknown multiple planes of consciousness which will continue through successive births known as all life and he will not be satisfied till all the lines of subjective and objective perfections are gathered together to experience endless growth, endless unfolding of Truth and endless total fulfilment. Similarly, a Sadhaka of integral Yoga is primarily preoccupied with Self-concentration and secondarily preoccupied with self-expansion where the latter is identified as the outcome of the rigorous self-disciplines of the former. Thus he primarily emerges as seven-fold indispensable self-concentration that of follower, seeker of truth, disciple, servant, slave, instrument and child of Their limitless Divine Consciousness and the Divine demands from him ‘subordination and service.’⁵ He secondarily experiences union with Divine’s sevenfold personality of the Creator Father, Creatrix Mother, all-embracing Lover, hidden Master of all works, evolving as child God, the inner Guide and compassionate Friend of all creatures. And his tertiary objective culminates in becoming⁸ above self-expansive sevenfold Divine personalities. All objective research in the field of modern Science, Arts, Literature, Technology, Commerce and Economics can be reinforced by entry into subjective Research of the Soul, by discovering tenfold Selves and their interpenetration into tenfold Sheaths. We have to reconcile the full account of one-tenth ‘potent though limited revelations of modern knowledge and seeking’² with nine-tenth unlimited subjective Spiritual wisdom by constantly updating, renovating, renewing and regenerating the existing wisdom from tenfold Selves. Integral Education proposes that the greatest unity of all Science, all Religion, all Philosophy, and all Tradition are possible through a most conscious individual when he is perfectly capable of every kind of Material and Spiritual experience, embraces the whole universe in his cosmic Consciousness, possesses the highest Integral Knowledge³ and ‘gathers together all experience in the truth of a supreme and all-reconciling oneness.’¹ That ‘knowledge is likely to be the highest knowledge which illumines, integrates, harmonises the significance of all knowledge.’¹ And he calls down the ultimate Divine Truth and absolute Delight to elevate the things and creatures to their highest, profoundest and widest Divine manifestation. For him, ‘general and ultimate solution is likely to be the best which includes and accounts for all so that each truth of experience takes its place in the whole.’¹ The difficult task of integral Education is identified as opening of Psychic and Spiritual being through the gate of pure intellect and subsequently opening of Supramental being or ‘Ordinarily the supramental knowledge will be organised (1) first and with the most ease in the processes of pure thought and knowledge, jnana, (Purified intellect) because here the human mind has already the upward tendency and is the most free.’⁶ "A hand from some Greatness opened her heart’s locked doors" Savitri-375 (Opening of Savitri’s Psychic being by the pressure of Spiritual Being.) "The All-Blissful sat unknown within the heart;" Savitri-43 (The Bliss Mother consented to live in King Aswapati's Psychic heart centre.) The more difficult task of integral Education is the transformation of three Gunas or ‘(2) Next and with less ease it (Supramental Knowledge) will be organised in the processes of applied thought and knowledge (tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind ) because there the mind of man is at once most active and most bound and wedded to its inferior methods.’⁶ The triple chain of tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind can be liberated by the pressure of higher Divine Force: “A greater Force than the earthly held his limbs, Huge workings bared his undiscovered sheaths, Strange energies wrought and screened tremendous hands Unwound the triple cord of mind and freed The heavenly wideness of a Godhead’s gaze.” Savitri-81-82 “A power came in to veil the eternal Light, A power opposed to the eternal will Diverts the messages of the infallible Word, Contorts the contours of the cosmic plan: A whisper lures to evil the human heart, It seals up wisdom’s eyes, the soul’s regard, It is the origin of our suffering here, It binds earth to calamity and pain. This all must conquer who would bring down God’s peace. This hidden foe lodged in the human breast Man must overcome or miss his higher fate. This is the inner war without escape.” Savitri-448 The most difficult task of integral Education is activation of triple time through opening of Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Being and Spirit has the capacity to travel back and ahead of time covering all Time of all Life for the purpose of Subconscient and Inconscient transformation or ‘(3) The last and most difficult conquest, because this is now to his mind a field of conjecture or a blank, will be the knowledge of the three times, trikaladristi .’⁶ “A mighty Hand then rolls the mind’s firmaments back, Infinity takes up the finite’s acts And Nature steps into the eternal Light. Then only ends this dream of nether life.” Savitri-154 OM TAT SAT References: 1: “As in Science, so in metaphysical thought, that general and ultimate solution is likely to be the best which includes and accounts for all so that each truth of experience takes its place in the whole: that knowledge is likely to be the highest knowledge which illumines, integralises, harmonises the significance of all knowledge and accounts for, finds the basic and, one might almost say, the justifying reason of our ignorance and illusion while it cures them; this is the supreme experience which gathers together all experience in the truth of a supreme and all-reconciling oneness. Illusionism unifies by elimination; it deprives all knowledge and experience, except the one supreme merger, of reality and significance.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-485, 2: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-10, 3: “We realise now what the Upanishad meant when it spoke of Brahman as being both the Knowledge and the Ignorance and of the simultaneous knowledge of Brahman in both as the way to immortality. Knowledge is the inherent power of consciousness of the timeless, spaceless, unconditioned Self which shows itself in its essence as a unity of being; it is this consciousness that alone is real and complete knowledge because it is an eternal transcendence which is not only self-aware but holds in itself, manifests, originates, determines, knows the temporally eternal successions of the universe. Ignorance is the consciousness of being in the successions of Time, divided in its knowledge by dwelling in the moment, divided in its conception of self-being by dwelling in the divisions of Space and the relations of circumstance, self-prisoned in the multiple working of the unity. It is called the Ignorance because it has put behind it the knowledge of unity and by that very fact is unable to know truly or completely either itself or the world, either the transcendent or the universal reality. Living within the Ignorance, from moment to moment, from field to field, from relation to relation, the conscious soul stumbles on in the error of a fragmentary knowledge. It is not a nescience, but a view and experience of the reality which is partly true and partly false, as all knowledge must be which ignores the essence and sees only fugitive parts of the phenomenon. On the other hand, to be shut up in a featureless consciousness of unity, ignorant of the manifest Brahman, is described as itself also a blind darkness. In truth, neither is precisely darkness, but one is the dazzling by a concentrated Light, the other the illusive proportions of things seen in a dispersed, hazy and broken light, half mist, half seeing. The divine consciousness is not shut up in either, but holds the immutable One and the mutable Many in one eternal all-relating, all-uniting self-knowledge.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-524-25, 4: “This earth is not alone our teacher and nurse; The powers of all the worlds have entrance here.” Savitri-153, 5: “The acceptance of the law of sacrifice is a practical recognition by the ego that it is neither alone in the world nor chief in the world. It is its admission that, even in this much fragmented existence, there is beyond itself and behind that which is not its own egoistic person, something greater and completer, a diviner All which demands from it subordination and service.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-106, “Action is demanded of man by the Master of the world who is the master of all his works and whose world is a field of action, whether done through the ego and in the ignorance or partial light of limited human reason or initiated from a higher and more largely seeing plane of vision and motive.” Essays on the Gita/SABCL/Vol-13/P-436, “The Master of the worlds who in the Gita demands of his servant, the bhakta, to be nothing more in life than his instrument, makes this claim as the friend, the guide, the higher Self, and describes himself as the Lord of all the worlds who is the friend of all creatures, sarvalokamahesvaram suhrudam sarvabhutanam ; the two relations in fact must go together and neither can be perfect without the other.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-565, 6: "Ordinarily the supramental knowledge will be organised (1) first and with the most ease in the processes of pure thought and knowledge, jnana, (Purified intellect) because here the human mind has already the upward tendency and is the most free. (2) Next and with less ease it will be organised in the processes of applied thought and knowledge (tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind) because there the mind of man is at once most active and most bound and wedded to its inferior methods. (3) The last and most difficult conquest, because this is now to his mind a field of conjecture or a blank, will be the knowledge of the three times, trikaladristi .” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-839, 7: “These (conversations of the Mother’s Agenda) are the first stammerings of a novice (The Mother felt Herself as beginner in the path of the eternal unfolding of the Spirit).” The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/6/p-322, “It would be better to wait till we have reached the end (of The Mother’s Agenda), wouldn’t it?” The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/7/p-104, “I am learning to work. I am only an apprentice, simply an apprentice – I am learning the trade!” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda/ May 1, 1958, 8: “(The Divine is) the perfect Personality capable of all relations even to the most human, concrete and intimate; for he is friend, comrade, lover, playmate, guide, teacher, master, ministrant of knowledge or ministrant of joy, yet in all relations unbound, free and absolute. This too the divinised man becomes in the measure of his attainment ... ” CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita/p-141, “But behind all these and in them he (a Sadhaka) has felt a Divinity who is all these things, a Bringer of Light, a Guide and All-Knower, a Master of Force, a Giver of Bliss, Friend, Helper, Father, Mother, Playmate in the world-game, an absolute Master of his being, his soul’s Beloved and Lover. All (the seven-fold personal) relations known to human personality are there in the soul’s contact with the Divine; but they rise towards super human levels and compel him (a Sadhaka) towards a divine nature.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-129, “Discipleship to God the Teacher, sonship to God the Father, tenderness of God the Mother, clasp of the hand of the divine Friend, laughter and sport with our comrade and boy-Play-fellow, blissful servitude to God the Master, rapturous love of our divine Paramour, these are seven beatitudes of life in the human body. Canst thou unite all these in a single supreme and rainbow-hued relation? Then hast thou no need of any heaven and thou exceedest the emancipation of the Adwaitin.” SABCL-17/The Hour of God/p-137, The Difficult Task of Integral Education “The psychic and the spiritual opening with their experiences and consequences can lead away from life or to a Nirvana (of traditional Yoga); but they are here (in Integral Yoga) being considered solely as steps in a transformation of the nature.”²¹ Sri Aurobindo “In men, says the Upanishad , the Self-Existent has cut the doors of consciousness outward, but a few turn the eye inward and it is these who see and know the Spirit and develop the spiritual being. Thus to look into ourselves and see and enter into ourselves and live within is the first necessity for transformation of nature and for the divine life.”¹⁶ Sri Aurobindo “The (Katha) Upanishad tells us that the Self-existent has so set the doors of the soul that they turn outwards and most men look outward into the appearances of things; only the rare soul that is ripe for a calm thought and steady wisdom turns its eye inward, sees the Self and attains to immortality. To this turning of the eye inward psychological self observation and analysis is a great and effective introduction.”¹⁷ Sri Aurobindo “We find that it progresses towards a greater completeness in proportion as we arrive at two kinds of perfection; (1) first, a greater and greater detachment from the control of the lower suggestions; (2) secondly, an increasing discovery of a self-existent Being, Light, Power and Ananda which surpasses normal humanity…The movement of perfection is (1) away from all domination by the lower nature and (2) towards a pure and powerful reflection of the being, power, knowledge and delight of the Spirit and Self in the buddhi. The Yoga of self-perfection is to make this double movement as absolute as possible.”¹⁸ Sri Aurobindo “The universal and infinite consciousness can always seize on and surround the mind and it is when it does so with a certain continuity, frequency or persistence that the mind can most easily transform itself into the intuitive mentality and that again into the supramental movement.”¹⁹ Sri Aurobindo "When external difficulties subside, when the body becomes passive and quiet, when it is not constantly demanding attention, then you can LIVE in this supramental consciousness and it does not seem so difficult; you feel it is so victorious in its essence that it will end all difficulties." ² ³ The Mother “And actually, to do Sri Aurobindo’s work is to realize the Supramental on earth.”²⁰ The Mother In order to collaborate the Divine Mother, the difficult task before an individual Soul seeker is to discover his Personal Psychic Being, saguna Brahman , in the heart and Impersonal Spiritual Being, Nirguna Brahman , above the head and transcend both of them to discover the still higher Transcendent Supramental Being. Psychic Science: Kshara Purusha or Psychic Being: “But the real soul, the real psychic entity which for the most part we see little of and only a small minority in mankind has developed, is an instrument of pure love, joy and the luminous reaching out to fusion and unity with God and our fellow-creatures. This psychic entity is covered up by the play of the mentalised Prana or desire-mind which we mistake for the soul; the emotional mind is unable to mirror the real soul in us, the Divine in our hearts, and is obliged instead to mirror the desire-mind.”¹² Sri Aurobindo “It is one of the decisive moments of the integral Yoga when this psychic being, liberated, brought out from the veil to the front, can pour the full flood of its divinations, seeings and impulsions on the mind, life and body of man and begins to prepare the upbuilding of divinity in the earthly nature.”¹⁵ Sri Aurobindo “All (the seven-fold personal) relations known to human personality are there in the soul’s contact with the Divine; but they rise towards superhuman levels and compel him towards a divine nature.”⁷ Sri Aurobindo “As the psychic change has to call in the spiritual to complete it, so the first spiritual change has to call in the supramental transformation to complete it.”¹³ Sri Aurobindo We generally live in apparent surface mind, apparent surface vital and apparent surface physical behind which there is large ocean of inner subtle mental, inner subtle vital and inner subtle physical sheaths which govern, control and transform our surface workings. Inside these sheaths there are truth mind, true vital and true physical being, the immutable and imperishable godhead has occupied those centres. Similarly, we have double Psychic entity, one is the apparent surface desire soul which works in our vital cravings, emotions, aesthetic faculty and mental seeking for power, knowledge and happiness and the other is our subliminal Psychic entity or our true Soul which is a pure power of light, love, joy and beauty. The subliminal mind in us is open to the universal knowledge of the cosmic Mind, the subliminal vital in us is open towards the universal force of cosmic Life, the subliminal physicality in us is open towards the universal force-formation of cosmic Matter. So also the subliminal Soul in us is open towards the universal Delight of the cosmic Soul. The surface Soul is cut off by egoistic wall of great thickness from true Soul and when the Divine delight tries to penetrate the surface Soul it becomes dwarfed, distorted or have to come in masked as their own opposites. The true Psychic Soul is the flame of the Godhead, always alight within us, inextinguishable even by that dense unconsciousness which obscures our outward life. It is the flame born out of the luminous Divine inhabitant of the Ignorance, grows in it till it is able to turn the being towards the Knowledge of Self and the Divine, towards the supreme Truth, the supreme Good, the Divine heights and largeness; this is the inner light and voice of the mystic, the witness and the Guide. It is that which endures the pain and suffering and is imperishable in us from birth to birth, untouched by death, decay and corruption and an indestructible spark of the Divine. It is the individual Soul, the Chaitya Purusha, supporting Mind, Life and Body and standing behind the subtle mental, vital and physical being, watching and profiting by their development in us. This inmost Psychic entity puts forward a Psychic personality which flowers as the saint, the sage and the seer and it changes, grows and develops from life to life; for this is also the traveller from the birth to death and from death to birth and our nature parts are its manifold changing vesture. Initially it works indirectly through mind, life and body, since these parts have to be sufficiently developed as instruments of self-expression. The mental part in us recognises the imperfection as the law of life to which the Psychic being in us rejects. The Soul is dissatisfied towards earthly imperfection and aspires towards elimination of all imperfections from our nature; it is this which struggle in Ignorance and points always towards evolutionary perfection of Truth, Right, Beauty, Love and Harmony and all that is a Divine possibility in us, and persists till these things become the major need of our nature. That is the law of our being which is a Divine dissatisfaction and a Divine aspiration with inherent Light of Power which unfolds gradually in the process of evolution from the hidden Reality of the spiritual secrecies. The real sign of finding a Psychic key is that to admit all works perfectly towards a Divine end and an elevation towards the Spiritual knowledge and power which will transform the law and phenomena of the external forms of our life nearer to a true image of Imperishable Spirit. It is right and reasonable to endure with equanimity towards all suffering and defects as immediate will of the God, an outcome of present transitional law of imperfection, a starting point, an opportunity for achieving higher status and the final will of the God is to transcend all evil and suffering, to transform all imperfection into perfection and to rise into higher law of the Divine Nature. It is the Psychic being which pushes to throw off the disguise of undivine life and reveal the Godhead in the manifest mind, life and body. The Psychic transformation is one necessary condition of the total and largest transformation of our existence. It can open to the hidden Diviner ranges of our being and receive and reflect their light and power and experience, but another, a Spiritual transformation from above is needed for us to possess our Self in its universality and transcendence. The Psychic transformation after rising into the Spiritual change has then to be completed, integralised, exceeded and uplifted by a Supramental transformation which lifts it to the summit of ascending endeavour. The fulfilment and integral completeness of our Psychic being comes by intervention of Supermind; for it is through the Supermind that the higher hemisphere is linked with the lower hemisphere. The Psychic being, uplifted by that Supramental Light and Force can unite itself with the original Delight of existence and overcomes the dualities of pain and pleasure and delivers us from all fear and shrinking of the mind life and body. Thus, through these Soul experiences our mind, life and body grow out of Inconscience towards the supreme Consciousness, out of the division of the Ignorance into the integralising Consciousness and Knowledge. If consciousness has become sufficiently Psychic, then the ascent of Consciousness is possible in the concentration of waking trance without the need of passive and unconscious trance. The ultimate mission of the Psychic being is to lose its individuality in its Source or it might return to the Source where there is no sense of separative Will and separative Power. Or a small nucleus, no bigger than the man’s thumb, in the mass of ignorant Nature enlarges itself to embrace the whole world with intimate communion of oneness or it may experience the most intense in beauty and rapture through imperishable union and oneness as the eternal Lover with the eternal Beloved. Still more Spiritual experiences are possible in our quest of self-finding driving us towards the last and entire consummation. The Gita hints that a desire Soul surrounds the true Soul or Psychic being. This Psychic Science is best developed in Savitri book and through it, Savitri, systematically unravels the Divine stationed in the heart by breaking the barrier of multiple layers of desire Soul and transcending the attraction of fine and subtle lure of multiple inner worlds which can enrich our life with intermediate opulence, glory and fame. “By the (true inner) self thou shouldst deliver the (surface desire) self, thou shouldst not depress and cast down the (surface desire) self (whether by self-indulgence or suppression); for the (true inner) self is the friend of the (surface desire) self and (surface desire) self is the enemy (if it is not in contact with the true inner self). To the man is his (true inner) self a friend in whom the (surface desire) self has been conquered by the (true inner) self, but to him who is not in possession of his (true inner) self, the (surface desire) self is as if an enemy and it acts as an enemy.” (The Gita-6.5, 6) The preliminary training to open the Psychic being is to remember first why our Soul came to earth; in silence seek the God’s meaning in our depth; open God’s door and enter into trance through meditation; in God’s tremendous hush still our brain to wake the vast truth within that can directly know and see; cast from our life the sense that veils the Spirit’s vision; in the enormous emptiness of mind we shall see the Eternal’s subtle body and hear His subtle voice and in world’s contact meet the Divine’s single touch. Before finding Psychic being Savitri came across tenfold Desire Souls and was able to go beyond their lures in order to trace the Psychic being. We find some hint about it in Sri Aurobindo’s letter, “Even if there is much darkness — and this world is full of it and the physical nature of man also — yet a ray of the true Light can prevail eventually against a tenfold darkness. Believe that and cleave to (hold on to) it always.”²² Man’s house of life unfolds subtle worlds. There are occult shadows, tenebrous powers, dangerous forces, Titans, Fury, Goblins and Djinns who are inhabitant of life’s nether rooms of Subconscient pit. They touch all with perverting breath, discolour the walls of upper mind and invite instincts of forbidden joy. His lower nature hides these awful guests. Into earth-ways they break out from all doors to slay, massacre, torture, invade with blood-lust and fill with horror and carnage the God’s fair world. Old rejected nature, slain thoughts, old longings and acts, dead passions live again to recur in sleep, dream and waking. She strove to find the inner vital self concealed behind the world of sense during her forced journey from body to the Soul through passages of inner Time. Here life deeps into the Subconscient dusk or struggles from matter to chaos of mind and cries of life, in which no light, no joy and no peace can come. Her vital godhead wakes within to lift the life to Supernal’s touch. Out of the dreadful press she dragged her will and fixed her thought on the Name Divine. Then all grew still, empty and free; a large deliverance and vast calm came and she moved awhile through a blank tranquillity of naked Light from the invisible sun. Then after silencing of the vital mind she met the physical mind or the material mind. It is an aimless thought and will, a deaf force, a torrent that carries life’s hope and fear, a forbidden delight of honey-sweet poison-wine of lust and death, the bottomless danger-pits and swallowing gulfs. It could mingle poison with the wine of God, all contraries meet in the life’s nether room and Ignorance is Wisdom’s patron here. The Souls trapped in the physical mind can never escape. Then journeying forward beyond the physical mind she reached a space where the schoolman mind has captured life’s large domain. There, her servant mind and sense governed the house. The Spirit’s almighty freedom was not there in reason’s small limiting ideals. The reason’s diplomatic balanced reign kept order and peace, disciplined beauty and harmonic smooth life and she lived in the closed adamant walls of law, ethic’s rule and fixed pillars of thought. Its rational religion dries the heart, meditation muses on a narrow seat, worship turns to an exclusive God, prays the God in the chapel whose doors are shut against the universe and offers a cold and flameless sacrifice. Then she arrived at the quiet country of fixed mind, fixed faith and ordered knowledge of apparent things. Mind claims to be the spirit, sole creator of the apparent world and the Soul and Spirit sees itself as form of mind and loses itself in the glory of the thought and reach the brilliant air flaming with thought’s supreme finality. The few are admitted and register their name in the book of the elite. It claims the safety of the ultimate wall, the clarity of the sword of Light, victory of a single Truth, diamond of flawless bliss, bright contented world and lives as favourite of Heaven and Nature. Savitri did not want to stay there and came to a road thronged with an ardent crowd of outer mind where no mystic voice and Light can come. She mingled with the crowd and her mind hastened like them to save the God’s world and yearned for the Spiritual light they bore. She reined back the high passion of her heart as she knew that she must discover her Soul and only those who save themselves can save others. So by realising the hurrying time of the outer world she turns her eyes towards the eternal source to find the birth place of occult Fire. Savitri met three untransformed Soul forces or untransformed Psychic Sheaths of tamasic Compassion, rajasic Strength and sattwic Light, which limit her universal world action and high Mission and they are to be transformed into the Divine Nature or pure Divine Shakti reflecting the Psychic Being. These three untransformed Soul forces are present in all man to guide and help him bear the difficult journey of his life and evolution within a limited circle. Savitri came to a narrow path to tread the rare wounded pilgrim feet of the first ascent in inner mind and met the Mother of seven sorrows ,² the untransformed Soul force, who projected herself as pessimist and experienced the suffering of this creation wrongly. A patient prayer has risen in vain from her breast to change this great hard world of pain. She comes to share the suffering of this world, draws the children’s pangs into her breast. God has given her love and power to solace but not his force and power to save; she has seen the slashed corpse of the slaughtered child, heard the woman’s cry ravished and stripped, shared the toil of the yoked animal drudge; she shared the daily life of common man, the unwanted tedious labour without joy, the burden of misery and the strokes of fate and lived with the prisoner in the dungeon cell. In her shoulders she weighs the yoke of Time, watched the nature’s cruelty to suffering things without God’s help. She hoped to look towards her God who never came to her. When the mother of seven sorrows is transformed into the mother of seven Anandas, then misery shall be abolished from earth, and everywhere there will be peace and joy and all-embracing Divine love and compassion. Then Savitri recognised the Mother of seven sorrows , an incarnation of pity as first desire soul of tamasic force and passed ahead in her Spirit’s upward route. Next, she met the Mother of Might , an incarnation of some intermediate egoistic Power, the second desire Soul, the ambitious rajasic force, who sat in a gold and purple sheen, her feet on a couchant lion’s back. A formidable smile curled round her lips, heaven-fire laughed in the corners of her eyes, her body a mass of courage and heavenly strength her speech is like a war cry and her word is of luminous command. She came down into the human world with a faculty which seems to be Almighty to help the unfortunate and save the doomed. She smites the Titan who bestrides the world, slays the ogre in the blood-stained den and tramples the corpses of the demon hordes and guards man from the red wolf and snake. She has the power to guide, save and help the few and the mass falls back unsaved. She imitates the Overmental goddess who seems to be proud and strong as Durga , fair and fortunate as Laksmi, and wears the face of Kali when she kills. When the Mother of Might⁸ is transformed, hate, fear and weakness will no longer dwell in the human heart. Wisdom will be combined with power to give the sense of Omnipotence and Omniscience and all shall be might, bliss and happy force. Savitri still ascended to find her Soul’s upward route and arrived into a high and happy space, a wide tower of vision to see all, a clear and crystal light; there she met the Mother of Light, an incarnation of some intermediate sattwic wisdom, the third desire Soul whose mission is to lift the human Soul slowly towards the light through error and sin. She represents charity, silence, knowledge, peace, courage, a power that labours towards the best and her smile could persuade a dead lacerated heart to live again and feel the hands of calm sweetness. She brings strength and solace to man’s struggling life, a figure, imagination and dream of God, and draws harmony and peace of a higher sphere. She represents a limited charity, silence and knowledge in human life. She is the glad resignation of the Saint, indifferent courage to the wounds of Time, and the hero’s might that wrestles with death and fate. Man can be free from himself and live with God only when Eternity takes time by hand and infinity weds the finite’s thought. With her help the man’s mind will admit the sovereignty of Truth; heart will at last hold the Divine Love and the body can bear the immense Divine descent. The intellect’s hard and rocky soil is difficult to transform by the pressure of the Divine force and the mind of the man restricts the flow of intuition’s ray. So she must nurse hunger for the Eternal in the human heart, and fill his yearning heart with heaven’s fire and bring down God into the life and body. One day the Mother of Light shall see the face of the Absolute, then shall the holy marriage between the Matter and Spirit be achieved and a Divinely transformed family will be born and there shall be light and peace in all the ten worlds or all the ten planes of Consciousness. Onward she moved seeking the mystic cave of the Soul. The mind abolished all its thought and in a simple purity of emptiness she knelt down before the Unknowable. At first, she stepped into a night of God and crossed the fathomless impersonal Night in silence. A last change and the Truth’s last retreat came with the breaking of the mental emptiness and the blissful inner self became her space. Then she came across the land of marvellous twilight and holy stillness of voiceless space. The two golden serpents curled round the lintel of her body and enveloped it with the pure dreadful strength and wisdom. Across the threshold of sleep state she entered in the land with great figure of Gods who are conscious in stone and live without breath. In climbing the planes of consciousness she met numberless worlds and faces of beings representing that world. She reached a point, the meeting place of all the worlds where there was no step of breathing men, no sound and living nearness of Soul and unimaginable bliss. She met a light which is not born of sun or moon or fire, a light that dwelt within and saw within and made secrecy more revealing than word and there, the spirit’s vision is wholly true. Thus she passed in that mysterious place through rooms and rock-hewn doors. A sealed identity in her woke to give the experience of utter Oneness of twin Godheads, God and Goddess, the Master and the Mother, the Krishna and Radha, and Adorer and Adored. Then she came to the last chamber of golden seat where one sat whose shape no vision can define, formless, pure, bare, only one feels the world’s unattainable fount and Power of which she is a straying Force. Then she dug the tunnel of the last rock and came out where there is shone a deathless sun. A house was there and all is made of flame and light. And crossing the wall of doorless living fire where she suddenly met her Soul, the Psychic being. Through this Spiritual experience of Psychic being, the Supreme Mother or Supramental Mother has chosen to live permanently⁹ in her heart. This may be compared with the Gita’s Spiritual Experience of Purushottama Consciousness choosing permanently¹⁰ to reside in the heart Centre. Thus Savitri gives message of the complete union of Psychic Sheath with Supreme Mother, Para Prakriti and the Gita gives the message of complete union of Psychic being with Purushottama Consciousness. These two experiences culminate with the Spiritual experience of realising the dual Godhead in the heart centre as hinted in Savitri, “The incarnate dual Power shall open God’s door, Eternal Supermind touch earthly Time.”¹¹ Spiritual Science: Akshara Purusha or Spiritual Being: “For the methods of the integral Yoga must be mainly spiritual, and dependence on physical methods or fixed psychic or psycho-physical processes on a large scale would be the substitution of a lower for a higher action.”⁴ Sri Aurobindo “…there must be a bridge between the spirit and the intellectual reason: the light of a spiritual or at least a spiritualized intelligence is necessary for the fullness of our total inner evolution, and without it, if another deeper guidance is lacking, the inner movement may be erratic and undisciplined, turbid and mixed with unspiritual elements or one-sided or incomplete in its catholicity.”⁵ Sri Aurobindo “It is not indeed possible, so long as we are compelled to use reason as our main support, for it to abdicate altogether in favour of an undeveloped or half-organised intuition; but it is imperative on us in a consideration of the Infinite and its being and action to enforce on our reason an utmost plasticity and open it to an awareness of the larger states and possibilities of that which we are striving to consider.”⁶ Sri Aurobindo Since integral Yoga foresees the Spiritual evolution of the race, it insists on the development of Spiritual being of the individual through a more difficult, complex, wholly powerful method of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga on the three lines together as a triple wheel of Soul-power. In Integral Evolution, the three Purushas , that of Body, Vital and Mind are brought to the front by silencing the Surface physical substance, surface vital and surface mind or by silencing the volition, emotion and intellect through rejection of lower desire and practice of equality and surrender through the above three methods of Yoga. Similarly it is possible to be aware of the Self of the body, Self of vital and Self of mind by separating the Prakriti from Purusha as per Sankhya doctrine; first to watch the activities of Prakriti as witness and then to withdraw support and become the Lord of Prakriti, thus Purusha pours down its Divinity on the Prakriti. During the continuation of all these activities of nature successively or together, it is possible to realise one’s inner being, the Psychic Purusha, who is behind the Annamaya Purusha , Pranamaya Purusha and Manamaya Purusha , and with the emergence of the Psychic being, Psychic transformation can resume its action. From the above exercises, one can also open concurrently to the Spiritual being above the head and can resume the Spiritual transformation of nature. But if the Mother-nature’s intention is a comprehensive Spiritual transformation, then the double evolution, that of (1) evolution of outward nature and (2) evolution of inner being, occult subliminal and Spiritual nature, is indispensable. This imposes three difficulties in unfolding the pure Spiritual consciousness; (1) for, first, the Spiritual emergence has to wait at each step of evolution for the instruments of mind, life and body to be ready; (2) secondly, as the Spiritual formation emerges it is inextricably mixed with the inferior powers, narrow motives and downward impulses of the instruments which hangs back and prevents farther evolution and (3) finally the very character of mind is exclusive and it compels the emerging Spiritual light and power to move by segments, to follow one or another line of Spiritual experience to the exclusion of the total Spiritual achievement. After the discovery of Psychic being the second Spiritual possibility is the discovery of the Spiritual being. The most ordinary result of this experience is the discovery of a vast static and silent Self which we feel as our real basic existence. Secondly, we realise of our extinction, a Nirvana both of our active being and of the sense of Self into a Reality that is indefinable and inexpressible. Thirdly, we can realise that this Self is not only our Spiritual being but the true self of all others or cosmic Self. Fourthly, it is possible to pass into some supreme, immobile and immutable status beyond the universe. Fifthly, there takes place a large dynamic descent of Light, Knowledge, Power, Bliss or other supernormal energies into untransformed Nature, and we can ascend too into higher regions of the Spirit where its immobile status is the foundation of those great and luminous energies, Shaktis. Sixthly, for the full Spiritual transformation, more is needed: a permanent ascension from the lower into the higher consciousness and an effectual permanent descent of the higher Shakti into the lower nature. And lastly, the highest achievement of Spiritual quest is the attainment of Overmind consciousness which is having three distinct character; firstly, it carries in itself the direct and masterful cognition of the cosmic truth by which we can hope to understand the original working of things, get some insight into the fundamental movement of the cosmic nature; secondly, mind and life of the individual being is in its nature a partial self-expression of the cosmic Being and both individual and cosmic Being are self-expression of the Transcendent Reality; thirdly, what we can in our nature receive, assimilate, formulate, the portion of the cosmic Being or of the Reality, can find shape in our mind, life and physical parts, an expression is in the terms of our own nature. The methods proposed for opening of Spiritual being are : (1) the method of detachment from the insistence of all mental and vital and physical claims and calls and impulses, (2) concentration in the heart, (3) austerity of personal will, tapasya , (4) self-purification. (5) There are obstinate difficulties in our being born of its evolutionary constitution, which militate against the Divine assent. For some of these parts are still subject to the Inconscience and Subconscience and to the lower automatism of habit or so-called law of nature, mechanical habit of mind, habit of life, habit of instinct, habit of personality, habit of character, the ingrained mental, vital, physical needs, impulses, desires of natural man, the old functioning of all kinds that are rooted there so deep that it would seem as if we had to dig to abysmal foundations in order to get them out: these parts refuse to give up their response to the lower law founded in the Inconscient; they continually send up to the conscious mind and life the old reactions and seek to reaffirm them there as the eternal rule of Nature. Other parts of the being are less obscure and mechanical and rooted in Inconscience, but all are imperfect and attached to their imperfection and have their own obstinate reactions; the vital part is wedded to the law of self-affirmation and desire, the mind is attached to its own formed movements, and both are willingly obedient to the inferior law of the Ignorance. Rejection of the old mind movements and life movements, rejection of the ego of desire, rejection of false needs and false habits, are all useful aids to this difficult passage. (6) The strongest and the most central way is to find all such or other methods on a self-offering and surrender of ourselves and of our parts of nature to the Divine Being, the Ishwara. All the parts of our being must assent and surrender to the law of Spiritual Truth; all have to learn to obey the government of the conscious Divine Power in the members. (7) A strict obedience to the wise and intuitive leading of a Guide is also normal and necessary for all the beginners of Yoga, except a few specially gifted seekers. (8) For a real transformation there must be (a) the Law of Participation or ascent of Purusha , (b) the Law of Descent or a direct and unveiled intervention from above; (c) the Law of Surrender or there would be necessary too a total submission and surrender of lower consciousness, (d) a cessation of its insistence, (e) a will in it for its separate law of action to be completely annulled by transformation. The Spiritual Consciousness initially may confine itself to a status of being separate from the action of our ignorant surface nature, observing and limiting itself to knowledge and developing a Spiritual sense and vision towards existence. For action it may depend on the physical, vital and mental instruments but it may also and usually does exercise a certain authority, governance, influence on thought, life movement, physical action, a purifying uplifting control compelling them to move in a higher and purer truth of themselves or receive the inspiration or command of greater Self, the Ishwara . The Spiritual being, once inwardly liberated, can lift mind to higher states of Consciousness and bring down Supramental Energy, Creation, Ananda and Action. Supramental Science: Purushottama or Uttama Purusha or Supramental Self: “It must also be kept in mind that the supramental change is difficult, distant and ultimate stage; it must be regarded as the end of a far-off vista; it cannot be and must not be turned into a first aim, a constantly envisaged goal or an immediate objective. For it can only come into the view of possibility after much arduous self-conquest and self-exceeding, at the end of many long and trying stages of difficult self-evolution of the nature. One must first acquire an inner Yogic consciousness and replace by it our ordinary view of things, natural movements, motives of life; one must revolutionise the whole present build of our being. Next, we have to go still deeper, discover our veiled psychic entity and in its light and under its government Psychicise our inner and outer parts, turn mind-nature, life-nature, body-nature and all our mental, vital, physical action and states and movements into a conscious instrumentation of the soul. Afterwards or concurrently we have to spiritualise the being in its entirety by a descent of a divine Light, Force, Purity, Knowledge, freedom and wideness. It is necessary to break down the limits of the personal mind, life and physicality, dissolve the ego, enter into the cosmic consciousness, realise the self, and acquire a spiritualised and universalised mind and heart, life-force, physical consciousness. Then only the passage into supramental consciousness begins to become possible, and even then there is a difficult ascent to make each stage of which is a separate arduous achievement.”³ Sri Aurobindo Supramental Science evolves after Supermind gives its consent to descent into the mind and transforms it. As, for instance, Mind throws itself into various forms of mind-power, such as judgment, observation, memory, sympathy, proper to its own being, so must the Truth-consciousness or Supermind effect the relations by forces, faculties, functionings proper to Supramental being; otherwise, there would be no play of differentiation, no Supramental command of unity in diversity. It has to be kept in mind that Supramental change is a difficult, distant and ultimate stage of spiritual growth and it should not be turned into the first or immediate objective. Till Nature is ready through prolonged Psychic and Spiritual transformation, the Supramental Force has to act indirectly; it puts the intermediary powers of Overmind or Intuition in front, or it works through a modification of itself to which the already half-transformed being can be wholly or partially responsive. For there is too great a disparity between the power of the supreme Force and the capacity of the ordinary nature; (1) the inferior nature would either be unable to bear or, (2) bearing, unable to respond and receive or, (3) receiving, unable to assimilate. ‘It is only when we have already had experience of a higher intermediate consciousness that any terms attempting to describe Supramental being could convey a true meaning to our intelligence.’1 Other necessary condition for arriving at the Supermind are unification of the entire being by a breaking down of the wall between the inner and outer nature, a shifting of the position and centration of the consciousness from the outer to the inner self, a firm foundation on this new basis, a habitual action from this inner self and its will and vision and an opening up of the individual into the cosmic Consciousness. The stages through which one can ascend to Supermind are that one must first acquire inner Yogic consciousness by silencing the mind, life and body and changing the centre of living from surface to something within; next one has to go still deeper within to discover the one’s Psychic being and under its influence Psychicise the outer and inner nature; then afterwards or concurrently one can contact the Spiritual being above the head and experience the descent of Divine Light, Force, Purity, Knowledge, Love, Beauty and Ananda etc., and the consciousness is to be universalised. When the Consciousness moves between Psychic and Spiritual plane for a long period then it is possible to enter Supramental consciousness. So Supermind must be established here on a basis of Knowledge growing into its own greater Light. But this cannot be so long as the Spiritual-mental being has not risen fully to Supermind and brought down its powers into terrestrial existence. Supramental method¹⁴ is not related with any support of outer aid rather here consciousness is pushed to experience the third reversal consciousness. First, the reversal of consciousness is experienced in Purusha-Prakriti union in the Ignorance, second reversal of consciousness is experienced in Ishwara-Shakti union in the Spiritual or Overmental plane; the third reversal of consciousness is experienced in the Brahman-Maya union in the Supramental plane and this reversal of Consciousness has universal repercussion. This Supramental change in its process carries us into less explored regions; it initiates a vision of heights of consciousness which have indeed been glimpsed and visited, but have yet to be discovered and mapped in their completeness. The highest of these peaks or elevated plateaus of Consciousness, the Supramental, lies far beyond the possibility of any satisfying mental scheme or map of it or any grasp of mental seeing and description. It asks a radically different awareness of things; even if they were seen or conceived by some enlightenment or opening of vision, another language than the poor abstract counters used by our mind would be needed to translate them into terms by which their reality could become at all sizeable by us. Isha Upanishad has given the hint that a bright golden lid has separated the Supramental world from the Overmental world, that lid has to be broken by the movement of Consciousness in order to enter the Supramental kingdom. For such action to be practicable one must learn the movement of Consciousness in both ascending and descending order and this ascension and descent of Consciousness integralises the whole being and widens the base, which means the capacity of subtle body, subtle mind and subtle vital increases considerably and prepares the ground of higher ascent. And those who are preoccupied with this movement of Consciousness in ascending and descending order can discover and pierce into the Supramental plane through successive stages of Consciousness and methods shall evolve, either one or many, are left in the hand of the Divine Shakti that has taken the whole responsibility of Sadhana. There are also certain reversals of Consciousness which need not wait for ascension in stages, but an evolutionary leap is experienced by bypassing all intermediate stages of development. In addition to it, there are also other movements of the Supramental experience without undergoing any consciously felt descent of Divine force. All these experiences develop methods, which are inner movements of Consciousness and are related to the activation of six or seven Occult centres as per Indian tradition or twelve occult centres as experienced by The Mother which are three more above the head and two more centres below the feet in addition to seven traditional centres. These twelve centres we identify as Sat, Chit, Ananda or Bliss Self, Supramental Self, Universal Self, Spiritual or higher Mental Self, Psychic Self, Truth mind, True vital, True physical, Subconscient Self and Inconscient Self. In Integral Yoga, higher two selves of Sat and Chit are not taken into consideration, as they are too far and remote from the present scope of development. All these ten Selves have their respective Sheaths or Koshas or subtle bodies, which develop, concretize and widen in the process of Spiritual evolution. One can have a Supramental transformation through any of the following experiences:- 1) One can unveil briefly, the Supramental Self and Bliss Self through ascension of Consciousness beyond the Spiritual Self and by dynamising their experiences corresponding descent of Forces to all the sheaths, including the last Inconscient sheath is witnessed. 2) By its pressure in addition to already opened Selves of Universal, Spiritual and Psychic, all other Selves begin to unveil themselves and the transformation or densification of respective sheaths are witnessed during their interpenetration. 3) Supramental force can invade and purify and densify the mental, vital, physical, Subconscient and inconscient sheaths by unveiling the Inconscient Self below the feet and the assimilation of force can also densify the formation of Universal, Spiritual and Psychic sheaths. This experience gives the sensation of Divine descent in the opposite direction, symbolised as feet. 4) As Supramental force is all-pervading and all-penetrating, present everywhere, so it can be activated by opening and Supramentalising any of the ten Selves and each Self can resume Supramental action in the respective sheath and the adjacent sheaths. The presence of the Supramental is there in every living being, on every level, in all things, and because it is there, the experience of Sachchidananda, of the pure Spiritual Existence and Consciousness, of the Delight of a Divine presence, closeness, contact can be acquired through the mind or the heart or the life-sense or even through the physical consciousness; if the inner doors are flung sufficiently open, the Light from the sanctuary can suffuse the nearest and the farthest chambers of the outer Being. 5) The necessary Supramental change can also be brought about by an Occult descent of the Spiritual force from above, in which the influx, the influence, the Spiritual consequence is felt, but the higher Source is unknown and ‘the actual feeling of a descent is not there.’ A Consciousness so touched may be so much uplifted that the being turns to an immediate union with the Self or with the Divine by departure from the evolution and, if that is sanctioned, no question of gradual steps or method intervenes, the rupture with Nature can be decisive. 6) Supramental force can work by activation of any one Self or more than one Self or all the ten Selves at a time. For such action of greater magnitude the subtle body or sheaths must be sufficiently transparent, pure and wide in order to hold the Divine nectar. 7) Psycho-physical exercises like ceaseless Japa, breathing exercises and cataleptic trance can be utilised to accelerate the already resumed experiences in these realms. OM TAT SAT References: 1: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-954, 2: Savitri-502, 3: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-281-282, 4: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-542, 5: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-913, 6: CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-345, 7: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-129, 8: Savitri-508, 9: “Calling the mighty Mother of the worlds To make this earthly tenement her house.” Savitri-528, 10: “He is indivisible and the One, but seems to divide himself in forms and creatures and appears as all the separate existences. All things are eternally born from him, upborne in his eternity, taken eternally back into his oneness…He is the light of all lights and luminous beyond all the darkness of our ignorance. He is knowledge and the object of knowledge. He is seated in the hearts of all.” The Gita-13.17, 18, 11: Savitri-705, 12: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-351, 13: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-951, 14: “It is not in the separatively personal self or by its power that it sees and therefore it has not to be on guard against the element of personal error: that interferes only while a mental substratum or environing atmosphere yet remains and can still throw in its influence or while the Supermind is still acting by descent into the mind to change it. And the supramental method with error is to eliminate it, not by any other device, but by an increasing spontaneity of the supramental discrimination and a constant heightening of its own energy. The consciousness of Supermind is a cosmic consciousness and it is in this self of universal consciousness, in which the individual knower lives and with which he is more or less closely united, that it holds before him the object of knowledge.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p- 856-57, 15: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-150, 16: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1064, 17: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-303, 18: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-668-69, 19: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-824, 20: The Mother’s Agenda-10th May, 1958, 21: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-943, 22: CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-102, 23: The Mother’s Agenda/ December 13, 1960, The More Difficult Task of Integral Education “Our passion heaves to wed the Eternal’s calm, Our dwarf-search mind t o meet the Omniscient’s light, Our helpless hearts to enshrine the Omnipotent’s force.” Savitri-58 “A greater Force than the earthly held his limbs, Huge workings bared his undiscovered sheaths, Strange energies wrought and screened tremendous hands Unwound the triple cord of mind and freed The heavenly wideness of a Godhead’s gaze.” Savitri-81-82 "The old adamantine vetoes stood no more: Overpowered were earth and Nature’s obsolete rule; (The law of tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind) The python coils of the restricting Law Could not restrain the swift arisen God: Abolished were the scripts of destiny." Savitri-82-83 "This giant Ignorance, this dwarfish Life It can illumine with a prophet sight, Invoke the bacchic rapture, the Fury’s goad, In our body arouse the demon or the god, Call in the Omniscient and Omnipotent, Awake a forgotten Almightiness within.” Savitri-85 “A dwarf three-bodied trinity was her serf. First, smallest of the three, but strong of limb, (smallest is the physical mind.) A low-brow with a square and heavy jowl, A pigmy Thought needing to live in bounds For ever stooped to hammer fact and form… A fiery spirit came, next of the three. A hunchback rider of the red Wild-Ass, A rash Intelligence leaped down lion-maned From the great mystic Flame that rings the worlds And with its dire edge eats at being’s heart… Of all these Powers the greatest was the last. Arriving late from a far plane of thought Into a packed irrational world of Chance Where all was grossly felt and blindly done, Yet the haphazard seemed the inevitable, Came Reason, the squat godhead artisan, To her narrow house upon a ridge in Time.” Savitri-245 to 249 “Above in a high breathless stratosphere, Overshadowing the dwarfish trinity , Lived, aspirants to a limitless Beyond, Captives of Space, walled by the limiting heavens, In the unceasing circuit of the hours Yearning for the straight paths of eternity, And from their high station looked down on this world Two sun-gaze Daemons witnessing all that is.” Savitri-258 “Only if God assumes the human mind And puts on mortal ignorance for his cloak And makes himself the Dwarf with triple stride , (Vamana Avatara ) Can he help man to grow into the God.” Savitri-488 (Death said) “All by Death’s mercy breathe and live awhile, All think and act by the Inconscient’s grace.” Savitri-616 “But the introvert of this distinction is also has not the inner life; he is not a seer of the true self and of inner things, but the small mental man who looks superficially inside himself and sees there not his spiritual self but his life-ego, his mind-ego and becomes unhealthily preoccupied with the movements of this little pitiful dwarf creature .” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1064, Sri Aurobindo “There is not any single entity, either on the earth or again in heaven among the gods, that is not subject to the workings of these three qualities (Gunas ), born of nature.” The Gita-18.40 “He has in him not a single mentality, but a double and a triple, the mind material and nervous, the pure intellectual mind which liberates itself from the illusions of the body and the senses, and a divine mind above intellect which in its turn liberates itself from the imperfect modes of the logically discriminative and imaginative reason.”²⁷ Sri Aurobindo “But the whole difference between man and the animal is that the animal mind, as we know it, cannot get for one moment away from its origins, cannot break out from the covering, the close chrysalis which the bodily life has spun round the soul, and become something greater than its present self, a more free, magnificent and noble being; but in man mind reveals itself as a greater energy escaping from the restrictions of the vital and physical formula of being.”²⁸ Sri Aurobindo “As our physical instrumental mind has the illusion of the body, so this subconscious dynamic mind has the illusion of life. In that it is absorbed and concentrated, by that it is limited, with that it identifies its being. Here we do not yet get back to the meeting-place of mind and supermind and the point at which they originally separated.”²⁹ Sri Aurobindo “The transcendence of the three modes of Nature is the first condition, their transformation the decisive step of this change by which the Way of Works climbs out of the pit of narrowness of our darkened human nature into the unwalled wideness of the Truth and Light above us.”³⁰ Sri Aurobindo “In the light of gnosis the many mental idols, constructed principles and systems, conflicting ideals which man has created in all domains of his mind and life, could command no acceptance or reverence; only the truth, if any, which these specious images conceal, could have a chance of entry as elements of a harmony founded on a much wider basis.”³¹ Sri Aurobindo The action of three modes of nature,³² gunas, is identified in The Gita and Savitri as subjection to three asuras ⁸ and three dwarfs⁹ respectively and these modes are conscious of this life and oblivious of all life and bound to the perishable law of Death. ‘It is a triple stair that stumbles upward towards the divine light but cannot reach it.’⁵³ The Divine Mother’s rebel children are tamasic, rajasic and sattwic in Nature and all their action and thought process of impatience, error, limited knowledge, unconsciousness, ignorance, defect and evil wait for their Divine hour of transformation.⁴⁸ Most of the human beings act and think by the pressure of three gunas, physical mind, vital mind and sattwic mind and these three are Inconscient negative energies. ‘The mind moves under the limiting compulsion of the triple lower nature, it erects its standards in obedience to the tamasic, rajasic or at highest the sattwic qualities; but the destiny of the soul is a divine perfection and liberation and that can only be based in the freedom of our highest self, can only be found by passing through its vast impersonality and universality beyond mind into the integral light of the immeasurable Godhead and supreme Infinite who is beyond all dharmas .’¹⁵ A traditional Sadhaka , after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness feels that this realisation cannot be reconciled⁶ with untransformed nature of three Gunas. So, he has no unfinished task left and hence his blissful enjoyment of existence concentrates on the issue of freedom from rebirth and escapes into supreme abode of param dham through the passage of Purushottama state. In integral Yoga, after realisation of Kshara, Akshara and Purushottama consciousness or after realisation Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Being, a Sadhaka’s difficult task prohibits blissful enjoyment of the fruit of discovery of his triple Selves but begins of reconciling static Matter with dynamic Spirit and thus Divine Shakti pours into the material vessel and confronts with Subconscient dark forces, diseases, decay and death. His Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental purification, transformation and perfection resumes action from firmly established Psychic heart centre and from firmly established Karma Yoga where Divine Will, Knowledge and Love are perfectly reconciled. Limitations of Mind: “Impotent to share in Nature’s mystic tact, Inapt to feel the pulse and core of things, Our reason cannot sound life’s mighty sea And only counts its waves and scans its foam; It knows not whence these motions touch and pass, It sees not whither sweeps the hurrying flood: Only it (reason) strives to canalise its powers And hopes to turn its course to human ends:” Savitri-161 “Our mind lives far off from the authentic Light Catching at little fragments of the Truth In a small corner of infinity, Our lives are inlets of an ocean’s force.” Savitri-161 “Yet was this only a provisional scheme, A false appearance sketched by limiting sense, Mind’s insufficient self-discovery, An early attempt, a first experiment.” Savitri-167-68 “There is a deeper seeing from within And, when we have left these small purlieus of mind, A greater vision meets us on the heights In the luminous wideness of the spirit’s gaze. At last there wakes in us a witness Soul That looks at truths unseen and scans the Unknown; Then all assumes a new and marvellous face:” Savitri-168 “Our human thought, servant of Ignorance. An exile, labourer on this unsure globe Captured and driven in Life’s nescient grasp, Hampered by obscure cell and treacherous nerve, It dreams of happier states and nobler powers, The natural privilege of unfallen gods, Recalling still its old lost sovereignty.” Savitri-262 “In our thinking’s close and narrow lamp-lit house The vanity of our shut mortal mind Dreams that the chains of thought have made her ours; But only we play with our own brilliant bonds; Tying her down, it is ourselves we tie.” Savitri-276 “Afar from all that makes the measured world, Plunging to hidden eternities it withdrew Back from mind’s foaming surface to the Vasts Voiceless within us in omniscient sleep.” Savitri-320 “A mind impotent to reconcile heaven and earth And tied to Matter with a thousand bonds,” Savitri-338 “The mind of mortal man is led by words, His sight retires behind the walls of Thought And looks out only through half-opened doors.” Savitri-457 “This mind no silence knows nor dreamless sleep, In the incessant circling of its steps Thoughts tread for ever through the listening brain; It toils like a machine and cannot stop.” Savitri-478 "But when she came back to her self of thought, Once more she was a human thing on earth, A lump of Matter, a house of closed sight, A mind compelled to think out ignorance, A life-force pressed into a camp of works And the material world her limiting field." Savitri-488 “But for the mortal prisoned in outward mind All must present their passports at its door; Disguised they must don the official cap and mask Or pass as manufactures of the brain, Unknown their secret truth and hidden source.” Savitri-540 “This too she saw that all in outer mind Is made, not born, a product perishable, Forged in the body’s factory by earth-force. This mind is a dynamic small machine Producing ceaselessly, till it wears out, With raw material drawn from the outside world, The patterns sketched out by an artist God.” Savitri-541 “His mind is pent in circling boundaries: For mind is man, beyond thought he cannot soar. If he could leave his limits he would be safe:” Savitri-643 “For knowledge shall pour down in radiant streams And even darkened mind quiver with new life And kindle and burn with the Ideal’s fire And turn to escape from mortal ignorance.” Savitri-710 The lower mental faculty of Physical (tamasic) mind, Vital (rajasic) mind and Intellect (sattwic mind) are entirely absorbed, limited, obsessed and concentrated in the illusion and disintegration of body, death of life and falling back of mind into Inconscience respectively and they are identified as three dwarf and separatists who miserably restrict and long prevent our growing relation with the Supreme. There is a period of prolonged internal effort in which individual has to reject mental energies, heart’s emotion, vital desires and physical rigidity of lower nature and put themselves resolutely on the side of Divine truth and compel them to answer to the right influence. If we can educate, train, purify, transform and perfect these three faculties by surrender¹³ of lower to the higher Nature, then the capacity of our vessel can increase indefinitely to open, receive and hold the Divine Will, the Divine Love and the Divine Knowledge and their self-development is translated physically as imperishability of Matter, vitally as instinct of self-preservation and mentally as sense of immortality. Education of dwarf and pigmy Physical Mind: “Even his first steps broke our small earth-bounds And loitered in a vaster freer air.” Savitri-26 “An old pull of subconscious cords renews; It draws the unwilling spirit from the heights, Or a dull gravitation drags us down To the blind driven inertia of our base.” Savitri-34 “When darkness deepens strangling the earth’s breast And man’s corporeal mind is the only lamp, As a thief’s in the night shall be the covert tread Of one who steps unseen into his house. A Voice ill-heard shall speak, the soul obey, (Voice of the Divine) A Power into mind’s inner chamber steal, (A Spiritual Power) A charm and sweetness open life’s closed doors And beauty conquer the resisting world, The Truth-Light capture Nature by surprise, A stealth of God compel the heart to bliss And earth grow unexpectedly divine.” Savitri-55 “Even in the littleness of our mortal state, Even in this prison-house of outer form, A brilliant passage for the infallible Flame Is driven through gross walls of nerve and brain, A Splendour presses or a Power breaks through, Earth’s great dull barrier (physical mind) is removed awhile, The inconscient seal is lifted from our eyes And we grow vessels of creative might.” Savitri-108 “At its low extremity held difficult sway A mind that hardly saw and slowly found; Its nature to our earthly nature close And kin to our precarious mortal thought That looks from soil to sky and sky to soil But knows not the below nor the beyond, [Physical mind is not aware of the sea of Light above the head and below the feet.] It only sensed itself and outward things.” Savitri-239 “The slow process of a material mind Which serves the body it should rule and use And needs to lean upon an erring sense, Was born in that luminous obscurity.” Savitri-240 “A twilight sage whose shadow seems to him self,” Savitri-240 “One sees it (physical mind) circling faithful to its task, Tireless in an assigned tradition’s round; In decayed and crumbling offices of Time It keeps close guard in front of custom’s wall, Or in an ancient Night’s dim environs It dozes on a little courtyard’s stones And barks at every unfamiliar light As at a foe who would break up its home, A watch-dog of the spirit’s sense-railed house Against intruders from the Invisible, Nourished on scraps of life and Matter’s bones In its kennel of objective certitude.” Savitri-246 “But our dwarf will and cold pragmatic sense Admit not the celestial visitants:” Savitri-263 “In man a dim disturbing somewhat lives; (Physical and vital mind) It knows but turns away from divine Light Preferring the dark ignorance of the fall.” (Spiritual fall) Savitri-366 “His instrument the dim corporeal mind, Of celestial insight now forgetful grown, He seizes on some sign of outward charm To guide him mid the throng of Nature’s hints, Reads heavenly truths into earth’s semblances, Desires the image for the godhead’s sake, Divines the immortalities of form And takes the body for the sculptured soul.” Savitri-398 “A whisper lures to evil the human heart, It seals up wisdom’s eyes, the soul’s regard, It is the origin of our suffering here, It binds earth to calamity and pain. This all must conquer who would bring down God’s peace. This hidden foe lodged in the human breast Man must overcome or miss his higher fate. This is the inner war without escape.” Savitri-448 “At the dim portal of the inner life That bars out from our depths the body’s mind And all that lives but by the body’s breath, She knocked and pressed against the ebony gate. The living portal groaned with sullen hinge: Heavily reluctant it (tamasic mind) complained inert Against the tyranny of the spirit’s touch.” Savitri-489 “But now a mightier danger’s front drew near: The press of bodily mind, the Inconscient’s brood Of aimless thought and will had fallen from her.” Savitri-491 “Her body’s thoughts climbed from her conscious limbs And carried their yearnings to its mystic crown Where Nature’s murmurs meet the Ineffable.” Savitri-540 “A sceptic facing Light with adamant No… It makes a cloud of the interpreting mind And intercepts the oracles of the Sun.” Savitri-626 "From the negative point of view – I mean the difficulties to be overcome – one of the most serious obstacles is that the ignorant and falsifying outer consciousness, the ordinary consciousness legitimizes all the so-called physical laws, causes, effects and consequences, all that science has discovered physically and materially (laws of the body, for example, its needs, its health, its nourishment, all those things – they have such a solid, compact, established and concrete reality that it appears absolutely unquestionable.). All this is an unquestionable reality to the consciousness, a reality that remains independent and absolute even in the face of the eternal divine Reality...Well, to be able to cure that, which of all the obstacles is the greatest (I mean the habit of putting spiritual life on one side and material life on the other, of acknowledging the right of material laws to exist), one must make a resolution never to legitimize any of these movements, at any cost. "⁵⁶ The Mother "But constantly (I make the problem more precise for the sake of clarity), there are constantly in the atmosphere, as I have always said, all the suggestions, all that atmosphere of the physical mind which is full of every possible stupidity. You have to be permanently on your guard and sweep it all away: "Go away, don't interfere. " The doctors' opinions, the example of other people, that whole ... really, that whole terrible muddle of Ignorance all around, which you have to drive back: "Don't meddle, mind your own business .""⁵⁸ The Mother " It is only love that can understand and get at the secrets of the Divine Working. The mind, the physical mind especially, is incapable of seeing correctly and yet it always wants to judge. It is only a true, sincere humility in the mind, allowing the psychic to rule the being, that can save human beings from ignorance and obscurity."⁵⁷ The Mother The normal waking state is dominated by the physical mind, which is the assured base, close to earthly nature, the first status of slow ascent and the lowest sub-plane of intellect, the starting point of the educational movement of that apparent material world. It contradicts³⁷ and opposes the vital mind by inertia, indolence and dullness and intellect by narrowness, precarious thought, ignorance and obscurity. The modern man strives to establish equilibrium between a fully active intellect, vital and body. The task of Integral Education is to link these three lower mental planes fully with the Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental planes, which throw on the physical mind a transforming light that breaks conservative inertia, replaces its narrow thought-power and doubts by Knowledge and pours luminosity and Divine Consciousness into the very cells of the body. So those who want to escape from the defeatist domination of physical mind and its repetition of old familiar pessimist action, for them the centre of living must shift above the head, so that they can separate and disentangle lower habitual action of physical mind from the action of a clearer and more potent self-knowledge and pure Divine will. If they can think no longer from the brain but above and outside the head in the subtle body, then it is a clear indication that they have escaped from the limitation of the physical mind. Through trance,41 Samadhi, they can also enter dream and sleep Selves or consciousness corresponding to the subtle life-plane and the Supramental plane, free from the subjection and limitation of the physical mind. The trained physical mind is a passive field and instrument of greater force and light; it responds to every demand and need of the Spirit’s force and holds and assimilates every kind, variety and diversity of Spiritual experience. So, we must erase the settled imprint of the physical mind slowly by Divine Contact. Japa or repetition of Divine Word is a very good mechanical means of contradicting pessimism and entering Divine contact to which the cells of the body value a lot. The physical mind lives content with the common, known, old memories and loves to live with the past. It accepts the empiric fact of physical laws like gravity, disease and decay as settled law and does not see the occult, universal law behind them. It believes in no Divinity other than the narrow earth-bound gods, abhors transformation of Nature, distrustful of discovery of new worlds, fears the Unknowable as deadly abyss, shrinks from the adventure of Consciousness, loses its conviction of objective certitude and enters into an agnosticism which questions all its own standards of life and knowledge, doubts whether all this is real or else whether all, even if real, is not futile. It creates in him a habit of believing entirely the physical facts as the sole truth and of doubting or challenging all that does not come into accord with his own experience or his own scope of understanding or square with his own standard or sum of established knowledge. It affirms that an objective Reality is the only entire self-evident truth beyond question and an objective knowledge as the sole entirely reliable knowledge and constructs always its frail house of thought; it looks at only one side of existence, even only one province or district of existence, and leaves all the rest unexplained, without inherent reality, without significance and without integrality and whatever is not actual, not physical, not objective it regards as unreal or unrealised, and it can accept a thing as entirely real when it has succeeded in becoming actual, becoming a physical fact and becoming objective. The crude physical mind is a slave of a fixed mass of absolute rule and trades its gain to meet the moment’s call, moves from moment to brief moment, shuts into succession of moments, labours for an hour, so is the creator of impatience because it cannot tolerate and wait the Divine Mother’s eternal labour, for whom the present existing world which She has built is an interim report and half found truth in things, who works out the distorting Maya through wisdom which went forth since the beginning of creation. A breaking of our imprisonment in moment and a transcendence of limitation of sensation and subjection of physical mind is possible by evolving another state of consciousness and of vision and knowledge of triple time consciousness. The normal sleep⁴² is completely different from trance state and in the former physical mind is active in the dream which is an incoherent jumble of vague touches from the surface world, wandering phantasy of the reason, disordered associations from brain memory, widely distorted and mixed up confusedly with other dream elements and fantastic responses to any sensory touch of the surface vital world. Where trance is a subtle action of higher consciousness of dream self, free from immixture of physical and vital mentality, liberated from the bounds of surface consciousness and is open towards perennial source of pure inner sense. Physical mind rejects the thought process of logically discriminative and imaginative reason, its disturbances and its tensions and does not like any upliftment of Consciousness, Spiritual deliverance, descent of Divine force and ‘barks at every unfamiliar’³⁹ Superconscient light. Any ‘large or intense or continuous enjoyments’⁴⁰ are almost intolerable to the physical mind. It is formed under the pressure of difficulties, obstacles, suffering and struggle and does not believe that behind all the difficulties there is Divine Grace, behind all the failures there is success and ‘inability to look beyond its own apparent self-formation.’¹⁸ It treasures the changeless doctrine of negation, earthward look, disease, decay and death and obedient to the tyranny of gross matter. All inner and outer revolutions sink into physical mind’s inertia and in a new dress, the old habit resumes its guardian role. Fear, doubt and impatience are the original character and habit of the physical mind and bind one to the bodily consciousness. It always aspires for greater comfort,³⁶ constructed order, short-lived enjoyments, easily secured life and is oblivious of whole truth of existence. The education of physical mind needs very tangible and repeated Spiritual experience and it must break all its heavy smallness and asks giving up of its instincts, needs, blind conservative attachment, settled grooves of nature, doubt, disbeliefs in all that is beyond itself, its faith of inevitability of fixed functioning of mind, life and body. These are replaced by new power which establishes its own greater law and functioning in the form and force of Matter. By the pressure of the higher light even the Subconscient and Inconscient below the physical mind have to become conscient, susceptible to higher light,³⁸ no longer obstructive to fulfilling the creative action of the Consciousness force, but more and more a mould and basis of the Spiritual Force. The admission of such a radical change and the remoulding of the whole nature are possible by the full emergence and dominance of the Psychic and Spiritual fire and long working of their light and power on the parts of the nature. The Gita prescribes a new method of self-discipline through which the golden chain of three gunas can be broken. “It is to stand back in oneself from the action and the modes and observe this unsteady flux as the Witness seated above the surge of the forces of Nature. He is one who watches but is impartial and indifferent, aloof from them on their own level and in his native posture high above them. As they rise and fall in their waves, the Witness looks, observes, but neither accepts nor for the moment interferes with their course. First there must be the freedom of the impersonal Witness; afterwards there can be the control of the Master, the Ishwara .”⁷ The Synthesis of Yoga book proposes another method in addition to the Gita’s method, by which one can go beyond three gunas . “There is nothing to be done with this fickle, restless, violent and disturbing factor but to get rid of it (physical mind) whether (1) by detaching it and then reducing it to stillness or (2) by giving a concentration and singleness to the thought by which it will of itself reject this alien and confusing element.’⁸ Or ‘as the calm of equality increases, deepens, becomes more essential and compact, ghana ,’⁴³ the influence of physical mind becomes weak and its appearance at the outer gates of mind ceases. “This body-mind is a very tangible truth; owing to its obscurity and mechanical clinging to past movements and facile oblivion and rejection of the new, we find in it one of the chief obstacles to permeation by the supermind Force and the transformation of the functioning of the body. On the other hand, once effectively converted, it will be one of the most precious instruments for the stabilisation of the supramental Light and Force in material Nature.”⁵⁵ “…the ordinary activity of the physical mind which is full of ordinary habitual and constantly recurrent thoughts and is always busy with external objects and activities…the vital mind which is different, — for that is always occupied with emotions, passions, desires, reactions of all kinds to the contacts of life and the behaviour of others. The physical mind also can be responsive to these things but in a different way— its nature is less that of desire than of habitual activity, small common interests, pains and pleasures. If one tries to control or suppress it (physical mind), it becomes more active. To deal with this mind two things are necessary, (1) not so much to try to control or fight with or suppress it as to stand back from it: one looks at it and sees what it is but refuses to follow its thoughts or run about among the objects it pursues, remaining at the back of the mind quiet and separate; (2) to practice quietude and concentration in this separateness, until the habit of quiet takes hold of the physical mind and replaces the habit of these small activities. This of course takes time and can only come by practice…”¹⁰ “Tamas in the spiritual being becomes a divine calm, which is not an inertia and incapacity of action, but a perfect power, sakti, holding in itself all its capacity and capable of controlling and subjecting to the law of calm even the most stupendous and enormous activity: rajas becomes a self-effecting initiating sheer Will of the spirit, which is not desire, endeavour, striving passion, but the same perfect power of being, sakti, capable of an infinite, imperturbable and blissful action. Sattwa becomes not the modified mental light, prakasa , but the self-existent light of the divine being, jyotih , which is the soul of the perfect power of being and illumines in their unity the divine quietude and the divine will of action.”⁹ " It is the result of the descent of the supramental substance into Matter. Only this substance – what it has put into physical Matter – could have made it possible. It is a new ferment. From the material standpoint, it removes from physical Matter its tamas, the heaviness of its unconsciousness, and from the psychological standpoint, its ignorance and its falsehood. Matter is subtilized. But it has surely come only as a first experience to show how it will be... It is truly a state of absolute omniscience and omnipotence in the body which changes all the vibrations around it... It is likely that the greatest resistance will be in the most conscious beings due to a lack of mental receptivity, due to the mind itself which wants things to continue (as Sri Aurobindo has written) according to its own mode of ignorance. So-called inert matter is much more easily responsive, much more – it does not resist. And I am convinced that among plants, for example, or among animals, the response will be much quicker than among men. It will be more difficult to act upon a very organized mind; beings who live in an entirely crystallized, organized mental consciousness are as hard as stone! It resists. According to my experience, what is unconscious will certainly follow more easily. It was a delight to see the water from the tap, the mouthwash in the bottle, the glass, the sponge – it all had such an air of joy and consent! There is much less ego, you see, it is not a conscious ego... The ego becomes more and more conscious and resistant as the being develops. Very primitive, very simple beings, little children will respond first, because they don’t have an organized ego. But these big people! People who have worked on themselves, who have mastered themselves, who are organized, who have an ego made of steel, it will be difficult for them... Unless they go beyond all this and have enough spiritual knowledge to be able to make the ego surrender ... in which case the realization will naturally be much greater – it will be more difficult to accomplish, but the result will be far more complete."⁵⁴ Education of muddy and deceptive Vital Mind: “A thought was there that planned, a will that strove, But for small aims within a narrow scope, Wasting unmeasured toil on transient things. It knew itself a creature of the mud; It asked no larger law, no loftier aim; It had no inward look, no upward gaze.” Savitri-149 “Only it hoped for greatness in its den And pleasure and victory in small fields of power And conquest of life-room for self and kin, An animal limited by its feeding-space. It knew not the Immortal in its house; It had no greater deeper cause to live.” Savitri-149 “A whisper falls into life’s inner ear (A whisper of higher Nature) And echoes from the dun subconscient caves, Speech leaps, thought quivers, the heart vibrates, the will Answers and tissue and nerve obey the call. Our lives translate these subtle intimacies; All is the commerce of a secret Power.” Savitri-162 “A thinking puppet is the mind of life: Its choice is the work of elemental strengths That know not their own birth and end and cause And glimpse not the immense intent they serve.” Savitri-162 “Insignificant architects of low-built lives And engineers of interest and desire, Out of crude earthiness and muddy thrills And coarse reactions of material nerve They build our huddled structures of self-will And the ill-lighted mansions of our thought, Or with the ego’s factories and marts Surround the beautiful temple of the soul.” Savitri-163 “All dulls down to convention and routine Or a fierce excitement brings him vivid joys: His days are tinged with the red hue of strife And lust’s hot glare and passion’s crimson stain; Battle and murder are his tribal game.” Savitri-165 “Its (rajasic mind’s) power could deform divinest things. A wind of sorrow breathed upon the world; All thought with falsehood was besieged, all act Stamped with defect or with frustration’s sign, All high attempt with failure or vain success, But none could know the reason of his fall.” Savitri-203 “Thence sprang the burning vision of Desire. A thousand shapes it wore, took numberless names: A need of multitude and uncertainty Pricks it for ever to pursue the One On countless roads across the vasts of Time Through circuits of unending difference. It burns all breasts with an ambiguous fire.” Savitri-247 “The hurried servant senses answer apace To every knock upon the outer doors, Bring in time’s visitors, report each call, Admit the thousand queries and the calls And the messages of communicating minds And the heavy business of unnumbered lives And all the thousandfold commerce of the world.” Savitri-478-479 “There is a joy in all that meets the sense, A joy in all experience of the soul, A joy in evil and a joy in good, A joy in virtue and a joy in sin: Indifferent to the threat of Karmic law, Joy dares to grow upon forbidden soil, Its sap runs through the plant and flowers of Pain:” Savitri-630 “Studies strengthen the mind and turn its concentration away from the impulses and desires of the vital. Concentrating on study is one of the most powerful ways of controlling the mind and the vital; that is why it is so important to study.”⁵² The Mother “Rajas contributes our normal active nature with all its good and evil; when unchastened by a sufficient element of sattwa , it turns to egoism, self-will and violence, the perverse, obstinate or exaggerating action of the reason, prejudice, attachment to opinion, clinging to error, the subservience of the intelligence to our desires and preferences and not to the truth, the fanatic or the sectarian mind, self-will, pride, arrogance, selfishness, ambition, lust, greed, cruelty, hatred, jealousy, the egoisms of love, all the vices and passions, the exaggerations of the aesthesis, the morbidities and perversions of the sensational and vital being. Tamas in its own right produces the coarse, dull and ignorant type of human nature, rajas the vivid, restless, kinetic man, driven by the breath of action, passion and desire.”¹⁷ Sri Aurobindo The man’s vital mind is an instrument of desire, the troubled seed of things, which hunts after unrealised possibilities, burns all hearts with ambiguous fire, enlarges always passion and craving, creates dissatisfaction, an unrest, a seeking for something more than what life seems able to give it, a constant demand for more and always more, a quest for new worlds to conquer, an incessant drive towards an exceeding of the bounds of circumstance and a self-exceeding. It is not satisfied with physical and objective enjoyment only but seeks to a subjective, imaginative, a purely emotive satisfaction, enjoyment and pleasure, which are dependent on external things, external sense contacts and concerned with the practical, the immediately realizable and possible events, the habitual, the common and average. ‘Mostly however the constant recurrence of depression and despair or of doubt and revolt is due to a mental or vital formation which takes hold of the vital mind and makes it run round always in the same circle at the slightest provoking cause or even without cause. It is like an illness to which the body consents from habit and from belief in the illness even though it suffers from it, and once started the illness runs its habitual course unless it is cut short by some strong counteracting force. If once the body can withdraw its consent, the illness immediately or quickly ceases — that was the secret of the Coue´ system. So too if the vital mind withdraws its consent, refuses to be dominated by the habitual suggestions and the habitual movements, these recurrences of depression and despair can be made soon to cease. But it is not easy for this (vital) mind, once it has got into the habit of consent, even a quite passive and suffering and reluctant consent, to cancel the habit and get rid of the black circle. It can be done easily only when the mind refuses any longer to believe in the suggestions or accept the ideas or feelings that start the circle.’¹² Desire⁴⁹ is the outcome of incompleteness, of insufficiency and that of not yet sufficiently possessed or enjoyed which the being seeks for possession. It creates confusion, throws discord and brings impurity which is the whole evil of our psychological existence. If the vital mind is deprived of its natural urge of enjoyment, which is the whole object of desire then it recoils into subjection of physical mind and man would live like the animal, accepting his first actual physical life and its limits as his whole possibility, moving the material Nature’s established order and asking for nothing beyond it. The human emotions are governed by egoistic passion, self-satisfied perversions, blind instinctive affections, cruelty and beast wrath of violence,⁴⁵ a heart besieged and given over to lust, treachery and rapacity, little and narrow greed, mean pettiness of an obscure and fallen life-force, bottomless ingratitude and debased by slavery to any and every lower impulse. So, it is the mixture of the emotive heart and the sense bound hungering vital that creates a false desire Soul³³ which the reason and intellect in man rightly distrust and disbelieve; ‘for the nature of the vital mind is always to cloud the true mind’s perception and drive it towards action. Neither the vital mind nor the physical mind are things that have to be got rid of, but they must be quietened, purified, controlled and transformed. That will take place fully when the thinking mind becomes fully conscious and when the psychic comes forward and leads and governs both it and the vital and physical being.’¹¹ So, a great sincerity is asked of a Sadhaka while searching the true Soul through entry into the subliminal vital nature⁴⁴ which is an incurable pretender and actor. As the calm equality of the Soul increases and deepens, he is able and far advanced in entire elimination of falsity and dangerous crudity of life and becomes aware of the true inmost being, manifests true life in the power of Godhead and joy of Infinite. His vigilant eye must keep constant watch on deceits of ego and ambushes of misleading powers of Darkness and they often take the appearance of the divine form in order to capture the soul of a Sadhaka. The vital being must be trained to right enjoyment of life in obedience to the working of the Divine Will and get rid of all human craving and attachment. Similarly, heart must be trained to the right joy and laughter of the Soul in obedience to the working of the Divine Love and get rid of all wrong emotions of fear, wrath, hatred and lust. The vital mind or Psychic prana ³⁴ is baffled by life and frustrated or else dissatisfied with all its satisfactions, overtaken by a deep disgust and disappointment, finds that all is vanity and vexation of Spirit and is ready to reject life and existence as an unreality, all that it hunted after as an illusion, Maya . It flames violently towards the heaven but sinks engulfed into mire of hell; climbs above to drag down high truth into the Subconscient abyss but does not succeed; its brilliant forces rush towards muddy ends. The education of the vital mind asks giving up of its cherished desires,³⁵ falsity of senses, emotions, feelings, impulses, forceful mechanism of action and reaction and they will be replaced by a luminous, desireless, free and yet automatically self-determining pure sense, pure enjoyment,47 limitless passion and yearning for the Infinite force. Life must be an instrument of universal and impersonal knowledge, power, delight, love and beauty and fulfilled through its greater joy and strength. And finally, vital mind must be elevated to Supermind which is the native seat of all perfection. Education of purposeful and laborious Intellect: “A fearless will for knowledge dared to erase The lines of safety Reason draws that bar Mind’s soar, soul’s dive into the Infinite.” Savitri-26 “The mind learns and knows not, turning its back to truth; It studies surface laws by surface thought,… Adds purposeful figures to her purposeless sum,” Savitri-160 “Our mind lives far off from the authentic Light Catching at little fragments of the Truth” Savitri-161 “As long as intellect’s outward-gazing sight Serves earthy interest and creature joys, An incurable littleness pursues his days.” Savitri-164 “Transfigured were the fixed scheme of reasoning Thought.” Savitri-232 “In her high works of pure intelligence, In her withdrawal from the senses’ trap, There comes no breaking of the walls of mind, There leaps no rending flash of absolute power, There dawns no light of heavenly certitude.” Savitri-251 “In this small mould of infant mind and sense Desire is a child-heart’s cry crying for bliss, Our reason only a toys’ artificer, A rule-maker in a strange stumbling game. But she her dwarf aides knew whose confident sight A bounded prospect took for the far goal.” Savitri-257 “Reason cannot tear off that glimmering mask, Her efforts only make it glimmer more; In packets she ties up the Indivisible; Finding her hands too small to hold vast Truth She breaks up knowledge into alien parts Or peers through cloud-rack for a vanished sun:” Savitri-257 “Upraised the earth-mind to superhuman heights.” Savitri-360 “A mind daring heavenly experiment, Growing towards some largeness they felt near, Testing the unknown’s bound with eager touch They still were prisoned by their human grain: They could not keep up with her tireless step; Too small and eager for her large-paced will, Too narrow to look with the unborn Infinite’s gaze Their nature weary grew of things too great.” Savitri-363 “Attuned to Silence and to the world-rhyme, They loosened the knot of the imprisoning mind; Achieved was the wide untroubled witness gaze, Unsealed was Nature’s great spiritual eye; To the height of heights rose now their daily climb:” Savitri-481-82 “Thus slowly I (Mother of Light) lift man’s soul nearer the Light. But human mind clings to its ignorance And to its littleness the human heart And to its right to grief the earthly life.” Savitri-516 “There came into mind’s little frontal room Thoughts that enlarged our limited human range, Lifted the ideal’s half-quenched or sinking torch Or peered through the finite at the infinite.” Savitri-540 “Impersonal, signless, featureless, void of forms A blank pure consciousness had replaced the mind.” Savitri-545 “The mind develops into the mind of the sage, at first the high mental thinker, then the spiritual sage who has gone beyond the abstractions of thought to the beginnings of a direct experience.”¹⁹ Sri Aurobindo “The dharma of the sattwic man is the highest in the circle of the gunas; but that too is a limited view and a dwarfed standard. Its imperfect indications lead to a petty and relative perfection; temporarily satisfying to the enlightened personal ego, it is not founded either on the whole truth of the self or on the whole truth of Nature.”⁵ ⁹ Sri Aurobindo Supermind, mind, life and body are the four instruments which the Spirit uses for its manifestation in the workings of Nature. Supermind is Spiritual Consciousness acting as self-luminous Knowledge, Will and Delight. Mind is essentially the faculty of Supermind, which measures and limits and fixes a particular centre for cosmic movement and action and only very indirectly and partially illumined and it can look upward and receive the Supramental communication and passes it on to the other lower members. And since man is a mental being, so intellect is at least his most constant, normal and effective means for enlightening his Ignorance. The normal thought action of the mind is divided into a triple⁵ movement; (1) first and the lowest is the habitual thought mind whose ideas are based on the available data given by the senses and by surface experiences of nervous and emotional being and on the customary notions formed by the education and outward life and environment; it can think nothing as entirely true and all its formulations break down under the test of new suggestions from the infinite; (2) the second grade of thinking activity of the creative pragmatic mind which can link the truth of life and the truth of idea not yet manifested in life; the thinking mind finds its most clear, precise, effective principle of organisation and characteristic satisfaction in the reasoning and logical intelligence; a more precise and assured action of the intelligence will get rid of the superficiality of this ordinary method of the mind, test every step, scrutinize severely every conclusion, efficiently guard against error and reduce the mind’s action to a well-founded system, synthesis and order; (3) the last gradation of thinking opens in us the pure, subtle, flexible ideative outer mind which lives disinterestedly in the truth of idea for Divine action and yearns to bear the Spiritual Light and lives far from the ordinary mental habit which turns truth into purveyors of error and hurriedly carries light to suffering men and outer world. . The limitation of mind is that firstly, fear, desire and sorrow are recognised as diseases of the mind, born of its sense of division and limitation; it is an inveterate divider of the Indivisible and its observation and understanding is always incomplete, uncertain, relative, partial and inconclusive, and it’s out going action and creation is still more confused, narrow, inferior and imperfect; the error of practical reason is an excessive subjection to apparent facts of existence and makes life artificial and rationally mechanical, deprives it of its spontaneity and vitality, prevents the freedom and expansion of the Spirit and not courageous enough to carry the profounder facts of potentiality to their logical conclusion; secondly, mental activity is restricted to this life, limited in time, space, scope and form, life that is death, hunger and incapacity attempting to become life that is immortality, satisfied delight and omnipotence; so long as there is a mixed action and the mental constructions and imaginations are allowed to operate, this passivity of intuitive mind to the higher light, the truth light, cannot be complete or securely dominate and there cannot therefore be a firm organisation of the triple time knowledge; thirdly, mental consciousness is rescued from a sleep of Inconscience, subjected to the means it uses, limited by body and ego; it finds its relation negatively with others by various means of hostile contact and antipathy and positively by various means of uniting contact and sympathy; fourthly, mind seeks for the delight and the self-luminous Divine Consciousness and finds only the apparent negations of pleasure, pain, grief, indifference and the dualities which is again merely a certain trick of false reception of our divided mental being; it is not our true state at all but only a fragmentary formulation or discoloured spray of conscious-force tossed up by the infinite sea of our self-existence; fifthly, the veil or lid created by mind prevents the attainment and realization of the Divine; mind with its exclusive concentration cannot bridge the gulf between the passive and active Brahman and it builds a wall of non-communication between the two and puts itself away from the dynamic aspect of Consciousness; sixthly, mind is a power of ignorance and acts always partially and by limitation, it may even forget itself in a complete Inconscience, or Nescience, awaken from it to the ignorance of a partial knowledge and move from the ignorance towards a complete knowledge; and even if it arrived at integral knowledge, it would still be by a sort of putting together, a mental and intellectual arrangement, an artificial unity, a surface manipulation of things and not an essential and real oneness and not the spiritual change of consciousness; seventhly, mental truth is always an intellectual, emotional and sensational representation and not the direct truth, not the truth itself in its body and essence; eighthly, the mental man thinks and sees on the level of present life and is oblivious of past and future lives or all life; his main basis of knowledge is the present moment with a ill grasped glimpse into the past and blind look towards the future, he bases himself on actual appearance of outward things and oblivious of the vast domain of inner living; and ninthly, when the intellectual reason is applied to the disciplining of infra-rational life, it constantly forces on life a control, a measure, an artificial procrustean rule that succeeds either by hardening life or killing it or constrains it into rigid forms and conventions that ends by a revolt of life, a decay or disruption of systems and imprisons its capacity; or our nature is shaped rigidly by the practice of the ideals constructed by human mind and to limit ourselves by it is to restrict the growth of our larger Self; it is still more difficult for the reason to understand and handle with the suprarational life and the reason is lost in the largeness, subtlety, profundity and complexity of intuitive movement and guidance. And falsity of thought with all its mental constructions can be eliminated by intervention of greater felicity of Knowledge, Truth, Self and Nature. The advantage of progressive mind is that firstly, it aims at perfecting itself as well as the house in which it dwells and the means of life that it uses, and is capable of awaking by a progressive self-realisation to its own true nature as a form of the Spirit; secondly, the characteristic energy of pure Mind is change through self-enlargement and self-improvement and moves continually from a smaller and simpler to a larger and more complex perfection; thirdly, the fullness of mental life, the suppleness, plasticity, flexibility and wide capacity of intellect to open itself towards its Source, receive the light from above, the ordered richness of emotion and sensibility, largeness and harmonized action of the will are passages towards the development of more powerful faculties and higher life; the reason can become an intermediary between the Subconscient power of the Spirit organizing the life of the animal and the Superconscient power of the Spirit which becoming conscient can organize the existence and life of a spiritual Supermanhood; fourthly, mind can stand on the top as the leader of the journey towards the innermost door of consciousness through its functioning of gathering and reflection, meditation, fixed contemplation, the absorbed dwelling of the mind on its object; fifthly, it is not a seer of occult imperatives that necessitate the movement of creation but a half-light thrown from the Infinite, a half view taken for the whole, a pale refracted light idealized as the burning body of the Sun and its splendour; its idealized vision does not arrive at the essence of Being but it is only an inferior mode of Nature; sixthly, from ordinary point of view its knowledge is an intellectual appreciation of the facts of life, mind and matter and the laws that govern them and it is undertaken partly for the pure satisfaction of the intellect, partly for practical efficiency and is used in helping, saving and liberating or hurting, oppressing and destroying others; seventhly, in proportion as we become more mental, we attain to a subtler action of our whole nature which becomes more apt to reflect and receive higher thoughts, a purer will, more inward influences, striving to enlarge itself and pressing against the concealed body of true gnosis; initially mind is satisfied with first Spiritual enlightenment, then afterwards it finds that to rest satisfied here would be to rest in partial knowledge and realises subsequently that it has to go on heightening and enlarging the consciousness indefinitely; eighthly, if its passage is through crooked ways of error, ignorance and falsehood still its impulse is disinterested truth seeking, truth finding and truth creation and finally its goal is always Integral Knowledge; ninthly, mind has to learn to awaken to the true seeking of the Soul veiled within itself, to the Reality from which all things hold their truth, to the Consciousness of which all consciousness are multiple entities, to the Power from which all get what force of being they have within them, to Delight to which all delight are partial figures. The first difficulty is that all action of mind is a derivation of secret Supermind and such a truth is diminished in scope, degraded into lower movement and even when it is widest and most complete, mental knowing is still an indirect knowledge; secondly, it is a habituated divider of the Indivisible and its whole nature is to dwell on one thing at a time to the exclusion of others or to stress it to the subordination of others. To train the mind as a pure, clear and passive reflector of the Divine is identified as an important exercise in Integral Education. So thirdly, the preliminary need is a right thought which can be effective and established by liberating oneself from the negative habit of sense-error, desire, old association, intellectual prejudgment, exclusiveness, systematizing and attachment to its own constructions and followed by positive opening towards vision, spiritual experience and realisation. The last difficulty of the mind is identified as its inability to hold at once the unity and multiplicity of the existence and realisation of all this as Sachchidananda is its great difficulty and its supreme difficulty is to unify without losing and integralise without rejecting. Mind indeed can never be a perfect instrument of the Spirit; a supreme self-expression is not possible in its movements because to separate, divide, limit is its very character and its nature is reflected, diluted and diffused or a narrowly intensive light and sets up willed barriers against higher faculties; it cannot give free admission to the vast and comprehensive self-existent luminosity and joy of the Spirit and all Truth’s infinities because by that it would lose itself in an un-reconciled variety, an undetermined immensity and would be unable to act and proceed to practical consequences and an effective creation. “If once it met the intense original Flame, An answering touch might shatter all measures made And earth sink down with the weight of the Infinite.” Savitri-18 “Awake not the immeasurable descent, Speak not my secret name to hostile Time; Man is too weak to bear the Infinite’s weight. Truth born too soon might break the imperfect earth.” Savitri-335 At first, when the Supramental pressure falls on the unpurified mind a contrary phenomenon may for a time appear. That is due to several causes. First, there may be a disturbance, even a derangement created by impact of the greater hardly measurable power on an inferior consciousness which is not capable of responding to it organically or even perhaps of bearing the pressure; secondly, the very fact of the simultaneous and yet uncoordinated activity of two quite different forces, especially if the mind insists on its own way, if it tries obstinately or violently to profit by the Supermind instead of giving itself up to it and its purpose and acting as a transmitting channel, if it is not sufficiently passive and obedient to the higher guidance, may lead to a great excitation of power but also an increased disorder and obstructer of power and light that comes from above; there is a disparateness between the Supramental consciousness in which the Purusha now stands, thinks and wills and the mental, vital and physical consciousness through which he has to effectuate its light and knowledge; he lives and sees with an ideal consciousness, but he has yet in his lower self to make it entirely practical and effective; otherwise he can only act with a greater or less Spiritual effectiveness through an internal communication with others on the Spiritual level and on the higher mental level that is most easily affected by it, but the effect is diminished and is retarded by the inferiority or lack of the integral play of the being; this can only be remedied by the Supramental taking hold of and Supramentalising the mental, the vital and the physical consciousness, --transforming them, that is to say, into moulds of the Supramental nature; thirdly, mind can be qualified for the transmission of Supramental force much more easily if there is a previous Yogic preparation and long purification of lower nature, a passivity of the mind calmly and strongly open to the Spirit and reason’s plasticity towards all sides and all aspects of self-development; otherwise there will be much difficulty in getting rid of the discord or disparateness between the ideal Supramentality and the mental transmitting instruments, the mind channel, the heart, the sense, the nervous and the physical being. Lastly, King Aswapati was able to slay/transform the desire Soul represented by tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind by elevating his consciousness to Bliss Self and dynamising it. “The soul’s ignorance (desire Soul) is slain but not the soul:” Savitri-311 “The covering Nescience was unmasked and slain;” Savitri-313, “To err no more was natural to mind; Wrong could not come where all was light and love.” Savitri-313-14 “All that denies (Supreme Love) must be torn out and slain And crushed the many longings (of desire) for whose sake We lose the One (Divine) for whom our lives were made.” Savitri-316 “Now other claims (of desire Soul) had hushed in him their cry:" Savitri-316, “All seemed to have perished that was undivine:” Savitri-318, “Overpowered were form and memory’s limiting line; The covering mind was seized and torn apart; It was dissolved and now no more could be,” Savitri-319 By the Pressure of Savitri’s Viswarupa, Death experienced following partial transformation of Nature: “A pressure of intolerable force Weighed on his (Death’s) unbowed head and stubborn breast; Light like a burning tongue licked up his thoughts, Light was a luminous torture in his heart, Light coursed, a splendid agony, through his nerves; His darkness muttered perishing in her blaze.” Savitri-667, Recapitulation: “The Supermind had descended long ago—very long ago—into the mind and even into the vital: it was working in the physical also but indirectly through those intermediaries. The question was about the direct action of the Supermind in the physical. Sri Aurobindo said it could be possible only if the physical mind received the supramental light: the physical mind was the instrument for direct action upon the most material. This physical mind receiving the supramental light Sri Aurobindo called the Mind of Light… As soon as Sri Aurobindo withdrew from his body, what he has called the Mind of Light got realised in me.”²⁰ The Mother 29 June 1953 “All strong natures have the rajasik active outgoing force in them and if that were sufficient to unfit for the Yoga, very few of us would have had a chance. As for the doubt of the physical mind as to whether the thing is possible, who has not had it? In my own case it pursued me years and years and it is only in the last two years (written on 16th April 1923) that the last shadow of doubt, not latterly of its theoretical feasibility, but of the practical certainty of its achievement in the present state of the world and of the human nature, entirely left me.”²¹ Sri Aurobindo “This is a difficult lesson to learn (rejection of revolt and impatience), but you must learn it. I do not find fault with you for taking long over it, I myself took full twelve years to learn it thoroughly, (written in the year1919) and even after I knew the principle well enough, it took me quite four years and more to master my lower nature in this respect. But you have the advantage of my experience and my help; you will be able to do it more rapidly, if you consciously and fully assist me, by not associating yourself with the enemy Desire; jahi kamam durasadam , remember that utterance of the Gita, it is a keyword of our Yoga.”⁵⁰ Sri Aurobindo “It was in 1910 that I had this sort of reversal of consciousness about which I spoke the other evening – that is, the first contact with the higher Divine – and it completely changed my life. From that moment on, I was conscious that all one does is the expression of the indwelling Divine Will. But it is the Divine Will AT THE VERY CENTER of oneself, although for a while there remained an activity in the physical mind. But this was stilled two or three days after I saw Sri Aurobindo for the first time in 1914, and it (physical mind) never started up again. Silence settled. And the consciousness was established above the head.”²⁶ The Mother “And it is part of any integral yoga: you discipline this physical mind. I have done it for more than sixty years.”⁵¹ The Mother “And this physical mind of which Sri Aurobindo said that it was an impossibility, that it was something that turns round and round and will always turn round and round, precisely without consciousness, like a kind of machine, that mind has been converted, has become silent, and in the silence it has received the inspiration of the Consciousness. And it has begun again to pray: the same prayers that were there before in the mind.”²² The Mother 22 November-1967 “It is only when the Supramental manifests in the body-mind that its presence can be permanent.”²³ Sri Aurobindo “It is only when, awaking from its immersion in Prakriti, it perceives its oneness with the One and its oneness with all existences that it can become free from these things and found its right relation to this executive world-Nature.”²⁴ Sri Aurobindo “But it is also possible to make this silence of the mind and ability to suspend the habits of the lower nature a first step towards the discovery of a superior formulation, a higher grade of the status and energy of our being and pass by an ascent and transformation into the supramental power of the spirit. And this may even, though with more difficulty, be done without resorting to the complete state of quietude of the normal mind by a persistent and progressive transformation of all the mental into their greater corresponding supramental powers and activities.”²⁵ Sri Aurobindo All human problems would move harmoniously to their right solution if physical mind, vital mind and intellect could act free from all impurity,46 perversion and intrusions of Subconscient and surrounding life energy and if that energy could be made to obey their right command, adesh, from subliminal and Subconscient plane. The task of integral Yoga is to link these three lower mental planes fully with the Supra-physical, Supra-vital and Supra-mental and to transform the physical sense organ of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch dominated by physical and vital mind into the nature of something subtler, freer, greater truth, more spiritually concrete substance and more plastic Subliminal, Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental sense which seem to be the most difficult task and if the last and lowest physical mind is transformed then it will be the greatest instrument for holding the Supramental in the Physical consciousness. OM TAT SAT References: 1: CWSA-21/ The Life Divine/p-429-30, 2: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-746, 3: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-800, 4: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-915-16, 5: “It is difficult for the human mind to combine rightly and harmonise these three movements of the intelligence. (1) The ordinary man lives mainly in the habitual, has a comparatively feeble action of the creative and pragmatic and experiences a great difficulty in using at all or entering into the movement of the pure ideative mentality. (2) The creative pragmatic mind is commonly too much preoccupied with its own motion to move freely and disinterestedly in the atmosphere of pure ideative order and on the other hand has often an insufficient grasp on the actualities imposed by the habitual mentality and the obstacles it imposes as also on other movements of pragmatic thought and action than that which it is itself interested in building. (3) The pure ideative mentality tends to construct abstract and arbitrary systems of truth, intellectual sections and ideative edifices, and either misses the pragmatic movement necessary to life and lives only or mainly in ideas, or cannot act with sufficient power and directness in the life field and is in danger of being divorced from or weak in the world of the practical and habitual mentality. An accommodation of some kind is made, but the tyranny of the predominant tendency interferes with the wholeness and unity of the thinking being. Mind fails to be assured master even of its own totality, because the secret of that totality lies beyond it in the free unity of the self, free and therefore capable of an infinite multiplicity and diversity, and in the Supramental power that can alone bring out in a natural perfection the organic multiple movement of the self’s unity.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-843-44, 6: Matter cannot be reconciled with the Spirit is understood from following verse: “They who with the eye of knowledge perceive this irreconcilable difference between the Matter, kshetra, and the Spirit, Kshetrajna, and the liberation of Being from Nature, they escape into supreme abode of Param Dham.” The Gita-13.35, In the Gita Matter can be reconciled with the Spirit is hinted but not developed: ‘Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, reason and ego is My eightfold divided Nature, apara-prakriti. Know too My other Divine Nature, Para-prakriti, different from this Apara Prakriti ; this Supreme Nature or the Supreme Mother which becomes the Jiva in the heart and by which this world is upheld. This ‘upholding of the world,’ jagat dharayate, means Para-Prakriti also penetrates into Apara Prakriti by which this world can be purified, transformed and perfected.” The Gita -7.4, 5, 7: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-238, 8: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-314, “The problem appeared again to me very intensely when I read Sri Aurobindo’s The Yoga of Self-Perfection. I was confronted with a whole formidable world to be transformed – to transform what is already luminous is quite easy, but to transform that! ... ugh – this stuff of life, so low and so coarse, so ordinary ... it’s much more difficult.’ ” The Mother’s Agenda/ December 13, 1960, 9: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-689, 10: CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-30, 11: CWSA-30/Letters on Yoga-III/p-358, 12: CWSA-30/Letters on Yoga-III/p-365, 13: CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-60, 14: “To the physical mind only the words and facts and acts of a man matter; to the inner mind it is the spiritual happenings in him that matter.” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-479, 15: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-570, 16: “All strong natures have the rajasik active outgoing force in them and if that were sufficient to unfit for the Yoga, very few of us would have had a chance. As for the doubt of the physical mind as to whether the thing is possible, who has not had it? In my own case it pursued me years and years and it is only in the last two years (written on 16th April 1923) that the last shadow of doubt, not latterly of its theoretical feasibility, but of the practical certainty of its achievement in the present state of the world and of the human nature, entirely left me.” CWSA-36/Autobiographical Notes/p-360, 17: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-686, 18: “This brings us another element of the ordinary conception of rebirth which is not acceptable, since it is an obvious error of the physical mind, --the idea of the soul itself as a limited personality which survives unchanged from one birth to another. This too simple and superficial idea of the soul and personality is born of the physical mind’s inability to look beyond its own apparent self-formation in this single existence. In its conception, what returns in the reincarnation must be not only the same spiritual being, the same psychic entity, but the same formation of nature that inhabited the body of the last birth; the body changes, the circumstances are different, but the form of the being, the mind, the character, the disposition, temperament, tendencies are same…” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-847-48, 19: CWSA-22/ The Life Divine/p- 935, 20: The Mother’s Centenary Works/Vol-13/p-62-63, 21: CWSA-36/Autobiographical Notes/p-360, 22: The Mother’s Centenary Works/Vol-11/p-93, 23: TMCW-11/Notes on the Way/p-293, 24: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-100, 25: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-758-759, 26: “It was in 1910 that I had this sort of reversal of consciousness about which I spoke the other evening – that is, the first contact with the higher Divine – and it completely changed my life. From that moment on, I was conscious that all one does is the expression of the indwelling Divine Will. But it is the Divine Will AT THE VERY CENTER of oneself, although for a while there remained an activity in the physical mind. But this was stilled two or three days after I saw Sri Aurobindo for the first time in 1914, and it never started up again. Silence settled. And the consciousness was established above the head... In the first experience [of 1910], the consciousness was established in the psychic depths of the being, and from that poise issued the feeling of no longer doing anything but what the Divine wanted – it was the consciousness that the divine Will was all-powerful and that there was no longer any personal will, although there was still some mental activity and everything had to be made silent. In 1914, it was silenced, and the consciousness was established above the head. Here (the heart) and here (above the head), the connection is constant. Does one exclude the other? They exist simultaneously; it’s the same thing. When you start becoming truly conscious, you realize that it depends upon the kinds of activities you have to do. When you do a certain kind of work, it is in the heart that the Force gathers to radiate outwards, and when you do another kind of work, it is above the head that the Force concentrates to radiate outwards, but the two are not separate: the center of activity is here or there depending upon what you have to do.” The Mother’s Agenda-6.6.1958, 27: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-12, 28: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-624, 29: CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-181, 30: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-242, 31: CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1103, 32: “He has in him not a single mentality, but a double and a triple, (1) the mind material (physical mind) and nervous (vital mind), (2) the pure intellectual mind which liberates itself from the illusions of body and senses, and (3) a divine mind above intellect which in its turn liberates itself from the imperfect modes of the logically discriminative and imaginative reason.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-12, “The true human existence, therefore, only begins when the intellectual mentality emerges out of the material (physical mind) and we begin more and more to live in the mind independent of the nervous and physical obsession and in the measure of that liberty are able to accept rightly and rightly to use the life and body.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-12, “The sign is that the fine and full equilibrium of vitality and matter, the sane, robust, long-lived human body is ordinarily found only in races or classes of men who reject the effort of thought, its disturbances, its tensions, or think only with the material mind (physical mind). Civilised man has yet to establish an equilibrium between the fully active mind and body; he does not normally possess it.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-13, “She has harmonized the bodily life with the material mind (physical mind), she is harmonizing it with the play of the intellectual mentality; for that, although it tends to a depression of the full animal and vital vigour, need not produce active disturbances.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-13, “Nevertheless it is possible to make the material man and his life moderately progressive by imprinting on the material mind (physical mind) the custom of progress, the habit of conscious change, the fixed idea of progression as a law of life… It is possible to give the material man and his life a moderate spirituality by accustoming him to regard in a religious spirit all the institutions of life and its customary activities.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-23, 33: “Every fibre of the sense mind and basic consciousness is shot through with the action of the psychic prana, it is a nervous or vital and physical mentality. Even the buddhi and ego are overpowered by it, although they have the capacity of raising the mind beyond subjection to this vital, nervous and physical psychology. This combination creates in us the sensational desire soul which is the chief obstacle to a higher human as well as to the still greater divine perfection. Finally, above our present conscious mentality is a secret supermind which is the proper means and native seat of that perfection.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-647 “This nature of emotive mind as a reaction of chitta with a certain close dependence upon the nervous life sensations and the responses of the psychic prana is so characteristic that in some languages it is called chitta and prana, the heart, the life soul; it is indeed the most directly agitating and powerfully insistent action of the desire-soul which is the immixture of vital desire and responsive consciousness has created in us. And yet the true emotive soul, the real psyche in us, is not a desire-soul, but a soul of pure love and delight; but that, life the rest of our true being, can only emerge when the deformation created by the life of desire is removed from the surface and is no longer the characteristic action of our being. To get that done is a necessary part of our purification, liberation, perfection.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-649 “There are however two different kinds of action of these inner ranges of consciousness. (1) The first is a more outer and confused activity of the awakening subliminal mind and life which is clogged with and subject to the grosser desires and illusions of the mind and vital being and (2) vitiated in spite of its wider range of experience and powers and capacities by an enormous mass of error and deformations of the will and knowledge, full of false suggestions and images, false and distorted intuitions and inspirations and impulses, the latter often even depraved and perverse, and vitiated too by interference of the physical mind and its obscurities. This is an inferior activity to which clairvoyants, psychists, spiritists, occultists, seekers of powers and siddhis are very liable and to which all the warnings against the dangers and errors of this kind of seeking are more especially applicable. The seeker of spiritual perfection has to pass as quickly as possible, if he cannot altogether avoid, this zone of danger, and the safe rule here is to be attached to none of these things, but to make spiritual progress one’s sole real objective and to put no sure confidence in other things until the mind and life soul are purified and the light of the spirit and the supermind or at least of the spiritually illumined mind and soul are shed on these inner ranges of experience. For when the mind is tranquillised and purified and the pure psyche liberated from the insistence of the desire soul, these experiences are free from any serious danger, --except indeed that of limitation and a certain element of error which cannot be entirely eliminated so long as the soul experiences and acts on the mental level. For there is then a pure action of the true psychical consciousness and its powers, a reception of psychical experience pure in itself of the worse deformations, although subject to the limitations of the representing mind, and capable of a high spiritualization and light. The complete power and truth, however, can only come by the opening of the supermind and the supramentalizing of the mental and psychical experience.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-874-75, “Chitta, the basic consciousness, is largely subconscient; it has, open and hidden, two kinds of action, (1) one passive or receptive, (2) the other active or reactive and formative. As passive power it receives all impacts, even those of which the mind is unaware or to which it is inattentive, and it stores them in an immense reserve of passive subconscient memory on which the mind as an active memory can draw.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-647-48, 34: “Still the proper action of the sensational mind is not emotion, but conscious nervous response and nervous feeling and affection, impulse of the use of physical sense and body for some action, conscious vital craving and desire. There is a side of receptive response, a side of dynamic reaction. These things get their proper normal use when the higher mind is not mechanically subject to them, but controls and regulates their action. But a still higher state is when they undergo a certain transformation by the conscious will of the spirit which gives its right and no longer its wrong and desire form of characteristic action to the psychic prana .” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-650 “The deformation which enters in and prevents the purity, is a form of vital craving; the grand deformation which the psychic prana contributes to our being, is desire. The root of desire is the vital craving to seize upon that which we feel we have not, it is the limited life’s instinct for possession and satisfaction. It creates the sense of want, --first the simpler vital craving of hunger, thirst, lust, then these psychical hungers, thirsts, lusts of the mind which are a much greater and more instant and pervading affliction of our being, the hunger which is infinite because it is the hunger of the infinite being, the thirst which is only temporarily lulled by satisfaction, but is in its nature insatiable. The psychic prana invades the sensational mind and brings into it the unquiet thirst of sensations, invades the dynamic mind with the lust of control, having, domination, success, fulfillment of every impulse, fills the emotional mind with the desire for the satisfaction of liking and disliking, for the wreaking of love and hate, brings the shrinkings and panics of fear and the strainings and disappointments of hope, imposes the tortures of grief and the brief fevers and excitements of joy, makes the intelligence and intelligent will the accomplices of all these things and turns them in their own kind into deformed and lame instruments, the will into a will of craving and the intelligence into a partial, a stumbling and an eager pursuer of limited, impatient, militant prejudgment and opinion. Desire is the root of all sorrow, disappointment, affliction, for though it has a feverish joy of pursuit and satisfaction, yet because it is always a straining of the being, it carries into its pursuit and its getting a labour, hunger, struggle, a rapid subjection to fatigue, a sense of limitation, dissatisfaction and early disappointment with all its gains, a ceaseless morbid stimulation, trouble, disquiet, asanti. To get rid of desire is one firm indispensable purification of the psychical prana, -- for so we can replace the soul of desire with its pervading immiscence in all our instruments by a mental soul of calm delight and its clear and limpid possession of ourselves and world and Nature which is the crystal basis of the mental life and its perfection.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-656-57 “The psychical prana interferes in all the higher operations to deform them, but its defect is itself due to its being interfered with and deformed by the nature of physical workings in the body (probably physical mind) which Life has evolved in its emergence from matter. It is that (physical mind) which has created the separation of the individual life in the body from the life of the universe and stamped on it the character of want, limitation, hunger, thirst, craving for what it has not, a long groping after enjoyment and a hampered and baffled need of possession. Easily regulated and limited in the purely physical order of things, it (physical mind) extends itself in the psychical prana immensely and becomes, as mind grows, a thing with difficulty limited, insatiable, irregular, a busy creator of disorder and disease. Moreover, the psychical prana leans on the physical life, limits itself by the nervous force of the physical being, limits there by the operations of the mind and becomes the link of its dependence on the body and its subjection to fatigue, incapacity, disease, disorder, insanity, the pettiness, the precariousness and even the possible dissolution of the workings of the physical mentality. Our mind instead of being a thing powerful in its own strength, a clear instrument of conscious spirit, free and able to control, use and perfect the life and body, appears in the result a mixed construction; it is a predominantly the physical mentality limited by its physical organs and subject to the demands and to the obstructions of the life in the body. This can only be got rid of by a sort of practical, inward psychological operation of analysis by which we become aware of the mentality as a separate power, isolate it (physical mind) for a free working, distinguish too the psychical and the physical prana and make them no longer a link for dependence, but a transmitting channel for the Idea and Will in the buddhi, obedient to its suggestions and commands; the prana then becomes a passive means of effectuation for mind’s direct control of the physical life. This control, however abnormal to our habitual poise of action, is not only possible,--it appears to some extent in the phenomena of hypnosis, though these are unhealthy abnormal, because there it is a foreign will which suggests and commands, --but must become the normal action when the higher Self within takes up the direct command of the whole being. This control can be exercised perfectly, however from the supramental level, for it is there that the true effective Idea and Will reside and the mental thought-mind, even spiritualised, is only a limited, though it may be made a very powerful deputy.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-657-58, 35: “Desire, it is thought, is the real motive power of human living and to cast it out would be to stop the springs of life, satisfaction of desire is man’s only enjoyment and to eliminate it would be to extinguish the impulse of life by a quietistic asceticism. But the real motive power of the life of the soul is Will ; desire is only a deformation of will in the dominant bodily life and physical mind.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-658 “This desire is essential to the ordinary man; he cannot live or act as an individual without knotting up all his action into the service of some kind of lower or higher craving, preference or passion.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-675, “All immiscence of desire in the buddhi is an impurity. The intelligence coloured by desire is an impure intelligence and it distorts the Truth; the will coloured by desire is an impure will and it puts a stamp of distortion, pain and imperfection upon the soul’s activity. All immiscence of the emotions of the soul of desire is an impurity and similarly distorts both the knowledge and the action. All subjection of the buddhi to the sensations and impulses is an impurity. The thought and will have to stand back detached from desire, troubling emotion, distracting or mastering impulse and to act in their own right until they can discover a greater guide, a Will, Tapas or divine Shakti which will take the place of desire and mental will and impulse, an Ananda or pure delight of the spirit and an illumined spiritual knowledge which will express themselves in the action of that Shakti.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-669, “The seat of the ego is said to be in the buddhi; it is an ignorance of the discriminating mind and reason which discriminate wrongly and take the individuation of mind, life and body for a truth of separative existence and are turned away from the greater reconciling truth of the oneness of all existence. At any rate in man it is the ego idea which chiefly supports the falsehood of a separative existence; to get rid of this idea; to dwell on the opposite idea of unity, of the one self, the one spirit, the one being of nature is therefore an effective remedy; but it is not by itself absolutely effective. For the ego, though it supports itself by this ego idea, aham-buddhi, finds its most powerful means for a certain obstinacy or passion of persistence in the normal action of the sense-mind, the prana and the body. To cast out of us the ego idea is not entirely possible or not entirely effective until these instruments have undergone purification; for their action being persistently egoistic and separative, the buddhi is carried away by them, --as a boat by winds on the sea, says the Gita, --the knowledge in the intelligence is being constantly obscured or lost temporarily and has to be restored again, a very labour of Sisyphus. But if the lower instruments have been purified of egoistic desire, wish, will, egoistic passion, egoistic emotion and the buddhi itself of egoistic idea and preference, then the knowledge of the spiritual truth of oneness can find a firm foundation. Till then, the ego takes all sorts of subtle forms and we imagine ourselves to be free from it, when we are really acting as its instruments and all we have attained is a certain intellectual poise which is not the true spiritual liberation.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-677, 36: “For Knowledge and Love are pure in their essence and become mixed and embarrassed, corrupted and degraded only when they enter into the ambiguous movement of the life forces and are seized by them for the outward life’s crude movements and obstinately inferior motives. Alone of the three powers Life or at least a certain predominant Will-in-Life has the appearance of something impure, accursed or fallen in its very essence. At its contact, wrapped in its dull sheaths or caught in its iridescent quagmires, the divinities themselves become common and muddy and hardly escape from being dragged downwards into its perversions and disastrously assimilated to the demon and Asura. A principle of dark and dull inertia is at its base; all are tied down by the body and its needs and desires to trivial mind, petty desires and emotions, an insignificant repetition of small worthless functionings, needs, cares and occupations, pains, pleasures that lead to nothing beyond themselves and bear the stamp of an ignorance that knows not its own why and whither. The physical mind of inertia believes in no divinity other than its own small earth-gods; it aspires perhaps to a greater comfort, order, pleasure, but asks for no uplifting and no spiritual deliverance.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-170-71, 37: “For tamas is a double principle; (1) it contradicts rajas by inertia, (2) it contradicts sattwa by narrowness, obscurity and ignorance and, if either is depressed, it pours in to occupy its place.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-237, 38: “The body conditioning the physical mind insists no longer on its tamasic inertia that repeats always the same ignorant movement: it becomes a passive field and instrument of a greater force and light, it responds to every demand of the spirit’s force, holds and supports every variety and intensity of new divine experience.” CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-240, “When we break out from ego and physical mind into the infinity of the spirit, we still see the world and others as the mind has accustomed us to see them, as name and forms; only in our new experience of the direct and superior reality of spirit, they lose that direct objective reality and that indirect subjective reality of their own which they had to the mind. they seem to be quite opposite of the truer reality we now experience; our mentality, stilled and indifferent, no longer strives to know and make real to itself those intermediate terms which exist in them as in us and the knowledge of which has for its utility to bridge over the gulf between the spiritual self and the objective phenomena of the world.” CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-442, “Equally, his consciousness is a mentality emerging in a body and in a sharply individualized life; it is therefore limited in its workings and capacities and dependent on bodily organs of no great competence and on a very restricted vital force; it is separated from the rest of cosmic mind and shut out from the thoughts of other mental beings whose inner workings are a sealed book to man’s physical mind except in so far as he can read them by the analogy of his own mentality and by their insufficient bodily signs and self-expressions. His consciousness is always falling back towards the inconscience in which a large part of it is always involved, his life towards death, his physical being towards disaggregation.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-450, 39: Savitri-246, 40: “Again, enjoyment of one kind or another being the whole object of desire, that must be the trend of the desire-world; but since wherever the soul is not free, --and it cannot be free when subject to desire, --there must be the negative as well as the positive of all its experience, this world contains not only the possibility of large or intense or continuous enjoyments almost inconceivable to the physical mind, but also the possibility of equally enormous sufferings. It is here therefore that there are situated the lowest heavens and all the hells with the tradition and imagination of which the human mind has lured and terrified itself since the earliest ages. All human imaginations indeed correspond to some reality or real possibility, though they may in themselves be a quite inaccurate representation or couched in too physical images and therefore inapt to express the truth of supraphysical realities.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-452-453, 41: “If we examine the phraseology of the old books, we shall find that the waking state is consciousness of the material universe which we normally possess in this embodied existence dominated by the physical mind. The dream state is the consciousness corresponding to the subtler life-plane and mind-plane behind, which to us, even when we get intimations of them, have not the same concrete reality as the things of the physical existence. The sleep-state is the consciousness corresponding to the Supramental plane proper to the gnosis, which is beyond our experience because our causal body or envelope of gnosis is not developed in us, its faculties not active, and therefore we are in relation to that plane in a condition of dreamless sleep. The Turiya beyond is the consciousness of our pure self-existence or our absolute being with which we have no direct relations at all, whatever mental reflection we may receive in our dream or our waking or even, irrecoverably, in our sleep consciousness. This fourfold scale corresponds to the degree of the ladder of being by which we climb back towards the absolute Divine. Normally therefore we cannot get back from the physical mind to the higher planes or degrees of consciousness without receding from the waking state, without going in and away from it and losing touch with the material world. Hence to those who desire to have the experience of these higher degrees, trance becomes a desirable thing, a means of escape from the limitations of the physical mind and nature.” CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-520, “The siddhi or full accomplishment of this movement can only come when we are able to lift the centre of thought and conscious action above the physical brain and feel it going on in the subtle body. If we can feel ourselves thinking no longer with the brain but from above and outside the head in the subtle body, that is a sure physical sign of a release from the limitations of the physical mind, and though this will not be complete at once nor of itself bring the supramental action, for the subtle body is mental and not supramental, still it is a subtle and pure mentality and makes an easier communication with the supramental centres.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-805, 42: “There is a complete difference between Samadhi and normal sleep, between the dream-state of Yoga and the physical state of dream. The latter belongs to the physical mind; in the former the mind proper and subtle is at work liberated from the immixture of the physical mentality. The dreams of the physical mind are an incoherent jumble made up partly of responses to vague touches from the physical world round which the lower mind-faculties disconnected from the will and reason, the buddhi, weave a web of wandering phantasy, partly of disordered associations from the brain memory, partly of reflections from the soul travelling on the mental plane, reflections which are, ordinarily, received without intelligence, widely distorted in the reception and mixed up confusedly with the other dream elements, with brain memories and fantastic responses to any sensory touch from the physical world.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-521-522, 43: “But it loses its disturbing aspect of strong egoistic will, intolerant desire, obstinate liking. These appearances may remain for a while in a diminished form, but as the calm of equality increases, deepens, becomes more essential and compact, ghana, they disappear, cease to colour the mental and vital substance or occur only as touches on the most external physical mind, are unable to penetrate within, and at last even that recurrence, that appearance at the outer gates of mind ceases.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-724-725, “The soul flows into whatever moulds of intellectual, ethical, aesthetic, dynamic, vital and physical mind and type the developing nature takes and can act only in the way this formed Prakriti lays on it and move in its narrow groove or relative wider circle.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-741, 44: “A great sincerity is asked for and has to be imposed not only on the conscious mind but still more in the subliminal part of us which is full of hidden movements. For there is there, especially in our subliminal vital nature, an incorrigible charlatan and actor. The sadhaka must first have advanced far in the elimination of desire and in the firm equality of his soul towards all workings and all happenings before he can utterly lay down the burden of his works on the Divine. At every moment he must proceed with a vigilant eye upon the deceits of the ego and the ambushes of the misleading Powers of Darkness who ever represent themselves as the one Source of Light and Truth and take on them a simulacrum of divine forms in order to capture the soul of the seeker.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-230, 45 “The arrogant ignorance of the human mind and its self-satisfied perversions and presumptuous errors, the pride and vanity and ambition, the cruelty and tyranny of beast wrath and violence, the selfishness and baseness and hypocrisy and treachery and vile meanness, the lust and greed and rapacity, the jealousy, envy and bottomless ingratitude that disfigure the earth-nature are the natural children of this indispensable but strong and dangerous turn of Nature.” CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-234, “The wise are not always or wholly wise, the intelligent are intelligent only in patches; the saint suppresses in himself many unsaintly movements and the evil are not entirely evil: the dullest has his unexpressed or unused and undeveloped capacities, the most timorous his moments or his way of courage, the helpless and the weakling a latent part of strength in his nature.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-235, 46: “We have to take a wider psychological view of the primary forces of our nature. We have to distinguish the formed parts of our being, find out their basic defect of impurity or wrong action and correct that, sure that the rest will then come right naturally. We have not to doctor symptoms of impurity, or that only secondarily, as a minor help, --but to strike at its roots after a deeper diagnosis. We then find that there are two forms of impurity which are at the root of the whole confusion. (1) One is a defect born of the nature of our past evolution, which has been a nature of separative ignorance; this defect is a radically wrong and ignorant form given to proper action of each part of our instrumental being. (2) The other impurity is born of the successive process of an evolution, where life emerges in and depends on body, mind emerges in and depends on life in the body, supermind emerges in and lends itself to instead of governing mind, soul itself is apparent only as a circumstance of the bodily life of the mental being and veils up the spirit in the lower imperfections. This second defect of our nature is caused by this dependence of the higher on the lower parts; it is an immixture of functions by which the impure working of the lower instrument gets into the characteristic action of higher function and gives to it an added imperfection of embarrassment, wrong direction and confusion.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-645-46, “All impurity is a confusion of working, a departure from the dharma, the just and inherently right action of things which in that right action are pure and helpful to our perfection and this departure is usually the result of an ignorant confusion of dharmas in which the function lends itself to the demand of other tendencies than those which are properly its own.” CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-312, “The first cause of impurity in the understanding is the intermiscence of desire in the thinking functions, and desire itself is an impurity of the Will involved in the vital and emotional parts of our being. When the vital and emotional desires interfere with the pure will-to-know, the thought function becomes subservient to them, pursues ends other than those proper to itself and its perceptions are clogged and deranged. The understanding must lift itself beyond the siege of desire and emotion and, in order that it may have perfect immunity, it must get the vital parts and the emotions themselves purified. The will to enjoy is proper to the vital being but not the choice or the reaching after the enjoyment which must be determined and acquired by higher functions; therefore the vital being must be trained to accept whatever gain or enjoyment comes to it in the right functioning of life in obedience to the working of the divine Will and to rid itself of craving and attachment. Similarly the heart must be freed from subjection to the cravings of the life-principle and the senses and thus rid itself of the false emotions of fear, wrath, hatred, lust, etc. which constitute the chief impurity of the heart .” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-313, 47: “Thus the proper function of the life, the vital force, is enjoyment and possession, both of them perfectly legitimate, because the Spirit created the world for Ananda, enjoyment and possession of the many by the One, of the One by the many and of the many too by the many; but, --this is an instance of the first kind of defect, -- (1) the separative ignorance gives to it the wrong form of desire and craving which vitiates the whole enjoyment and possession and imposes on it its opposites, want and suffering. (2) Again, because mind is entangled in life from which it evolves, this desire and craving get into the action of the mental will and knowledge; that makes the will a will of craving, a force of desire instead of a rational will and a discerning force of intelligent effectuation, and it distorts the judgment and reason so that we judge and reason according to our desires and prepossessions and not with the disinterested impartiality of a pure judgment and the rectitude of a reason which seeks only to distinguish truth and understand rightly the objects of its workings. That is an example of immixture. These two kinds of defect, (1) wrong form of action and (2) illegitimate mixture of action, are not limited to these signal instances, but belong to each instrument and to each combination of their functionings. They pervade the whole economy of our nature. They are fundamental defects of our lower instrumental nature, and if we can set them right, we shall get our instrumental being into a state of purity, enjoy the clarity of a pure will, a pure heart of emotion, a pure enjoyment of our vitality, a pure body. That will be a preliminary, a human perfection, but it can be made the basis and open out in its effort of self-attainment into the greater, the divine perfection.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-646, 48: “The way of integral knowledge supposes that we are intended to arrive at an integral self-fulfilment and the only thing that is to be eliminated is our unconsciousness, the Ignorance and the results of Ignorance. Eliminate the falsity of the being which figures as the ego; then our true being can manifest in us. Eliminate the falsity of the life which figures as mere vital craving and the mechanical round of our corporeal existence; our true life in the power of the Godhead and the joy of the Infinite will appear. Eliminate the falsity of the senses with their subjection to material shows and to dual sensations; there is a greater sense in us that can open through these to the Divine in things and divinely reply to it. Eliminate the falsity of the heart with its turbid passions and desires and its dual emotions; a deeper heart in us can open with its divine love for all creatures and its infinite passion and yearning for the responses of the Infinite. Eliminate the falsity of thought with its imperfect mental constructions, its arrogant assertions and denials, its limited and exclusive concentrations; a greater felicity of knowledge is behind that can open to the true Truth of God and the soul and Nature and the universe.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-291-92, 49: “Desire is at once (1) the motive of our actions, (2) our lever of accomplishment and (3) the bane of our existence. If our sense-mind, emotional mind, thought mind could act free from the intrusions and importations of the life-energy, if that energy could be made to obey their right action instead of imposing its own yoke on our existence, all human problems would move harmoniously to their right solution. The proper function of the life-energy is to do what it is bidden by the divine principle in us, to reach to and enjoy what is given to it by that indwelling Divine and not the desire at all.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-350-51, 50: CWSA-36/Autobiographical Notes/p-229, 51: The Mother’s Agenda /August-31/1965, 52: TMCW-12/On Education/p-133, 53: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-544, 54: The Mother's Agenda/June 6, 1958, 55: CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-189, 56: The Mother's Agenda/01.05.1958, 57: - The Mother/TMCW/Vol-14/p-343, 58: The Mother's Agenda/July 27, 1963, 59: CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita-544, The Most Difficult Task of Integral Education “Her task no ending knows; she serves no aim But labours driven by a nameless Will That came from some unknowable formless Vast. This is her secret and impossible task To catch the boundless in a net of birth, To cast the spirit into the physical form, To lend speech and thought to the ineffable ; She is pushed to reveal the ever Unmanifest. Yet by her skill the impossible has been done:” Savitri-177 “(1) Ordinarily the supramental knowledge will be organised first and with the most ease in the processes of pure thought and knowledge, jnana , because here the human mind has already the upward tendency and is the most free. (2) Next and with less ease it will be organised in the processes of applied thought and knowledge because there the mind of man is at once most active and most bound and wedded to its inferior methods. (3) The last and most difficult conquest, because this is now to his mind a field of conjecture or a blank, will be the knowledge of the three times, trikaladristi. ”¹ Sri Aurobindo “But it is also possible to make this silence of the mind and ability to suspend the habits of the lower nature a first step towards the discovery of a superior formulation, a higher grade of the status and energy of our being and pass by an ascent and transformation into the supramental power of the spirit. And this may even, though with more difficulty, be done without resorting to the complete state of quietude of the normal mind by a persistent and progressive transformation of all the mental into their greater corresponding supramental powers and activities.”⁹ Sri Aurobindo "There are two things in every human being: (1) what comes from the past and has persisted because it is formed and conscious, and (2) then all that dark, unconscious mass, really muddy, that is added in every new life. Then the other thing gets into that and finds itself imprisoned, you know—adulterated and imprisoned—and generally it takes more than half one’s life to emerge from that entanglement…. That discovery I made at the age of about fifteen or sixteen, or seventeen. I began to see clearly all the “gifts” (if we can call them that) that came from father, mother, parents, grandparents, education, people who looked after me, that whole mudhole , as it were, into which you fall headfirst. And then, the quality of the vibration, the quality of the sensation, of the so-called “thoughts” (which aren’t thoughts, but are almost automatic mental reflexes of sorts) and of the feelings (if you can call them feelings: they are kinds of reactions to the milieu and to all that comes from outside)—it all swarms, swarms like worms in the mud."¹¹ The Mother The relatively easier task of a Supramental man and difficult task of mental men is permanent ascent of Consciousness to highest Sachchidananda state; his more difficult task is permanent descent of highest Sachchidananda Consciousness to physical life and earth and liberating the material vessel from the influence of tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind; his most difficult task is the penetration of this highest Consciousness to triple time extending from beginning of creation of Subconscient plane to the period of complete Divinisation of earth life in Superconscient plane, known as All Life. Spirit has the capacity to travel ahead and back of All Time; it has the capacity of illumine the dark and twilight corners of past births and it has capacity to travel forward thousand years ahead and call down all the future Spiritual possibilities to present moment. Thus, the pace of evolution is accelerated. So to lay bare the obscurity of past of this birth and of previous many births before a Superconscient Light is identified as the most difficult task. “A secret spirit in the Inconscient’s sleep, A shapeless Energy, a voiceless Word, He (Inconscient Self) was here before the elements could emerge, Before there was light of mind (sattwic mind) or life could breathe.” Savitri-60 “All the deep cosmic murmur falling still, He (King Aswapati) lives in the hush before the world was born, His soul left naked to the timeless One.” Savitri-80 “Thus fallen, inconscient, frustrate, dense, inert, Sunk into inanimate and torpid drowse Earth lay, a drudge of sleep, forced to create By a subconscient yearning memory Left from a happiness dead before she (earth) was born, An alien wonder on her senseless breast.” Savitri-107 “Here mingling in man’s heart their tones and hues Have woven his being’s mutable design, His life a forward-rippling stream in Time, His nature’s constant fixed mobility, His soul a moving picture’s changeful film, His cosmos-chaos of personality.” Savitri-122 “It (Mystic Presence) summons the spirit’s sleeping memories Up from subconscient depths beneath Time’s foam; Oblivious of their flame of happy truth, Arriving with heavy eyes that hardly see, They come disguised as feelings and desires, Like weeds upon the surface float awhile And rise and sink on a somnambulist tide.” Savitri-138-139 “Instinct was formed; in memory’s crowded sleep The past lived on as in a bottomless sea: Inverting into half-thought the quickened sense She felt around for truth with fumbling hands, Clutched to her the little she could reach and seize And put aside in her subconscient cave.” Savitri-145-146 “All once perceived and lived was far away; Himself was to himself his only scene.” Savitri-297 “A vast subliminal is man’s measureless part. The dim Subconscient is his cavern base. Abolished vainly in the walks of Time Our past lives still in our unconscious selves And by the weight of its hidden influences Is shaped our future’s self-discovery.” Savitri-483 “His (Avatar’s) soul must be wider than the universe And feel eternity as its very stuff, Rejecting the moment’s personality Know itself older than the birth of Time, Creation an incident in its consciousness, Arcturus and Belphegor grains of fire Circling in a corner of its boundless self, The world’s destruction a small transient storm In the calm infinity it has become.” Savitri-537 “This independent (Soul), once a power supreme, Self-born before the universe was made, Accepting cosmos, binds himself Nature’s serf Till he becomes her freedman — or God’s slave.” Savitri-542 “In her beginningless infinity Through her soul’s reaches unconfined she gazed; She saw the undying fountains of her life, She knew herself eternal without birth.” Savitri-586 “She climbs to the summits where the unborn Idea Remembering the future that must be Looks down upon the works of labouring Force, Immutable above the world it made.” Savitri-632 The special privilege of an integral Yogi or the most difficult task of a Supramental man is to experience Subconscient transformation and its preliminary experiences are the purification of the past by the Spirit traveling backward. Through this journey, he will discover ‘the secret code of the history of the world’⁷ and ‘the cosmic past.’⁸ “So a whole slice of my life came back, but it didn’t stop there! It keeps extending back further and further, and memories keep on coming, things that go back sixty years now, even beyond, seventy, seventy-five years – they are all coming back. And so it all has to be put in order .” (The Mother’s Agenda/ November 15, 1960) He will also travel a thousand years ahead in Superconscient plane and calls all the future possibilities to the present moment. A few such Spiritual experiences are hinted at in Savitri: - “Her strong far-winging spirit travelled back, Back to the yoke of ignorance and fate, Back to the labour and stress of mortal days, Lighting a pathway through strange symbol dreams Across the ebbing of the seas of sleep.” Savitri-9 “Her mind moved in a many-imaged past” Savitri-11 “Her witness spirit stood reviewing Time.” Savitri-11 “She must disrupt, dislodge by her soul’s force Her past, a block on the Immortal’s road, Make a rased ground and shape anew her fate.” Savitri-12 “For him mind’s limiting firmament ceased above. In the griffin forefront of the Night and Day A gap was rent in the all-concealing vault (of King Aswapati); The conscious ends of being went rolling back: The landmarks of the little person fell, The island ego joined its continent…. All the grey inhibitions were torn off And broken the intellect’s hard and lustrous lid; Truth unpartitioned found immense sky-room;” Savitri-25, “He abode at rest in indivisible Time. As if a story long written but acted now, In his present he held his future and his past, Felt in the seconds the uncounted years And saw the hours like dots upon a page.” Savitri-33 “A fire that seemed the body of a god Consumed the limiting figures of the past” Savitri-81 “All we attempt in this imperfect world, Looks forward or looks back beyond Time’s gloss To its pure idea and firm inviolate type In an absolute creation’s flawless skill.” Savitri-108 “A mighty Hand then rolls the mind’s firmaments back” Savitri-154 “Transmuted are past suffering’s memories” Savitri-193 “Our being must move eternally through Time; Death helps us not, vain is the hope to cease; A secret Will compels us to endure… Our souls are dragged as with a hidden leash, Carried from birth to birth, from world to world, Our acts prolong after the body’s fall The old perpetual journey without pause.” Savitri-197 “There is no end of seeking and of birth, There is no end of dying and return; The life that wins its aim asks greater aims, The life that fails and dies must live again; Till it has found itself it cannot cease. All must be done for which life and death were made.” Savitri-200 “There (Subconscient sheath) waiting its hour the future lay unknown, There is the record of the vanished stars.” Savitri-231 “An insect crawl preludes our glorious flight; Our human state cradles the future god, Our mortal frailty an immortal force.” Savitri-240 “As far as its self-winged air-planes could fly, Visiting the future in great brilliant raids It reconnoitred vistas of dream-fate.” Savitri-259 “Our spirits break free from their environment; The future brings its face of miracle near, Its godhead looks at us with present eyes; Acts deemed impossible grow natural; We feel the hero’s immortality; The courage and the strength death cannot touch Awake in limbs that are mortal, hearts that fail; We move by the rapid impulse of a will That scorns the tardy trudge of mortal time.” Savitri-262 “Awaiting us on the Ideal’s peaks Or guarded in our secret self unseen Yet flashed sometimes across the awakened soul, Hide from our lives their greatness, beauty, power. Our present feels sometimes their regal touch, Our future strives towards their luminous thrones:” Savitri-263 "Person and nature suffered a slumber change. In trance they gathered back their bygone selves , In a background memory’s foreseeing muse Prophetic of new personality Arranged the map of their coming destiny’s course: Heirs of their past, their future’s discoverers, Electors of their own self-chosen lot, They waited for the adventure of new life.” Savitri-293 “Untired of sameness and untired of change, Endlessly she unrolled her moving act,” Savitri-328 “Omnipotence, girdle with the power of God Movements and moments of a mortal will, Pack with the eternal might one human hour And with one gesture change all future time.” Savitri-345 “They felt a larger future meet their walk; She held their hands, she chose for them their paths:” Savitri-364 “Some lost to the person and his strip of thought In a motionless ocean of impersonal Power, Sat mighty, visioned with the Infinite’s light, Or, comrades of the everlasting Will, Surveyed the plan of past and future Time.” Savitri-384 “He met in her regard his future’s gaze,” Savitri-396 “The lovers met upon their different paths, Travellers across the limitless plains of Time Together drawn from fate-led journeyings In the self-closed solitude of their human past, To a swift rapturous dream of future joy And the unexpected present of these eyes.” Savitri-399 “Then down the narrow path where their lives had met He led and showed to her her future world, Love’s refuge and corner of happy solitude. At the path’s end through a green cleft in the trees She saw a clustering line of hermit-roofs And looked now first on her heart’s future home, The thatch that covered the life of Satyavan.” Savitri-411 “The future’s road is hid from mortal sight: He moves towards a veiled and secret face. To light one step in front is all his hope And only for a little strength he asks To meet the riddle of his shrouded fate.” Savitri-425 “And Narad slowly answered to the queen: “What help is in prevision to the driven? Safe doors cry opening near, the doomed pass on. A future knowledge is an added pain, A torturing burden and a fruitless light On the enormous scene that Fate has built.” Savitri-426-427 “A growing register of calamities Is the past’s account, the future’s book of Fate:” Savitri-440 “Carrying the world’s future on her lonely breast,” Savitri-461, “The past receded and the future neared: Far now behind lay Madra’s spacious halls,” Savitri-466 “A dream disclosed to her the cosmic past, The crypt-seed and the mystic origins, The shadowy beginnings of world-fate:” Savitri-477 “All the world’s possibilities in man Are waiting as the tree waits in its seed: His past lives in him; it drives his future’s pace; His present’s acts fashion his coming fate.” Savitri-482 “Abolished vainly in the walks of Time Our past lives still in our unconscious selves And by the weight of its hidden influences Is shaped our future’s self-discovery.” Savitri-483 “Our dead past round our future’s ankles clings And drags back the new nature’s glorious stride,” Savitri-483 “The occult seeker into the open came: He heard the far and touched the intangible, He gazed into the future and the unseen; He used the powers earth-instruments cannot use, A pastime made of the impossible; He caught up fragments of the Omniscient’s thought, He scattered formulas of omnipotence.” Savitri-486, “The beings of the subtle realms appeared (Savitri met forces of Subliminal planes) And scenes concealed behind our earthly scene; She saw the life of remote continents And distance deafened not to voices far; She felt the movements crossing unknown minds; The past’s events occurred before her eyes.” (Spirit travelling backward.) Savitri-541 “So she beheld the many births of thought, If births can be of what eternal is; For the Eternal’s powers are like himself, Timeless in the Timeless, in Time ever born.” Savitri-541 “An impersonal emptiness walked and spoke in her, Something perhaps unfelt, unseen, unknown Guarded the body for its future work, Or Nature moved in her old stream of force.” Savitri-552 “The rock-gate’s heavy walls were left behind; As if through passages of receding time Present and past into the Timeless lapsed; Arrested upon dim adventure’s brink, The future ended drowned in nothingness.” Savitri-582-583 “All things the past has made and slain were there, Its lost forgotten forms that once had lived, And all the present loves as new-revealed And all the hopes the future brings had failed Already, caught and spent in efforts vain, Repeated fruitlessly age after age.” (The Mother’s observation of above passage¹³) Savitri-643 “Her spirit the unending future felt And lived with all the unbeginning past.” Savitri-716 The mind cannot travel back¹⁰ and ahead of the Present time. The traveling back of the Spirit is the swift illumination and transformation of life’s dark and obscure rooms. It will not only memorise the past events of this life and purify them but also travel back to past successive lives in which all the past negative energies/memories/events are stored preventing any Spiritual adventure ahead. These are his immediate task¹² of Subconscient purification and transformation. This Subconscient change proceeds back with King Aswapati who ‘lives in the hush before the world was born,’³ and repeats with Satyavan, who as the ‘day bringer must walk in darkest night’⁴ and must ‘Know itself older than the birth of Time.’4 King Aswapati proceeds ahead in Superconscient world and ‘foresees the coming god’² in the worm, These going backward of the Spirit to the beginning of creation and forward to the end of perfect creation are Timeless Spirit’s capacity to manifest Divine Life in all Time. Thus, All Life becomes conscious Yoga of Nature. OM TAT SAT References: 1: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-839, “in one chapter of The Synthesis of Yoga, Sri Aurobindo says that there is a state of consciousness in which all is from all eternity – everything, without exception, that is to be manifested here....In a certain state of consciousness (I no longer remember what he calls it – I think it’s in the ‘Yoga of Self-Perfection’), one is perfectly identified with the Supreme, not in his static but in his dynamic aspect, the state of becoming. In this state, everything is already there from all eternity, even though here it gives us the impression of a becoming. And Sri Aurobindo says that if you are capable of maintaining this state, then you know everything: all that has been, all that is and all that will be – in an absolutely simultaneous way…But you must have a firm head on your shoulders! Reading some of these chapters in ‘Self-Perfection,’ I thought it would be better if it didn’t fall into just anyone’s hands…Anyway, in this state the feeling of uncertainty completely disappears (he explains it very well).” The Mother’s Agenda/18.04.1961, “It is therefore only by going back from the surface physical mind to the psychic and spiritual consciousness that a vision and knowledge of the triple time, a transcendence of our limitation to the standpoint and view range of the moment, can be wholly possible. Meanwhile there are certain doors opening from the inner on to the outer consciousness which make an occasional but insufficient power of direct retro-vision of the past, circumvision of the present, prevision of the future even in the physical mind at least potentially feasible.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-892, “Behind the common idea that a Yogi can know all things and answer all questions is the actual fact that there is a plane in the mind where the memory of everything is stored and remains always in existence. All mental movements that belong to the life of the earth are memorised and registered in this plane. Those who are capable of going there and care to take the trouble, can read in it and learn anything they choose. But this region must not be mistaken for the supramental levels. And yet to reach even there you must be able to silence the movements of the material or physical mind; you must be able to leave aside all your sensations and put a stop to your ordinary mental movements, whatever they are; you must get out of the vital; you must become free from the slavery of the body. Then only you can enter into that region and see. But if you are sufficiently interested to make this effort, you can arrive there and read what is written in the earth’s memory.” TMCW-3/Questions and Answers-1929-1931/p- 94, "Sri Aurobindo wrote somewhere, I don’t remember in what connection, that in certain state of consciousness one had the power to CHANGE THE PAST. I found that very striking... Because it’s an experience I’ve had several times, and with all this work I am doing now, I understand better. You see, what seems to be perpetuated or preserved isn’t individuals: it’s states of consciousness—states of consciousness. Those states of consciousness manifest through many individuals and many different lives, and those states of consciousness are what progress towards a more and more luminous perfection. There are now, at present, all kinds of “categories” of states of consciousness that come one upon another in order to be put in contact with the Truth, the Light, the perfect Consciousness, and at the same time they have retained a sort of imprint (like a memory) of the moments when they manifested.... There is a big work of transformation of the material states of consciousness going on: the states of consciousness nearest to the Inconscient, the most material states of consciousness. They come like that [to present themselves to Mother], with one or two examples of their previous manifestation (perhaps even their first emergence from the Inconscient), and then I see the transition (along with what has transformed them, changed them or even simply altered them through successive manifestations), the transition up to the point when they are now presented before the supreme Consciousness for the final transformation. This is a perpetual work, so to speak, because, interestingly, it’s a work I can go on doing while seeing people…" The Mother’s Agenda-7/p-243-244, "I am just finishing The Synthesis of Yoga, and what Sri Aurobindo says (in 'Towards the Supramental Time Vision) is exactly what has happened to me throughout my life. And he explains how you can still make mistakes as long as you are not supramentalized. Sri Aurobindo describes all the ways by which images are sent to you – and they are not always images or reflections of the truth of things past, present or future; there are also all the images that come from human mental formations and all the various things that want to be considered. It is very, very interesting. And interestingly enough, in these few pages I have found a description of the work I have spent my whole life doing, trying to SIFT out all we see.... I can only be sure of something once a certain type of picture comes, and then the whole world could tell me, ‘But things didn’t happen like that’; I would reply, ‘Sorry, but I see it.’ And that type of picture is certain, for I have studied it, I have studied their differences in quality and the texture of the pictures. It is very interesting." The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/11.10.1960, “Two irrefutable signs prove that one is in relation with the Supramental: (1) A perfect and constant equality: To be perfect, the equality must be invariable and spontaneous, effortless, towards all circumstances, all happenings, all contacts, material or psychological, irrespective of their character and impact. (2) An absolute certainty in the knowledge: The absolute and indisputable certainty of an infallible knowledge through identity." THE MOTHER/TMCW-15/Words of The Mother-III/p-102 2: Savitri-23, 3: Savitri-80, 4: Savitri-537, 5: “It must be noted however that if our knowledge of the present were not limited by our dependence on the physical mind and sense, this result would not be altogether inevitable. If we could be aware of all the present, all the action of physical, vital, mental energies at work in the moment, it is conceivable that we would be able to see their past too involved in them and their latent future or at least to proceed from present to past and future knowledge. And under certain conditions this might create a sense of real and ever present time continuity, a living in the behind and the front as well as the immediate, and a step farther might carry us into an ever present sense of our existence in infinite time and in our timeless self, and its manifestation in eternal time might then become real to us and also we might feel the timeless Self behind the worlds and the reality of his eternal world manifestation. In any case the possibility of another kind of time consciousness than we have at present and of a triple time knowledge rests upon the possibility of developing another consciousness than that proper to the physical mind and sense and breaking our imprisonment in the moment and in the mind of ignorance with its limitation to sensation, memory, inference and conjecture.” CWSA/24/The Synthesis of Yoga-890, " In a certain state of consciousness (I no longer remember what he calls it – I think it’s in the ‘Yoga of Self-Perfection’), one is perfectly identified with the Supreme, not in his static but in his dynamic aspect, the state of becoming. In this state, everything is already there from all eternity, even though here it gives us the impression of a becoming. And Sri Aurobindo says that if you are capable of maintaining this state, then you know everything: all that has been, all that is and all that will be – in an absolutely simultaneous way... But you must have a firm head on your shoulders! Reading some of these chapters in ‘Self-Perfection,’ I thought it would be better if it didn’t fall into just anyone’s hands... Anyway, in this state the feeling of uncertainty completely disappears (he explains it very well)." The Mother's Agenda/April 18, 1961, 6: “His being is not shut into the succession of the moments, but has the full power of the past and ranges seeingly through the future: not shut in the limiting ego and personal mind, but lives in the freedom of the universal, in God and in all beings and all things; not in the dull density of the physical mind, but in the light of the self and the infinity of the spirit. He sees soul and mind only as a power and a movement and matter only as a resultant form of the spirit. All his thought will be of a kind that proceeds from knowledge. He perceives and enacts the things of the phenomenal life in the light of the reality of the spiritual being and the power of the dynamic spiritual essence.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-839, 7: Savitri-74, 8: Savitri-477, 9: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-758-759, 10: “The more organised the being, the more consciously lasting it becomes. We can say in a general way that each person brings into his present life the consequences of his previous lives, without, however, preserving the memory of these lives. Apart from a few very rare exceptions, only when you are united with your psychic being and become fully conscious of it do you obtain, at the same time, the memory of past lives, which the psychic preserves in its consciousness.” The Mother/TMCW-10/On Thoughts and Aphorisms/p-97, "From a documentary standpoint, my nights are getting quite interesting. In the Yoga of Self-Perfection, Sri Aurobindo describes precisely this state you reach in which all things assume meaning and a quality of inner significance, clarification of various points, and help. From this point of view, my nights have become extraordinary. I see infinitely more things than I saw before. Before, it was very limited to a personal contact with people. Now ... In my nights, each thing and each person has the appearance, the gesture, the word or the action that describes EXACTLY his condition. It’s becoming quite interesting" The Mother's Agenda/October 2, 1960, 11: The Mother’s Agenda-4/p-383-386, 12: "And the habit of constantly complaining about difficulties, oh, how futile, useless all that seemed—a waste of time. We waste our time protesting against what mustn’t be—we just shouldn’t think about it! We shouldn’t be conscious of it, that’s all! It should be outside the consciousness; when we are able to have a purely luminous consciousness, this perfectly harmonious, luminous, benevolent consciousness…free, ultimately, from all that we drag along from a difficult past... That’s it : the power to free oneself from past, not to drag that behind forever—to surge into the light…and stay there." The Mother’s Agenda-7/p-273, 13: "Quite interestingly, I am following all these experiences of Savitri. The experience of those different joys, I was surprised to have it a few days ago; I said to myself, "Strange, why am I made to see the joy in all those things: the joy of destroying, the joy of creating, the joy of laboring and conquering, and all of it?" I was very surprised, and then ... Just last night, I must have been going about for some time among all human constructions, but those of a higher quality, not the ordinary constructions (those Sri Aurobindo refers to here: the philosophical, religious, spiritual constructions ...). And they were symbolized by huge buildings – huge – that were so high ... as if men were as tall as the edge of this stool, quite tiny, in comparison with those huge things – huge, huge. I was going about, and each person came (I saw now one come, now another), each person came saying, "Mine is the true path." So I would go with him to an open door through which an immense landscape could be seen, and just when we came to the door, it would close! It was really very interesting. With all sorts of diverse details, each one with his own habits. I have forgotten the details now, but when I came out of that place last night, in the middle of the night, I was quite amused, I said to myself, "It’s quite amusing!" You know, when they spoke you could see through a door vast expanses before you, in full light, it was superb; then I would go with that person towards the door and ... the door was closed. It was really interesting. And so large, so large, so high – we were very small. There was no end to them. And there were people, always new people: now men, now women, now young people, now old people, and from every possible country. It lasted a very long time. I remember that I said to one of them, "Yes, all this is very fine, but it isn’t true food, it leaves you famished." Then there was one who was I don’t know which country he was from: he wore a dark robe, he had black hair, a somewhat round face (he may have been a Chinese, I can’t say, I don’t remember). He said to me, "Oh, not with me! Taste this and see." And he gave me something to eat – it was absolutely first-rate, oh, it was excellent! So I looked at him, and I said, "Oh, you are clever show me, show me your path." He told me, "I have no path." Anyway, details If I noted all that down in the middle of the night, it would be very amusing. It was really amusing. And it corresponds to what we’ve just read in Savitri. Yes, he was comfortably seated in front of a pillar (a pillar whose end couldn’t be seen; it rose so high that its end couldn’t be seen), and he said to me, "Oh, I have no path." (Mother laughs) But what he gave to eat was very good! I remember I crunched it, I bit into it, and it had a marvelous taste. Who could it be?... I don’t know. They must have been known people. And it was rather strange: I was always a bit taller than all of them, and when I moved about, I did so with much greater speed than they, and I would reach the doors, just about to go through ... when they would come along and the door would close! Very amusing. I could write volumes with all that! But last night I didn’t understand, I wondered, "Why do I go strolling in such places?" Now I understand!” The Mother's Agenda/ February 11, 1966 Download this WEB PAGE in PDF format: PSYCHIC EDUCATION "In our Yoga (Integral Yoga) very often the Power descends from above and opens the Ajnachakra first, then the others in order. But it is perhaps the safest to open by concentration the heart-lotus first so as to have the psychic influence from the beginning... The psychic cannot lose its consciousness in the enjoyment of experiences; when it is in free action, it has the unfailing discrimination of which you speak. It has besides no push to outward enjoyment, though it has Ananda. It is the vital that is carried away by enjoyment and carries away with it the mind and other lower parts — and it can also cover up the psychic; but then what happens is not that the psychic loses its own.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-30/Letters on Yoga-III/p-350-351 SPIRITUAL EDUCATION "The goal of Yoga is always hard to reach, but this one (integral Yoga) is more difficult than any other, and it is only for those who have the call, the capacity, the willingness to face everything and every risk, even the risk of failure, and the will to progress towards an entire selflessness, desirelessness and surrender." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-27 SUPRAMENTAL EDUCATION “There is one divine Force which acts in the universe and in the individual and is also beyond the individual and the universe. The Mother stands for all these, but She is working here in the body to bring down something not yet expressed in this material world so as to transform life here—it is so that you should regard her as the Divine Shakti working here for that purpose.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-32/The Mother with Letters on the Mother/-p-50 "Austerity is usually confused with self-mortification, and when someone speaks of austerities, we think of the discipline of the ascetic who, in order to avoid the arduous task of spiritualising the physical, vital and mental life, declares it incapable of transformation and casts it away ruthlessly as a useless encumbrance, as a bondage and an impediment to all spiritual progress, in any case as something incorrigible, as a load that has to be borne more or less cheerfully until Nature, or divine Grace, delivers you from it by death. At best, life on earth is a field for progress and one should take advantage of it as best one can in order to reach as soon as possible the degree of perfection which will put an end to the ordeal by making it unnecessary." The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works/Vol-12/p-48 "In work too there is an austerity. It consists in not having any preferences and in doing everything one does with interest. For one who wants to grow in self-perfection, there are no great or small tasks , none that are important or unimportant; all are equally useful for one who aspires for progress and self-mastery... Whatever occupation or task falls to your lot , you must do it with a will to progress; whatever one does, one must not only do it as best one can but strive to do it better and better in a constant effort for perfection. In this way everything without exception becomes interesting, from the most material chore to the most artistic and intellectual work. The scope for progress is infinite and can be applied to the smallest thing. " The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works/Vol-12/p-53

Merry Christmas 2025 "He who has found his identity with God Pays with the body’s death his soul’s vast light. " Savitri-445 “You know, mon petit, I said one day that in the history of earth, wherever there was a possibility for the Consciousness to manifest, I was there; this is a fact. It's like the story of Savitri : always there, always there, always there, in this one, that one – at certain times there were four emanations simultaneously! At the time of the Italian and French Renaissance. And again at the time of Christ, then too. ... Oh, you know, I have remembered so many, many things! It would take volumes to tell it all. And then, more often than not (not always, but more often than not), what took part in this or that life was a particular yogic formation of the vital being–in other words something immortal. And when I came this time, as soon as I took up the yoga, they came back again from all sides, they were waiting. ” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-27 June 1962 "All true Truth of love and of the works of love the psychic being accepts in their place: but its flame mounts always upward and it is eager to push the ascent from lesser to higher degrees of Truth, since it knows that only by the ascent to a highest Truth and the descent of that highest Truth can Love be delivered from the cross and placed upon the throne; for the cross is the sign of the Divine Descent barred and marred by the transversal line of a cosmic deformation which turns it into a stake of suffering and misfortune. Only by the ascent to the original Truth can the deformation be healed and all the works of love, as too all the works of knowledge and of life, be restored to a divine significance and become part of an integral spiritual existence." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-157 Merry Christmas 2025 “To adopt a religion because one is born in that religion or because the people one loves and trusts practise that religion or because when one goes to a particular place where others pray and worship, one feels helped in one’s own prayer and worship, is not the sign of a very strong nature; I should say it is rather the sign of a weakness or at any rate of a lack of originality.” The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/Vol-8/p-246, “There is no place for rigid orthodoxy, whether Hindu, Mahomedan or Christian in the future. Those who cling to it, lose hold on life and go under — as has been shown by the fate of the Hindus in India and of the orthodox Mahomedan countries all over the world. It is only where there has been an opening to new light and inevitable change that strength is returning as in Turkey and Persia. In the supramental creation fundamental truth will always find a place ; but orthodoxy means a clinging to narrow limitations, and limitations of that kind cannot exist in the supramental creation. All that is permanently true will be taken up into the creation of the future.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-697-698 “The Asram has nothing to do with Hindu religion or culture or any religion or nationality. The Truth of the Divine which is the spiritual reality behind all religions and the descent of the supramental which is not known to any religion are the sole things which will be the foundation of the work of the future .” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-701 This is the injunction (“Accept the difficulty and godlike toil, For the slow-paced omniscient purpose live.” Savitri-335-336,) issued in Savitri to the adult Soul that while experiencing swift individual Spiritual evolution he will learn the lesson to live a life of hard toil patiently and reconcile it with slow evolving collectivity and drops all his separative identity by uniting more and more with the universal Divine. Thus, the gulf between developed and developing Soul is bridged by the former becoming the slave of the latter (“She (Savitri) made herself the diligent serf of all,” Savitri-470). This also reminds us that in Earth’s Spiritual history, the gulf created between Divine Consciousness and ordinary human consciousness resulted in the crucifixion of the Lord Christ , which is also identified as the giant Spiritual fall of the Avatar . This physical crucifixion is also repeated in the life of successive Emanations and Avataras in other planes of Consciousness. A Sadhak of Integral Yoga must be well aware of the above developments and must have thorough knowledge of the Spiritual history of the earth from within and without. He must be rightly related with the surrounding world through ‘secrecy and silence’ for whom, 'The full Yoga, Purna Yoga, means a fourfold path, a Yoga of knowledge for the mind, a Yoga of bhakti for the heart, a Yoga of works for the will and a Yoga of perfection for the whole nature.' (CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-686-687) If an integral Sadhaka has evolved from a European background, his advantage of pursuing integral Yoga is that he progresses very quickly with the aid of ‘material sincerity and material honesty’⁶³ and he has ‘no difficulty in arriving at realisation on the lines of Vedanta. ’⁷⁹ The Vedantic aim of Jivatma’s union with Paramatma is identified as first Divine Call of integral Yoga. If he receives the second Divine Call , then he faces immense difficulties⁵⁸ in the change of Nature due to its long Subconscient memory of the age-long tale of oppression, intolerance, use of violence, atrocity and slavery of Christian negation which considers this world as a Spiritual fall from its origin. ‘To the whole European mind, the whole Christian spirit, the world is reprehensible. And when THAT is pointed out to them, they can’t stand it…Yet Sri Aurobindo says (in simple terms), ‘God created the world for the Joy of the creation,’ or rather, ‘He brought forth the world from Himself for the Joy of living an objective life.’’⁶² In integral Yoga, this correction is made that the world is not disgraceful but adorable and proposes to realise Brahman in all things. This realisation of the Divine in all things or Jivatma’s union with Para-prakriti is identified as the second Divine Call of integral Yoga. The Mother proposes that ‘There is nothing other than He! This should be repeated from morning to night, from night to morning, because we forget it every minute.’¹¹¹ (References are from The Mother’s Manifestation manuscript) If an integral Sadhaka has evolved from orthodox Brahmin tradition, then he has to transcend three Hindu negations of (1) the chain of karma , (2) escape from the wheel of rebirth, Mukti, and (3) cosmic illusion, Maya , which had permeated and predominated the general conception of the mind of the race through most of the Religious and Spiritual disciplines of India. In integral Yoga, the binding law of karma is replaced with the Spiritual freedom or the law of the Self; rebirth is not considered as the Soul’s circling in the net of desire, but an opportunity of Spiritual evolution and through it, the mind, life and body repeat the lesson of manifesting their involved Divinity till the recovery of their complete and undivided Divine life. The illusionist word Maya , of the later Vedantist , which means cunning, fraud and illusion has declined from its original meaning of knowledge, skill and intelligence of the Ancient Vedantist . Integral Yoga retains the ancient original Vedantic sense of Maya , which is all-comprehending, all-containing and all-embracing Consciousness of the Supreme, that affirms and includes the truth of all Spiritual experience, integralises all Knowledge, and experiences That which being known all is known. Those integral Bhakti Yogis who are descended emanations of Overmental God, they generally show three characteristics in their outer life; their physical body radiates beauty, light, love and delight; secondly, their Nature are exempt from the problem of lower desire-driven instinct and lastly, their Spiritual being is far stronger than their mind and intellect. The last characteristic makes their life Spiritually developed due to predominant Bhakti and mentally developing in Nature due to an untrained intellect and hence integration of Being and Nature suffers difficulty. A developed intellect has the capacity to purify, well organise and enlarge three inconscient energies of tamas, rajas and sattwa so that they can be initially fit to hold the truth and vision of Intuition⁶⁴ and finally become capable to hold the Supramental energy. Integral Yoga demands equally strong, severely trained and equal collaboration of the Spiritual, Mental, Vital and Physical being. The Christian emphasis on love indicates the dynamic side of its universal action. Christ from His cross humanised Europe, purified humanity and brought for earth the sense of charity, compassion and fraternity. If it is the responsibility of the developed Soul to reconcile the Supreme Consciousness revealed in Spirit with the Supreme Consciousness veiled and distorted in Matter, then he will have to go through a series of successes and failures, a succession of Spiritual rise of Consciousness and Spiritual fall of Consciousness in all Life and all Time till the full Divinity is retained. If a developed Soul is an Avatara , as hinted in Savitri , then he would bear ‘million wounds’ in his secret heart. After being established in the highest Consciousness of Turiya , the everlasting Day, Savitri has to fight ‘million battles’ on earth through successive births and bodies. This indicates that after being established in supreme Consciousness, a developed Soul has to concentrate, contemplate and meditate on the problem of Existence, adore and consecrate the Divine veiled and concealed in the Multiplicity of creation and become a part of The Mother’s world transformation action. The greatness of his fiery Spirit is always subjected to a supreme test of 'stones of suffering' (Savitri-457) by recalcitrant Matter. The theory of Maya, the Illusionist theory, as proposed by Shankara is the sense of illusion or unreality of cosmic existence as formulated by mind; it really cuts the knot of the world problem; it is an escape, a separation from Nature. This sense of unreality powerfully seizes the consciousness of a Spiritual seeker with great force when the mind withdraws from its constructions; one passes into pure Selfhood void of all sense of individuality and Consciousness is plunged into a trance of pure Superconscient existence. Buddha took one step further to declare the unreality of the Self and God; for they too are constructions of the mind. Any error, division and confusion of mind between the activities of Saguna Brahman and quiescence of Nirguna Brahman would not be a creative cosmic Illusion, Maya , but only a wrong understanding of realities of Existence and a wrong relation created by Ignorance. A real solution of existence and world-existence can only stand upon the truth that accounts for their validity, integralises, harmonises and gathers together all their experience in the supreme all-reconciling Oneness. Still, there are other decisive Spiritual experiences that of greater Divine union with the double Spiritual experience of Cosmic Consciousness and Nirvana of world-consciousness which can undo the whole theory of (mental) Maya , which can remove Ignorance and Falsehood from material life and this world is experienced as real as Brahman. The illusionist word Maya, of the later Vedantist , which means cunning, fraud and illusion has declined from its original meaning of knowledge, skill and intelligence of the Ancient Vedantist. Integral Yoga retains the ancient original Vedantic sense of Maya, which is all-comprehending, all-containing and all-embracing Consciousness of the Supreme, that affirms and includes the truth of all Spiritual experience, integralises all Knowledge, and experiences That which being known all is known. (Supramental) Maya is the supreme and universal Consciousness and Force of the Eternal and Infinite and it is at once transcendental, universal and individual and it can put forth many states of Consciousness at a time. The world appears to be an Illusion, (mental) Maya by virtue of the presence of lower Nature and apparent denial of Ignorance, which seeks to become affirmation and this Illusion-Power which creates appearances can be removed by ascending into the higher Consciousness and Matter can be the solid ground for manifestation of the highest Divine. The shadow of the great Refusal or principle of negation prevailing over principle of affirmation of post Buddhistic era of the East was reincarnated in the West as Christian negation which was born out of fear of hell and long Subconscient memory of suppression, anguish, oppression, aggression, intolerance, use of violence, atrocity, paid the price of blood and suffering and death of Christian martyrs in thousands of its religious history. The accumulated Soul forces of these martyrs conquered against the empire-force so that the oppression of Christianity prevailed but not the compassionate Christ . The victorious religion became a militant and dominant Church and Christianity organise themselves into mutual strife and they battled together fiercely to live, grow and possess the world as much as possible to their utmost capacity. They limit the Infinite to one and only Incarnation. This monotheistic doctrine was again further aggravated as religious obscurantism of opposing the enquiry and extension of endless scientific discovery. The latter limitation was overcome with the advent of modern Science and the former can be transcended by the advent of Spiritual Science and the entry of a caravan of Light into the body of an individual Spiritual seeker and his greatest difficulty is that he still seeks happiness and fulfilment in Heaven beyond, not on earth. In order to overcome this exclusive Spirituality where this creation is identified as reprehensible, he will have to fight strongly in order to establish himself here in the external life, the Supreme Bliss from which all creation is born. He will weld strongly the central truth, central dynamic principle, central secret of his Religion with the all truth of Eternal Religion, Sanatana Dharma, from which all religions have evolved. He will realise the gospel of Divine love, service, benevolence and action that dominates his outer Christian living which has its Transcendent source in Sachchidananda , the triple Divine principle of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss and he will further realise that elevating himself to the Transcendent Source of all is a more important and relevant issue than the minor factor of serving the individual or the race. The division of Catholic and Protestant Christianity is identified in integral Yoga as the former is the original plasticity in nature with many-sided catholicity extended towards the growth of whole Nature of human being and the latter is disruptive of this wide-reaching tendency and insists on pure dependency on belief, monotheistic adoration of God, who lives as Immanent Being within and simplified law of good so as to make quick appeal to common intellect, heart and ethical will. The speciality of Catholicism is that they worship virgin Mother, Para-prakriti, and have occult knowledge of the Subliminal plane and Protestants have something of the inner Divine Presence. Integral Yoga accepts and adores the compassionate Christ⁴⁵ as Divine Incarnation. The Cross¹⁰, which symbolises purification and suffering, is transformed in integral Yoga into a symbol of strong and perfect union between the Soul and Nature and all that purified humanity is culminated by its fulfilment. In integral Yoga, the Father is the source of existence, Paramatma , dynamises as the holy Spirit which is the pure Brahmic Consciousness descending on the Son of Man, Jesus ; this same Divine Consciousness also descends into the simple humanity of Apostles in order to establish the kingdom of Heaven, the Divine Life. The Son of Man, Nara, is also the Son of God, Narayana, and both the elements are reconciled through the double movement of Consciousness in order to arrive at integral Godhead, complete Christhood , Nara-Narayana. ¹⁹ A double Divine of the Vedanta and triple Divine of the Gita are consistent with Christian ideology; ‘the Divine Transcendent (Paramatma ) and the Divine Immanent (Jivatma ) (of Vedanta) — is…, perfectly familiar to Christian ideas and to Christian experience.’⁶¹ The trinity of the Individual (Psychic Being), Cosmic (Spiritual Being) and Transcendent (Supramental Being) of integral Yoga are the God in Son, God in Father and God in Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) of the Christian doctrine and Kshara Purusha, Akshara Purusha and the Uttama Purusha of the Gita respectively; ‘the Holy Ghost looks very much like a rather mysterious and inexpressible Transcendence and its descent…(is)…the descent of Light, Purity, Peace... or Power of the supramental Spirit.’⁶ ¹ The Mother force in Virgin Mary is extended in integral Yoga as Virgin Savitri , the descent of Para-prakriti into human form, who promises that earth life can be made an equal and peer of heaven and heaven’s joy can natively grow on mortal soil if earth can be made pure and virgin. Savitri further promises to transform the seven-fold sorrows of the Subconscient world (this can be linked with Mother Mary’s seven sorrows) into seven-fold Bliss and ‘Misery shall pass abolished from the earth.’⁴⁶ (Reference from The Mother’s Manifestation Manuscript.) So, the future Christ who transforms the cross of crucifixion into a source of infinite Light, Joy and Power or the future Hindu Godhead Kalki with His sword destroying opposing asuric forces, for which humanity is waiting patiently, is foreseen by Sri Aurobindo not as PERSON but as condition or the state of Consciousness, to which all humanity can elevate to establish the kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Any free and all-governing personal Godhead was denied by the Buddha who declared that all personality is a creation of Ignorance and construction of mind and subject to Karma , but Buddhism became popular after the Buddha was accepted as the Buddhist Godhead. The disadvantage of the adoration of a personal Godhead in most of the religious schools is that they create an unbridgeable gulf between God and man, Brahman and the world and the possibility of man ascending to the status of God and God descending to earth life becomes remote. The justification of current Religious notions about the personal aspect of the Deity is the Omnipotence, Omniscience and Omnipresence, which is a vast Consciousness containing all ideas in itself as its own ideas, one vast Will containing all energies in itself as its own energy. The error created by man in his relation with God elevates an actual and practical differentiation in Being, Consciousness and Force into an essential division. If man has to ascend to the status of God, then he has to go beyond the paralysing division of the mind where Knowledge is not self-divided, Force is not self-divided, Being is not self-divided and there will be no ideas that clash with other ideas and no opposition of the will or force with other wills or forces. A Sadhaka of integral Yoga has to realise the Integral Divine primarily as Comprehensive Consciousness, Vijnana, the force of Oneness and Order, the harmonious law of guiding truth, impersonal psychological truth of the Divine Consciousness, Nirguna Brahman and secondarily as apprehensive Consciousness, Prajnana , cosmic differentiation, adoration of personal aspect of monotheistic and polytheistic Deities, Saguna Brahman and an infinite multiplicity of ignorant and suffering beings unaware of the Self. Recapitulation: Integral Yoga accepts Shankar’s theory of ‘Brahman is Real and the World is an Illusion’ as the initial Spiritual experience and rejects it in the final journey with the realisation that the World is as real as Brahman and Brahman Force can penetrate into material life and Divinise it. It accepts the Buddhist doctrine of Nirvana as the initial Spiritual realisation and rejects its negation that the world, the Self and the Divine are the construction of Mind and hence are unreal. It accepts the Gita’s self-discipline of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga and rejects its objective of escape into the Supreme abode of Param Dham . It accepts the inner renunciation of desire and ego of ascetic living and rejects saintly inactivity and renunciation of outer life. It accepts the exclusive Spiritual quests of later Vedantists as the starting point of Yoga and rejects their dependency on Psycho-physical means of self-discipline. It accepts Christ as the Divine Incarnation, its gospel of universal Love, brotherhood, equality and charity and rejects the Christian doctrine of limiting the infinite to one and only Divine Incarnation, solution of all problems of existence in the Heaven beyond, long Subconscient memory of oppression, miseries and acceptance of creation as the error of God. OM TAT SAT References: - “THE PECULIARITY of the Gita among the great religious books of the world is that it does not stand apart as a work by itself, the fruit of the spiritual life of a creative personality like Christ, Mahomed or Buddha or of an epoch of pure spiritual searching like the Veda and Upanishads, but is given as an episode in an epic history of nations and their wars and men and their deeds and arises out of a critical moment in the soul of one of its leading personages face to face with the crowning action of his life, a work terrible, violent and sanguinary, at the point when he must either recoil from it altogether or carry itthrough to its inexorable completion. It matters little whether or no, as modern criticism supposes, theGita is a later composition inserted into the mass of the Mahabharata by its author in order to invest its teaching with the authority and popularity of the great national epic.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-12 “India has from ancient times held strongly a belief in the reality of the Avatara, the descent into form, the revelation of the Godhead in humanity. In the West this belief has never really stamped itself upon the mind because it has been presented through exoteric Christianity as a theological dogma without any roots in the reason and general consciousness and attitude towards life. But in India it has grown up and persisted as a logical outcome of the Vedantic view of life and taken firm root in the consciousness of the race.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-13 “When we thus understand the conception of Avatarhood, we see that whether for the fundamental teaching of the Gita, our present subject, or for spiritual life generally the external aspect has only a secondary importance. Such controversies as the one that has raged in Europe over the historicity of Christ, would seem to a spiritually-minded Indian largely a waste of time; he would concede to it a considerable historical, but hardly any religious importance; for what does it matter in the end whether aJesus son of the carpenter Joseph was actually born in Nazareth or Bethlehem, lived and taught and was done to death on a real or trumped-up charge of sedition, so long as we can know by spiritual experience the inner Christ, live uplifted in the light of his teaching and escape from the yoke of the natural Law bythat atonement of man with God of which the crucifixion is the symbol? If the Christ, God made man, lives within our spiritual being, it would seem to matter little whether or not a son of Mary physically lived and suffered and died in Judea. So too the Krishna who matters to us is the eternal incarnation of the Divine and not the historical teacher and leader of men.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-15 “But if we look at after results, an easy optimism becomes even less possible. See the patriot dying in order that his country may be free, and mark that country a few decades after the Lord of Karma has paid the price of the blood and the suffering that was given; you shall see it in its turn an oppressor, an exploiter and conqueror of colonies and dependencies devouring others that it may live and succeed aggressively in life. The Christian martyrs perish in their thousands, setting soul-force against empire-force that Christ may conquer, Christianity prevail. Soul-force does triumph, Christianity does prevail, — but not Christ; the victorious religion becomes a militant and dominant Church and a more fanatically persecuting power than the creed and the empire which it replaced. The very religions organise themselves into powers of mutual strife and battle together fiercely to live, to grow, to possess the world.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-44 “The Gita in later chapters speaks highly of the Veda and the Upanishads. They are divine Scriptures, they are the Word. The Lord himself is the knower of Veda and the author of Vedanta, vedavid veda¯ ntakr.t; the Lord is the one object of knowledge in all the Vedas, sarvair vedair aham eva vedyah. , a language which implies that the word Veda means the book of knowledge and that these Scriptures deserve their appellation. The Purushottama from his high supremacy above the Immutable and the mutable has extended himself in the world and in the Veda. Still the letter of the Scripture binds and confuses, as the apostle of Christianity warned his disciples when he said that the letter killeth and it is the spirit that saves; and there is a point beyond which the utility of the Scripture itself ceases. The real source of knowledge is the Lord in the heart; “I am seated in the heart of every man and from me is knowledge,” says the Gita; the Scripture is only a verbal form of that inner Veda, of that self-luminous Reality, it is sabdabrahma: the mantra, says the Veda, has risen from the heart, from the secret place where is the seat of the truth, sadanad rasya, guhayam. That origin is its sanction; but still the infiniteTruth is greater than its word. Nor shall you say of any Scripture that it alone is all-sufficient and no other truth can be admitted, as the Vedavadins said of the Veda, na¯nyad astı¯ti va¯dinah.. This is a saving and liberating word which must be applied to all the Scriptures of the world. Take all the Scriptures that are or have been, Bible and Koran and the books of the Chinese, Veda and Upanishads and Purana and Tantra and Shastra and the Gita itself and the sayings of thinkers and sages, prophets and Avatars, still you shall not say that there is nothing else or that the truth your intellect cannot find there is not true because you cannot find it there. That is the limited thought of the sectarian or the composite thought of the eclectic religionist, not the untrammelled truth-seeking of the free and illumined mind and God-experienced soul. Heard or unheard before, that always is the truth which is seen by the heart of man in its illumined depths or heard within from the Master of all knowledge, the knower of the eternal Veda.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-92-93 “The second portion of these passages which has here been given in substance, explains the nature of divine works, divyam˙ karma, with the principle of which we have had to deal in the last essay; the first, which has been fully translated, explains the way of the divine birth, divyam˙ janma, the Avatarhood. But we have to remark carefully that the upholding of Dharma in the world is not theonly object of the descent of the Avatar, that great mystery of the Divine manifest in humanity; for theupholding of the Dharma is not an all-sufficient object in itself, not the supreme possible aim for themanifestation of a Christ, a Krishna, a Buddha, but is only the general condition of a higher aim and a more supreme and divine utility. For there are two aspects of the divine birth; one is a descent, the birth of God in humanity, the Godhead manifesting itself in the human form and nature, the eternal Avatar; the other is an ascent, the birth of man into the Godhead, man rising into the divine nature and consciousness, madbhavam agatah ; it is the being born anew in a second birth of the soul. It is that new birth which Avatarhood and the upholding of the Dharma are intended to serve. This double aspect in the Gita’s doctrine of Avatarhood is apt to be missed by the cursory reader satisfied, as most are, with catching a superficial view of its profound teachings, and it is missed too by the formal commentator petrified in the rigidity of the schools. Yet it is necessary, surely, to the whole meaning of the doctrine. Otherwise the Avatar idea would be only a dogma, a popular superstition, or an imaginative or mystic deification of historical or legendary supermen, not what the Gita makes all its teaching, a deep philosophical and religious truth and an essential part of or step to the supreme mystery of all, rahasyamuttamam.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-147-148 “If there were not this rising of man into the Godhead to be helped by the descent of God into humanity, Avatarhood for the sake of the Dharma would be an otiose phenomenon, since mere Right, mere justice or standards of virtue can always be upheld by the divine omnipotence through its ordinary means, by great men or great movements, by the life and work of sages and kings and religious teachers, without any actual incarnation. The Avatar comes as the manifestation of the divine nature in the human nature, the apocalypse of its Christhood, Krishnahood, Buddhahood, in order that the human nature may by moulding its principle, thought, feeling, action, being on the lines of that Christhood, Krishnahood, Buddhahood transfigure itself into the divine. The law, the Dharma which the Avatar establishes is given for that purpose chiefly; the Christ, Krishna, Buddha stands in its centre as the gate, he makes through himself the way men shall follow. That is why each Incarnation holds before men his own example and declares of himself that he is the way and the gate; he declares too the oneness of his humanity with the divine being, declares that the Son of Man and the Father above from whom he hasdescended are one, that Krishna in the human body, manusım˙ tanum asritam , and the supreme Lord and Friend of all creatures are but two revelations of the same divine Purushottama, revealed there in his own being, revealed here in the type of humanity.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-148-149 “The divine manifestation of a Christ, Krishna, Buddha in external humanity has for its inner truth the same manifestation of the eternal Avatar within in our own inner humanity. That which has been done in the outer human life of earth, may be repeated in the inner life of all human beings.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-160 “On the other hand, this entering into the divine conscious- ness may be attended by a reflex action of the Divine entering or coming forward into the human parts of our being, pouring himself into the nature, the activity, the mentality, the corporeality even of the man; and that may well be at least a partial Avatarhood. The Lord stands in the heart, says the Gita, — by which it means of course the heart of the subtle being, the nodus of the emotions, sensations, mental consciousness, where the individual Purusha also is seated, — but he stands there veiled, enveloped by his Maya. But above, on a plane within us but now superconscient to us, called heaven by the ancient mystics, the Lord and the Jivastand together revealed as of one essence of being, the Father and the Son of certain symbolisms, theDivine Being and the divine Man who comes forth from Him born of the higher divine Nature,1 the virgin Mother, para prakriti, para maya, into the lower or human nature. This seems to be the innerdoctrine of the Christian incarnation; in its Trinity the Father is above in this inner Heaven; the Son orsupreme Prakriti become Jiva of the Gita descends as the divine Man upon earth, in the mortal body; theHoly Spirit, pure Self, Brahmic consciousness is that which makes them one and that also in which theycommunicate; for we hear of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus and it is the same descent whichbrings down the powers of the higher consciousness into the simple humanity of the Apostles.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-162-63 “A merely supernormal or miraculous Avatar would be a meaningless absurdity; not that there need be an entire absence of the use of supernormal powers such as Christ’s so- called miracles of healing, for the use of supernormal powers is quite a possibility of human nature; but there need not be that at all, nor in any case is it the root of the matter, nor would it at all do if the life were nothing else but a display of supernormal fireworks. The Avatar does not come as a thaumaturgic magician, but as the divineleader of humanity and the exemplar of a divine humanity. Even human sorrow and physical sufferinghe must assume and use so as to show, first, how that suffering may be a means of redemption, — asdid Christ, — secondly, to show how, having been assumed by the divine soul in the human nature, it can also be overcome in the same nature, — as did Buddha. The rationalist who would have cried to Christ, “If thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross,” or points out sagely that the Avatar was not divine because he died and died too by disease, — as a dog dieth, — knows not what he is saying:for he has missed the root of the whole matter. Even, the Avatar of sorrow and suffering must come before there can be the Avatar of divine joy; the human limitation must be assumed in order to show how it can be overcome; and the way and the extent of the overcoming, whether internal only or external also, depends upon the stage of the human advance; it must not be done by a non-human miracle.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-165 “No doubt, too, the inner descent of the Godhead to raise the human soul into himself is the main thing, — it is the inner Christ, Krishna or Buddha that matters. But just as the outer life is of immense importance for the inner development, so the external Avatarhood is of no mean importance for this great spiritual manifestation.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-167 “But obviously the purely practical, ethical or social and political mission of the Avatar which is thus thrown into popular and mythical form, does not give a right account of the phenomenon of Avatarhood. It does not cover its spiritual sense, and if this outward utility were all, we should have to exclude Buddha and Christ whose mission was not at all to destroy evil-doers and deliver the good, but to bring to all men a new spiritual message and a new law of divine growth and spiritual realisation. On the other hand, if we give to the word dharma only its religious sense, in which it means a law of religious and spiritual life, we shall indeed get to the kernel of the matter, but we shall be in danger of excluding a most important part of the work done by the Avatar. Always we see in the history of the divine incarnations the double work, and inevitably, because the Avatar takes up the workings of God in human life, the way of the divine Will and Wisdom in the world, and that always fulfils itself externally as well as internally, by inner progress in the soul and by an outer change in the life. The Avatar may descend as a great spiritual teacher and saviour, the Christ, the Buddha, but always his work leads, after he has finished his earthly manifestation, to a profound and powerful change not only in the ethical, but in the social and outward life and ideals of the race. He may, on the other hand, descend as an incarnation of the divine life, the divine personality and power in its characteristic action, for a mission ostensibly social, ethical and political, as is represented in the story of Rama or Krishna; but always then this descent becomes in the soul of the race a permanent power for the inner living andthe spiritual rebirth. It is indeed curious to note that the permanent, vital, universal effect of Buddhism and Christianity has been the force of their ethical, social and practical ideals and their influence even onthe men and the ages which have rejected their religious and spiritual beliefs, forms and disciplines; later Hinduism which rejected Buddha, his san˙gha and his dharma, bears the ineffaceable imprint of the social and ethical influence of Buddhism and its effect on the ideas and the life of the race, while in modern Europe, Christian only in name, humanitarianism is the translation into the ethical and social sphere and the aspiration to liberty, equality and fraternity the translation into the social and politicalsphere of the spiritual truths of Christianity, the latter especially being effected by men who aggressivelyrejected the Christian religion and spiritual discipline and by an age which in its intellectual effort of emancipation tried to get rid of Christianity as a creed. On the other hand the life of Rama and Krishna belongs to the prehistoric past which has come down only in poetry and legend and may even beregarded as myths; but it is quite immaterial whether we regard them as myths or historical facts, becausetheir permanent truth and value lie in their persistence as a spiritual form, presence, influence in the innerconsciousness of the race and the life of the human soul. Avatarhood is a fact of divine life andconsciousness which may realise itself in an outward action, but must persist, when that action is over and has done its work, in a spiritual influence; or may realise itself in a spiritual influence and teaching, but must then have its permanent effect, even when the new religion or discipline is exhausted, in the thought, temperament and outward life of mankind.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-170-171 “It is these things that condition and determine the work of the Avatar. In the Buddhistic formula the disciple takes refuge from all that opposes his liberation in three powers, the dharma, the sangha, the Buddha. So in Christianity we have the law of Christian living, the Church and the Christ. These three are always the necessary elements of the work of the Avatar. He gives a dharma, a law of self-discipline by which to grow out of the lower into the higher life and which necessarily includes a rule of action and of relations with our fellow men and other beings, endeavour in the eightfold path or the law of faith, love and purity or any other such revelation of the nature of the divine in life.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita-173 “Equality has always been held up to admiration as the philosophic ideal and the characteristic temperament of the sages. The Gita takes up indeed this philosophic ideal, but carries it far beyond into a higher region where we find ourselves breathing a larger and purer air. The Stoic poise, the philosophic poise of the soul are only its first and second steps of ascension out of the whirl of the passions and the tossings of desire to a serenity and bliss, not of the Gods, but of the Divine himself in his supreme self-mastery. The Stoic equality, making character its pivot, founds itself upon self-mastery by austere endurance; the happier and serener philosophic equality prefers self-mastery by knowledge, by detachment, by a high intellectual indifference seated above the disturbances to which our nature is prone, uda¯ sı¯navad a¯ sı¯nah. , as the Gita expresses it; there is also the religious or Christian equality which is a perpetual kneeling or a prostrate resignation and submission to the will of God. These are the three steps and means towards divine peace, heroic endurance, sage indifference, pious resignation, titiksa, udasınata, namas or nati. The Gita takes them all in its large synthetic manner and weaves them into its upward soul-movement, but it gives to each a profounder root, a larger outlook, a more universal and transcendent significance. For to each it gives the values of the spirit, its power of spiritual being beyond the strain of character, beyond the difficult poise of the understanding, beyond the stress of the emotions.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-190 “He constructs for the Godhead the name and form of Indra or Agni, of Vishnu or Shiva, of a divinised Christ or Buddha, or else some composite of natural qualities, an indulgent God of love and mercy, or a severe God of righteousness and justice, or an awe-inspiring God of wrath and terror and flaming punishments, or some amalgam of any of these, and to that he raises his altars without and in his heart and mind and falls down before it to demand from it worldly good and joy or healing of his wounds or a sectarian sanction for an erring, dogmatic, intellectual, intolerent knowledge. All this up to a certain point is true enough. Very rare is the great soul who knows that Vasudeva the omnipresent Being is all that is, va¯ sudevah. sarvam iti sa maha¯ tma¯ sudurlabhah. .” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-286 “The thought of the Gita here is not on a par with the indulgences and facilities of popular religion; it has nothing in common with the crude fancies that make the absolution and last unction of the priest, an edifying “Christian” death after an unedifying profane life or the precaution or accident of a death in sacred Benares or holy Ganges a sufficient machinery of salvation. The divine subjective becoming on which the mind has to be fixed firmly in the moment of the physical death, yam˙ smaran bhavam˙ tyajatiante kalevaram , must have been one into which the soul was at each moment growing inwardly during the physical life, sada tad-bhava-bhavitah . . “Therefore,” says the divine Teacher, “at all times remember me and fight; for if thy mind and thy understanding are always fixed on and given up to Me,mayi arpita-mano-buddhih. , to Me thou shalt surely come. For it is by thinking always of him with a consciousness united with him in an undeviating Yoga of constant practice that one comes to the divine and supreme Purusha.”” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-296 “Teachers of the law of love and oneness there must be, for by that way must come the ultimate salvation. But not till the Time-Spirit in man is ready, can the inner and ultimate prevail over the outer and immediate reality. Christ and Buddha have come and gone, but it is Rudra who still holds the world in the hollow of his hand. And meanwhile the fierce forward labour of mankind tormented and oppressed by the Powers that are profiteers of egoistic force and their servants cries for the sword of the Hero of the struggle and the word of its prophet.” CWSA-19/ Essays on the Gita/p-386 “The Vedic law becomes a convention and a Buddha appears with his new rule of the eightfold path and the goal of Nirvana; and it may be remarked that he propounds it not as a personal invention, but as the true rule of Aryan living constantly rediscovered by the Buddha, the enlightened mind, the awakened spirit. But this practically means that there is an ideal, an eternal Dharma which religion, philosophy, ethics and all other powers in man that strive after truth and perfection are constantly endeavouring to embody in new statements of the science and art of the inner and outer life, a new Shastra. The Mosaic law of religious, ethical and social righteousness is convicted of narrowness and imperfection and is now besides a convention; the law of Christ comes to replace it and claims at once to abrogate and to fulfil, to abrogate the imperfect form and fulfil in a deeper and broader light and power the spirit of the thing which it aimed at, the divine rule of living. And the human search does not stop there, but leaves these formulations too, goes back to some past truth it had rejected or breaks forward to some new truth and power, but is always in search of the same thing, the law of its perfection, its rule of right living, its complete, highest and essential self and nature.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-478-79 “Altruism, philanthropy and service, Christian love or Buddhist compassion have not made the world a whit happier, they only give infinitesimal bits of momentary relief here and there, throw drops on the fire of the world’s suffering. All aims are in the end transitory and futile, all achievements unsatisfying or evanescent; all works are so much labour of effort and success and failure which consummate nothingdefinitive: whatever changes are made in human life are of the form only and these forms pursue each other in a futile circle; for the essence of life, its general character remains the same for ever.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-433 “In the West where the syncretic tendency of the consciousness was replaced by the analytic and separative, the spiritual urge and the intellectual reason parted company almost at the outset; philosophy took from the first a turn towards a purely intellectual and ratiocinative explanation of things. Nevertheless, there were systems like the Pythagorean, Stoic and Epicurean, which were dynamic not only for thought but for conduct of life and developed a discipline, an effort at inner perfection of the being; this reached a higher spiritual plane of knowledge in later Christian or Neo-pagan thought-structures where East and West met together. But later on the intellectualisation became complete and the connection of philosophy with life and its energies or spirit and its dynamism was either cut or confined to the little that the metaphysical idea can impress on life and action by an abstract and secondary influence.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-912 “Beyond and above this preoccupation, as soon as mind is sufficiently developed, there awakes in man the spiritual preoccupation, the discovery of a self and inmost truth of being and the release of man’s mind and life into the truth of the Spirit, its perfection by the power of the Spirit, the solidarity, unity, mutuality of all beings in the Spirit. This was the Eastern ideal carried by Buddhism and other ancient disciplines to the coasts of Asia and Egypt and from there poured by Christianity into Europe. But these motives, burning for a time like dim torchlights in the confusion and darkness created by the barbaric flood that had submerged the old civilisations, have been abandoned by the modern spirit which has found another light, the light of Science.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1088 “Even then his nature calls for a human intermediary so that he may feel the Divine in something entirely close to his own humanity and sensible in a human influence and example. This call is satisfied by the Divine manifest in a human appearance, the Incarnation, the Avatar — Krishna, Christ, Buddha. Or if this is too hard for him to conceive, the Divine represents himself through a less marvellous intermediary, — Prophet or Teacher. For many who cannot conceive or are unwilling to accept the Divine Man, are ready to open themselves to the supreme man, terming him not incarnation but world-teacher or divine representative.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-65 “Nor should he forget the aim of these external aids which is to awaken his soul to the Divine within him. Nothing has been finally accomplished if that has not been accomplished. It is not sufficient to worship Krishna, Christ or Buddha without, if there is not the revealing and the formation of the Buddha, the Christ or Krishna in ourselves. And all other aids equally have no other purpose; each is a bridge between man’s unconverted state and the revelation of the Divine within him.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-66 “It is indeed by the religio-ethical sense that the law of universal goodwill or universal compassion or of love and service to the neighbour, the Vedantic, the Buddhistic, the Christian ideal, was created; only by a sort of secular refrigeration extinguishing the fervour of the religious element in it could the humanitarian ideal disengage itself and become the highest plane of a secular system of mental and moral ethics.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-152 “The later religions endeavour to fix the type of a supreme truth of conduct, erect a system and declare God’s law through the mouth of Avatar or prophet. These systems, more powerful and dynamic than the dry ethical idea, are yet for the most part no more than idealistic glorifications of the moral principles sanctified by religious emotion and the label of a superhuman origin. Some, like the extreme Christian ethic, are rejected by Nature because they insist unworkably on an impracticable absolute rule. Others prove in the end to be evolutionary compromises and become obsolete in the march of Time. The true divine law, unlike these mental counterfeits, cannot be a system of rigid ethical determinations that press into their cast-iron moulds all our life-movements. The Law divine is truth of life and truth of the spirit and must take up with a free living plasticity and inspire with the direct touch of its eternal light each step of our action and all the complexity of our life issues. It must act not as a rule and formula but as an enveloping and penetrating conscious presence that determines all our thoughts, activities, feelings, impulsions of will by its infallible power and knowledge.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga-203 “It is immaterial whether he wears the garb of the ascetic or lives the full life of the householder; whether he spends his days in what men call holy works or in the many-sided activities of the world; whether hedevotes himself to the direct leading of men to the Light like Buddha, Christ or Shankara or governskingdoms like Janaka or stands before men like Sri Krishna as a politician or a leader of armies; what heeats or drinks; what are his habits or his pursuits; whether he fails or succeeds; whether his work be one of construction or of destruction; whether he supports or restores an old order or labours to replace itby a new; whether his associates are those whom men delight to honour or those whom their sense of superior righteousness out- castes and reprobates; whether his life and deeds are approved by hiscontemporaries or he is condemned as a misleader of men and a fomenter of religious, moral or social heresies.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-271 “To use Christian language, the Son of God is also the Son of Man and both elements are necessary to the complete Christhood; or to use an Indian form of thought, the divine Narayana of whom the universe is only one ray is revealed and fulfilled in man; the complete man is Nara-Narayana and in that completeness he symbolises the supreme mystery of existence.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-329 “He is each separately and all altogether. He is Vishnu, Krishna, Kali; he reveals himself to us in humanity as the Christ personality or the Buddha personality. When we look beyond our first exclusively concentrated vision, we see behind Vishnu all the personality of Shiva and behind Shiva all the personality of Vishnu. He is the Ananta-guna, infinite quality and the infinite divine Personality which manifests itself through it. Again he seems to withdraw into a pure spiritual impersonality or beyond all idea even of impersonal Self and to justify a spiritualised atheism or agnosticism; he becomes to the mind of man an indefinable, anirdesyam . But out of this unknowable the conscious Being, the divine Person, who has manifested himself here, still speaks, “This too is I; even here beyond the view of mind, I am He, the Purushottama.”” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-586 “These are those forms of Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, Kali, Durga, Christ, Buddha, which the mind of man seizes on for adoration. Even the monotheist who worships a formless Godhead, yet gives to him some form of quality, some mental form or form of Nature by which he envisages and approaches him. But to be able to see a living form, a mental body, as it were, of the Divine gives to the approach a greater closeness and sweetness.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-601 “To this day I remember the experience. Truly, that’s what I felt – I did not intellectualize it. Exactly the impression of what Christ must have experienced when he felt the weight of the cross. It was the weight of a whole world of darkness, unconsciousness, universal bad will, total incomprehension, something ...And it really felt like that ... as if I were carrying a frightful weight – which was frightful because of its darkness, not because of its weight. So I thought, ‘Well, well. This must be how Christ felt when they laid the cross on him.’” The Mother’s Agenda/ August 20, 1960 “Regarding Christmas, I’ll tell you a curious story. For a while, there was a Muslim girl close to me (not a believer, but her origins were Muslim; in other words, she wasn’t at all Christian) who had a special fondness for Santa Claus! She had seen pictures of him, read some books, etc. Then one year while she was here, she got it into her head that Santa Claus had to bring me something. ‘He has to bring you something for Christmas,’ she told me. ‘Try,’ I replied. I don’t know what all she did, but she prayed to him to bring me money. She fixed a certain sum. And on Christmas Eve, exactly this sum was given to me! And it was a large sum, several thousand rupees. Exactly the amount she had specified. And it came on that very day in quite an unexpected way. I found it very interesting.” The Mother’s Agenda, December 20, 1960 “Seen from the European angle, Sri Aurobindo represents an immense spiritual revolution, redeeming Matter and the creation, which to the Christian religion is fundamentally a fall – it’s really unclear how what has come from God could become so bad, but anyway, better not be too logical! it’s a fall. The creation is a fall. And that’s why they are far more easily convinced by Buddhism. I saw this particularly with R, whose education was entirely in European philosophy, with Christian and positivist influences; under these two influences, when he came into contact with Theon’s ‘cosmic philosophy’ and later Sri Aurobindo’s revelation, he immediately explained, in his Wherefore of the Worlds, that the world is the fruit of Desire – God’s desire. Yet Sri Aurobindo says (in simple terms), ‘God created the world for the Joy of the creation,’ or rather, ‘He brought forth the world from Himself for the Joy of living an objective life.’ This was Theon’s thesis too, that the world is the Divine in an objective form, but for him the origin of this objective form was the desire to be. All this is playing with words, you understand, but it turns out that in one case the world is reprehensible and in the other it is adorable! And that makes all the difference. To the whole European mind, the whole Christian spirit, the world is reprehensible. And when THAT is pointed out to them, they can’t stand it.” The Mother’s Agenda- December 20, 1961 “And to Théon, the God of the Jews and Christians was an Asura. This Asura wanted to be unique; and so he became the most terrible despot imaginable. Anatole France said the same thing (I now know that Anatole France had never read Théon's story, but I can't imagine where he picked this up). It's in The Revolt of the Angels. He says that Satan is the true God and that Jehovah, the "only God," is the monster. And when the angels wanted Satan to become the one and only God, Satan realized he was immediately taking on all Jehovah's failings! So he refused: "Oh, no – thank you very much!" It's a wonderful story, and in exactly the same spirit as what Théon used to say. The very first thing I asked Anatole France (I told you I met him once – mutual friends introduced us), the first thing I asked him was, "Have you ever read The Tradition?" He said no. I explained why I had asked, and he was interested. He said his source was his own imagination. He had caught that idea intuitively.” The Mother’s Agenda/ January 27, 1962 “You know, I don't like the story of Christ. Yes, that's.... That's exactly the point. The crucified god – no thanks. If he loses his skin, he loses it – so what, it doesn't matter. You understand?” The Mother’s Agenda-March-13, 1962 “(Satprem) I don't know why, but every time I come into contact with a Christian thought, it fills me with anger. Oh, I understand! Because it's true, you know, that an Asura is behind it all – not Christ! Sri Aurobindo considered Christ an Avatar (a minor form of Avatar). One emanation of the Divine's aspect of Love, he always said. But what people have made of him! ... Besides, the religion was founded two hundred years after his death. And it's nothing but a political construction, a tool for domination, built with the Lord of Falsehood in the background, who, in his usual fashion, took something true and twisted it. It's a real hodgepodge, that religion – the number of sects! The only common ground is the divinity of Christ, and it became asuric when he was made out to be unique: there has been but ONE incarnation, Christ. That's just where it all went wrong. We'll see. It is resisting, resisting everywhere. It's even more resistant than materialism.” The Mother’s Agenda-December-15, 1962, “The Vedic Rishis thirsted for Immortality, Buddha wanted Permanence.... Then I looked, wondering, "And what was Christ's path?"... Basically, he always said, "Love thy neighbor," in other words brotherhood (but that's a modern translation). For him, the idea was compassion, charity (the Christians say it's the "law of Love," but we're not yet there – that will come much later). So I wrote: Jesus preached Compassion.... Then I thought: now, Sri Aurobindo, it's quite clear; for him, the goal was Perfection. Perfection not in the sense of a summit but of an all-inclusive totality in which everything is represented, has a place. And I saw that this Perfection would come – must come – in stages. He announced something the realization of which will stretch over thousands of years. So it must come in stages. And I saw that what I find essential, indispensable (everything is there, everything finds a place, yet there is a kind of anguish – not a personal anguish but a terrestrial anguish), is Security. A need for Security – whatever you attempt, whatever you seek, even Love, even Perfection, it needs Security. Nothing can be achieved with the feeling that all opposing forces can come and sweep everything away. We must find the point where nothing can be touched or destroyed or halted. Therefore, it's Security, the very essence of Security. So I wrote: Sri Aurobindo promised Perfection and to attain it, the first requisite, what men need today, is Security.” The Mother’s Agenda-March-27, 1963 “Catholicism has two things that Protestantism lacks: the occult sense (not only the sense but even a certain occult knowledge), and the Mother – the Virgin. The Protestants have something the Catholics lack: the inner divine presence. It's only through those two things that you can catch them. But ... Well, we'll see.” The Mother’s Agenda-June-29, 1963 “I think the foremost idea of the one who left was to prevent war. Consciously, he (new Pope) wanted all Christians to love each other! (Mother laughs) A childish hope. To love each other in Jesus – whom theyleave on the cross. As Sri Aurobindo says, men ... men LOVE grief, that's why Jesus is still nailed on the cross. It's magnificent, that thing.” The Mother’s Agenda-June-29, 1963 “What seems ... bizarre to those who have gone beyond the petty, purely terrestrial limits – human terrestrial limits – is that belief in a SINGLE divine manifestation on the earth; all the religions are based on that, everyone says, "Christ was the only one," or "Buddha was the only one," or elsewhere"Mohammed was the only one," and so forth. Well, that "only one" is something IMPOSSIBLE as soon as you rise a little above the ordinary earth atmosphere – it appears childish. You can understand thething and accept it only as a sort of recurrent movement of the divine Consciousness on the earth. Of course, officially there is only Christ; may be for this man [Paul VI], he is still the greatest, but I would be surprised if he thought Christ was the only one. Only, Christ "has to" be the only one – you'd cut out your own tongue rather than say he's not! I don't think the question bothers him much (!) His concern is how to exert his power and keep people init, so as, maybe, to prove his superiority. This much conviction they still have, you see, that their religion IS superior to all others, their power is superior to all others, and therefore they have to be more powerful than the others. That's the main idea: "To be the most powerful." And what's the way, now, for them to gain that all-powerfulness? Already for two or three generations, they have understood the necessity of a broadening: the narrowness of their dogma gave them too many weak points.... But he [Paul VI] understands maybe even better. We'll see what happens.” The Mother’s Agenda-July-3, 1963 “It's much easier to answer out-and-out materialists who are convinced and sincere ("sincere" within the limit of their consciousness, that is) than to answer people who have a religion! Much easier. With Indians, it's very easy – they're heaven-blessed, these people, because it takes very little for them to be oriented in the right way. But there are two types of difficult religion, the Christian religion(especially in the form of Protestantism), and the Jewish religion. The Jews are also out-and-out materialists: you die, well, you die, it's over. Though I haven't quite understood how they reconcile that with their God, who moreover is Unthinkable and must not be named... but who, seen from the standpoint of a vaster truth, seems (I am not sure), seems to be an Asura. Because it's an almighty and UNIQUE God, foreign to the world – the world (as far as I know)and he are two completely different things. It's the same with Catholicism. Yet, if I remember correctly, their God created the world with apart of himself, no? (Satprem) No, no! No? Is it only man that he pulled out of his rib? (Satprem) No! It's out of Adam's rib that he pulled man, not out of his own rib! Aah! (Satprem) It's out of Adam's rib ... ... that he pulled woman. Aah! ... (Satprem) No, no, he "created" the world. Out of nothingness he made the world? (Satprem) That's right. Then it's the same problem, the same difficulty. It's quite simply an incomprehension. (Satprem) And in fact he sent his son to "save the world." Then his son doesn't belong to the creation? (Satprem) He is the son of God – not so the others. He is the ONLY son of God? (Satprem) Yes, of course! They've twisted everything. But Adam belonged to the creation, didn't he? (Satprem) Yes, while Christ isn't human, he is the son. But he took on a human body. (Satprem) Yes, but he's the son of God. He isn't a human being become divine, he is a divine being – "the son of God" – who took on a human body. But that's understood! All Avatars are like that. (Satprem) Yes, but he's the only one. It's all twisted. But the Virgin, in that affair? What happened to her? Because she was a woman, wasn't she? (Satprem) She was human. Yes ... because in the story, there's even a moment when Christ says, "What do I have to do with that woman"! But then, the Assumption? ... (silence) Of course, those who know understand very well – it's all symbolic. But for instance, I told you I spoke with the Pope for quite a long time the day of his election, and the conversation was abruptly interrupted by a reaction he had. (It was really a mental conversation we were having: I spoke, he replied, I heard his reply – I don't know whether he was conscious of something ... probably not, but anyway; it wasn't at all a formation of my own mind because I received quite unexpected replies.) But the conversation was interrupted abruptly by a reaction he had when I told him that God is everywhere and in all things; that everything is He; and then a great Force came down into me and I added, "Even when you descend into Hell, He is there too." Then everything stopped dead. Since then I've learned that it's part of their teaching: that what is terrible in Hell isn't so much the suffering, but that there is no God there; that it's the only part of the creation in which there is no God – there is no God in Hell. And I asserted that He is there too. But naturally, from an intellectual point of view, all those things are explained and find their place –man has never thought anything that wasn't the distortion of a truth. That's not the difficulty, it's that for religious people there are certain things they have a DUTY to believe, and to allow the mind to discuss them is a "sin" – so naturally they close themselves and will never be able to make any progress. Whereas the materialists, on the other hand, are on the contrary supposed to know and explain everything – they explain everything rationally. So (Mother laughs), precisely because they explain everything, you can lead them where you want to. There. (Satprem) There's nothing to be done with religious people. No. And it's not good to try either. If they cling to a religion, it means that that religion has helped them somehow or other, has helped something in them which in fact wanted to have a certitude without having to seek for it – to lean on something solid without being responsible for its solidity (someone elseis responsible! [Mother laughs]), and to leave their bodies in that way. So to want to pull them out of it shows a lack of compassion – they should just be left where they are. Never do I argue with someone who has a faith – let him keep his faith! And I take great care not to say anything that might shake his faith because it's not good – such people are unable to have another faith. But with a materialist ... "I don't argue, I accept your point of view; only, you have nothing to say – I've taken my position, take yours. If you are satisfied with what you know, keep it. If it helps you to live, very good. "But you have no right to blame or criticize me, because I am taking my position on your own basis. Even if all that I imagine is mere imagination, I prefer that imagination to yours." That's all.” The Mother’s Agenda-September-7, 1963 “In the Illustrated Weekly they have published photographs of the Pope's visit to Palestine, and there is one in which he is prostrating himself: he is kissing the ground on the Mount of Olives, where Christ, as the story goes, was informed that he would be crucified. It put me again in contact with that man. And his intention is clear: to make religion quite real, in the sense that it isn't a myth, it isn't a legend – it's truly God who came, and so on. So, to him, this is "human greatness" prostrating itself before the"divine sacrifice." There is another photograph in which he is embracing the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church – heretics formerly, now they embrace each other. And all the people around him (they are well-dressed, you know, with modern suits) look like puppets, mon petit! Oh, it's awful! ... Awful. He at least has a force – or a will, at any rate. And he has a plan, he knows what he wants. (silence) He is also the first Pope to travel by plane, so they took his photograph in the plane – he gives a "broad smile," he looks very happy. (long silence) In sum, it is the glorification of physical suffering as a means of salvation. (Satprem) I must say I find the whole story repugnant – that crucifixion being flaunted everywhere.There's nothing so clever about Christ! There are millions others who died without making such a fuss! That was also my feeling, and it was Théon's too. But Sri Aurobindo ... as for him, he clearly said that it had brought a sense of charity, humaneness and fraternity on earth that didn't exist before. (Satprem) Yes, it certainly did bring something. But they just remain there. Ah, the Falsehood is to remain stuck there, yes.” The Mother’s Agenda- January 25, 1964 “Have you seen the latest Illustrated Weekly? You know that the Pope is here, in Bombay, for the"Eucharistic Congress" – but what's the Eucharist, mon petit? (Satprem) It's the Communion. Ah, that's just what I thought!... There is in the Illustrated Weekly the history of those Eucharistic Congresses, and it seems a French lady was behind the origin of the first Congress (not so long ago, in the last century, I believe). And then (Mother smiles), there's a magnificent portrait of the Pope with a message he wrote specially for the Weekly's readers, in which he took great care not to use Christian words. He wishes them ... I don't know what, and (it's written in English) a celestial grace. Then I saw (he tried to be as impersonal as possible), I saw that in spite of everything, the Christians' greatest difficulty is that their happiness and fulfillment are in heaven. Instead of a celestial grace, they read to me, or I heard, a terrestrial grace! When I heard that, something in me started vibrating: "What! But this man has been converted!" Then I had it repeated and heard it wasn't that but really a celestial grace. This is the whole point. (Satprem) Exactly. They believe in a divine realization, but the divine realization isn't terrestrial, it's somewhere else, in a celestial world, that is, immaterial. And that is their great obstacle. Of course, in matters of faith (I don't mean for a very precise and very clear scientific mind), but in matters of faith, there is so far no clear proof that the Lord wants to realize Himself here; except, perhaps, for two or three visionaries who had the experience.... Someone asked me if there had been a supramental realization previously, that is, before historical times (because historical times are extremely limited, of course). Naturally, the question always corresponds to one of the things that are shown to me in moments of concentration. So I answered very spontaneously that there hadn't been a collective realization, but that there might have been one or several individual realizations, as examples of what would be and as a promise – a promise and examples: "This is what will be." I've had some very precise memories – lived memories – of a human life on earth, quite primitive (I mean outside any mental civilization), a human life on earth that wasn't an evolutionary life, but the manifestation of beings from another world. I lived in that way for a time – a lived memory. I still see it, I still have the image of it in my memory. It had nothing to do with civilization and mental development: it was a blossoming of force, of beauty, in a NATURAL, spontaneous life, like animal life, but with aperfection of consciousness and power that far surpasses the one we have now; and indeed with a power over all surrounding Nature, animal nature and vegetable nature and mineral nature, a DIRECT handling of Matter, which men do not have – they need intermediaries, material instruments, whereas this was direct. And there were no thoughts or reasoning: it was spontaneous (gesture indicating the direct radiating action of will on Matter). I have the lived memory of this. It must have existed on earth because it wasn't premonitory: it wasn't a vision of the future, it was a past memory. So there must have been a moment ... It was limited to two beings: I don't have the feeling there were many. And there was no childbirth or anything animal, absolutely not; it was a life, yes, a truly higher life in a natural setting, but with an extraordinary beauty and harmony! And I don't have the feeling it was (how can I explain?) something known; the relationships with vegetable life and animal life were spontaneous ones, absolutely harmonious, and with the sensation of an undisputed power (you didn't even feel it was possible for it not to be), undisputed, but without any idea that there were other beings on earth and that it was necessary to look after them or make a "demonstration" – nothing of the sort, absolutely nothingof mental life, nothing. A life just like that, like a beautiful plant or a beautiful animal, but with an inner knowledge of things, perfectly spontaneous and effortless – an effortless life, perfectly spontaneous. I don't even have the feeling that there was any question of food, not that I remember; but there was the joy of Life, the joy of Beauty: there were flowers, there was water, there were trees, there were animals, and all that was friendly, but spontaneously so. And there were no problems! No problems to be solved, nothing at all – one just lived! ....An uncomplicated life, definitely.” The Mother’s Agenda-December-2, 1964 “Because it doesn't seem possible to me (though I don't know), it doesn't seem possible to me that thestate of the earth is adequate to justify an integral transformation. As for Sri Aurobindo, he used to say that it would come in stages, that there would first be a sort of small formation, or a small creation that will receive the Light and be transformed, and that's what will work as a leaven for the generaltransformation. There are all the Christian, Buddhist theories, Shankara, all those who declare that the world is an "unreal Falsehood" and that it must disappear and give place to a "heaven" (a "new world" and a "heaven"). And this is among the most "aspiring" elements of mankind, those who aren't content with the world as it is, who don't say, "Oh, as long as I am here and alive, things are fine; afterwards, I don't care" – enjoy the short life. "Afterwards, well, it's over, and that's that; let me make the most of the moment I've been given." What a queer conception! ... That's the other extreme.” The Mother’s Agenda-March 20, 1965, “And naturally, the ancient Vedas and all the old traditions announced a new earth, that's well known. But even the Christians. Even the Christians, yes. St. John said that there would be a new earth – that there would be, in fact, anew Christ, who corresponds to that of the Hindus. Kalki? Yes, Kalki. The description is very similar. And the Maitreya Buddha, too. Yes, but it seems we should be more cautious about him. According to Alexandra David-Neel, it's not a truly authentic text, it came afterwards, after Buddha's descendants: it isn't what Buddha himself is said to have preached. There is a controversy here. Of course, Alexandra belonged to the Buddhism of theSouth, which is very rigid and absolutely rejects all the fancies of the Buddhism of the North with itsinnumerable bodhisattvas and all the stories (they've got so many stories! pulp novels). And she rejected all that, saying it wasn't part of Buddha's authentic teaching. Buddha said that the world, this terrestrial world (maybe the universe, I don't know, the point isn't very clear), in any case the terrestrial world is the result of Desire (but I know someone who used to say [laughing], "Yes, it's God's desire to manifest!"), and that when "Desire" disappears, the world will disappear and there will be Nirvana. In other words, once the desire to manifest has disappeared, there is no Manifestation anymore. I don't think Buddha was ignorant; I think he knew very well the existence of invisible beings, of immortal beings (what men call gods) and probably the existence of a supreme God, too – he very likely knew it. But he didn't want people to think about it because it appeared to contradict his opinion that the world was the result of Desire and that, once Desire was withdrawn, the world withdrew – if there is an immortal world, things cannot happen that way. Basically, the further one goes, the more one realizes that all human teachings are opportunistic: they are told with an aim "in view"; one thing is told, and the other (not that it's not known) is deliberately ignored. It seems hard to me to find a different explanation, because as soon as you have passed beyond the Mind (and those people appear to have done so), all knowledge is ... (what's the word?) available, obtainable.” The Mother’s Agenda-March 20, 1965, “That's why certain minds have postulated that the creation was the result of an error. But we find all the possible conceptions: the perfect creation, then a "fault" that introduced the error; the creation itself as a lower movement, which must end since it began; then the conception of the Vedas according to what Sri Aurobindo told us about it, which was a progressive and infinite unfolding or discovery – indefinite and infinite – of the All by Himself.... Naturally, all these are human translations. For the moment, as long as we express ourselves humanly, it's a human translation; but depending on the initial stand of the human translator (that is, a stand that accepts the primordial "error," or the "accident" in the creation, or the conscious supreme Will since the beginning, in a progressive unfolding), the conclusions or the "descents" in the yogic attitude are different.... There are the nihilists, the "Nirvanists" and the illusionists, there are all the religions (like Christianity) that accept the devil's intervention in one form or another; and then pure Vedism, which is the Supreme's eternal unfolding in a progressive objectification. And depending on your taste, you are here or there or here, and there are nuances. But according to what Sri Aurobindo felt to be the most total truth, according to that conception of a progressive universe, you are led to say that, every minute, what takes place is the best possible for the unfolding of the whole. The logic of it is absolute. And I think that all the contradictions can only stem from a more or less pronounced tendency for this or that position, that other position; all the minds that accept the intrusion of a "fault" or an "error" and the resulting conflict between forces pulling backward and forces pulling forward, can naturally dispute the possibility. But you are forced to say that for someone who is spiritually attuned to the supreme Will or the supreme Truth, what happens is necessarily, every instant, the best for his personal realization – this is true in all cases. The unconditioned best can only be accepted by one who sees the universe as an unfolding, the Supreme growing more and more conscious of Himself. (silence) To tell the truth, all those things are without any importance (!) because in any case what IS exceeds entirely and absolutely all that the human consciousness may think of it. It is only when you stop being human that you know; but as soon as you express yourself, you become human again, and then you stop knowing. This is undeniable. And because of this incapacity, there is a sort of futility in wanting absolutely to reduce the problem to what human comprehension can understand of it. In that case, it's very wise to say, as Théon used to, "We are here, we have a work to do, and what's necessary is to do it as best we can, without worrying about the why and the how." Why is the world as it is?... When we are able to understand why, we'll understand. From a practical standpoint, that's obvious. But everyone takes his stand.... I have all the examples here, I have a little selection of samples of all the attitudes, and I see the reactions very clearly. I see the same Force – the same single Force – acting in this selection of samples and, of course, producing different effects; but those "different" effects are, to the deep vision, very superficial: it's just "they like to think that way, so then they like to think that way." But to tell the truth, the inner advance, the inner development, and the essential vibration aren't affected – not in the least. One aspires with all his heart to Nirvana, the other aspires with all his will to the supramental manifestation, and in both cases the vibratory result is about the same. And it's a whole mass of vibrations which prepares itself more and more to ... to receive what must be. There is a state – an essentially pragmatic state, spiritually pragmatic – in which of all human futilities, the most futile is metaphysics.” The Mother’s Agenda-May 19, 1965 “Now, the Italians worship the Virgin a lot, it's a lot in their makeup, and through that they would understand (those who are intelligent and see the symbol behind the story). There was a Pope (not the present one or the previous one, but the one before 62) who did remarkable things because he was in touch with the Virgin; he was a worshipper of the Virgin and that really put him on the right path. So I think that if they want a small book (it is a small book, you can even put it in your pocket – people are afraid of big books, they don't have time), there are lots of things in that small book, The Mother, lots of things. But the part on the "four aspects of the Mother" can really be felt only by Indians; those who have a Christian education (laughing) must find it very frightening (!) But we could omit that chapter. You see, the book was made from letters, so each piece is a whole; it wasn't at all composed as one piece: we arranged it as it is following the instructions Sri Aurobindo gave. But that last chapter (the biggest, besides) is mostly for India. It can be omitted.” The Mother’s Agenda-July 31, 1965 “We are going to send him a good photo of Sri Aurobindo. Which photo of Sri Aurobindo? If he was brought up in a Christian way, it's the photo where he is young which is good, they instantly see in it the face of Christ I ... All of them.... The day before yesterday again, an American painter, who is here and has read Sri Aurobindo's books, wanted to do a portrait of Sri Aurobindo (he never saw him) from photos – it's just as it was with the bust in Sri Aurobindo's room!99 They all make a mystic Sri Aurobindo with narrow temples, like that (gesture tapering upward), a long mystic face, because they can't get out of their Christianity! For them, of course, the Power, anything that expresses the Power, oh! ... (gesture of repulsion) I wanted to say that to this American. For them, spiritual life is sacrifice, it's the God who sacrifices himself: he renounces the joys of the earth and sacrifices his existence to save mankind. And they can't get out of it! So to those, it's the photo of the young Sri Aurobindo that should be sent, like the one in the reception room. Because he had just come out of his ascetic period here, and he still had a long face. The photo in the arm chair it's a bit too late; he was already beginning to feel that ... the world wasn't ready to go to the end. There is already the expression of suffering on his face. But the other photo is good. That's how I knew Sri Aurobindo: he had just come out of the photo in profile, in which he is very thin. As for Cartier-Bresson's photos, they were taken in 1950.” The Mother’s Agenda-October-16, 1965 “No, there is an insistence (the same insistence as this Gentleman’s, at any rate) on the impossibility of the thing, and it gives such obvious proof. Naturally, the inside doesn’t budge, it smiles – it doesn’t budge – but the body ... that gives it terrible tension. Because it’s very conscious of its infirmity (it can’t boast of being transformed), very conscious that it’s millions of miles away from transformation. So so it doesn’t take much to convince it. What’s more difficultis to give it the certitude that things will be different. It doesn’t even understand very well how they can be different.Then there come all other beliefs, all other so-called revelations, the heavens and so on. The whole of Christianity and Islam have very easily solved the problem: "Oh, no, things here will never be fine, but over there they can be perfect." That goes without saying. Then there is the whole of Nirvanism and Buddhism: "The world is an error that must disappear." So it all comes in waves, and the body feels very you understand, it would like to have a certitude of its possibility. That doesn’t often happen to it. But the attack was too strong; it was from everything and everywhere at the same time, so strong: "This Matter CANNOT be transformed." So it fought and fought and fought, and suddenly it was obliged to lie down. But as soon as it lies down and abandons itself completely, there is Peace, and such a strong Peace – so strong, so powerful. Then it’s fine.” The Mother’s Agenda-November-26, 1966 “I should add that it was a reply to a letter B. wrote to ask me all kinds of questions, in particular: "Why? These two nations being neighbors, why do they hate each other so much?" "... That curse on the Jews is a Christian story, it has nothing to do with the Muslims. "Violence and enmity ... When brothers hate each other, they do so much more intensely than others do. Sri Aurobindo said: 'Hatred denotes the possibility of a much greater love.' "The Arabs have a passionate nature. They live almost exclusively in the vital and its passions and desires, while the Israelites live mostly in the mind, with a great power of organization and realization, something quite exceptional. The Israelites are intellectuals with an exceptional will. They are not sentimental, that is to say, they don't like weakness. "The Muslims are impulsive, the Israelites are reasonable. "This is not the conflict that will decide the future of our civilization."” The Mother’s Agenda-June -21, 1967, “It came in two ways. Those things are SEEN, you understand, seen. Words come afterwards to try and transcribe what was seen. The first thing that came was thus: "Christians divinize suffering to make it a means of the earth's salvation." Then it came with just a small difference – these are subtleties, but From an intellectual standpoint, these are subtleties without value, but up there you seem to be almost touching the heart of things, that is, the essence – the deeper essence of events. So then, it came quite simply, like this: "Christianity DEIFIES suffering to make it the instrument of the earth's salvation." It's hard to explain because it's the state of consciousness that is different.... Now it's a memory, but at that time it was a vision – a very, very deep vision, very sharp, naturally exceeding all that occurred on earth, but also all the ways of expressing what occurred. The personality of Christ and so on – it was all so different! And it became, yes, I might say symbolic, but that's not it. At the same time, it placed this religion among all the others, in a very defined place in the earth evolution – in the evolution of the earth CONSCIOUSNESS. The experience lasted for a half-hour, but everything, everything was different different not in its appearance, different in its deeper significance.... Was the difference in my active consciousness? I don't know. I mean, did I make contact with a region of consciousness that was new to me? Possibly. But it seemed to me a wholly different vision of the earth and man's history. During the experience I remembered what Sri Aurobindo had written: "Men love suffering, therefore Christ still hangs on the cross in Jerusalem."98 And that was like (smiling) a sort of foam of thought quite on the surface, all the way up, bathed in the light from above, and like the intellectual way of expressing what I was seeing (gesture from above downward), which came from above.... From the point of view of light, it was a very interesting experience. And seen from above, what was the story like? You see, Sri Aurobindo says, "Man loves suffering, therefore Christ still hangs on the cross in Jerusalem," then I said, Christianity (I mean the universal, or anyway terrestrial, origin of whatexpressed itself on earth as the Christian religion), the action of this religion on earth has been to "deify suffering" because men NEEDED to understand – not only to understand but to feel and adhere to theraison d'être (the universal raison d'être) of suffering on earth as a means of evolution. We might, basically, say that they sanctified suffering so it may be recognized as a means indispensable to the evolution of the earth. So now, that action has been exploited to the full and more, and ought to be gone beyond, and that's whyit must be left behind in order to find something else. You also said once, "It is not a crucified but a glorified body that will save the world."99 Yes. Then a Christian sent me a picture of Christ on the cross, and just above, the risen Christ in his ascent heavenward – that's how they take it! It all happens on the heights. Yes, heavenward.” The Mother’s Agenda-July 29, 1967 “(Mother comes across the note she wrote on Christianity) and commented on July 29.) "Christianity deifies suffering to make it the instrument of the earth's salvation." You know, it came to me as a discovery.... The whole religion, instead of being seen like this(gesture from below), was seen like that (gesture above).... Here is what I mean: the ordinary idea of Christianity is that the son (to use their language), the "son of God" came to give his message (a message of love, unity, fraternity and charity) to the earth; and the earth, that is, the governing classes, which weren't ready, sacrificed him, and his "Father," the supreme Lord, let him be sacrificed in order that his sacrifice would have the power to save the world. That is how they see Christianity, it's the most comprehensive idea – the vast majority of Christians don't understand anything whatsoever, but I mean that among them there may be, there may perhaps be(among the cardinals, for instance, who have studied occultism and the deeper symbols of things) some who understand a little better anyway. But according to my vision (Mother points to her note on Christianity), what happened was that in the history of the evolution of the earth, when the human race,the human species, started questioning and rebelling against suffering, which was a necessity to emerge more consciously from inertia (it's very clear in animals, it has become very clear already: suffering was the means to make them emerge from inertia), but man, on the other hand, went beyond that stage andbegan rebelling against suffering, naturally also against the Power that permits and perhaps uses (perhaps uses, to his mind) this suffering as a means of domination. So that is the place of Christianity. There was already before it a pretty long earth history – we shouldn't forget that before Christianity, there was Hinduism, which accepted that everything, including destruction, suffering, death and all calamities, is part of the one Divine, the one God (it's the image of the Gita, the God who"swallows" the world and its creatures). There was that, here in India. There was Buddha, who on the other hand, was horrified by suffering in all its forms, decay in all its forms, and the impermanence ofall things, and in trying to find a remedy, concluded that the only true remedy is the disappearance of the creation.... Such was the terrestrial situation when Christianity came in. So there had been a whole period before it, and numbers of people beginning to rebel against suffering and trying to escape from it with such methods. Others deified it and thus bore it as an inescapable calamity. Then came the need to bring down on earth the concept of a deified, divine suffering, a divine suffering as the suprememeans to make the whole human consciousness emerge from Unconsciousness and Ignorance and lead it towards its realization of divine beatitude, but not – not by refusing to collaborate with life, but IN life itself: accepting suffering (the crucifixion) in life itself as a means of transformation in order to leadhuman beings and the entire creation to its divine Origin. That gives a place to all religions in the development from the Inconscient to the divine Consciousness. It isn't just a little remark noted down in passing: it's a vision. One can always present it as something conceived mentally, but it's not that; it's not that, but it was, if you like, a necessity in the development. And it puts things in their TRUE perspective. Islam was a return towards sensation, beauty, harmony in the form, and the legitimization of sensations and joy in beauty. From a higher viewpoint, it wasn't quite of a superior quality, but from a vital viewpoint, it was extremely powerful, and that's what gave them so much power to spread, to appropriate, seize, dominate. But what they did is very beautiful – all their art is magnificent, magnificent! It was a flowering of beauty Then there were others – it all comes one after another. And every religion came as a stage in the development and the relationship with the Divine, to lead the consciousness towards a oneness which is a totality and not a removal from a whole reality so as to obtain another. The need for totality, completeness, is what caused those religions to come like that, oneafter another. Seen in that light, it's very interesting. Instead of looking at it from below, there was all of a sudden an overall vision from the highest height of how it was all organized with such a clear consciousness, such a clear will, each thing coming just when it was necessary so nothing would be overlooked and everything might come out, emerge from that Unconsciousness, and grow increasingly conscious.... And so, in this immense history, the earth's history, Christianity finds its place – its legitimate place. That has a double advantage: for those who despise it its value is restored, and as for those who believe it's the only truth, they are made to see that it's only one element among others in the whole. There. That's why I found it interesting – because it was the result of a vision, and that vision came because I started concerning myself with religions (started again, to tell the truth, because I was very familiar with that subject in the past). And when I was asked questions on the Israelites and the Muslims, I looked and said, "Here is their place. Here is their place and their raison d'être." Then, oneday I said to myself, "Well, it's true indeed! Seen in that way, it's obvious: Christianity is like a rehabilitation of suffering as a means of development of the consciousness." And so Sri Aurobindo's sentence assumes its whole value. Christianity came because men were rebelling against grief and trying to escape from the world in order to escape from grief. Then, with the years going by and the unfolding, men took a liking to suffering! And because they love it (see how Sri Aurobindo's sentence becomes clear), "Christ still hangs on the cross in Jerusalem." It assumes its full significance.” The Mother’s Agenda-August 12, 1967 “You know, I had an experience of this sort quite a long time ago – ages ago, when I was still in France, in Paris. There was a fellow student in the studio (because I studied in a painting studio for a long time), she was a very good painter, we were close friends, and I started telling her about the Cosmic Review and Théon's teaching. She belonged to a Catholic family with archbishops, even cardinals, anyway it was ... And she was extremely interested and wholly convinced: she felt a liberation of the spirit and aspiration. Then, when I had Sri Aurobindo's teaching, I passed it on to her, and there she was really quite taken. But she often told me, "As long as I am awake, everything is fine, but in my sleep I'll suddenly wake up with a dreadful fright: but if after all the Catholic teaching is true, then I'll go to hell!" And so, a torture. And she would tell me, "When I am quite awake, I see how ridiculous it is. " But all those who were baptized and went for a time to confession are part of a whole, an inner, psychological entity, and it's VERY difficult to break free from it; they are bound to a whole – there is ... there is an invisible Church, and all those people are in its grip. To break free from it, one must be a vital hero. A true hero, you understand. Because it's very strong. I saw that, all religions have in that way kinds of congregations in the invisible; but among them all, the Christian is the strongest from a terrestrial standpoint. It's much stronger than that of the Buddhists, much stronger than that of the Chinese, much stronger than the ancient Hindu religions – it's the strongest. And naturally stronger than the more recent religions, too – the strongest. And when you are baptized, you are bound. If you don't go to mass and have never been to confession, with a little vital energy you can get out of it, but those who have gone to confession – especially confession – and when you take communion, when you are given Christ to eat (another frightful thing) ... That girl was a true artist and a great intelligence, so I had the example. When she was awake, she understood wonderfully; and she herself was furious, but she didn't have ... she didn't have thepower to remove the hold from her subconscient. She was far more intelligent than Mrs. Z, there's no comparison. She was a great artist.” The Mother’s Agenda-August 26, 1967 “We had a Frenchwoman here, she came from Dordogne and changed her name when she came here: she was called Nivedita. She was extremely enthusiastic, very devoted, but at the same time she had remained very Christian: she tried to keep the two going side by side. Here, naturally, that gave her inner difficulties, and one day, without really knowing why or how, she went to confession – and everything collapsed. She was in despair, collapsed. I told her, "It's better for you to go." And she went. She went back to France. As soon as she was there, she wrote other desperate letters, and then she died. So the nearer they draw, the more difficult the problem becomes. It's better to ... This lady has external work to do. I haven't been too much encouraging her becoming intimate here, because one day she'll be up against the big problem – you understand, symbolically it's limited to one person, but it's the big problem of Religion, as a dogma and absolute law, versus freedom, and ... not many can hold out.” The Mother’s Agenda-September-3, 1967 “(Still regarding Mrs. Z, the Catholic lady who hovers around the Ashram.) I have a nasty little story to tell you.... The other day, I forget when, F. met Mrs. Z, who told her (she too was in a concentration camp), "I would like " (word for word) "I would like Satprem to go back to the concentration camp to see if his reaction now would be different!" F. was so indignant that she couldn't help telling her, "But that is a monstrous desire to have!" There's my story: "I'd like him to go back to the concentration camp to see!" But the marvel is that I feel I could be sent anywhere, anything could happen to me, even the worst things, and ... nothing would budge! It wouldn't matter in the least, yes, that's right. And that's what upsets them! You understand, for them you can have that salvation only if you are Catholic. Anyway, the matter is now closed. But you know, it's not the end! I fought a battle with her. Oh, did she write again? A veritable battle. When? When I told her, "I can't do anything for you if you don't seek something else," she wrote me another letter in which she said, "But I do seek something else," and so forth. I didn't want to reply. Then I did a little drawing, a sort of picture that came to me: a big sun in the corner, mountain ranges like in the Himalayas, then at the bottom, a small mosque, a small church, a small pagoda, and a bird flying away towards the sun. And I sent her my drawing! (Mother laughs) And then? Then she came to see me. And there was a veritable battle; really, for an hour it was absolutely a battle with her. Because she kept pushing me, she wanted to know: "Why do you turn me down? Why do you shut your door? Why do you turn me down?. " Then I was driven to tell her everything: how she is imprisoned, how her religion is like a structure in which she is shut, how one can't do the yoga until one breaks out of it and so on – it all came out. Because I was really driven to it. I felt I was fighting a veritable battle, and two or three times I was very conscious of a sort of little thing going like this [gesture like the tongue of a snake], just a malevolent little vibration two or three times: "Ah," I thought, "this is it. "And at the same time, a kind of quite sincere distress in her, when she said, "I have been wanting to come to India for twenty years now, I have been waiting for this moment for twenty years now, so why do you close your door on me?" It's difficult to break free from that grip. Very difficult. And how did it end? Well, it ended up in nothing. I told her, "I am not closing my door on you, but I am putting you face to face with what it all means." I said, "The ABC of yoga is precisely to pull down all those constructions." But she told me, "Christ is the Supermind!" l said, "No, it's not like that!" (Mother laughs) ... It didn't leave any trace? I was a little worried because it really was a battle, then afterwards I did some good praying, and it passed off well. It must be after that that she told F. she'd like to see you in a concentration camp – it was out of spite! But I really spoke to her with the truth – not with violence, but with the truth that says, "Here is how it is,I can't help it." That's very good, it's the happiest thing that could happen to her. Sugaring the pill would have been of no help. We'll see. If the call is sincere, then we'll see. But I did feel a sincerity, Mother, because what responded was like a response to a sincere call in her. But at the same time two or three times I felt that little vibration and said to myself, "Oh, this is nasty." It's the fear of hell, mon petit! The amount of harm that conception has done in the world is frightening, frightening: the idea that if you commit a serious fault, it means hell for ALL ETERNITY, do you hear! It's horrible. It's a dreadful, monstrous notion. When you look at it as it is, outside all routine, when you look at it as it is, it's a monstrous notion – I don't know what demon invented it.... If you were told, "You'll have to spend a few years in hell to expiate," that would do – it's not charitable, not generous, but anyway it's acceptable; but that idea of"all eternity" an ETERNITY OF HELL – is something monstrous! It's a wholly diabolical idea. And that's what frightens them. Even when consciously they don't accept it, it's there in the subconscient. (silence) It is said ... (but I am not sure about this, because it was simply repeated to me), a Catholic panjandrum to whom I spoke my mind quite plainly, answered me, "In the College of Cardinals, they are taught the truth and told this is not true." I said, "God bless the cardinals, but their first duty should be to destroy this ... monstrous formation." The most terrible thing is that she believes she is free! Of course! She believes she is luminous, or enlightened. So I told her, "Of course, if you are inside a box and there is light in the box, you have the fullness of light in a box!" (Mother laughs) Oh, that's very good! I told her everything, there came a lot of things like that. In the end she was frozen. It was a real battle. You did good work. But you understand, the idea is, "Christ is the Supermind.... Christ is already risen from the dead, he already has a glorified body, he is already transformed. " (After a silence) No, he went back, he didn't stay. He doesn't have a glorified body, he went back. He went back to the higher regions, he doesn't have a glorified body.... He may be glorified up there, that's his business (laughing), but here He went back. Of course, Sri Aurobindo himself said Christ was an Avatar. An avatar in the line of Krishna, the line that represented yes, goodness, charity, love, harmony. He belongs to that line.” The Mother’s Agenda-September 13, 1967 “Only an observation, which is really very interesting: it's that everyone has said the same thing, all those who had the Experience have said the same thing ... but everyone in his own way, so it looks like something different. Yesterday it was so clear, and again early this morning, the whole morning: this way, that way, this one here, that one there (Mother shows different facets), the philosophers, founders of religions, sages of all countries – they have always said the same thing. For instance, Buddha's teaching and, say, the Christian teaching, seem to be so different, but it's always the same thing. Whichmeans there is ONE state (if you catch hold of it), ONE state in which you are conscious of the divineConsciousness (not "conscious of": "conscious through" or "conscious with," I don't know how to explain ... it's the divine Consciousness which is conscious, that is, the Consciousness in its essence), and there are no more problems there, no more complications, no more explanations, nothing anymore – everything is as clear as can be. So then, everyone has tried to explain that, and naturally it has become confused, incomplete, incorrect, with one explanation clashing with another – while everyone is talking about the same thing!” The Mother’s Agenda-September 20, 1967 “Have you heard of the Pope's conversion? The Pope's conversion! No! I was very happy because it showed me that our conversations hadn't been in vain. I was wondering if he was conscious; I don't know if he was conscious mentally, but in any case it's interesting, you can read(Mother holds out a newspaper cutting to Satprem). Vatican City, September 26 The Pope, in an article published here last night, has said his journey to India in 1964 was "the revelation of an unknown world." The Osservatore Romano published in an article excerpts from a forthcoming book of conversations with the Pope by a lifelong friend, the French philosopher and academician, Jean Guitton. "I saw, as is said in the Apocalypse, a limitless crowd, a multitude, an enormous welcome. In those thousands of faces I read, stronger than curiosity, a kind of indescribable sympathy," the Pope said. "India is a spiritual country. It has in its nature a sense of the 'Christian virtues'.... "Christian," he sees everything through his Christian word, but never mind. "If there is any country in which the Beatitudes of the Sermon of the Mount could ever become a reality for the mass of the country, that country is India," Pope Paul added.... Can you imagine! "What is nearer to the souls of Indians than poverty of spirit, sweetness, peace, mercy, and pureness of heart?" he asked. "While the leaders of the West are politicians, in the land of India they are mystics and sages.... Yes. "Life runs in contemplation. People speak in a low voice. Their movements are slow and liturgical. The country is born for the spirit," the Pope said. Still, it means he is receptive. And it explains the manner in which he received P. when he went there. P. [an Indian disciple], as you know, paid him a visit; he was taken there by an Italian who had come here (a very nice boy who showed him around Italy and took him to the Pope). The Pope gave him a private audience, and after talking, asking questions, replying (it was a whole conversation), he said to P. with a smile, "And now what will you give me?" (They spoke in French.) Then P. said, "I have only one thing, which I always keep with me and is infinitely precious to me, but I will give it to you," and he gave him Prayers and Meditations. And the Pope answered, "I am going to read them." So it all fits together. It's interesting.” The Mother’s Agenda- September 30, 1967 “Sri Aurobindo once said (jokingly, as it were), while talking with those around him (I was there and we were talking about Christianity and the "new Christ"), he told them, "Oh, if the new Christ comes, the Church will crucify him!"” The Mother’s Agenda-October-7, 1967 “There are lots and lots of them, you know, a whole crop of new Christs, Kalkis,131 supermen, ooh! lots of them, but generally, communication is made somehow or other, at any rate their existence is known; well, among them, among all those with whom I have been in contact either invisibly or visibly, there isn't one who has ... (how should I put it?) less inconscient than there is in this body – but Iacknowledge there is plenty, oh!” The Mother’s Agenda-November 15, 1967 “And it’s like that especially, especially with the notion of a Divine who put on a body.... In fact,they found it quite natural that Christ should be crucified for their own salvation – I find it monstrous. I’ve always found it monstrous. But now, I see it’s quite spontaneous. Here in India, with the notion of guru, of Avatar, you may recognize him, admit him, but he is there exclusively to satisfy all demands – not because he has put on a human body, but because he is the representative of the supreme Power, and you accept the supreme Power, you pretend to obey it, you surrender to it, but with, at the back of your mind, "He is there only to satisfy my desires." The quality of desires depends on the individual: for some, it’s the most petty personal desires; for others it’s big desires for all humanity, or even for greater realizations, but anyhow it amounts to the same thing. That seems to be the condition for surrendering(!) To emerge from that, one must emerge from the human consciousness, that is, from the active, actingconsciousness. It’s so strong that if anyone dares say that the world and all creations exist for the Divine’s satisfaction, it immediately raises a violent protest and he is accused of ... they say, "But this Divine is a monster! A monster of egoism," without noticing that they are precisely like that.” The Mother’s Agenda-June 8, 1968 “That I don’t know. But what I know is that the action on human matter is far greater than before – the action. For instance, the possibility of taking a pain away, of changing a vibration – all that increases a lot. With results that are sometimes very interesting. The other day (I think it was yesterday), the memory suddenly came back to me (I know whythings come now: it’s always when someone calls or when there is a work to be done), and for somereason I remembered that story about Christ, an old saying: Christ was healing the sick and so on, even bringing a dead man back to life, when he was brought an idiot and asked to give himintelligence....Then, the story goes, Christ ran away! (Mother laughs) Later he was asked, "Why did yourun away?" – "It’s the only thing I can’t do!" ... But why did it come? (Because it just comes like that, all of a sudden.) So I looked, and then I said, "But no! Why did he run away? He just had to do this (Mother slightly rotates her hand, shaping something), and the child would have become intelligent." When I go off like that, within, I always seem to ... to be shaping vibrations. And when that memory came, it was so clear, I said, "But no! One just has to go like this ... (same gesture of the hand), and he will receive the light and become intelligent...." You understand, when I go within, it’s always towork on vibrations. And afterwards (the next day, or later in the day) I’ll learn that something has happened to someone, he called me and asked me that. It’s always a call. And it’s a response. But as the mind is very still, I don’t "know" in the mental form: it’s in a very ... very simple form, very objective (gesture of looking at a picture): all of a sudden came Christrunning away because he was brought an idiot – "But no!" And there was the movement of turningvibrations (same gesture as before), receiving the light, and he becomes intelligent – like that. In fact, it’s with things of this sort that I spend my time. I don’t note them down, because ... there would be too many of them to begin with. Someone ... (most of the time I know who it is, but sometimes I don’t) ... something has happened tohim, something has got twisted; so one works on it, one sets it straight again, puts the light, the good vibration back on it, and then ... later in the day, or the next day, I’ll receive a line, "I was in a lot of pain" or "I called you." Like that. But free from the whole mental notation – that doesn’t exist: very still. So there! (Mother laughs) So you’ll have a little more work.” The Mother’s Agenda-June 18, 1968 “I saw a photo of the Pope doing a full pranam [prostration] on the Mount of Olives, at a place where Christ stood …. But I told you that I met him twice: once before his nomination and once after. We spoke, and those conversations were really interesting. The second time, before leaving, he asked me, “What will you tell your disciples?” (I told you that.) Which shows he … I remember, I was struck by my own answer. I told him, “I will say that we were in communion in oursame love for the Supreme.”” The Mother’s Agenda-September 17, 1969 “Two or three days ago, I read an Aphorism of Sri Aurobindo’s (you might know it). I forget the words, but he says that Christ came to purify humanity but didn’t succeed, and he said he would come back, but this time, holding the sword of God … 169 – Christ came into the world to purify, not to fulfill. He himself foreknew the failure of his mission, and the necessity of his return with the sword of God into a world that had rejected him. I was asked what’s “the sword of God” (!) I said it was the irresistible Power.” The Mother’s Agenda-October 11, 1969 “But it seems Christ himself said he would come back “with God’s sword” – which means it’s no longer the same thing at all. As for me, I never believed: I had a lot of difficulty, it’s Sri Aurobindo who made me believe in the physical reality of Christ; I always thought it was some story people told- they took hold of just anybody and built a story around him. But Sri Aurobindo believed in it. He said it was an Avatar – a partial Avatar.” The Mother’s Agenda-October-25, 1969 “You know that I am in contact with a few Ethiopians (I think it’s the country that has remained the most Christian all over the earth). There’s a boy who’s a secretary in the embassy in Delhi (Ethiopia’s embassy), and he’s quite taken, quite, and then … (laughing) it was his birthday two days ago, and he came with a gift …. Something in wood (in ebony), big like this, with my photo on oneside, Sri Aurobindo’s photo on the other side, and in between … a silver cross. And on the cross, at the junction of the two branches, there was on one side my symbol, and on the other side, Sri Aurobindo’s symbol …. What’s in his head?! … Horrible! And naturally, as soon as I saw him, he put that on my knees …. It was big like this. As soon as I saw him, it instantly came (gesture of massive descent), like that, like an answer to the will to transform Christianity And it was so powerful, there was such a powerful vibration that I felt itwas BEING done …. The cross is the symbol of transformation, you know: Matter (transversal gesture) penetrated by the Spirit; and the junction is the transformation. A tremendous Force came, like that, for this cross tobecome truly … the flower of transformation. But I didn’t tell him anything! And he himself doesn’t know, I mean, he never thought about it, it’s instinctively that he did that.” The Mother’s Agenda-December 31, 1969 “(Then Mother listens to a few extracts from Sri Aurobindo for the August Bulletin.) The conception of the Divine as an external omnipotent Power who has “created” the world and governs it like an absolute and arbitrary monarch – the Christian or Semitic conception – has never been mine;it contradicts too much my seeing and experience during thirty years of sadhana. It is against this conception that the atheistic objection is aimed, – for atheism in Europe has been a shallow and rather childish reaction against a shallow and childish exoteric religionism and its popular inadequate and crudely dogmatic notions. But when I speak of the Divine Will, I mean something different, – something that has descended here into an evolutionary world of Ignorance, standing at the back of things, pressing on the Darkness with its Light, leading things presently towards the best possible in the conditions of a world of Ignorance and leading iteventually towards a descent of a greater power of the Divine, which will be not an omnipotence held back and conditioned by the law of the world as it is, but in full action and therefore bringing the reign of light, peace, harmony, joy, love, beauty and Ananda, for these are the Divine Nature. The Divine Grace is there ready to act at every moment, but it manifests as one grows out of the Law of Ignorance into the Law of Light, and it is meant, not as an arbitrary caprice, however miraculous often its intervention, but as a help in that growth and a Light that leads and eventually delivers. If we take the facts of the world as they are and the facts of spiritual experience as a whole, neither of which can be denied or neglected, then I do not see what other Divine there can be. This Divine may lead us often through darkness, because the darkness is there in us and around us, but it is to the Light he is leading and not to anything else. Letters on Yoga, 22.174” The Mother’s Agenda-July 4, 1970 “This is my Christmas message: “The time has come for the rule of falsehood to end. In the Truth alone is salvation.” The Mother’s Agenda- December 22, 1971 “December 25, 1971 Good morning! It’s the festival of Light: Christmas is the festival of the return of the Light – it’s much older than Christianity! – when the days were beginning to grow longer (Mother laughs).” “December 27, 1972 (Champaklal hands Satprem the French and English texts of the Christmas message so Mother can put it in her own handwriting.) (Satprem.:) You’ve put: “We want to show to the world that man can become a true servitor of the Divine. Who will collaborate in all sincerity ?” (Reconcile ‘We reap the fruit of our forgotten deeds.’ of Savitri-378 with Lord Christ’s this saying, 'A tree is recognized by its own fruits.') “The ideal sadhaka should be able to say in the Biblical phrase, “My zeal for the Lord has eaten me up.”” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga-58 “In other words, the Gita is not a book of practical ethics, but of the spiritual life. The modern mind is just now the European mind, such as it has become after having abandoned not only the philosophic idealism of the highest Graeco-Roman culture from which it started, but the Christian devotionalism of the Middle Ages; these it has replaced by or transmuted into a practical idealism and social, patriotic and philanthropic devotion. It has got rid of God or kept Him only for Sunday use and erected in His place man as its deity and society as its visible idol. At its best it is practical, ethical, social, pragmatic, altruistic, humanitarian. Now all these things are good, are especially needed at the present day, are part of the divine Will or they would not have become so dominant in humanity. Nor is there any reason why the divine man, the man who lives in the Brahmic consciousness, in the God-being should not be all of these things in his action; he will be, if they are the best ideal of the age, the Yugadharma, and there is no yet higher ideal to be established, no great radical change to be effected. For he is, as the Teacher points out to his disciple, the best who has to set the standard for others; and in fact Arjuna is called upon to live according to the highest ideals of his age and the prevailing culture, but with knowledge, with understanding of that which lay behind, and not as ordinary men, with a following of the merely outward law and rule.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-31-32 “The other day (I think it was yesterday), the memory suddenly came back to me (I know whythings come now: it’s always when someone calls or when there is a work to be done), and for somereason I remembered that story about Christ, an old saying: Christ was healing the sick and so on, even bringing a dead man back to life, when he was brought an idiot and asked to give himintelligence....Then, the story goes, Christ ran away! (Mother laughs) Later he was asked, "Why did you run away?" – "It’s the only thing I can’t do!" ... When I go off like that, within, I always seem to ... to be shaping vibrations. And when that memory came, it was so clear, I said, "But no! One just has to go like this ... (same gesture of the hand), and he will receive the light and become intelligent...." You understand, when I go within, it’s always to work on vibrations. And afterwards (the next day, or later in the day) I’ll learn that something has happened to someone, he called me and asked me that. It’s always a call. And it’s a response.” The Mother “You know, mon petit, I said one day that in the history of earth, wherever there was a possibility for the Consciousness to manifest, I was there; this is a fact. It's like the story of Savitri: always there, always there, always there, in this one, that one – at certain times there were four emanations simultaneously! At the time of the Italian and French Renaissance. And again at the time of Christ,then too.... Oh, you know, I have remembered so many, many things! It would take volumes to tell it all.” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda-27 June 1962, “He wrote this in a letter, I believe, and he spoke of this system of compensation – for example, those who take an illness on themselves in order to have the power to cure; and then there’s the symbolic story of Christ dying on the cross to set men free. And Sri Aurobindo said, ‘That’s fine for a certain age, but we must now go beyond that.’ As he told me (it’s even one of the first things he told me), ‘We are no longer at the time of Christ when, to be victorious, it was necessary to die.’ I have always remembered this. But things are PULLING backwards – phew, how they pull! ... ‘The Law, the Law, it’s a Law. Don’t you understand, it’s a LAW, you can’t change the Law.’ ‘But I CAME to change the Law.’ ‘Then pay the price.’” The Mother’s Agenda-November 12, 1960, "The Gita here lays a great stress on the thought and state of mind at the time of death, a stress which will with difficulty be understood if we do not recognise what may be called the self-creative power of the consciousness. What the thought, the inner regard, the faith, sraddha, settles itself upon with a complete and definite insistence, into that our inner being tends to change. This tendency becomes a decisive force when we go to those higher spiritual and self-evolved experiences which are less dependent on external things than is our ordinary psychology, enslaved as that is to outward Nature. There we can see ourselves steadily becoming that on which we keep our minds fixed and to which we constantly aspire. Therefore there any lapse of the thought, any infidelity of the memory means always a retardation of the change or some fall in its process and a going back towards what we were before, — at least so long as we have not substantially and irrevocably fixed our new becoming. When we have done that, when we have made it normal to our experience, the memory of it remains self-existently because that now is the natural form of our consciousness. In the critical moment of passing from the mortal plane of living, the importance of our then state of consciousness becomes evident. But it is not a death-bed remembrance at variance with or insufficiently prepared by the whole tenor of our life and our past subjectivity that can have this saving power. The thought of the Gita here is not on a par with the indulgences and facilities of popular religion; it has nothing in common with the crude fancies that make the absolution and last unction of the priest, an edifying “Christian” death after an unedifying profane life or the precaution or accident of a death in sacred Benares or holy Ganges a sufficient machinery of salvation. The divine subjective becoming on which the mind has to be fixed firmly in the moment of the physical death, yam smaran bhavam tyajati ante kalevaram, (The Gita-8.6) must have been one into which the soul was at each moment growing inwardly during the physical life, sada tad-bhava-bhavitah. (The Gita-8.6) “Therefore,” says the divine Teacher, “at all times remember me and fight; for if thy mind and thy understanding are always fixed on and given up to Me, mayi arpita-mano-buddhih, to Me thou shalt surely come. (The Gita-8.7) For it is by thinking always of him with a consciousness united with him in an undeviating Yoga of constant practice that one comes to the divine and supreme Purusha.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-295-296 "No real peace can be till the heart of man deserves peace; the law of Vishnu cannot prevail till the debt to Rudra is paid. To turn aside then and preach to a still unevolved mankind the law of love and oneness? Teachers of the law of love and oneness there must be, for by that way must come the ultimate salvation. But not till the Time-Spirit in man is ready, can the inner and ultimate prevail over the outer and immediate reality. Christ and Buddha have come and gone, but it is Rudra who still holds the world in the hollow of his hand. And meanwhile the fierce forward labour of mankind tormented and oppressed by the Powers that are profiteers of egoistic force and their servants cries for the sword of the Hero of the struggle and the word of its prophet." CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-386 “Oh, if you mean the puritans, the Protestants ... dreadful! They're the worst. Catholicism still retains something of the occult sense, and after all, they have a certain adoration for the Virgin, which keeps them in contact with something that's not asuric…The last Pope, who's dead now [Pius XII], had broadened both his own mind and Church doctrine a lot: he was a devotee of the Virgin…But the Protestants turned back to the Father, and so their worship became exactly the worship of a one and only, personal God, an asuric God. And they have fabricated and distorted everything: like asceticism, for instance, and all that sort of thing – everything they touched was twisted and spoiled.”The Mother’s Agenda-15.12.1962, “In a considerable number of people, it is their body, the physical body, that obstinately resists...The difficulty is greater for Westerners than for Indians. It’s as though their substance were steeped in falsehood. It also happens with Indians, of course, but generally the falsehood is much more in the vital than in the physical – because after all, the physical has been utilized by bodies belonging to enlightened beings. The European substance seems steeped in rebellion; in the Indian substance this rebelliousness is subdued by an influence of surrender. The other day, someone was telling me about some Europeans with whom he corresponds, and I said, ‘But tell them to read, to learn, to follow The Synthesis of Yoga! – it leads you straight to the path.’ Whereupon he replied, ‘Oh, but they say it’s full of talk on surrender, surrender, always surrender ...’ and they want none of it.” The Mother’s Agenda/10th May-1958, “In the West the physical mind is too dominant, so that the psychic does not so easily get a chance — except of course in exceptional people.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-8, “Incidents of that sort have left me with a peculiar impression. The stories of the Inquisition had already given me a sufficient ... Now, of course, you've heard what I told you [the story of the Asura], and that's really my way of seeing the thing. But there was a time when I might have said, "No religion has done more evil in the world than this one." The Mother’s Agenda-03.07.1963, “Indeed, the vital in man’s nature is a despotic and exacting tyrant. Moreover, since it is the vital which holds power, energy, enthusiasm, effective dynamism, many have a feeling of timorous respect for it and always try to please it. But it is a master that nothing can satisfy and its demands are without limit. Two ideas which are very wide-spread, especially in the West, contribute towards making its domination more sovereign. One is that the chief aim of life is to be happy; the other that one is born with a certain character and that it is impossible to change it. The first idea is a childish deformation of a very profound truth: that all existence is based upon delight of being and without delight of being there would be no life. But this delight of being, which is a quality of the Divine and therefore unconditioned, must not be confused with the pursuit of pleasure in life, which depends largely upon circumstances. The conviction that one has the right to be happy leads, as a matter of course, to the will to “live one’s own life” at any cost. This attitude, by its obscure and aggressive egoism, leads to every kind of conflict and misery, disappointment and discouragement, and very often ends in catastrophe. In the world as it is now the goal of life is not to secure personal happiness, but to awaken the individual progressively to the Truth-consciousness. The second idea arises from the fact that a fundamental change of character demands an almost complete mastery over the subconscient and a very rigorous disciplining of whatever comes up from the inconscient, which, in ordinary natures, expresses itself as the effects of atavism and of the environment in which one was born. Only an almost abnormal growth of consciousness and the constant help of Grace can achieve this Herculean task. That is why this task has rarely been attempted and many famous teachers have declared it to be unrealisable and chimerical. Yet it is not unrealisable. The transformation of character has in fact been realised by means of a clear-sighted discipline and a perseverance so obstinate that nothing, not even the most persistent failures, can discourage it.” The Mother/TMCW/Vol-12/On Education/p-18, “The other day, speaking of Europe, you said that the "Old World is truly old...." Ah, look at this – yesterday someone read me a letter Sri Aurobindo wrote to Barin in April 1920, a few days before I returned from Japan. It was written in Bengali – tremendously interesting! He speaks of the state of the world, particularly India, and of how he envisaged a certain part of his action after completing his yoga. It's extremely interesting. And there's some very high praise for Europe. Sri Aurobindo says something like this: "You all think Europe is over and done with, but that's not true, it's not finished yet." In other words, its power is still alive. This was in 1920. But it was before the war.... It's very interesting. Yet you get the feeling that with the kind of sincerity Westerners have, they would progress very quickly once they understood. That's more or less what Sri Aurobindo was saying. Because they're sincere. Yes, they have a sincerity, on one level, which is not the same as spiritual sincerity. They have a material sincerity, a material HONESTY, and with that, once they understood, they would progress very quickly. But I think it will be primarily a question of individuals, not something general. Read this; it shows a slightly new side of Sri Aurobindo's thought. I mean, he took a sterner tone when addressing Indians, and he gave a fuller account of his experience of the West.” The Mother’s Agenda/ July 21, 1962, “The vital descent cannot prevent the supramental — still less can the possessed nations do it by their material power, since the supramental descent is primarily a spiritual fact which will bear its necessary outward consequences. What previous vital descents have done is to falsify the Light that came down as in the history of Christianity where it took possession of the teaching and distorted it and deprived it of any widespread fulfilment. But the supermind is by definition a Light that cannot be distorted if it acts in its own right and by its own presence. It is only when it holds itself back and allows inferior Powers of consciousness to use a diminished and already deflected Truth that the knowledge can be seized by the vital Forces and made to serve their own purpose.” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-297 “It is news to me that I have excluded Mahomedans from the Yoga. I have not done it any more than I have excluded Europeans or Christians. As for giving up one’s past, if that means giving up the outer forms of the old religions, it is done as much by the Hindus here as by the Mahomedans. The Hindus here — even those who were once orthodox Brahmins and have grown old in it, — give up all observance of caste, take food from Pariahs and are served by them, associate and eat with Mahomedans, Christians, Europeans, cease to practise temple worship or Sandhya (daily prayer and mantras), accept a non-Hindu from Europe as their spiritual director. These are things people who have Hinduism as their aim and object would not do — they do it because they are obliged here to look to a higher ideal in which these things have no value. What is kept of Hinduism is Vedanta and Yoga, in which Hinduism is one with Sufism of Islam and with the Christian mystics. But even here it is not Vedanta and Yoga in their traditional limits (their past), but widened and rid of many ideas that are peculiar to the Hindus. If I have used Sanskrit terms and figures, it is because I know them and do not know Persian and Arabic. I have not the slightest objection to anyone here drawing inspiration from Islamic sources if they agree with the Truth as Sufism agrees with it. On the other hand I have not the slightest objection to Hinduism being broken to pieces and disappearing from the face of the earth, if that is the Divine Will. I have no attachment to past forms; what is Truth will always remain; the Truth alone matters.” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-411-412 “The Mahabharata is a poem and not history, but it is clearly a poem founded on a great historical event, traditionally preserved in memory; some of the figures connected with it, Dhritarashtra, Parikshit, for instance, certainly existed and the story of the part played by Krishna as leader, warrior and statesman can be accepted as probable in itself and to all appearance founded on a tradition which can be given a historical value and has not the air of a myth or a sheer poetical invention. That is as much as can be positively said from the point of view of the theoretical reason as to the historical figure of the man Krishna; but in my view there is much more than that in it and I have always regarded the incarnation as a fact and accepted the historicity of Krishna as I accept the historicity of Christ.” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-483 “A Church is an organised religious community and religion, if anything in the world, ought to be subjective; for its very reason for existence — where it is not merely an ethical creed with a supernatural authority — is to find and realise the soul. Yet religious history has been almost entirely, except in the time of the founders and their immediate successors, an insistence on things objective, rites, ceremonies, authority, church governments, dogmas, forms of belief. Witness the whole external religious history of Europe, that strange sacrilegious tragi-comedy of discords, sanguinary disputations, “religious” wars, persecutions, State churches and all else that is the very negation of the spiritual life. It is only recently that men have begun seriously to consider what Christianity, Catholicism, Islam really mean and are in their soul, that is to say, in their very reality and essence.” CWSA-25/Human Cycle/p-38 "The divine manifestation of a Christ, Krishna, Buddha in external humanity has for its inner truth the same manifestation of the eternal Avatar within in our own inner humanity. That which has been done in the outer human life of earth may be repeated in the inner life of all human beings." (CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-160) “The Mosaic law of religious, ethical and social righteousness is convicted of narrowness and imperfection and is now besides a convention; the law of Christ comes to replace it and claims at once to abrogate and to fulfil, to abrogate the imperfect form and fulfil in a deeper and broader light and power the spirit of the thing which it aimed at, the divine rule of living. And the human search does not stop there, but leaves these formulations too, goes back to some past truth it had rejected or breaks forward to some new truth and power, but is always in search of the same thing, the law of its perfection, its rule of right living, its complete, highest and essential self and nature.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-478-479 “It is not sufficient to worship Krishna, Christ or Buddha without, if there is not the revealing & the formation of the Buddha, the Christ or Krishna in ourselves.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-66 “When I was told that the Divine was within – the teaching of the Gita, but in words understandable to a Westerner – that there was an inner Presence, that one carried the Divine within oneself, oh! ... What a revelation! In a few minutes, I suddenly understood all, all, all. Understood everything. It brought the contact instantly.” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda//April 29, 1961 “After many births of preparation, a Jnana Yogi with a strong foundation of Karma and Bhakti Yoga, attains My Purushottama or Supramental state of Consciousness. He also realises the intermediate stair that all this existence is Divine, the Cosmic Consciousness, Vasudevah sarvamiti. Such great Soul or integral Yogi is very rare.” The Gita-7.19, “That is precisely the distortion in the Western attitude as opposed to the attitude of the Gita. It is extremely difficult for the Western mind to understand in a living and concrete manner that everything is the Divine.” The Mother/TMCW-10/On Thoughts and Aphorisms-101, “Mahomed would himself have rejected the idea of being an Avatara, so we have to regard him only as the prophet, the instrument, the Vibhuti. Christ realised himself as the Son who is onewith the Father — he must therefore be an am˙ s´a avata¯ ra, a partial incarnation.” CWSA-28/ Letters on Yoga-I/p-501 “It is difficult to say [why Christ healed people] — it looks from the Bible account as if he did it as a sign that he was one sent by the Divine with power.” Sri Aurobindo/ CWSA-28/ Letters on Yoga-I/p-579 “What previous vital descents have done is to falsify the Light that came down as in the history ofChristianity where it took possession of the teaching and distorted it and deprived it of any widespreadfulfilment. But the supermind is by definition a Light that cannot be distorted if it acts in its own rightand by its own presence. It is only when it holds itself back and allows inferior Powers of consciousness to use a diminished and already deflected Truth that the knowledge can be seized by the vital Forces and made to serve their own purpose.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-297 “An incarnation is always through a human mother, though there have been one or two cases in which a virgin birth has been proclaimed (Christ, Buddha). The only other meaning — unless we suppose an unprecedented miracle — might be a descent such as sometimes happens, the Godhead manifesting in somebody who at birth was a Vibhuti, not at once the full incarnation.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-400 “It simply proves that the omnipotent unconditioned supramental force was not put out there —any more than it was when Christ was put on the cross or when after healing thousands he failed to heal in a certain district (I forget the name) because people had no faith (faith being one of the conditions imposed on his work) or when Krishna after fighting eighteen battles with Jarasandha failed to prevail against him and had to run away from Mathura.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-403-404 “I have said that the Avatar is one who comes to open the Way for humanity to a higher consciousness — if nobody can follow the Way, then either our conception of the thing, which is that of Christ and Krishna and Buddha also, is all wrong or the whole life and action of the Avatar is quite futile.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-420 “I was concerned with the possibility of people following the Path I had opened, as Christ, Krishna, Buddha, Chaitanya etc. opened theirs. You were declaring that no human being could follow and that my life was perfectly useless as an example — like the lives of the Avatars. Path, life, example all useless — even Power useless because all have been failures.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-426 “When I spoke of the outside world, I meant all outside, including the Hindus and Christians and everyone else, all who have not yet accepted the greater Light that is coming. If this Asram were here only to serve Hinduism I would not be in it and the Mother who was never a Hindu would not be in it.What is being done here is the preparation of a Truth which includes all other Truth but is limited to no single religion or creed, and this preparation has to be done apart and in silence until things areready. It is in that sense that I speak of the rest of the world and all its component parts as being theoutside world— not that there was nothing to be done or no connection to be made; but these things are to be done in their own proper time.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-699-700 “The sun in the Yoga is the symbol of the supermind and the supermind is the first power of the Supreme which one meets across the border where the experience of spiritualised mind ceases and the unmodified divine Consciousness begins the domain of the supreme nature, para prakriti. It is that Light of which the Vedic mystics got a glimpse and it is the opposite of the intervening darkness of the Christian mystics — for the supermind is all light and no darkness. To the mind the Supreme is avyakta¯ t param avyaktam, but if we follow the line leading to the supermind, it is an increasing affirmation rather than an increasing negation through which we move.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-84 “I knew very well Sister Nivedita (she was for many years a friend and a comrade in the political field) and met Sister Christine, — the two closest European disciples of Vivekananda. Both were Westerners to the core and had nothing at all of the Hindu outlook; although Sister Nivedita, an Irishwoman, had the power of penetrating by an intense sympathy into the ways of life of the people around her, her own nature remained non-Oriental to the end. Yet she found no difficulty in arriving at realisation on the lines of Vedanta.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-25 “I was a little surprised at first by this entire lack of understanding, shown still more in his cavil at the two Divines — for I had somehow got the impression that Angus was a Christian and therecognition of “two Divines” — the Divine Transcendent and the Divine Immanent — is, I have read, perfectly familiar to Christian ideas and to Christian experience. The words themselves in fact — transcendent and cosmic — are taken from the West. I do not know that there is anything exactly corresponding to them in the language of Indian spiritual thinking, although the experiences on which the distinction rests are quite familiar. On another side, Christianity insists not only on a double but a triple Divine. It even strikes me that this triple Godhead or Trinity is not very far off at bottom from my trinity of the individual, cosmic and transcendent Divine — as far at least as one can judge who has not himself followed the Christian discipline. Christ whether as the human Incarnation or the Christos in men or the Godhead proceeding from the Father, seems to me to be quite my individual Divine. The Father has very much the appearance of the One who overstands and is immanent in the cosmos. And although this is more obscure, yet if one can be guided by the indications in the Scripture, the Holy Ghost looks very much like a rather mysterious and inexpressible Transcendence and its descent very much like what I would call the descent of Light, Purity, Peace— that passeth all understanding — or Power of the supramental Spirit. In any case these Christian and Western ideas show surely that my affirmation of a double or a triple Divine is not anything new and ought not to be found startling or upsetting and I do not see why it should be treated as (in itself)obscure and unintelligible. Again, are these or similar distinctions very positively made in the Christian, Sufi or other teachings mere theoretical abstractions, scholastic distinctions, theological cobwebs, or meta-physical puzzles? I had always supposed that they corresponded to very living, very dynamic, almost — for the paths to which they relate — indispensable experiences. No doubt, for those who follow other ways or no way at all or for those who have not yet had the illuminating and vivifying experience, they may seem at first a little difficult or unseizable. But that is true of most spiritual truth— and not of spiritual truth alone. There are many very highly intelligent and cultured people to whom a scientific explanation of even so patent and common a fact as electricity and electric light (this is a reminiscence of an article by Y. Y. in the New Statesman and Nation) seems equally difficult to seize by the mind or to fix either in the memory or the intelligence. And yet the distinction between positive and negative electricity, both necessary for the existence of the light, — like that of the passive and active Brahman (another scholastic distinction?) both necessary for the existence of the universe, — cannot be dismissed for that reason as something academic or scholastic, but is a very pertinent statement of things quite dynamic and real. No doubt the unscientific man does not and perhaps need not trouble about these things and can be content to enjoy the electric light (when he is allowed to do so by the grace of the Pondicherry Municipality), without enquiring into the play of the forces behind it: but for the seeker after scientific truth or for the practical electrician it is a different matter. Now these distinctions in the spiritual field are a parallel case; they seem theoretical or abstract only so long as experience has not made them concrete, but once experienced they become living stuff of the consciousness and, after a certain stage, even the basis of action and growth in the spiritual life.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-88-90 “The Mother’s Vibhutis would normally be feminine personalities most of whom would be dominated by one of the four personalities of the Mother. The others you mention would be personalities and powers of the Ishwara, but in them also, as in all, the Mother’s force would act. I do not quite catch the question about the transformation of the Vibhutis. All creation and transformation is the work of the Mother.If you mean the divine personalities of the Mother — the answer is yes. It may even be said that each Vibhuti draws his energies from the Four, from one of them predominantly in most cases, as Napoleon from Mahakali, Rama from Mahalakshmi, Augustus Caesar from Mahasaraswati.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-113 “(Q) It seems to me that the number of people in the world accepting our Yoga of transformation would not be as large as those who accepted Buddhism, Vedanta or Christianity. (Answer) Nothing depends on the numbers. The numbers of Buddhism and Christianity were so great because the majority professed it as a creed without its making the least difference to their external life. If the new consciousness were satisfied with that, it could also and much more easily command homage and acceptance by the whole earth. It is because it is a greater consciousness, the Truth-consciousness, that it will insist on a real change.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram/p-310 "Sri Aurobindo is always there. At times he becomes very active, especially when people "pump" or pull or crush you under the weight of all their difficulties and all their desires. Then (these last few days have been like that), I might put it into the words he often used, but this is his attitude: "They accept the God only when they can crucify him." I find that so interesting, you know! They accept God – the Divine – only when they can crucify him. That is to say, they recognize the Divine in a body only if that body is fit to be crucified or tortured. And then, if things go wrong, "So he’s not divine!" He is not divine.... He always used to say, "The Divine takes care to veil himself so as not to crush them." And it’s true, I have noticed it: at times when the Force comes with really all its might, it’s terrible! Even for those who are most used to it, even for the most courageous ... it’s hard. So it’s always like that: it contains itself so as not to be ... unbearable." The Mother's Agenda-February 20, 1968, "I was looking at a problem....Basically, if you remove the veneer – the veneer of good manners – man admits the existence of the Divine only on condition that his sole occupation be to satisfy all of man’s needs and desires – it may be collective desires, even "planetary" desires as Y. would put it, but it boils down to that... And it’s like that especially, especially with the notion of a Divine who put on a body.... In fact, they found it quite natural that Christ should be crucified for their own salvation – I find it monstrous... I’ve always found it monstrous." The Mother's Agenda/June 8, 1968 “In the Essays on the Gita Sri Aurobindo mentions the names of three Avatars, and Christ is one of them. An Avatar is an emanation of the Supreme Lord who assumes a human body on earth. I heard Sri Aurobindo himself say that Christ was an emanation of the Lord’s aspect of love.” The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/Vol-10/p-61 In Savitri, Sri Aurobindo hints at Lord Christ as Avatar : “It is finished, the dread mysterious sacrifice, Offered by God’s martyred body for the world; Gethsemane and Calvary are his lot, He carries the cross on which man’s soul is nailed;” Savitri-445, (Gethsemane: A garden where the Lord Jesus was betrayed. Calvary: Hilltop on which Lord Christ was crucified.) “He [Ramakrishna ] never wrote an autobiography. What he said was in conversation with his disciples and others. He was certainly quite as much an Avatar as Christ or Chaitanya. ” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-501 "Sri Aurobindo himself said Christ was an Avatar. An avatar in the line of Krishn a, the line that represented yes, goodness, charity, love, harmony. He belongs to that line.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-September 13, 1967

Handbook of The Synthesis of Yoga "Content abide not with one conquered realm; Adventure all to make the whole world thine," Savitri-536 Editor's Note "I am continuing my reading of the Veda. I had to stop for some days because of a sore throat. But anyway, I’m starting again...The Vedas , after all, were written by people who remembered a radical experience , which must have taken place on earth at a given moment, as an example of what was to come. (This always happens in the yoga: a first radical experience comes like a herald of the future realization.) So in the terrestrial yoga – in the yoga of the earth, of the planet earth – there was a moment when it came; they who are called the forefathers must have created, through their effort and their yoga, at least an image of the supramental realization. And those who wrote the Vedas , who composed all these hymns, remembered or kept the tradition of that experience . And oh, mon petit, it had the same effect on me as when I read the ‘Yoga of Self-Perfection ’ in The Synthesis of Yoga (the Mother catches her breath): there is such a gulf between what we are, what life on earth and human consciousness now are, even among the most enlightened, the most advanced, and THAT! ... " The Mother The Mother's Agenda/April 7, 1961 "One day ... (I’m translating the last section of The Synthesis of Yoga, ‘The Yoga of Self-Perfection’ – it plunges you into bottomless gulfs ... ) and one day (I think I’ve told you this), I had a vision of the gap between ... not even what ought to be, because we probably haven’t the slightest idea of that, but between our concept of what we would like to be and what is. And it was so dreadful that the body was thrown into, oh ... an anguish, a horror; and along with it an intensity of aspiration, a prayer. The gap seemed so tremendous: ‘Is it possible?’....‘This body thirsts for perfection, not this human perfection which is the perfection of the ego...’ (it was so clear to me that everything human beings conceive of as perfection is simply the ego wanting to magnify itself for its own greater glory) ‘... not this human perfection which is the perfection of the ego and bars the way to the divine Perfection, but that one perfection .. (these repeated ‘perfections’ are deliberate: it’s like a litany) ... but that one perfection which has the POWER to manifest upon earth the eternal Truth .’" The Mother The Mother's Agenda/December 16, 1961 Here, the Mother confirms that The Synthesis of Yoga is a book whose wisdom has descended from the Universal and Supramental world, and by concentrating on this book, one will be drawn towards a brief experience of that Supreme plane. This book is the principal Shastra of Integral Yoga and is the culmination of Sri Aurobindo’s concentrated Sadhana , which spanned four decades in complete seclusion at Pondicherry. . The Synthesis of Yoga is basically a book that culminates with Yoga of Self-perfection, which is activated after the synthesis of the central truth of all the traditional schools of Yoga or after one is thoroughly established in Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga . Or the Yoga of Self-Perfection is regarded as the extension of three paths of Works, Knowledge and Love, and here thirty-six exclusive siddhis and forty-six sub-siddhis are concentrated, followed by all-inclusive siddhis in the Supramental plane. Thus, the transformation of Nature wide opens in Cosmic consciousness and Sri Aurobindo has foreseen that an isolated individual transformation of Nature is not practicable. As Yoga of Self-Perfection is an incomplete account of Sri Aurobindo's sadhana , so more experience in these lines are explored in The Life Divine, The Mother, Savitri, and the Mother’s Agenda. The highest secret, hinted in The Synthesis of Yoga , is identified as the basis of its self-exceeding. First, it declared that the synthesis is possible not by including all the methods of traditional Yoga schools but by discovering their central secrets, central faith, central dynamic process and directing them to move toward the Source, the Sachchidananda . So an evolution of the integral method is recommended in which all the faculties related with integral perfection is included. The integral method itself is a progressive and evolving method which are initially dynamised with the three Purushas, that of Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Being and finally a more comprehensive approach of entering all the planes of Consciousness through the ten Purushas that of Inconscient, Subconscient, true Physical, true Vital, true Mental, Psychic, Higher Mental or Spiritual, Universal, Supramental and Bliss Self. The uncovering of the ten Purushas and the perfection of their encircling ten koshas, sheaths, subtle bodies are the subject of our final concern. The Synthesis of Yoga has hinted that we are surrounded with many subtle bodies but never get the opportunity to develop them elaborately. It also hinted about the absolute trance into which few can enter but all cannot return to earthly existence. The other criteria and utility of absolute trance in Integral Yoga was vividly narrated elsewhere. It spoke elaborately about exclusive concentration to which all traditional schools of Yoga lean but developed little about Integral Concentration in which Integral Yoga must proceed and still less developed about the intermediate stairs between exclusive and Integral Concentration. Similarly, it maintains silence or hinted little about intermediate planes of Consciousness like Higher Mind, Illumined Mind and Overmind and proposes to leap from ordinary mind to Intuition and from Intuitive mind to Supermind. So the study and practice of It hinted little about seven-fold self-concentration and seven-fold integral Knowledge and also hinted little about four-fold Psychic and Spiritual Mother powers. An entry into The Synthesis of Yoga will be considered incomplete without similar study and practice of its three complementary books, The Life Divine, The Mother and Savitri in which many of the uncovered realms of Consciousness are restated, systematized, extensively developed and made available for further exploration to the human race. The Yoga of Self-perfection concentrates on multiple perfections in the Overmental plane. The thirty-six siddhis are : samata, shanti, sukha, hasya, viryam, shaktih, chandibhavah, sraddha, Jnanam, trikaladristih, samadhi, vyapti, prakamya, aisvarya, isita, vasita, mahima, laghima, anima, garima, arogyam, utthapana, saundaryam, vividhanandah, krishnah, kali, kamah, karma, sarvam brahma, anantam brahmah, jnanam brahmah, anandam brahmah, suddhi, mukti, bhukti and siddhi. The forty-six sub-siddhis are: titiksa, udasinata, nati, rasah, pritih, anandah, jnanalipsa, jnanaprakasho, brahmovarcasyam, sthairyam, abhayam, sahasam, yasolipsa, atmaslagha, danam, vyayah, kausalam, bhogalipsa, kamah, prema, dasyalipsa, atmasamarpanam, mahattva-bodhah, balaslagha, laghuta, dharanasamarthyam, purnata, prasannata, samata, bhogasamarthya, snigdhata, tejahslagha, kalyanasraddha, premasamarthyam, visuddhata, prakasah, vichitrabodhah, jnana dharanasamarthya, saktyam, bhagavati, dristih, srutih, smritih, pratibodha, vrutte tu karmani, satyadharma. OM TAT SAT Download this WEB PAGE in PDF format: The First Condition of Practice of Integral Yoga: The written truth or the Shastra of Integral Yoga ‘must provide infinite liberty in the receptive human soul’ towards its constant renovation, revivement and restatement by fresh in streaming of the Spiritual experience and descended knowledge instead of formulating the rigidity of a strict and precise mental rule or following a fixed Shastra . It accommodates the fixed injunctions of ancient Vedantic Scriptures for a liberated spirit which is no more than a provisional solution for tiding over the transition from ascension of life in the world to a life in the Transcendent. The Second Condition of Practice of I ntegral Yoga: The revolution attempted in Integral Yoga cannot obstruct the eternal on flow of Divine Will, Wisdom and Love through the erection of absolute standards but this can be substituted by temporary higher and higher standards as long as they are helpful to integrate the Divine call, the Divine union and the Divine transformation. The Third Condition of Practice of Integral Yoga: After the Law one experiences the Liberty, after the personal, the general, the universal standards one enters the impersonal plasticity, the divine freedom, the standardless Spiritual and Supramental mode of working and the unwalled wideness of the infinite Consciousness. In a Divine Government, he will be identified with the individual, collectivity, humanity and the Divine only through the Divine Consciousness without subjection to the mental standard. The Fourth Condition of Practice of Integral Yoga: And lastly, we must be aware of the injunction issued in Integral Shastra that ‘object of the integral Yoga must be accepted wholly by those who follow it’. And this ‘entire definition of the aim of integral Yoga’ does not exclude the entire knowledge of its indispensable and dispensable methods and the entire awareness of possible danger and distraction of this path leading to success in Yoga. The Practice of Integral Yoga through the Handbook I of The Synthesis of Yoga The Handbook II of The Synthesis of Yoga The Central Truth of The Synthesis of Yoga “So now I do not mind finishing (I usually translated The Synthesis of Yoga (into French language) in the afternoons.) The Synthesis of Yoga . I was little bothered because I have no other books by Sri Aurobindo to translate that can help me in sadhana : There was only The Synthesis (of Yoga) .” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-3/p-348 “Personally, of all those I have read, it is the book (The Synthesis of Yoga ) that has helped me the most. It comes from a very high and very universal inspiration, in the sense that it will remain new for a long time to come.” The Mothe r The Mother’s Agenda-13/p-66 When I read what Sri Aurobindo writes in The Synthesis , how things should be and what they are now, when I see the two, that’s when I feel we’re turning in circles... It’s more and more a universal yoga – the whole earth – and it is like that day and night, when I walk and when I speak and when I eat. It’s constantly like that. As if the whole earth were ... it’s like kneading dough to make it rise... But when I read his Yoga of Self-Perfection and see ... simply what we are ... phew! What yeast we would need to make all that rise!... But this is not true: HE alone is doing it, it’s always He... And sometimes things stagnate, they seem so absolutely obscure and stupid. And then, if you simply go like this (gesture of offering), simply, truly – do it, not think it – it’s instantly like a shower of bliss ... A tiny point, something very small which looks stubbornly stupid and obstinate, if only you do this (and if you want, you can): ‘Take, take!’ Give it to Him, simply, like this, truly give it to Him: ‘It’s You, it’s Yours, take it, do with it what You want.’ And instantly, instead of this shrinking and this painful feeling – ‘What in the world can I do with all this?’ – a shower, it comes like a shower. Truly Ananda. Of course, if you are stupid enough to call back the difficulty, it returns. But if you remain quiet, if you keep your head quiet, it goes – finished, cured. But there are thousands and thousands and thousands of such points ... The Mother The Mother's Agenda-July 12, 1960

Silence Ripened Soul's Relationship with Child Soul Who is a Child Soul or developing Soul? : A Child Soul is having seven fold deformations, vicaras . They are identified as h atre d, disliking, scorn, repulsion, clinging, attachment and preference. He is having a profession, social duty, family obligation and religion. Sri Aurobindo proposes that they 'are natural, necessary, inevitable at a certain stage' of self development. “To revolt, to condemn, to cry out is the impulse of our unchastened and ignorant instincts. Revolt like everything else has its uses in the play and is even necessary, helpful, decreed for the divine development in its own time and stage; but the movement of an ignorant rebellion belongs to the stage of the soul’s childhood or to its raw adolescence." CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-225, Who is a Ripened or Developed Soul? : " But the sadhaka of the Karmayoga will abandon this (above attributes) also to the Lord of works. After he has made this surrender, his social impulses and judgments will, like his desires, only be used for their exhaustion or, it may be, so far as they are still necessary for a time to enable him to identify his lower mental nature with mankind in general or with any grouping of mankind in its works and hopes and aspirations. But after that brief time is over, they will be withdrawn and a divine government will alone abide. He will be identified with the Divine and with others only through the divine consciousness and not through the mental nature.” The sevenfold deformations, vicaras, are "to the Karmayogin ... a survival, a stumbling-block, a process of the Ignorance and, as he progresses, they fall away from his nature. The child-soul needs them for its growth; but they drop from an adult (Soul) in the divine culture.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-223, What is the difficulty of a Developing Soul? : "The first condition was: ‘Nothing more to do with your family ...’¹⁰⁹ Well, we are a long way from that! But I repeat that it only happened because of the war (2nd world war) and not because we stopped seeing the need to cut all family ties; on the contrary, this is an indispensable condition because as long as you hang on to all these cords which bind you to ordinary life, which make you a slave to the ordinary life, how can you possibly belong to the Divine alone? What childishness! It is simply not possible. If you have ever taken the trouble to read over the early ashram rules, you would find that even friendships were considered dangerous and undesirable ... We made every effort to create an atmosphere in which only ONE thing counted : the Life Divine.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda/ August 25, 1954, What is the difficulty of a Developed Soul? : “If you say to the Divine with conviction, “I want only You ”, the Divine will arrange all the circumstances in such a way as to compel you to be sincere. Something in the being... “I want only You. ”... the aspiration...and then one wants a hundred odd things all the time, isn’t that so? At times something comes, just... usually to disturb everything—it stands in the way and prevents you from realizing your aspiration. Well, the Divine will come without showing Himself, without your seeing Him, without your having any inkling of it, and He will arrange all the circumstances in such a way that everything that prevents you from belonging solely to the Divine will be removed from your path, inevitably. Then when all is removed, you begin to howl and complain; but later, if you are sincere and look at yourself straight in the eye... you have said to the Lord, you have said, “I want only You. ” He will remain close to you, all the rest will go away. This is indeed a higher Grace. Only, you must say this with conviction. I don’t even mean that you must say it integrally, because if one says it integrally, the work is done. What is necessary is that one part of the being, indeed the central will, says it with conviction: “I want only You .” Even once, and it suffices: all that takes more or less long, sometimes it stretches over years, but one reaches the goal.” The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works/Vol-6/176-177 How a Developed Soul relates himself with Developing Soul? In Savitri , we observe a considerable gulf between the feminine Avatara and Her followers, those who are destined to assist Avatara's Divine action. They are here identified as instruments and emanations. Desperate effort of Savitri to bridge the gulf between herself and her admirers: “A mind daring heavenly experiment, Growing towards some largeness they felt near, Testing the unknown’s bound with eager touch They still were prisoned by their human grain: They could not keep up with her tireless step; Too small and eager for her large-paced will, Too narrow to look with the unborn Infinite’s gaze Their nature weary grew of things too great.” Savitri-363 “For even the close partners of her thoughts Who could have walked the nearest to her ray, Worshipped the power and light they felt in her But could not match the measure of her soul.” Savitri-363 “Or longing with their self of life and flesh They clung to her for heart’s nourishment and support: The rest they could not see in visible light; Vaguely they bore her inner mightiness. Or bound by the senses and the longing heart, Adoring with a turbid human love, They could not grasp the mighty spirit she was Or change by closeness to be even as she. Some felt her with their souls and thrilled with her, A greatness felt near yet beyond mind’s grasp; To see her was a summons to adore, To be near her drew a high communion’s force.” Savitri-363-364 “So men worship a god too great to know, Too high, too vast to wear a limiting shape; They feel a Presence and obey a might, Adore a love whose rapture invades their breasts; To a divine ardour quickening the heart-beats, A law they follow greatening heart and life. Opened to the breath is a new diviner air, Opened to man is a freer, happier world:” Savitri-364 “Her will was puissant on their nature’s acts, Her heart’s inexhaustible sweetness lured their hearts, A being they loved whose bounds exceeded theirs; Her measure they could not reach but bore her touch, Answering with the flower’s answer to the sun They gave themselves to her and asked no more.” Savitri-364 “They felt a godhead and obeyed a call, Answered to her lead and did her work in the world; Their lives, their natures moved compelled by hers As if the truth of their own larger selves Put on an aspect of divinity To exalt them to a pitch beyond their earth’s. They felt a larger future meet their walk; She held their hands, she chose for them their paths: ” Savitri-364 “Some near approached, were touched, caught fire, then failed, Too great was her demand, too pure her force. Thus lighting earth around her like a sun, Yet in her inmost sky an orb aloof, A distance severed her from those most close. ” Savitri-366 "There is a confusion here. The Mother’s grace is one thing, the call to change another, the pressure of nearness to her is yet another. Those who are physically near to her are not so by any special grace or favour, but by the necessity of their work, — that is what everybody here refuses to understand or believe, but it is the fact: that nearness acts automatically as a pressure, if for nothing else, to adapt their consciousness to hers which means change, but it is difficult for them because the difference between the two consciousnesses is enormous especially on the physical level and it is on the physical level that they are meeting her in the work." Sri Aurobindo/27 April 1944/CWSA-32/The Mother with Letters on the Mother/p-501, "Yesterday evening I read something in the book.... Sri Aurobindo is writing to someone who said, "How lucky people are who live near the Mother. " "You don't know what you're talking about! " he replies. "To live in the Mother's physical presence is one of the most difficult things." Do you remember this passage? I didn't know he had written that. "Well, well ..." I thought. He writes, "It is hard to stay near her, because the difference between the physical consciousness of all you people and her physical consciousness is so enormous...." Indeed, that's what tires me out. That's what tires my body, because it is used to living in a certain rhythm, a universal rhythm... (silence) No one can imagine what it was, those thirty years I had (with Sri Aurobindo ) ... beyond all problems and difficulties; we went through every possible difficulty – and it was nothing, NOTHING. It was nothing, it was ... like a great harmonious orchestra. (silence) But ... it's clear that Matter must be rigorously hammered if it is to be made ready and able for this Transformation. (silence) And nothing, nothing imaginable in the eternal history of the universe can be compared to that shock (with Sri Aurobindo's departure): to have lived a perfect divine life as something completely natural and everyday, something OBVIOUS (it was never even in question), and then ... all of a sudden, physically – your base is snatched away. Well, to stay on after that! ... You just go, quite naturally: the base goes, you go." The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/January 9, 1962, A similar gulf is observed between Sri Aurobindo and His direct disciples: The Gulf between Sri Aurobindo and His direct disciples: “It (Savitri) heralds the Supermind. But I had a feeling (after reading the last chapter of Savitri ) he (Sri Aurobindo ) had not completed his revision. When I read this, I felt it was not the end, just as when I read the last chapter of the “Yoga of Self-Perfection,” (of The Synthesis of Yoga) I felt it was not finished. He left it unfinished. And he said so. He said, “No, I will not go down to this mental level anymore.” But in Savitri’s case… (I didn’t look after it, you know), he had around him Purani , that Chinmayi, and… (what is his name) Nirod —they all swarmed around him. So I didn’t look after Savitri . I read Savitri two years ago (1961), I had never read it before. And I am so glad! Because I read it at the time I could understand it –and I realised that none of those people had understood ONE BIT of it.” The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/13th March-1963 “The lack of receptivity of the earth and men is mostly responsible for the decision Sri Aurobindo has taken regarding his body. But one thing is certain: what has happened on the physical plane affects in no way the truth of his teaching. All that he has said is perfectly true and remains so. Time and the course of events will prove it abundantly.” 8 December 1950, The Mother/The Mother’s Centenary Works/13/p-7, The difference between Avatar and His Instruments and Emanations and how they will be aware of their limitations and possibilities, is identified by Sri Aurobindo in the following two texts: “The natural attitude of the psychic being is to feel itself as the child, the son of God, the Bhakta ; it is a portion of the Divine, one in essence, but in the dynamics of the manifestation there is always even in identity a difference. The Jivatman, on the contrary, lives in the essence and can merge itself in identity with the Divine; but it too, the moment it presides over the dynamics of the manifestation, knows itself as one centre of the multiple Divine, not as the Parameshwara. It is important to remember this distinction ; for, otherwise, if there is the least vital egoism, one may begin to think of oneself as an Avatara …” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga/p-61, “But still the Vibhuti is not the Avatar; otherwise Arjuna, Vyasa, Ushanas would be Avatars as well as Krishna , even if in a less degree of the power of Avatarhood . The divine quality is not enough; there must be the inner consciousness of the Lord and Self governing the human nature by his divine presence. The heightening of the power of the qualities is part of the becoming, bhutagrama , (The Gita-8.19, 9.8) an ascent in the ordinary manifestation; in the Avatar there is the special manifestation, the divine birth from above, the eternal and universal Godhead descended into a form of individual humanity, atmanam srijami , (The Gita-4.7) and conscious not only behind the veil but in the outward nature.” CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita/p-161, There is a considerable gulf between Avatar and other human beings. An Avatar suffers and "A million wounds gape in his secret heart." (Savitri-446) Others are identified as "hearts that could not bear the wounds of Time," (Savitri-647) or they "cannot bear the world’s tremendous touch." (Savitri-454) Avatar's Consciousness is universalised, whereas other human beings live in the separative consciousness of three Gunas . To rightly understand a little of the Avatars' life, we have to universalise our Consciousness. Till Consciousness is universalised, we will have an abstract understanding of Them. The remedy is to concentrate and contemplate on Their life for long years. An Avatara's outer Nature is Divinised from birth, or He is under the influence of Para-prakriti or Supreme Nature from His birth, whereas an ordinary person's external life is controlled by the three Gunas of Apara-prakriti or lower Nature. By opening oneself to the Avatara's influence, one can liberate oneself from the influence of lower Nature and learn the lesson of Divine Work. Seven Guidelines: This is the injunction ¹⁰⁵ issued in Savitri to the adult Soul that while experiencing swift individual Spiritual evolution, he will learn the lesson to live a life of hard toil patiently and reconcile it with slow evolving collectivity and drop all his separative identity by uniting more and more with the universal Divine. Thus, the gulf between developed and developing souls is bridged by the former becoming the slave of the latter. This also reminds us that in Earth’s Spiritual history, the gulf created between Divine Consciousness ("Splendidly alien to the mortal air.” Savitri-576) and ordinary human consciousness resulted in crucifixtion ¹⁰⁶ of the Lord Christ , which is also identified as the giant Spiritual fall of the Avatar. This physical crucifixion is also repeated in the life of successive Emanations and Avatars in a different manner. ¹⁰⁶ The Mother never found a suitable surrounding to pursue Her most difficult Subconscient transformation, which can be pursued only during deep meditation. ¹⁰ ⁸ A Sadhak of Integral Yoga must be well aware of the above developments and must be rightly related with the surrounding world through ‘secrecy and silence.’ ¹⁰⁷ There are seven guidelines issued to developed Souls, while relating to developing Souls. 1: Reconcile Sankhya and Yoga (The Gita's Guideline-1) : The mind is exclusive and mind will permit the pursuit of only one Yoga at a time. The Gita proposes to train the mind to develop double sincerity, dwibidha nistha , (The Gita-3.3) through which Karma Yoga can be reconciled with Jnana Yoga. “Children (child Soul) speak of Sankhya and Yoga apart from each other, not the wise (ripened soul); if a man applies himself integrally to one, he gets the fruit of both.” (The Gita-5.4) “This is the distinction made in the Gita between Sankhya and Yoga ; both are necessary to an integral knowledge” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-374, Integral Yoga proposes that if one is established in higher universalised Consciousness, then he can reconcile all the three Yogas of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga. “The full Yoga, Purna Yoga, means a fourfold path, a Yoga of knowledge for the mind, a Yoga of bhakti for the heart, a Yoga of works for the will and a Yoga of perfection for the whole nature. But, ordinarily, if one can follow wholeheartedly any one of these lines, one arrives at the result of all the four. For instance, by bhakti one becomes close to the Divine, becomes intensely aware of Him and arrives at knowledge, for the Divine is the Truth and the Reality; by knowing Him, says the Upanishads , one comes to know all. By bhakti also the will is led into the road of the works of love and the service of the Divine and the government of the nature and its acts by the Divine, and that is Karmayoga . By bhakti also comes spiritual change of the consciousness and the action of the nature which is the first step towards its transformation. So it is with all the other lines of the fourfold path.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-686-687 2: Do Not Disturb the Ignorant Child Soul (The Gita's Guideline-2): “Those who are bewildered by three modes of Nature, not knowers of the whole, let not the knowers of the whole, kritsnabinna , disturb their mental standpoint.” The Gita-3.29, “This, no doubt, is the root of the injunction imposed in the Gita (The Gita-3.29) on the man who has the knowledge not to disturb the life basis and thought basis of the ignorant; for impelled by his example but unable to comprehend the principle of his action, they would lose their own system of values without arriving at a higher foundation.” CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-58, “Those who are bewildered by the modes, get attached to the modes and their works; dull minds, not knowers of the whole, let not the knower of the whole disturb them in their mental standpoint.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-214, Supreme Lord informed Savitri that the most of the human beings are built on Nature’s early evolutionary plan and ‘owe small debt to a superior plane;’ (Savitri-689) thus man’s ‘mind is closed between two firmaments’ (Savitri-689) of seeking truth through (1) sight and sound or images and words, and (2) surface and brute out sides or consciousness is projected outward, and is unwilling to plunge into the inner depth of Truth. A common social man has no inner life. So, the Divine advised Savitri not to disturb the life of the common man and their settled balance of existing created things by intervention of Spiritual energy and leave them to ‘heavy toil and slow aeonic steps’ (Savitri-690) and all shall be done for them ‘by the long act of Time.’ (Savitri-691) 3: Discourage premature collective activism (lokasangraha) and encouragement of Transformation of Nature: “Then there were the few—the rare individuals— who are ready to make the necessary effort to prepare themselves for the transformation and to attract the new forces, try to adapt matter, seek the means of expression and so forth. Those are ready for Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga. They are very few. There are even those who have the sense of sacrifice and are ready have a hard and difficult life, as long as it leads them or helps them towards this future transformation. But they should not, they should in no way try to influence others and make them share their own effort: that would be quite unjust – not only unjust, but extremely clumsy because it would alter the universal – or at least terrestrial – rhythm and movement, and instead of helping, it would cause conflicts and result in chaos.” The Mother Agenda/27th November, 1965, “To concentrate most on one’s own spiritual growth and experience is the first necessity of the sadhak — to be too eager to help others draws away from the inner work. There is also likely to be an overzeal and haste which clouds the discrimination and makes what help is given less effective than it should be. To grow in the spirit is the greatest help one can give to others, for then something flows out naturally to those around that helps them.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-317, “The idea of helping others is a subtle form of the ego. It is only the Divine Force that can help. One can be its instrument, but you should first learn to be a fit and egoless instrument.” CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-318, “The best way to help the world is to transform oneself by an integral and intensive yoga.” The Mother/TMCW-14/Words of The Mother-II/p-277, “Because men still imagine that in order to do anything useful, they must gather together in groups, it is the caricature (An exaggerated or distorted representation) of organisation…I know the conditions of the country (India). Even if one person could put himself faithfully at the disposal of the Truth, he could change the country and the world.” The Mother's Agenda/25th October 1967/19th April 1969, “Moreover, he who wants to do “intensive sadhana” must be able to isolate himself from his surroundings and, if necessary, to sit in deep meditation even on a battlefield in the midst of the roaring guns.” TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-47, “It seems to me that humanity has made some progress and the true victory must be won in life itself…You must know how to live alone with the Eternal and Infinite in the midst of all circumstances. You must know how to be free, with the Supreme as your companion, in the midst of all occupations. That is indeed the true victory.” The Mother/TMCW-3/Questions and Answers-1929/p-276, “It is not intended to supramentalise humanity at large, but to establish the principle of the supramental consciousness in the earth-evolution. If that is done, all that is needed will be evolved by the supramental Power itself. It is not therefore important that the mission should be widespread. What is important is that the thing should be done at all in however small a number; that is the only difficulty…It would therefore be a waste of time and energy which should be devoted to the preliminary work psychicisation and spiritualisation of the being and nature without which no supramentalisation is possible.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-288-290, (The above letter hints that time and energy should be utilised exclusively for Psychic and Spiritual opening instead of spreading the Mission.) “All that [ideas such as “everything will soon be spiritualised”] is absurd. The descent of the supramental means only that the Power will be there in the earth consciousness as a living force just as the thinking mental and the higher mental are already there. But an animal cannot take advantage of the presence of the thinking mental Power or an undeveloped man of the presence of the higher mental Power — so too everybody will not be able to take advantage of the presence of the supramental Power. I have also often enough said that it will be at first for the few, not for the whole earth, — only there will be a growing influence of it on the earth life.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-290, "This “helping others” is a perilous business — it brings the “guru” ego or else you very uncertainly rid others of their difficulties and very certainly get them yourself. “Why do you have all these disciples?” said a sage to some Maratha saint (I have forgotten the names); “to have disciples means to add all their difficulties to your own.” “Helping others” has the same disadvantage." CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-318, "In “helping” one often gets part of the other’s inconvenience and many Yogis refuse to take disciples because they will have to assume others’ burdens as well as their own. There are also other dangers — growth of ego etc." CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-319, “One thing only I can tell you that whatever the sincerity, simplicity and purity of the relation between two human beings, it shuts them off more or less from the direct divine force and help and limits their strength, light and power only to the sum of their potentialities.” The Mother/TMCW/Vol-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-120 4: Self-discipline of Speech and Writing: “For writing, even more than for speaking, if you aspire to remain in the best attitude for advancing swiftly towards the Divine, you should make it a strict rule to speak (and even more to write) only what is absolutely indispensable. It is a marvellous discipline if you follow it sincerely.” The Mother/TMCW-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-207, “Knowledge is a child with its achievements; for when it has found out something, it runs about the streets whooping and shouting; Wisdom conceals hers for a long time in a thoughtful and mighty silence.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-12/Essays Divine and Human /p-436, “In Nescience began her mighty task, In Ignorance she pursues the unfinished work, For knowledge gropes, but meets not Wisdom’s face .” Savitri-135 “However, one should not think that the value of spoken words depends on the nature of the subject of conversation. One can talk idly on spiritual matters just as much as on any other, and this kind of idle talk may well be one of the most dangerous. For example, the neophyte is always very eager to share with others the little he has learnt. But as he advances on the path, he becomes more and more aware that he does not know very much and that before trying to instruct others, he must be very sure of the value of what he knows, until he finally becomes wise and realises that many hours of silent concentration are needed to be able to speak usefully for a few minutes . Moreover, where inner life and spiritual effort are concerned, the use of speech should be subjected to a still more stringent rule and nothing should be said unless it is absolutely indispensable. ” The Mother/TMCW-12/On Education/p-62-63, “It is always better not to listen to talks especially on so-called spiritual matters. Each one must follow his own way and the others have nothing to do with it.” The Mother/TMCW-14/p-204, “Not inexplicable certainly; it was the condition of silence of the mind to which he (Sri Aurobindo ) had come by his meditation for 3 days with Lele in Baroda and which he kept for many months and indeed always thereafter, all activity proceeding on the surface; but at that time there was no activity on the surface. Lele told him to make namaskar to the audience and wait and speech would come to him from some other source than the mind. So in fact, the speech came, and ever since all speech, writing, thought and outward activity have so come to him from the same source above the brain-mind.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-36//Autobiographical Notes/p-111, "There is also a speech, a supramental word, in which the higher knowledge, vision or thought can clothe itself within us for expression. At first this may come down as a word, a message or an inspiration that descends to us from above or it may even seem a voice of the Self or of the Ishwara, vanı, adesa. Afterwards it loses that separate character and becomes the normal form of the thought when it expresses itself in the form of an inward speech. The thought may express itself without the aid of any suggestive or developing word and only — but still quite completely, explicitly and with its full contents — in a luminous substance of supramental perception. It may aid itself when it is not so explicit by a suggestive inward speech that attends it to bring out its whole significance. Or the thought may come not as silent perception but as speech self-born out of the truth and complete in its own right and carrying in itself its own vision and knowledge. Then it is the word revelatory, inspired or intuitive or of a yet greater kind capable of bearing the infinite intention or suggestion of the higher supermind and spirit. It may frame itself in the language now employed to express the ideas and perceptions and impulses of the intellect and the sense mind, but it uses it in a different way and with an intense bringing out of the intuitive or revelatory significances of which speech is capable. The supramental word manifests inwardly with a light, a power, a rhythm of thought and a rhythm of inner sound that make it the natural and living body of the supramental thought and vision and it pours into the language, even though the same as that of mental speech , another than the limited intellectual, emotional or sensational significance. It is formed and heard in the intuitive mind or supermind and need not at first except in certain highly gifted souls come out easily into speech and writing, but that too can be freely done when the physical consciousness and its organs have been made ready, and this is a part of the needed fullness and power of the integral perfection. " CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-836-837, 5: In Silence Overhead Knowledge Descends: “In Silence is wisdom” — it is in the inner silence of the mind that true knowledge can come; for the ordinary activity of the mind only creates surface ideas and representations which are not true knowledge. Speech is usually only the expression of the superficial nature — therefore to throw oneself out too much in such speech wastes the energy and prevents the inward listening which brings the word of true knowledge.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-159, "What is the true method for studying Sri Aurobindo’s works? (The Mother's reply) The true method is to read a little at a time, with concentration, keeping the mind as silent as possible, without actively trying to understand, but turned upwards, in silence, and aspiring for the light. Understanding will come little by little....And later, in one or two years, you will read the same thing again and then you will know that the first contact had been vague and incomplete, and that true understanding comes later, after having tried to put it into practice." The Mother's Centenary Works/Vol-12/On Education/p-204, "We sat together in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the company of our soul, and we witnessed the gates of Eternity opening wide before us.... It is in silence that the soul best expresses itself.... It is in the silence of complete identification with the Divine that true understanding is obtained... With words one can at times understand, but only in silence one knows..... Silence: the condition of the being when it listens to the Divine. " The Mother's Centenary Works/Vol-14/Words of the Mother-II/p-143, "In its might of irresponsible sovereignty It seized on speech to give those flamings shape, Made beat the heart of wisdom in a word And spoke immortal things through mortal lips. Or, listening to the sages of the woods, In question and in answer broke from her High strange revealings impossible to men, Something or someone secret and remote Took hold of her body for his mystic use, Her mouth was seized to channel ineffable truths, Knowledge unthinkable found an utterance." Savitri-553 6: Entire Definition of Child Soul and Adult Soul: ‘An ordinary religious teaching or philosophical doctrine is well enough satisfied to seize on certain great and vital aspects of truth and turn them into utilisable dogma and instruction, method and practice for the guidance of man in his inner life and the law and form of his action; it does not go farther, it does not open doors out of the circle of its own system, does not lead us out into some widest freedom and unimprisoned largeness. This limitation is useful and indeed for a time indispensable. Man bounded by his mind and will has need of a law and rule, a fixed system, a definite practice selective of his thought and action ; he asks for the single unmistakable hewn path hedged, fixed and secure to the tread, for the limited horizons, for the enclosed resting-places. It is only the strong and few who can move through freedom to freedom’ CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-526-527, “To adopt a religion because one is born in that religion or because the people one loves and trusts practise that religion or because when one goes to a particular place where others pray and worship, one feels helped in one’s own prayer and worship, is not the sign of a very strong nature; I should say it is rather the sign of a weakness or at any rate of a lack of originality. ” The Mother/The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/8/246, “It is binding on the developing (Soul) but not yet perfectly developed individual in the shape of social duty, family obligation, communal or national demand, so long as it is not in conflict with his growing sense of the higher Right. But the sadhaka of the Karmayoga will abandon this also to the Lord of works. After he has made this surrender, his social impulses and judgments will, like his desires , only be used for their exhaustion or, it may be, so far as they are still necessary for a time to enable him to identify his lower mental nature with mankind in general or with any grouping of mankind in its works and hopes and aspirations. But after that brief time is over, they will be withdrawn and a divine government will alone abide. He will be identified with the Divine and with others only through the divine consciousness and not through the mental nature.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-210-11, “Hatred and disliking and scorn and repulsion, clinging and attachment and preference (seven deformations of integral Yoga) are natural, necessary, inevitable at a certain stage: they attend upon or they help to make and maintain Nature’s choice in us. But to the Karmayogin they are a survival, a stumbling-block, a process of the Ignorance and, as he progresses, they fall away from his nature. The child-soul needs them for its growth; but they drop from an adult (Soul) in the divine culture.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-223, “To revolt, to condemn, to cry out is the impulse of our unchastened and ignorant instincts. Revolt like everything else has its uses in the play and is even necessary, helpful, decreed for the divine development in its own time and stage; but the movement of an ignorant rebellion belongs to the stage of the soul’s childhood or to its raw adolescence. The ripened soul does not condemn but seeks to understand and master, does not cry out but accepts or toils to improve and perfect, does not revolt inwardly but labours to obey and fulfil and transfigure. Therefore we shall receive all things with an equal soul from the hands of the Master. Failure we shall admit as a passage as calmly as success until the hour of the divine victory arrives. Our souls and minds and bodies will remain unshaken by acutest sorrow and suffering and pain if in the divine dispensation they come to us, unoverpowered by intensest joy and pleasure. Thus supremely balanced we shall continue steadily on our way meeting all things with an equal calm until we are ready for a more exalted status and can enter into the supreme and universal Ananda. ” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-225, "The ego cannot see where it is being led; it revolts against the leading, loses confidence, loses courage. These failings would not matter; for the divine Guide within is not offended by our revolt , not discouraged by our want of faith or repelled by our weakness; he has the entire love of the mother and the entire patience of the teacher. " Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-64, A Sadhak of integral Yoga identifies desire as his greatest enemy. Complete union with the highest Divine is possible after exhausting all gross and subtle desires and attachments or 'He (King Aswapati) has exhausted now life’s surface acts,' (Savitri-133) or 'Now other claims had hushed in him (King's) their cry' (Savitri-316). “Therefore attachment and desire must be utterly cast out; there is nothing in the world to which we must be attached, not wealth nor poverty, nor joy nor suffering, nor life nor death, nor greatness nor littleness, nor vice nor virtue, nor friend, nor wife, nor children, nor country, nor our work and mission, nor heaven nor earth, nor all that is within them or beyond them." CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-329, “And in any society we should have all four types (Brahmin, Kshetriya, Vaisya and Shudra Soul Force), — even, for an example, if we create a purely productive and commercial society such as modern times have attempted, or for that matter a Shudra society of labour, of the proletariate such as attracts the most modern mind and is now being attempted in one part of Europe and advocated in others.” CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita-523, (The above message hints that disproportionate increase of proletariat in the world is a real threat to the survival human race.) “But whatever form it may take, however this grossness may be refined or toned down, whatever ethical or religious conceptions may be superadded, always the family is an essentially practical, vitalistic and economic creation. It is simply a larger vital ego, a more complex vital organism that takes up the individual and englobes him in a more effective competitive and cooperative life unit.” CWSA-25/The Human Cycle/p-161, “I don’t remember the context; but I suppose he [the writer of Yogic Sadhan ] means that when one has to escape from the lower dharma, one has often to break it so as to arrive at a larger one. E.g. social duties, paying debts, looking after family, helping to serve your country, etc. etc. The man who turns to the spiritual life, has to leave all that behind him often and he is reproached by lots of people for his Adharma. But if he does not do this Adharma, he is bound for ever to the lower life — for there is always some duty there to be done — and cannot take up the spiritual dharma or can do it only when he is old and his faculties impaired.” Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-439 7: Developed Soul is free from all external standard and is guided only by Divine Will: “Especially, in proportion as the partial lights of the mind become transformed into lights of gnosis, in whatever slighter or greater degree that may happen, we feel it as a transformation of our mentality into his and more and more he (Divine) becomes the thinker and seer in us. We cease to think and see for ourselves, but think only what he wills to think for us and see only what he sees for us. And then the teacher is fulfilled in the lover; he lays hands on all our mental being to embrace and possess, to enjoy and use it.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-603, “It (the outer law of Spiritual community) is a disadvantage to the adult spirit ready to transcend the human formula because it is an external standard which seeks to impose itself on him from outside, and the condition of his perfection is that he shall grow from within and in an increasing freedom, not by the suppression but by the transcendence of his perfected individuality, not any longer by a law imposed on him that trains and disciplines his members but by the soul from within breaking through all previous forms to possess with its light and transmute his members.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-195, “And even if the Shastra is still a living thing and the best rule for the human average, the exceptional man, spiritual, inwardly developed, is not bound by that standard. He is called upon to go beyond the fixed line of the Shastra . For this is a rule for the guidance, control and relative perfection of the normal imperfect man and he has to go on to a more absolute perfection: this is a system of fixed dharmas and he has to learn to live in the liberty of the Spirit.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-480, “But if oneness with others, oneness with truth is already the essence of the realised spiritual nature, there is no need of a law of truth or of love, — the law, the standard has to be imposed on us now because there is in our natural being an opposite force of separateness, a possibility of antagonism, a force of discord, ill-will, strife.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1033, “His life would be a movement in the steps of a spiritual liberty and largeness replacing the law of the mental idea and the law of vital and physical need and desire and the compulsion of a surrounding life; his life and action would be bound by nothing else than the Divine Wisdom and Will acting on him and in him according to its Truth-consciousness.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1040, “But what then shall be the secure base of an action which departs both from the guidance of desire and from the normal law? For the rule of desire has an authority of its own, no longer safe or satisfactory to us as it is to the animal or as it might have been to a primitive humanity, but still, so far as it goes, founded on a very living part of our nature and fortified by its strong indications; and the law, the Shastra has behind it all the authority of long established rule, old successful sanctions and a secure past experience. But this new movement is of the nature of a powerful adventure into the unknown or partly known, a daring development and a new conquest, and what then is the clue to be followed, the guiding light on which it can depend or its strong basis in our being? The answer is that the clue and support is to be found in man’s sraddha , his faith, his will to believe, to live what he sees or thinks to be the truth of himself and of existence.” CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-479-480 OM TAT SAT References: 105: (Divine Mother said to King Aswapati) “Accept the difficulty and godlike toil, For the slow-paced omniscient purpose live.” Savitri-335-336, “She (Savitri) made herself the diligent serf of all,” Savitri-470, "So man evolving to divinest heights Colloques still with the animal and the Djinn; The human godhead with star-gazer eyes Lives still in one house with the primal beast. The high meets the low, all is a single plan." Savitri-541 “Pitying our barren days; so dost thou (Savitri) serve Even as a slave might, yet art thou beyond” Savitri-562, “To be the master of the world would indeed be supreme felicity, if one were universally loved; but for that one would have to be at the same time the slave of all humanity.” SABCL-17/The Hour of God/p-142, “If thou canst not be the slave of all mankind, thou art not fit to be its master, and if thou canst not make thy nature as Vasishtha’s cow of plenty with all mankind to draw its wish from her udders, what avails thy leonine supermanhood?” SABCL-17/The Hour of God/p-95, “A spiritual or gnostic being would feel his harmony with the whole gnostic life around him, whatever his position in the whole. According to his place in it he would know how to lead or to rule, but also how to subordinate himself; both would be to him an equal delight: for the spirit’s freedom, because it is eternal, self-existent and inalienable, can be felt as much in service and willing subordination and adjustment with other selves as in power and rule.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-1069, "All the action of the perfected soul will be even such a constant divine giving of itself and its powers, an outflowing of the knowledge, light, strength, love, joy, helpful shakti which it possesses in the Divine and by his influence and effluence on all around it according to their capacity of reception or on all this world and its creatures. That will be the complete result of the complete self-giving of the soul to the Master of our existence." CWSA/19/Essays on the Gita/p-490-491, 106: “Sri Aurobindo once said (jokingly, as it were), while talking with those around him (I was there and we were talking about Christianity and the "new Christ"), he told them, "Oh, if the new Christ comes, the Church will crucify him!"” The Mother’s Agenda-October-7, 1967, “The lack of the earth’s receptivity and the behavior of Sri Aurobindo’s disciples are largely responsible for what happened to his body. But one thing is certain: the great misfortune that has just beset us in no way affects the truth of his teaching. All he said is perfectly true and remains so. Time and the course of events will make this abundantly clear.” Feb-1951/Mother’s Agenda-Vol-1/P: 27, “That’s what made him (Sri Aurobindo’s) lose his eyesight, you know; his eyes were overstrained. I know it’s due to that, because I heard him say so. Once, they had brought him a stack of books to sign and other things and, unaware that he could be heard, he exclaimed, Oh, they want to make me blind! That’s how I knew his eyes were tired. He was indeed losing his sight. At the end, he couldn’t see a thing, he had to look at very close range.” Jan-12/1963/Mother’s Agenda/Vol-4/P-22-23, “All those who were in the courtyard below [Mother’s room] must have heard how we had to fight with Her to make Her eat a little.” [Original English] This fight over food (to mention only one) created a sharp conflict in Mother’s body; she was torn between their suggestions–“If you don’t eat, you’re going to die”-and the thrust of the Experience.” March-29/1972/The Mother’s Agenda/Vol-13/P-117 “Hard is the world-redeemer’s heavy task; The world itself becomes his adversary, Those he would save are his antagonists: This world is in love with its own ignorance, Its darkness turns away from the saviour light, It gives the cross in payment for the crown .” Savitri-448, “It is finished, the dread mysterious sacrifice, Offered by God’s martyred body for the world; Gethsemane and Calvary are his lot, He carries the cross on which man’s soul is nailed; His escort is the curses of the crowd; Insult and jeer are his right’s acknowledgment; Two thieves slain with him mock his mighty death.” Savitri-445, "August and pitiless in his calm outlook, Heightening the Eternal’s dreadful strategy, He measured the difficulty with the might And dug more deep the gulf that all must cross." Savitri-17 107: “We may say that here in India the reign of Intuition came first, intellectual Mind developing afterwards in the later philosophy and science. But in fact the mass of men at the time, it is quite evident, lived entirely on the material plane, worshipped the Godheads of material nature, sought from them entirely material objects. The effort of the Vedic mystics revealed to them the things behind through a power of inner sight and hearing and experience which was confined to a limited number of seers and sages and kept carefully secret from the mass of humanity secrecy was always insisted on by the mystics .” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-267, “A still deep sea, he laughs in rolling waves; Universal, he is all, — transcendent, none. To man’s righteousness this is his cosmic crime , Almighty beyond good and evil to dwell Leaving the good to their fate in a wicked world And evil to reign in this enormous scene.” Savitri-657, “All person perished in its namelessness.” Savitri-308, “Inconscient traders in bundles of contraries, They did what in others they would persecute; When their eyes looked upon their fellow’s vice, An indignation flamed, a virtuous wrath; Oblivious of their own deep-hid offence, Moblike they stoned a neighbour caught in sin. ” Savitri-209 “There is no necessity to reveal one’s plans and movements to those who have no business to know it, who are incapable of understanding or who would act as enemies or spoil all as a result of their knowledge. Secrecy is perfectly admissible and usual in spiritual matters except in special relations like that of the Shishya to the Guru . We do not let people outside know what is going on in the Ashram but we do not tell any lies about it either. Most Yogis say nothing about their spiritual experiences to others or not until long afterwards and secrecy was a general rule among the ancient Mystics. No moral or spiritual law commands us to make ourselves naked to the world or open up our hearts and minds for public inspection. Gandhi talked about secrecy being a sin but that is one of his many extravagances.” SABCL-26/On Himself/p-380, “The gnostic soul is not bound any more than the divine demoniac by the petty conventions and proprieties of the normal human life or the narrow rules through which it makes some shift to accommodate itself with the perplexing dualities of the lower nature and tries to guide its steps among the seeming contradictions of the world, to avoid its numberless stumbling-blocks and to foot with gingerly care around its dangers and pitfalls. The gnostic supramental life is abnormal to us because it is free to all the hardihoods and audacious delights of a soul dealing fearlessly and even violently with Nature, but yet is it the very normality of the infinite and all governed by the law of the Truth in its exact unerring process. It obeys the law of a self-possessed Knowledge, Love, Delight in an innumerable Oneness. It seems abnormal only because its rhythm is not measurable by the faltering beats of the mind, but yet it steps in a wonderful and transcendent measure." Sri Aurobindo/CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-503-504, “We may say that here in India the reign of Intuition came first, intellectual Mind developing afterwards in the later philosophy and science. But in fact the mass of men at the time, it is quite evident, lived entirely on the material plane, worshipped the Godheads of material nature, sought from them entirely material objects. The effort of the Vedic mystics revealed to them the things behind through a power of inner sight and hearing and experience which was confined to a limited number of seers and sages and kept carefully secret from the mass of humanity secrecy was always insisted on by the mystics. We may very well attribute this flowering of intuition on the spiritual plane to a rapid reemergence of the essential gains brought down from a previous cycle. If we analyse the spiritual history of India we shall find that after reaching this height there was a descent which attempted to take up each lower degree of the already evolved consciousness and link it to the spiritual at the summit. The Vedic age was followed by a great outburst of intellectual philosophy which yet took spiritual truth as its basis and tried to reach it anew, not through a direct intuitive or occult process as did the Vedic seers, but by the power of the mind’s reflective, speculative, logical thought; at the same time processes of Yoga were developed which used the thinking mind as a means of arriving at spiritual realisation, spiritualising this mind itself at the same time. Then followed an era of the development of philosophies and Yoga processes which more and more used the emotional and aesthetic being as the means of spiritual realisation and spiritualised the emotional level in man through the heart and feeling. This was accompanied by Tantric and other processes which took up the mental will, the life-will, the life of sensations and made them at once the instruments and the field of spiritualisation. In Hathayoga and in the various attempts at divinisation of the body there is also a line of endeavour which attempted to arrive at the same achievement with regard to living matter; but this still awaits the discovery of the true characteristic method and power of spirit in the body. We may say therefore that the universal Consciousness after its descent into Matter has conducted the evolution there along two lines, one of ascent to the discovery of the self and spirit, the other of descent through the already evolved levels of mind, life and body so as to bring down the spiritual consciousness into these also and to fulfil thereby some secret intention in the creation of the material universe. Our Yoga is in its principle a taking up and summarising and completing of this process, an endeavour to rise to the highest possible supramental level and bring down its consciousness and powers into mind, life and body. ” CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-267-268, "A light not born of sun or moon or fire, A light that dwelt within and saw within Shedding an intimate visibility Made secrecy more revealing than the word :" Savitri-525, 108: “But now her spirit’s flame of conscient force Retiring from a sweetness without fruit Called back her thoughts from speech to sit within In a deep room in meditation’s house .” Savitri-639, ‘I am given the awareness of how huge this thing (Divine descent) is one drop at a time…so I won’t be crushed,’ The Mother’s Agenda, July 15, 1961, "and this Subconscient transformation could be done ‘only in deep meditation…and not in any other time, in activity or even in concentration. " The Mother’s Agenda, December 11, 1963, “And it’s true, I have noticed it: at times when the Force comes with really all its might, it’s terrible! Even for those who are most used to it, even for the most courageous ... it’s hard. So it’s always like that: it contains itself so as not to be ...unbearable. What do you have to tell me? Nothing?... It’s a pity. I’m always the one who speaks!” The Mother’s Agenda/20.02.1968, “That is all right in the ordinary karmayoga which aims at union with the cosmic Spirit and stops short at the Overmind — but here a special work (of Subconscient transformation) has to be done and a new realisation achieved for the earth and not for ourselves alone. It is necessary to stand apart from the rest of the world so as to separate ourselves from the ordinary consciousness in order to bring down a new one.” CWSA-35/Letters on Himself and the Ashram-p-812-813, "I could have begun this work (of transformation) on the body thirty years ago, but I was constantly caught up in this harassing ashram life. It took this illness to enable me truly to begin doing the sadhana of the body. It does not mean that thirty years were wasted, for it is likely that had I been able to start this work thirty years ago, it would have been premature. The consciousness of the others also had to develop – the two are linked, the individual progress and the collective progress, and one cannot advance if the other does not advance." The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda-May 19, 1959, "You see, I have a solution for the transformation of the body, but … it’s never been done before, so it’s extremely … hard to believe. I cannot, I cannot believe that that’s it. Yet, it’s the only solution I see…. The body has a wish to go to sleep and awake … (“sleep” in a certain sense, of course: I remain perfectly conscious in consciousness, in the movement) and awake only after it is transformed … ( He (King Aswapati) travels on through waking and through sleep.” Savitri-72) … but people will never have the patience to stand it, to take care of me. The task is colossal, a herculean task; they’re nice (The Mother points to the bathroom), but they’re already doing their utmost, and I can’t ask for more....That’s the problem..... Yet, it’s the only solution to which the consciousness assents: .... “Yes, that’s it.”.... For, you see … there’s a certain state-yes, a state like this (The Mother closes a fist), self-absorbed, in which you are … at peace. ... But who? Who? To ask that of the people who take care of me is almost impossible." April-7/1973/Mother’s Agenda/Vol-13/P-389-397, 109: (Q) "Mother, previously things were very strict in the Ashram, but not now. Why? Yes, I have always said that it changed when we had to take the very little children. How can you envision an ascetic life with little sprouts no bigger than that? It’s impossible! But that’s the little surprise package the war left on our doorstep. When it was found that Pondicherry was the safest place on earth, naturally people came wheeling in here with all their baby carriages filled and asked us if we could shelter them, so we couldn’t very well turn them away, could we?! That’s how it happened, and in no other way ... But, in the beginning, the first condition for coming here was that you would have nothing more to do with your family! If a man was married, then he had to completely overlook the fact that he had a wife and children – completely sever all ties, have nothing further to do with them. And if ever a wife asked to come just because her husband happened to be here, we told her, ‘You have no business coming here!’" The Mother’s Agenda/August 25, 1954, "I don’t remember the context; but I suppose he [the writer of Yogic Sadhan] means that when one has to escape from the lower dharma , one has often to break it so as to arrive at a larger one. E.g. social duties, paying debts, looking after family, helping to serve your country, etc. etc. The man who turns to the spiritual life, has to leave all that behind him often and he is reproached by lots of people for his Adharma. But if he does not do this Adharma, he is bound for ever to the lower life — for there is always some duty there to be done — and cannot take up the spiritual dharma or can do it only when he is old and his faculties impaired." CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-438-439, Download this WEB PAGE as a PDF file: The Gita identifies developing Souls as arta, artharthi, jijnasu, mudha, vimudhah, durachari, sva-pake, papajonayah, striyah, shudra, vaisya, bala, alpa medhasam, alpa buddhayah, duskritam, duskritinah, samsayatma, yoga-bhrastah, asraddadhanah. They depend on outgoing sense movement for all their enjoyments. So, they suffer desire, anger, duality, ego, passion, pain, joy and grief. Similarly, they need external aid for Spiritual turn in the preparatory period of their life. The Lord further proposes that inferior human manifestations can transform quickly into saintly persons, khipram bhavati dharmatma , (The Gita-9.31) if they take refuge in Him alone through devotion and finally, they too attain the highest goal. It defines developed Souls in different terminologies of Dvija, Dvijottam (the best among the twice born), Yantra, Vibhuti, Avatara, Panditah, Sthita Prajna, Buddha, Maharsi, Debarsi, Siddhanam, Suhridam, Sadhunam, Sraddhavan, Jnanaban, Jnani, Jnaninah, nitya Sannyasi, Tyagi, Brahmachari, Munirbrahma, Muneh, Mumuksubhih, Yoginah, Tattva-darsinah, Tattvavit, Jitendriya, Visuddhatma, Dhira, Putah, Sthirabuddhi, Yati, Yatinam, Suhrud, Jitatmana, Triptatma, Prasantatma, Vijitatma, Asammudhah, Samyami, Bhakta rajarsayah, Brahmavid, Mahatma, Krshina-kalmasah, Krishna-vit, Dharmatma, Brahmavadinam, Mokshakankhivih, Atiba-priya Bhakta . Among the masculine personalities it has identified Janaka (A famous King and Sage and the Father of Mother Sita), Vivasvan (the Sun-God), Ikshavaku (head of the Solar line and the first king of solar race), Vrigu (son of Varuna , regarded as one of the Rishis in the Veda), Ushana (a Vibhuti among seer-poets), Kapila Muni (traditional founder and chief exponent of Sankhya system of philosophy), Narada (the heavenly sage who stands for Divine Love and Knowledge), Manu (mythological Father of mankind), Asita (name of the Vedic Seer), Devala (the name of the Vedic Seer), Vyasa (compiler of the Vedas, the Gita and the author of the Mahabharata ), Sanaka (son of the creator God, Brahma ), Prahllada (son of an Asura King Hiranyakasipu and true devotee of Lord Vishnu ), Arjuna (one of the five Pandava s, very dear to the external manifestation of Godhead, the best among the twice born Souls, Instruments and Emanations), Sanjaya (Dhritarashtra’s minister who was endowed with the power of celestial vision, trikaladristi ) and Lord Sri Krishna (son of Devaki, Godhead and the Lord of Ananda , one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu ) as developed Souls. Among the feminine personalities it has identified Kirti, Sree, Vak or Vani, Smriti, Medha, Dhriti and Kshama as developed Souls. They are unattached to outward touches for their happiness and are ever satisfied with themselves through inner contact with the Soul, nitya-trupto nirasrayah (The Gita-4.20). Similarly they can use but do not depend on external aid for their Spiritual fulfilment. The traditional Yoga of the Gita proposes that a developed Soul is free from seven deformations, vicaras, that of liking and disliking, iccha, dvesah, pleasure and pain, sukham, dukham , subjection to lower consciousness, chetana, place together truth and falsehood, sanghatah, tamasic and rajasic persistence, dhriti. A student of Integral Education will be at once a seeker of Integral Yoga, Integral Evolution, Integral Truth and Comprehensive Virginity extending over multiple subtle bodies in addition to his surface training of mind, vital and body. He will be aware of a Supramental world whose advent will be foreseen when earth life will be the playfield of more and more ‘superior human and invisible beings’¹⁷ hinted in Savitri as ‘Omnipotent’s flaming pioneers,’⁵ ‘mighty wardens,’²¹ ‘The sun-eyed children,’⁵ ‘radiant children of Eternity,’⁴ ‘princes of the Sun,’¹² ‘garbless deity,’⁶ ‘golden child,’⁷ ‘King-children,’¹⁵ ‘nude god-children,’¹⁸ ‘The heroic leaders of coming time,’¹⁵ ‘The Infants of the Monarchy of the worlds,’¹⁵ ‘Nameless the austere ascetics without home’¹⁵ ‘sunlight moulded like a golden maid,’⁸ ‘high-bred maiden,’⁹ ‘golden bride,’¹⁰ ‘the eternal bride,’¹¹ ‘golden virgin,’¹⁶ ‘virgin bridals of the dawn,’¹² and the ‘citizens of that mother state.’¹³ Savitri book also proposes Developed Souls to accept the Psychic being as the only and one and the best friend of their whole life and all life or "His only comrade is the Strength within." (Savitri-368) (References of above para is avilable in this link. )

The Mother's Manifestation The editor of this book believes that apart from the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Gita, Sri Aurobindo’s principal Teaching, The Synthesis of Yoga is one of the best standards of the race. Its Teaching is so vast, catholic and impersonal that all can accept but only a few aspirant Souls can live it’s message which is the reconciliation of perfect Spirit with imperfect Matter. The Mother’s Manifestation book is a utilitarian interpretation of the book The Synthesis of Yoga. It insists on a Sadhaka becoming accountable for his sadhana to his own Self, to the World and to the Divine in three stages. Firstly, he will trace a path of his own sadhana by constantly renewing, reshaping, reliving and restating the best written standard available to the race and by noting the full account of his human imperfection and Self-perfection. Secondly, during the concentration, contemplation and meditation of these formative truths extending over decades, he receives new overhead Divine Wisdom, Divine Will and Divine Love and the unending instrumental exercise of a Sadhaka is to learn this lesson of the Infinite which gets precedence over all other appetite and interest. Lastly, he will be a Divine Centre of the world by receiving the Divine energies, of holding them in the purified and transformed human vessel, of transmitting them to the surrounding world and of fulfilling the deficiencies of men. His Soul strength is weighed and augmented from his capacity for ceaseless action, ceaseless concentration to hold and transmit ceaseless Divine Love, Delight and Beauty and finally the capacity to remember the Divine uninterruptedly through ceaseless Japa. The perfect utilisation of the opportunities of integral Yoga is identified as to use the time and space exclusively for the ascent and descent of Consciousness and by this vertical movement through the assistance of the triple Yoga of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti, one arrives at the birth of experiencing Timeless Eternity and Spaceless Infinity and their manifestation through new birth of time and space. The Mother’s Consciousness is that which rests on the One and acts in all existence and this consciousness manifests on earth by penetrating into finite things, phenomena and forms to produce infinite harmony, freedom and perfection. OM TAT SAT DOWNLOAD THIS MANUSCRIPT

Sri Karthikeya Anurakta "But where is the Lover’s everlasting Yes," Savitri-310 The Vision of Superman "A strict obedience to the wise and intuitive leading of a Guide is also normal and necessary for all but a few specially gifted seekers.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-22/The Life Divine/p-940-941 (This decade-old letter on spiritual and occult experience is produced here after getting consent from Sri K. Anurakta, who has undergone considerable adventure in Consciousness by the time.) Date: 23.08.2002. Dear Maa Krishna, I am posting a reply today to your wonderful E-mails. “The Descent” also received today. With love at Their Feet. Anurakta. Om Namo Bhagavate The Mother's House Brahmapur 22.08.2002 Divine Amar Atman!, My Adorable Father, My deep love and pranam at your feet. To-day is Rakhya Purnima . Yesterday (night of 21.08.2002 from 10 pm. to 12 midnight) I saw an illumined vision on you. I discovered myself in Pondicherry . I was thinking of going to you since it was Rakhya Bandhan day. I met a young Ashramite and asked him whether he can bring for me a Rakhee from the market. He agreed and brought one Rakhee, it was golden colour and there was capital letter 'N' written on it. So I asked him why he brought this type of Rakhee , he replied since your brother's name begins with N so I brought this Rakhee. I told him to bring another Rakhee for me. Then he gave me another Rakhee with the letter Om on it. This Rakhee is intended for you. I took these two Rakhees to Maha Samadhi to get it touched. Then I went to your house. It was not the house of Handmade paper factory but a house in another world… You were in your house in bare body ( upper part). Seeing me you searched for your Dhoti . Your two attendants were also there. They searched for your Dhoti but there were no Dhoti in your house. I felt sorrow and I searched from the nearby almira and got one Dhoti with bluish-white colour. Then I thought whenever I will come from Brahmapur I will bring one Dhoti for you. Then I went to the market in order to purchase two Dhotis for you. When I returned from the market I saw you were meeting two or three nos of beggars who came to meet you. Then you went to your inner chamber. I followed you to that room. Then from your body I saw the Superman (Supramental being) is coming out. I was astonished and thought that since Superman is emerging from your body so no dress is required for you and dresses are vanishing from your house. I also got the instruction to keep this event secret. Kindly acknowledge the receipt of the August issue of 'The Descent' that you will receive soon (it was sent on 19.08.2002). After seeing this dream I am hopeful and getting Ananda . With our deep love and prayer. At Their Lotus Feet S.A. Maa Krishna. N.B. As later recollected initially in the dream your body colour was yellowish white. When Superman came out of your body, the colour of the body of Superman was shining copper. The vibration of the event was exceptional as great action took place. OM SRI AUROBINDO MAA 23.08.2002 Very Dear Maa Krishna, Thank you very much for your E-mail of 22.08.2002 which have really overwhelmed me. (I am not E-mailing this letter/ acknowledgement as my Email are sent by a staff member and for this I cherish privacy.) The clarity, truth and force of your vision and The Mother’s confirmation of its accuracy have been much more than I could have anticipated. I have been aware for a year or so that an area of my body not to the bottom (lowest) Chakra have Supramental vibrations, but this amounts to a few hundred cells compared with the vast number of cells in the body. So is because of this that my legs and left foot have been reacting so strangely. I have few visions as my vital being separates itself from ‘me’ very easily and leaves me to sleep and dream with little higher vitality. But from the few ‘visions’ and am permitted to remember they all concern themselves with defending the Ashram from powerfully negative occult forces. So the experience described by you comes as a heavy impact for I have no visions or dreams of my life in the Ashram at any level. My highest (or deepest) yearning or aspiration is to fully surrender to Sri Aurobindo and to unite with His Consciousness. But I am of course dedicated to continuing Their work in this body for as long as it is needed. Your observation about Dhotis is nicely relevant and also amusing as I have so many Dhotis it seems after giving older ones away. But of course, the transformed being will not need such things. The reference to meeting beggars is most appropriate as not only do I have the highest admiration for Avadhoots but I feel it is also important that in our aspiration for Supramentality we do not leave the beggar and very poor people too far behind. I am keeping your E-mail as a ‘treasure’ to remind me of the higher aspect of my Sadhana during the continuous days of effort and service! The Mother confirms that the shining Copper is the correct body colour in this context. I will acknowledge ‘The Descent’ as soon as I receive it. (Just arrived on my Desk!!) My love to you…. And my gratitude for your spiritual clarity. At Their Feet, Signed Anurakta “Either man must fulfil himself by satisfying the Divine within him or he must produce out of himself a new and greater being who will be more capable of satisfying it. He must either himself become a divine humanity or give place to a Superman.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-222 “All that [ideas such as “everything will soon be spiritualised”] is absurd. The descent of the supramental means only that the Power will be there in the earth consciousness as a living force just as the thinking mental and the higher mental are already there. But an animal cannot take advantage of the presence of the thinking mental Power or an undeveloped man of the presence of the higher mental Power — so too everybody will not be able to take advantage of the presence of the supramental Power. I have also often enough said that it will be at first for the few, not for the whole earth, — only there will be a growing influence of it on the earth life.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-290 “It is not intended to supramentalise humanity at large, but to establish the principle of the supramental consciousness in the earth-evolution. If that is done, all that is needed will be evolved by the supramental Power itself. It is not therefore important that the mission should be widespread. What is important is that the thing should be done at all in however small a number ; that is the only difficulty…It would therefore be a waste of time and energy which should be devoted to the preliminary work psychicisation and spiritualisation of the being and nature without which no supramentalisation is possible.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I-288-290 Sri Matriniketan Ashram Sri Aurobindo Centre, Managed by The Mother’s International Centre Trust, Regd.No-146/24.11.97. Vill: Ramachandrapur, PO: Kukudakhandi-761100, Via: Brahmapur, Dist: Ganjam, State: Odisha, India https://www.srimatriniketanashram.com/education/photo Sri K Anurakta's Photos Sri K Anurakta's Childhood Photos Sri K Anurakta and the Evolution of Sri Matriniketan Ashram (Kindle Book) Sri K. Anurakta’s surface personality is hinted from the following information:- Date of Birth: 5th February-1932, 7.30 A.M., Place of Birth: Bournemouth, U.K. Name given by parents: ANTONY DAVID ROCHELLE The Mother gave the name ‘ANURAKTA’ in November 1961 and he added the prefix KARTIKEYA later on. Met the Mother at Pondicherry at the age of 28, in the year 1960 and stayed permanently. Name in the passport: ANTONY DAVID KARTIKEYA ANURAKTA . Date of departure of earthly body: 25.09.2014. We felt in Sri K. Anurakta the Presence of perfect Arya and our exceedingly good fortune in meeting him: “ The perfect Arhat (Arya) is he who is able to live simultaneously in all these three apparent states of existence (a consciousness which is at once transcendental, universal and individual), elevate lower into higher, receive higher into the lower, so that he may represent perfectly in the symbols of the world that with which he is identified in all parts of his being, the triple and triune Brahman .” "This will be to him his (a Sadhaka of Integral Yoga) exceeding good fortune if he can meet one who has realised or is becoming That which he seeks for and can by opening to it in this vessel of its manifestation himself realise it." "The safest way is to follow the guidance of someone who has himself attained to mastery in the path. Only that guidance should be implicitly and sincerely followed; one’s own mind and its ideas and fancies must not be allowed to interfere. It goes without saying that it must be a true guidance, not the leading of a tyro or an impostor." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-13/Essays in Philosophy and Yoga/p-444, CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-130 CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-810 “And it shall also be a sign of the teacher of the integral Yoga that he does not arrogate to himself Guruhood in a humanly vain and self-exalting spirit. His work, if he has one, is a trust from above, he himself a channel, a vessel or a representative. He is a man helping his brothers, a child leading children, a Light kindling other lights, an awakened Soul awakening souls, at highest a Power or Presence of the Divine calling to him other powers of the Divine. Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-67-68 “As for the disciple, I would tell him: “In all cases, be faithful to your guru whoever he is; he will lead you as far as you can go. But if you have the good fortune to have the Divine as your guru, there will be no limit to your realisation.”" The Mother TMCW-12/On Education/p-63,

Editor's Note I offer this work, ‘Savitri understanding of Auroprem’ at the Lotus Feet of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo for Their Divine Manifestation, our Divine transformation and for Their sole satisfaction only. We have accepted Savitri as a book of pure Spiritual experience where knowledge on this terrestrial objective World, the Supraterrestrial world linking the Terrestrial with Supracosmic and Supracosmic Source are extensively explored. In this paper, an effort has been made to open towards the Lord’s limitless vision and higher Words from above and it may not be considered as the final verdict on the unfathomable Mysteries but as an initial preliminary approach of our building relation and contact with the Supreme. Here also many of the emotional feelings of Auroprem are taken into account because the Divine takes care of our Personal and Impersonal needs and He suffers through our limitations to lead us toward His Absolute state. I offer this paper again at Their Lotus Feet, to transform this initial approach as an occasion and field of constant renovation and restatement and with each revision we are able to overcome some errors related to our understanding of the book. These errors were observed while identifying the planes of Consciousness from which each line of Savitri has descended. I also issue this declaration that like Auroprem , I too am a beginner and learner in Savitri’s eternal unfolding of Truth and all our visions, observations, understandings and comments require change with our new revelation, realisation, elevation, sublimation and reversal of Consciousness. We have taken this Savitri study as part of our Sadhana (1) to illumine those parts which are having direct Contact with the Divine and this Spiritual endeavour is subordinated by (2) intellectual action of partly understanding the mysteries and truths and hierarchies of Consciousness it has explored. In order to understand each line of Savitri, we have gathered together and taken the task of collecting the complementary lines from the same book and The Mother and Sri Aurobindo’s other writings published in the Centenary Edition and The Mother’s Agenda. We have narrated our understanding on them based on the limitation of our Spiritual experience. This exercise continued through decades and now we are going through its third revision. During each revision, we discover our error and limitation and particularly we have amended our stand related with planes of Consciousness from which each line of Savitri has descended. This exercise we understand as a means of tracing a path of own sadhana and a means of transcending our existing limitations through the movement of Consciousness. We have identified ten planes of Consciousness. They are in the following ascending order: 1: Inconscient Self and Inconscient Sheath 2: Subconscient Self and Subconscient Sheath 3: True Physical Being and Subtle Physical Sheath 4: True Vital Being and Subtle Vital Sheath 5: True Mental Being and Subtle Mental Sheath 6: Psychic Being and Psychic Sheath 7: Spiritual Being and Spiritual Sheath 8: Universal Being and Universal Sheath 9: Supramental Being and Supramental Sheath 10: Bliss Self and Bliss Sheath Our approach towards written truth is guided by The Mother And Sri Aurobindo’s following directives: 1: “Only those Scriptures, religions, philosophies which can be thus constantly renewed, relived, their stuff of permanent truth constantly reshaped and developed in the inner thought and spiritual experience of a developing humanity, continue to be of living importance to mankind. The rest remain as monuments of the past, but have no actual force or vital impulse for the future....The traditions of the past are very great in their own place, in the past, but I do not see why we should merely repeat them and not go farther. In the spiritual development of the consciousness upon earth the great past ought to be followed by a greater future…” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita-5 CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-480 2: “…all truth and practice too strictly formulated becomes old and loses much, if not all, of its virtue; it must be constantly renovated by fresh streams of spirit revivifying the dead and dying vehicle and changing it, if it is to acquire a new life.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA/23 The Synthesis of Yoga-p-5 3: “In a sense, therefore, each man in this path has his own method of Yoga. Yet are there certain broad lines of working common to all which enable us to construct not indeed a routine system, but yet some kind of Shastra or scientific method of the synthetic Yoga.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/THE SYNTHESIS OF YOGA-46-47 4: “So also one may say that the perfection of the integral Yoga will come when each man is able to follow his own path of Yoga, pursuing the development of his own nature in its upsurging towards that which transcends the nature. For freedom is the final law and the last consummation.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-23/THE SYNTHESIS OF YOGA-57 5: “The ways have been built, the capacity to follow them has been developed, the goal or last height of the creation is manifest; all that is left is for each soul to reach individually the right stage and turn of its development, enter into the spiritual ways and pass by its own chosen path out of this inferior existence. But we have supposed that there is a farther intention, — not only a revelation of the Spirit, but a radical and integral transformation of Nature.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-22/THE LIFE DIVINE-922-923 6: “This depends a great deal on the degree of the sadhak’s development, you see. If he is developed and conscious enough to be in direct contact with the spiritual Force which is working behind the words, then the word is only an excuse. But if for him it must pass through his mental understanding in order to have its effect, then the word takes on a much greater importance. It depends on the degree of development… If one is capable of receiving directly, then one opens a book for instance, finds a sentence and has an illumination; because it was just the word one was waiting for in order to put himself into contact with the Force he needed to take the next step…Otherwise one must take a book, study it, read it sentence by sentence, word by word, and then reflect and then understand it and then assimilate it and then, later, very slowly, after the assimilation and understanding, it begins to have an effect on the character and one makes some progress…In one case it is a direct contact, you see, and just one sentence, one word... one reads a word, reads a sentence, and has an illumination. And then one receives all the Force that one needs. The other is the path of the learned man, the scholar, who is an intellectual being and needs to learn, reflect, assimilate, reason about all he has learnt, in order to make progress. It is long, it is laborious.” The Mother TMCW-7/Questions and Answers-1955/p-341-342, 7: “The importance of Savitri is immense. Its subject is universal. Its revelation is prophetic. The time spent in its atmosphere is not wasted. Take all the time necessary to see this exhibition. It will be a happy compensation for the feverish haste men put now in all they do.” The Mother TMCW-13/Words of the Mother-I/p-26 10 February 1967 8: “Every time I read Savitri , I feel as if I am reading it for the first time, really. It’s not that I understand differently, it’s that its completely new: I never read it before! It’s odd. Its at least the fourth time I read it. And truly there’s everything in it. All the things I’ve discovered lately were there. And I hadn’t seen it. It’s odd. The first time I read it was a revelation; it hung together perfectly well from beginning to end, and I felt I had understood (I did understand something). The second time I read it, I said to myself, “But this isn’t the same thing as what I read!...” It hung together, it made up a whole – and I understood something else. Then, recently when I read, at every passage I said to myself, “How new this is! And how the things I have found since are there!” Today again, that’s how it is, as if I read it for the first time! And it puts me into contact with the things I have just discovered. It’s a miraculous book! (The Mother laughs) We’ll continue in the same way.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-6th June-1970 9: “I am not doing it (Savitri translation) to show it to people or to have anyone read it, but to remain in Savitri's atmosphere, for I love that atmosphere. It will give me an hour of concentration, and I'll see if by chance. I have no gift for poetry, but I'll see if it comes! (It surely won't come from a mentality developed in this present existence there's no poetic gift!) So it's interesting, I'll see if anything comes. I am going to give it a try. I know that light. I am immediately plunged into it each time I read Savitri. It is a very, very beautiful light… So now I don't mind finishing The Synthesis (of Yoga). I was a little bothered because I have no other books by Sri Aurobindo to translate that can help me in my sadhana: there was only The Synthesis . As I said, it always came right on time, just when it was needed for a particular experience… All his other books that could help me are already translated. And with Savitri, the idea isn't to make a translation, but to SEE. To try something. To give me the daily experience of that contact. I had some magnificent experiences when I read it the first time (two years ago, I believe). Wonderful, wonderful experiences! And since then, each time I read those lines, the same thing happens – not the same experience, but I come in contact with the same realm.” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-18.09.1962 10: “He (Sri Aurobindo) has made the work easy for us. "SAVITRI" is his whole Yoga of transformation, and this yoga now comes for the first time to the earth consciousness. I think that man is not yet ready to receive it. It is too high and too vast for him. He cannot understand it, grasp it for it is not by the mind that one can understand "SAVITRI". It needs spiritual experiences to understand and assimilate it. The more one advances on the path of Yoga the more one assimilates.” The Mother The Mother’s Talk to Mona Sarkar/ page-5-6 11: “And for Sri Aurobindo’s writings (not all), it is the same; there are certain things I had truly understood, in the sense that they were already understood far more deeply and truly than even an enlightened mentality understands them—they were already felt and lived—and now, they take on a completely different meaning. I read some of those sentences or ideas that are expressed in few words, three or four words, in which he does not say things fully: he simply seems to let them fall like drops of water; when I read them at the time (sometimes not long ago; sometimes only two or three years ago), I had an experience which are far deeper or vaster than that of intelligence, but now...a spark of Light suddenly appears in them, and I say, “Oh, but I had not seen that!” And it’s the whole understanding or CONTACT with things that I had never had before. It happened to me again just yesterday evening. And I said to myself, “But then...then there are in that certain things...we still have a long, long, long way to go to truly understand them.” Because that spark of Light is something very, very pure— very intense and very pure — and it contains an absolute. And since it contains that (I have not always felt it; I have felt other things, I have felt great light, I have felt a great power, I have felt something that already explained everything, but this is something else, it is something which is beyond), so I concluded (laughing), “Well, we still have a long way to go before we can understand Sri Aurobindo! ”” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-5/p-197-98, The complementary line related with the Mother’s above Spiritual experience: “As when before the eye that wakes in sleep Is opened the sombre binding of a book, Illumined letterings are seen which kept A golden blaze of thought inscribed within, A marvellous form responded to her gaze Whose sweetness justified life’s blindest pain; All Nature’s struggle was its easy price, The universe and its agony seemed worth while.” Savitri-679 This ‘Auroprem’s Savitri Study’ i s still very far from the above mentioned vision. It has made an initial effort to live in Their untiring Divine influence, Divine company and Divine atmosphere which can substitute the tiring transitory human influence, human company and fragile human love. Savitri gives us this message that all aspiring man can ascend from mere man to the consciousness of ascending integral Godhead and this journey towards imperishable Light and lost lucent immensity, which can begin with the faint wealth of ecstasy and prayer, even when we lie embedded in ordinary earthly consciousness and fail to look into our Souls and culminates life that reposes in the Law of exceeding ecstasy. It has transcended the four kinds of exclusive Spiritual experiences followed by four-fold exclusive Ananda of traditional schools of Yoga and declares firmly that a joy becomes imperfect if it is not shared by all. It has identified the power of human love and effort as vain to ‘break earth’s seal of ignorance and death’ and the all powerful Divine Love as ‘sealed book’ for developing Souls or the beginners of integral Yoga and does not rule out the transformation of human love into Divine Love through consecration and activation of higher instrumentation of the Spirit. The Power of Love has opened the door of swift Spiritual Evolution but has not yet intensified to conquer Death. Savitri drives Souls of strong to uncover that shadow-less Love to which Death and Fate will submit and capable of bridging the gulf between the surface-physical life as we know it and the Supramental Ananda that will manifest. To recapitulate, this Auroprem’s Savitri study has emerged as a cradle of our Spiritual endeavour. We offer this study to the Lord and pray to Him to grant this temporary platform as a Soul-saving cradle of the long beginning of the Spiritual journey and help us to build a permanent platform within. Lastly, I offer this incomplete and unending exercise of ‘Auroprem’s Savitri Study’ at Their Lotus Feet. OM TAT SAT At T heir Feet, S.A. Maa Krishna The Mother “....I am waiting—I am millions of years old and I am waiting (to complete the Divine task).” The Mother The Mother’s Agenda-6/347, “Since the beginning of the earth, wherever and whenever there was the possibility of manifesting a ray of the Consciousness, I was there.” The Mother The Mother’s Centenary Works/13/p-37, 1 / Book 1, Canto 1 - The Symbol Dawn Summary or A Brief Restatement: This Book-1, Canto-1 has much Spiritual importance as the content of the whole book is compressed in this single Canto. The Canto begins with the message from the beginning of this earth which is also ‘the hour before the Gods awake’ (Savitri-1) and ends with the message of the future earth when Satyavan will conquer physical death and this is also identified as the hour of 'a greater dawn.' (Savitri-724) The time spent from the beginning of creation to the end of creation, which is known as All Time, and the life spent through the subtle links of the union from the beginning of creation to the end of creation, known here as All Life; Savitri gathered and accumulated her Spiritual energy through all life and all Time which is symbolized here as ‘Twelve swift-winged months’ (Savitri-431) and ‘this day returning Satyavan must die.’ (Savitri-431) The whole of Savitri is written from a plane of cosmic Consciousness ("The calm delight that weds one soul to all," Savitri-6) where 'All grew a consecration and a rite' (Savitri-4) and all the ten subtle planes meet each other linking earth and heaven. So this book gives us a lesson to learn 'the adventure of consciousness' (Savitri-2) and removes the gulf created between ten Selves and ten sheaths and the persistent slow dynamic Divine energy 'Persuaded the inert black quietude' (Savitri-3) to transform Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths. This Canto gives the foreknowledge of the advent of 'a marvellous birth' (Savitri-5) of feminine Avatar which is 'A Form from far beatitudes' (Savitri-4) of Sachchidananda plane. Her Presence and Power are 'Too perfect to be held by death-bound hearts.' (Savitri-5) Her immortal work is 'to confront death on her road.' (Savitri-7) Even in the hour of grim meeting with death and fear, 'No cry broke from her lips, no call for aid;...Calm was her face and courage kept her mute.' (Savitri-8 ) 'Her spirit opened to the Spirit in all...The universal Mother's love was hers.' (Savitri-8) All the descriptions in this book are in symbolic language meant for undergoing Spiritual experiences. If we confine these symbols to literal and earthly meaning, it will be a Spiritual blunder that may culminate in 'the oblivion that succeeds the' (Savitri-3) Spiritual fall. The Soul saving non-escapist truth revealed in Savitri is disturbing to the ordinary mind, liberated Souls, later Vedantist , Illusionist and Nirvanist . Hence, the Spiritual Message of Savitri is for strong and pure Souls who are destined to reconcile Spirit and Matter of ancient Vedantic doctrine. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Immobile in herself, she gathered force. (Savitri utilized time and space exclusively for the accumulation of Spiritual energy.) This was the day when Satyavan must die.” Savitri-10 2 / Book 1, Canto 2 - The Issue Summary or A Brief Restatement: This Canto makes us aware of 'An absolute supernatural darkness' (Savitri-11) that visits the Soul of man while he moves toward God. This evil fate or doom is the child of the past negative energies and the accumulated Soul Force through sadhana, can travel back in time, and illumine the past obscurities and events. Thus, through each Divine intervention, the destiny is rewritten. Savitri is here the symbol of Spirit's Timeless dynamic Power, Paraprakriti, who 'Can lift the yoke imposed by birth in Time.' (Savitri-12) The issue is also, to exhaust 'An old account of suffering' (Savitri-13) and to arrest the wheels of earth’s "Doom this greatness rose.” (Savitri-19) Heaven protected Savitri’s virginity through her pure and dense subtle physical sheath which acted as a 'tranquil shield.' (Savitri-16) “To wrestle with the Shadow she had come” (Savitri-17) “Was her soul's issue thrown with Destiny's dice.” (Savitri-17) Soul and Nature are the dice players. Nature always meets life with Doom. To win the game in all life is the Soul’s issue which 'with her nude spirit measure the Infinite’s night.' (Savitri-13) In this play Soul has to accumulate extreme Spiritual force in the form of 'self's bare reality' (Savitri-14) or 'the superman casts its seed' (Savitri-19) to become mightier than all the material forces of the world and wrestles with them to compel its own transfiguration. This Canto also hints that Savitri had attained universalised Consciousness or 'The great World-Mother now in her arose.' (Savitri-21) This empowers her to open 'the door denied and closed' (Savitri-21) of dark Subconscient and Inconscient sheath and dislodges the past which acts as a block in her immortal journey. This activation of dynamic cosmic Consciousness 'reversed fate's cold dead turn' (Savitri-21) and bursts the bound nature of three Gunas of limited exclusive concentration and opens the door of triple time. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "Her will must cancel her body’s destiny. For only the unborn spirit’s timeless power Can lift the yoke imposed by birth in Time." Savitri-12 "The fixity of the cosmic sequences Fastened with hidden inevitable links She must disrupt, dislodge by her soul’s force Her past, a block on the Immortal’s road, Make a rased ground and shape anew her fate." Savitri-12 “Whether to bear with Ignorance and death Or hew the ways of Immortality, To win or lose the godlike game for man , Was her soul's issue thrown with Destiny's dice. But not to submit and suffer was she born; To lead, to deliver was her glorious part.” Savitri-17 “If once it (earth) met the intense original Flame, An answering touch might shatter all measures made And earth sink down with the weight of the Infinite.” Savitri-18 3 / Book 1, Canto 3 - The Yoga Of The Soul's Release A Brief Restatement: Now this Book-1, Canto-3 is the most important Canto for the beginners of integral Yoga. Here it hints how through King Aswapati’s movement of Consciousness, ten energy centres or ten Selves opened and their corresponding action in the respective ten Sheaths, here known as ‘all Nature.’ The opening of ten Selves and Their influence on ten sheaths: " A heavenlier function with a finer mode Lit with its grace man’s outward earthliness; The soul’s experience of its deeper sheaths No more slept drugged by Matter’s dominance." Savitri-27 Inconscient Self: "As a sculptor chisels a deity out of stone He slowly chipped off the dark envelope, Line of defence of Nature’s ignorance, The illusion and mystery of the Inconscient In whose black pall the Eternal (in the form of Inconscient Self) wraps his head That he may act unknown in cosmic Time.” (the discovery of Inconscient Self) Savitri-36 Subconscient Self: "A treasure was found of a supernal Day. In the deep subconscient glowed her jewel-lamp; Lifted, it showed the riches of the Cave Where, by the miser traffickers of sense Unused, guarded beneath Night’s dragon paws, In folds of velvet darkness they sleep Whose priceless value could have saved the world.” (the discovery of Subconscient Self) Savitri-42 True Physical Self: " Even his body’s subtle self within Could raise the earthly parts towards higher things And feel on it the breath of heavenlier air." Savitri-43 True Vital Self: " A deeper interpretation greatened Truth, A grand reversal of the Night and Day; All the world’s values changed heightening life’s aim ; A wiser word, a larger thought came in Than what the slow labour of human mind can bring, A secret sense awoke that could perceive A Presence and a Greatness everywhere." Savitri-42 True Mental Self: “Apart he lived in his mind’s solitude, A demigod shaping the lives of men: One soul’s ambition lifted up the race; A Power worked, but none knew whence it came." Savitri-44 Psychic Self: "His soul breaks out to join the Oversoul, His life is oceaned by that superlife." Savitri-24 Spiritual Self: " A beam of the Eternal smites his heart, His thought stretches into infinitude; All in him turns to spirit vastnesses." Savitri-23-24 Universal Self: " He has drunk from the breasts of the Mother of the worlds; A topless Supernature fills his frame: She adopts his spirit’s everlasting ground As the security of her changing world And shapes the figure of her unborn mights." Savitri-24 Supramental Self: “Inspired by silence and the closed eyes' sight (Supramental action of King Aswapati) His force could work with a new luminous art On the crude material from which all is made And the refusal of Inertia's mass And the grey front of the world's Ignorance And nescient Matter and the huge error of life." Savitri-36 “Hardly for a moment glimpsed viewless to Mind, (Brief Supramental experience.) As if a torch held by a power of God, The radiant world of the everlasting Truth Glimmered like a faint star bordering the night Above the golden Overmind’s shimmering ridge.” Savitri-41 Bliss Self: "A glory and a rapture and a charm, The All-Blissful sat unknown within the heart; Earth’s pains were the ransom of its prisoned delight. A glad communion tinged the passing hours; The days were travellers on a destined road, The nights companions of his musing spirit." Savitri-43 This movement of Consciousness is complex in Nature and for our understanding purpose, we have simplified it. This is made on the basis of our study and understanding of ‘The Synthesis of Yoga’ book. First, by practising any of the triple Yoga, the Spiritual being opens and by the pressure of static Spirit or ascent of the Spirit, the universal Self, Supramental Self and Bliss Self open. By the pressure of dynamic Spirit, the Psychic being, and triple Selves of true Physical, true Vital and true Mental being open. By the pressure of the Supramental Self, the Subconscient and Inconscient Selves open. Thus the movement of consciousness undulates between the Inconscient and Bliss plane. Through these movements, the ten Sheaths are purified, transformed, enlarged and perfected. The Gita hints movement of Consciousness from Kshara (Psychic) Purusha to Akshara (Spiritual) Purusha or from waking trance to non-waking trance which substitutes the movements of consciousness between three gunas. Then after a long movement between the Psychic and Spiritual plane, one is considered fit to open the Supramental Self or Purshottama . This triple movement of Consciousness hinted in the Gita is extensively developed in integral Yoga as movement between ten Selves and their ten Sheaths. Now in other Cantos, we will experience King Aswapati’s extensive movement in different planes of Consciousness. For a higher Spiritual life, this Canto insists on calling down more and more silence, peace and calmness and to maintain equality in all circumstances and in all happenings. By maintaining these conditions, Consciousness can best experience its vertical movement by replacing the earlier circular and arrested movements of three gunas . OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: (Discovery of Spiritual being and Universal Being) “Each action left the footprints of a god,” Savitri-23 “A spirit that is a flame of God abides, A fiery portion of the Wonderful, Artist of his own beauty and delight, Immortal in our mortal poverty.” Savitri-23 “As so he grew into his larger self,” Savitri-26 (Cosmic Self) “He neared the still consciousness sustaining all.” Savitri-32 “He comes unseen into our darker parts And, curtained by the darkness, does his work, A subtle and all-knowing guest and guide, Till they too feel the need and will to change. All here must learn to obey a higher law, Our body’s cells must hold the Immortal’s flame." Savitri-35 "At last was won a firm spiritual poise, A constant lodging in the Eternal's realm, A safety in the Silence and the Ray, A settlement in the Immutable. “ Savitri-36 (King Aswapati’s realisation of Spiritual Being, Akshara Purusha ) 4 / Book 1, Canto 4 - The Secret Knowledge A Brief Restatement: Here the Secret Knowledge is divided into five parts. First part: This Canto hints that when we are unconscious and feel ourselves stagnant, there are parts of being that grow towards the Divine during that period. There is much hope here for the beginners of Yoga which is identified as the first secret of Sadhana . “Even when we fail to look into our souls Or lie embedded in earthly consciousness, Still have we parts that grow towards the light, Yet are there luminous tracts and heavens serene And Eldorados of splendour and ecstasy And temples to the godhead none can see.” Savitri-46-47 When we live in darkness and our tamasic mind is the only lamp in that obscure field, there too, the Truth-Light enters like a thief and its charm and sweetness open many closed doors of our life. About this mystery we must be aware and open: "When darkness deepens strangling the earth’s breast And man’s corporeal mind is the only lamp, As a thief’s in the night shall be the covert tread Of one who steps unseen into his house. A Voice ill-heard shall speak, the soul obey, A Power into mind’s inner chamber steal, A charm and sweetness open life’s closed doors And beauty conquer the resisting world, The Truth-Light capture Nature by surprise, A stealth of God compel the heart to bliss And earth grow unexpectedly divine." Savitri-55 Its complementary lines are found in other Canto: (Savitri said after her Psychic being is Supramentalised.) “If the chamber’s door is even a little ajar, What then can hinder God from stealing in Or who forbid his kiss on the sleeping soul?” Savitri-649 (Divine said) “Even the many shall some answer make And bear the splendour of the Divine’s rush And his (Divine’s) impetuous (hasty) knock at unseen doors.” Savitri-709 When we live alone with ourselves, leaving our cherished guests outside, that is the condition of meeting the Divine and through the movement of Divine Consciousness, the gulfs between different subtle worlds are bridged. "In moments when the inner lamps are lit And the life’s cherished guests are left outside, Our spirit sits alone and speaks to its gulfs." Savitri-47 This first part of Secret Knowledge suggests that all men knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously receive the Divine's touch but a few of them are capable of catching and holding the Divine flame and can lead a greater and higher Spiritual life. All can enter Supramental’s huge store for a very brief period with new creations, new inventions and new opulence at their disposal but none can stay in that world permanently. Only a few, who have a strong subtle and causal body can enter the Supramental world for a longer period and can descend into the Subconscient and Inconscient night for a longer period and experience conscious transformation. "A fire has come and touched men’s hearts and gone; A few have caught flame and risen to greater life." Savitri-7 "Only they knew what Mind could take and build Out of the secret Supermind’s huge store." Savitri-187 “There man can visit but there he cannot live.” Savitri-659 Second part: This Canto hints that for those who are aware of the above mystery, the Divine Chooses a few of them as His instrument and by the touch of His infinite Grace and Force, their frontal Nature is predominated by Silence, Stillness, Calm and Peace. "In the unfolding process of the Self Sometimes the inexpressible Mystery Elects a human vessel of descent. A breath comes down from a supernal air, A Presence is born, a guiding Light awakes, A stillness falls upon the instruments: Fixed, motionless like a marble monument, Stone-calm, the body is a pedestal Supporting a figure of eternal Peace.” Savitri-47 Third Part: Awareness of the Guardians of the Supramental world or World-Creators who oversee (1) Fate, (2) Chance, and (3) Divine Work through Divine Will. If we do this Yoga, then these invisible Guardians from the Supramental world will come down to help us, help in our ascent of the Soul, and give protection to our Sadhana life, they will help to change our destiny, transform chance into decreed Spiritual life and will expedite the Divine work, Divine Purification, transformation, and perfection. “A greater Personality sometimes Possesses us which yet we know is ours:” Savitri-47 “He (man) is ignorant of the meaning of his life, He is ignorant of his high and splendid fate. Only the Immortals on their deathless heights Dwelling beyond the walls of Time and Space, Masters of living, free from the bonds of Thought, Who are overseers of Fate and Chance and Will And experts of the theorem of world-need, Can see the Idea, the Might that change Time’s course, Come maned with light from undiscovered worlds, Hear, while the world toils on with its deep blind heart, The galloping hooves of the unforeseen event, Bearing the superhuman Rider, near And, impassive to earth’s din and startled cry, Return to the silence of the hills of God; As lightning leaps, as thunder sweeps, they pass And leave their mark on the trampled breast of Life.” Savitri-53-54 “Immaculate in self-knowledge and self-power, Calm they (Immortals) repose on the eternal Will. Only his (Divine Will) law they count and him obey; They have no goal to reach, no aim to serve. Implacable in their timeless purity, All barter or bribe of worship they refuse; Unmoved by cry of revolt and ignorant prayer They reckon not our virtue and our sin; They bend not to the voices that implore, They hold no traffic with error and its reign; They are guardians of the silence of the Truth, They are keepers of the immutable decree. A deep surrender is their source of might, A still identity their way to know, Motionless is their action like a sleep.” Savitri-57 Fourth part: The relation between the Creator and creation and the Creator’s blind love and care for the creation without seeing any of her defects, limitations and faults. This is also Prakriti Yajna, a Vedic Sacrifice, more powerful than Purusha Yajna, a Vedantic sacrifice. Prakriti Yajna is a very important sadhana for developed Souls. How the Creator is taking care of creation, and how He has made Himself a slave of her are most beautifully and most profoundly described by Sri Aurobindo , very rare in earth’s Spiritual history. This is identified as the fourth secret of Sadhana which culminates in discovering the relation of dual Avatara in our heart centre. We can practice this surrender literally as described in this Canto and will benefit most from this exercise. “As one too great for him he (Divine) worships her (Creation); He (Divine) adores her (Creation) as his regent of desire...” Savitri-62 “This whole wide world is only he and she.” Savitri-63 Fifth part: A seeker of truth is a world Adventurer and Voyager of multiple unknown oceans representing ten subtle bodies or sheaths and a Cosmologist exploring the obscure geography of three firm lands of surface life, mind and body. A Sadhaka must be a Kshetriya Soul force, having the courage 'to affront the far-off perilous man' (Savitri-70) and to fight outer and inner endless war and ready to bear inner and outer wounds that are slow to heal till he traces a path to the Supramental world with a new or transformed body and mind. Till this discovery, he carries Divine Mother's sealed orders and sails 'on Inconscient's fathomless sea.' (Savitri-71) In Ashram activity, most of the inmates are Shudra Soul force, they give service and hold Ashram living by practice of obedience but they recoil from any great adventure. So the presence of a few more Kshetriya Soul Force is felt and with their help, the adventure of Consciousness can be expedited. "He is the adventurer and cosmologist Of a magic earth’s obscure geography." Savitri-69 “This is the sailor on the flow of Time, This is World-Matter’s slow discoverer, Who, launched into this small corporeal birth, Has learned his craft in tiny bays of self, But dares at last unplumbed infinitudes, A voyager upon eternity’s seas. In his world-adventure’s crude initial start Behold him ignorant of his godhead’s force, Timid initiate of its vast design. An expert captain of a fragile craft, A trafficker in small impermanent wares, At first he hugs the shore and shuns the breadths, Dares not to affront the far-off perilous main.” Savitri-69-70 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “The Spirit's bare and absolute potencies (Last perfection of integral Yoga.) Burn in the solitude of the thoughts of God.” Savitri-57 “With the Truth-Light strike earth's massive roots of trance, (Supramental light will strike the Inconscient sheath and penetrate into it.) Wake a dumb self in the inconscient depths (dumb self is the Inconscient Self) And raise a lost Power from its python sleep (lost Power is the Inconscient Self.) That the eyes of the Timeless might look out from Time And the world manifest the unveiled Divine.” Savitri-72-73 5/ Book 1, Canto 5 - The Yoga Of The Spirit's Freedom and Greatness A Brief Restatement : Here, the King’s adventure into Spiritual planes has been revealed and they are divided into seven parts. First part: The transition from ordinary life to Supramental life where ‘all (the knowledge of three times) is for ever known’ (Savitri-74) and ‘all that the Gods have learned is there self known.’ (Savitri-74) The King Aswapati was able to build in Ignorance the steps of Light, saw the unshaped thought in soulless form, knew Matter pregnant with Spiritual sense, Mind dared the study of the Unknowable; Life was the gestation of the Golden Child, in the Void 'he saw throned the Omniscience supreme.' (Savitri-76) Second part: He entered the experience of Vedantic ascent to ‘unseen spiritual heights’ (Savitri-76) without any descending link and solution to the problem of the earth nature. The greatness of the eternal Spirit appeared but it could not transform Matter. This height of the Spirit repels the lowness of the earthly state. From cradle to grave he lives with little mental hope, faint rays of happiness, thrills of flesh, Love's broken reflexes of unity, wounded happiness, mutilated ecstasy and forfeited heavenly bliss. He realised the Soul, above the limitation of Nature and Fate. Third part: Then he experienced Vedantic ascent and descent of Consciousness linking Spirit with Matter. A call he received from intangible height. A golden influx of Divine force and current from eternal Seas of Bliss came down into heart, brain and into his mortal limbs; made him aware of his dynamic occult Omnipotent Source and turned to his immense Spiritual fate. Fourth part: His being towered into pathless height to meet bare, pure and ruthless Divine Love. A strong Descent of Might, Flame, Beauty, and violent Ecstasy leaped down and enveloped him by penetrating into nerve, heart and brain with its stupendous limbs. By the touch of Divine Love earth Nature’s obsolete laws were overpowered and the scripts of fixed destiny were abolished. Fifth part: King Aswapati’s experience of Vedic sacrific e (occupied a large section of this Canto signifying its importance for a developed Soul) resulted first, the descent of Divine Mother Force projected here as almighty Occultist, who plunged from graded Law of Timeless Eternity into the Time. Then up a golden ladder carrying the Soul, the beauty of the Matter’s shapes, life’s adventure and delight and glory of the multitudinous mind, he climbed back from Time into undying Timeless Self, tying with diamond threads the Spirit’s extremes. Here in this Vedic sacrifice or Prakriti Yajna , the higher Divine Consciousness dropped to lower consciousness and then the lower consciousness soared to higher Consciousness. Sixth part: Then during these double movements of consciousness, a last high world of Bliss sheath was seen where all the other nine worlds meet. In this summit Bliss world there was no Night and Sleep and the light of Trinity supreme that of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss was visible. All that we seek here on earth are discovered there and freed the finite into boundlessness and rose into its own eternity. Seventh part: By the pressure of this high plane, the bottom Inconscient Sheath discovered its heart, the Divine All in the form of Inconscient Self. Thus all the ideas and feelings of Ignorance clutched to the body of the Truth. 'A grand solution ,' (Savitri-90) due this discovery of the Inconscient Self, closed the long impasse; the music and perfect rhythm were born in Matter’s silences and a reconciling wisdom was found which lifted the striving undertone of mind, the confused refrain of human hopes, inarticulate murmur of our lives, under ground of pain, soul’s faint scattered utterances, disjointed mutterings in sleep into sweet and happy Divine Call. Lastly, this Canto asks a Sadhaka to become the Voyager and Adventurer in Consciousness and to discover another Time and Space other than the experience of the divisible time and divisible space of surface mind. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A strong Descent leaped down. A Might, a Flame, A Beauty half-visible with deathless eyes, A violent Ecstasy, a Sweetness dire, Enveloped him with its stupendous limbs And penetrated nerve and heart and brain That thrilled and fainted with the epiphany:” (Bliss Self-experience.) Savitri-81 “By a Power more ruthless than Love, happier than Heaven, Taken sovereignly into eternal arms, Haled and coerced by a stark absolute bliss, In a whirlwind circuit of delight and force Hurried into unimaginable depths, Upborne into immeasurable heights, It was torn out from its mortality And underwent a new and bourneless change.” Savitri-81 6/ Book 2, Canto 1 - The World Stair A Brief Restatement: This Book-2, Canto-1, hints King’s established state in universalized (infinity Around) and Transcendent (Unknowable above) Consciousness which stand as precondition of exploring multiple planes of consciousness and of pursuing the Yoga of the earth. During the movement of consciousness in these two planes, he could realise 'oneness of all things' and Space as 'a vast experiment of Soul.' Thus: "All could be seen that shuns the mortal eye, All could be known the mind has never grasped; All could be done no mortal will can dare. A limitless movement filled a limitless peace." Savitri-95 The need of impersonalized and universalized consciousness in our daily life ensure these six attributes: “(1) It releases his knowledge from the narrowness of personal mind, (2) his will from the clutch of personal desire, (3) his heart from the bondage of petty mutable emotions, (4) his life from its petty personal groove, (5) his soul from ego, and (6) it allows them to embrace calm, equality, wideness, universality, infinity.” (The Synthesis of Yoga-127) Thus in this universal plane: "His universal Power at work display In plots of pain and dramas of delight The wonder and beauty of her will to be. All, even pain, was the soul’s pleasure here; Here all experience was a single plan, The thousandfold expression of the One." Savitri-95-96 This universalized consciousness drags King beyond the limitation of mortal eye, mental knowledge and personal will and he experiences limitless peace, the descent of immortal timeless Word, extreme purity, sovereign sweetness, violent overhead poetry, the terrible adventure of delight, unseen perfection, Truth’s secrecies, opulent beauty, dynamic Superconscient light, voiceless stillness, intangible aims, immortality’s call, calm and luminous intimacy within, many toned unities, many meeting worlds, ordered plan, unfathomed loneliness, mute and single strength, formless Stillness, white immobile Ray, eternal Silences and bare summit of created things. This Canto makes us aware of our objective of housing the Illimitable in the time-made body and to live ‘all Ocean’ symbolizing the multiple worlds in 'a drop of water' symbolizing our finite Self. Here again the importance of the Psychic Being, Jivatma is recognized as the means of the largest Supramental action. The activation of Supramental energy in our external earthly life ensures three things. They are the inherent order of all things, great harmony and oneness with Self, World and Divine. Thus, in this journey of World Stair, Traveller in Time, Voyager of all ocean and adventurer of Consciousness, the King’s high-pitched attempt is extended to guarded powers of multiple worlds, deep beatitudes of multiple heavens and he called down to earth and men eternal Silences, formless Stillness and nameless Light. King Aswapati greatly inspires us to transform ‘this surface life’ to ‘inner all life’ extending over many births and bodies and to transform this material birth into 'deep adventure' (Savitri-99) and individual activity to world action. He makes us aware that the Spirit 'is within, below, without, above.' (Savitri-98) Or Spirit is within us as Psychic being, true physical Being, true vital Being and true mental Being, below the feet as Subconscient Self and Inconscient Self, without as Cosmic Self and above the head as Spiritual, Supramental and Bliss Self. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "Our life is a holocaust of the Supreme. The great World-Mother by her sacrifice Has made her soul the body of our state; Accepting sorrow and unconsciousness Divinity’s lapse from its own splendours wove The many-patterned ground of all we are." Savitri-99 "A miracle of the Absolute was born; Infinity put on a finite soul, All ocean lived within a wandering drop A time-made body housed the Illimitable. To live this Mystery out our souls came here.” Savitri-101 7/ Book 2, Canto 2 - The Kingdom Of Subtle Matter A Brief restatement: This Book-2, Canto-2, represents a subtle physical world. It is an important Spiritual Science, hinted at in the Upanishad as dream Self, sukhma sharira . This world is very close to the material world, the meeting place of the Superconscient, Subconscient and universal world. This subtle physical has an important role in Supramental transformation action in which 'high and low worlds' (Savitri-105) are made one. All the happening and new manifestations in the material world have their source and previous formation in this subtle matter. A purified and universalized subtle matter can act as a field of interpenetration of Superconscient and Subconscient energies and hence is the preparatory field of all new manifestations. A preliminary attempt is made to enter this vast, affirmative, plastic, immaterial kingdom and to become aware of this Annamaya Purusha , the Soul in the physical (“And Matter’s depths be illumined with a soul” (Savitri-268)) and Annamaya Kosha or the subtle physical sheath (The gross weighs less, the subtle counts for more;” (Savitri-186)) which are identified as an important base of unfolding of the mystery of the existence. The vision of this Canto is divided into four parts: First Part: The first part defines that subtle physical is our eternal substance extending over 'all life,' which is Spirit's first transparent robe. It does not live by the flesh and greatly supports the gross physical substance. This is a world of lovelier form where all things are beautiful, faultless and true. Its subtle eye is a door to celestial sense, subtle ear is sweet music, subtle touch is full of charm and transfiguring hue and the subtle heart draws a deeper breath of power. The Mighty breath of the Divine is intercepted and slowly inrushes as bright dews drip through a subtle physical sheath. This Canto proposes that the true physical being or annamaya Purusha can be utilised as a meeting ground of Spirit and Matter and it can also be uplifted as a meeting ground of the highest Supramental plane and the lowest Inconscient plane for transformation action. The task of subtle physical is to transform common material things and by its influence 'even earth's mud grows rich and warm with the skies' (Savitri-107) and 'It guards deathless' (Savitri-106) flames in the perishing body. Out of the Spiritual fall of subtle Matter, that plunges lost in the inconscient base, the denser Matter is born. Second Part: In this part, gross Matter is identified as Spiritual fall of the subtle Matter. This fallen world is the 'immortal godhead's perishable parts' (Savitri-107) in which the Soul is nurtured and must evolve the mind, life and body's giant energies. This brute half-conscious body becomes a means of evolution of Divine life and the mind must recover the lost Wisdom and this bound Spirit, annamaya Purusha, will one day emerge as Nature's King. Third Part: Through a subtle physical sheath, a fragment of the Eternal is caught for heaven's design. Here 'the response to Truth is swift and sure' (Savitri-111) and 'Achieve perfection by the magic throb.' (Savitri-112) All we attempt through Soul activation in this imperfect world cannot go in vain. our Spirit must travel back to illumine the past obscurities and Spirit must travel forward to call down Timeless and Spaceless energies. Thus all imperfections are seized by their absolutely perfect state and Matter is able to hold permanently Divine's Presence or 'To fix the eternal’s touch in time-made things.' (Savitri-108) Thus, with subtle physical assistance, a brilliant passage is made 'in the gross walls of nerve and brain,'(Savitri-108) for the descent of infallible Flame and thus, we could 'hope for greater life.' (Savitri-108) If we can climb above our surface life then 'A line of Transcendent meets on our road' (Savitri-110) which brings us godlike acts and descents inevitable words and 'thoughts that never die.' (Savitri-110) Fourth Part: This subtle physical world is identified as 'the House of Days' and 'material Paradise.' It exists without fear, grief, pain, defeat, fault, or failure and is 'Exempt from the ordeal and the test.' (Savitri-113) This subtle material world 'had no wings for wide and dangerous flight,' 'no peril of sky or of abyss,' 'no vistas and no mighty dreams, No yearning for her lost infinitudes.' (Savitri-115) This Canto proposes that in order to build a Spiritual passage, the subtle physical is to be made pure, transparent and dense and must develop the constant aspiration to possess the Highest plane. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “To fix the eternal's touch in time-made things, This is the law of all perfection here.” Savitri-108 “Our souls forget to the Highest to aspire.” Savitri-113 “Intruder from the formless Infinite Daring to break into the Inconscient's reign, The spirit's leap towards body touches ground.” Savitri-105 “A Being woke and lived in the meaningless void, (Here Being is the Inconscient Self.) A world-wide Nescience strove towards life and thought, A Consciousness plucked out from mindless sleep.” Savitri-107 “A Splendour presses or a Power breaks through, Earth's great dull barrier is removed awhile, The inconscient seal is lifted from our eyes And we grow vessels of creative might.” Savitri-108 8/ Book 2, Canto 3 - The Glory And Fall Of Life A Brief Restatement: In this Canto, the King ascends to the subtle vital plane from the subtle matter’s plane. From here he could understand the dichotomy between this subtle vital as it is reflected in our plane (in a fallen state) compared to its original beauty (higher Purer Vital world). The Lord describes the beauty and grandeur of this (True) heavenly plane and contrasts it with its lower (fallen) vibration in our earth. He outlines how Life answered the desperate call of the Soul/Beings trapped in inert matter and longed for deliverance into other forms. The Life descended to our earth plane (from above) to remake earth in Her glorious image, swiftly stopped and maimed in her flow by a dark being of inconscience. Since then the vital on our plane (the subtle vital) thinks back to the glory of her original state but she is unable to reclaim it. This Savitri, Book-2, Canto-3, gives a vivid account of the glory (and also fall) of life or the action of Para-prakriti or higher Nature on life or vital plane in five parts . First part: This accounts for King's entry into a 'wide obscure disputed fields' (Savitri-116) of untransformed subtle vital life where all was doubt, unsatisfied, unsure, toilsome, unsolved problems and 'uncertain of the ground he trod.' (Savitri-116) Here 'every change prolonged the same unease,' 'in the new saw the face of old,' and 'the fierce lust that brings a dead fatigue.' (Savitri-118) The King further confirms that the existing life is born from a pure and bright Timeless and endless Bliss state of consciousness. During this fall 'A lost world rapture lingers in her eyes' and 'Beauty and happiness are her native right.' (Savitri-118) Second part: Despite the sudden disclosure of grief, fear and insecurity, King saw a happier state and kingdom of griefless life. This pure subtle vital plane is a new celestial vault, an archipelago of laughter and fire. This subtle vital plane is free from life's suffering, struggle, and grief, not affected by anger, gloom and hate and this visioned land is ever blissful in its timeless state. They live sure of their immortal gladness and content with their own beauty. One can enter this subtle world through meditation, dreams and trance. Here he will meet rapturous landscapes, figures of the perfect kingdom and behind them leave a shining memories trail. This subtle vital plane seems unreal but more real than the gross life, happier than earthly joy and truer than things true. this gives the experience of eternal moments, calm heavens of imperishable Light, and an illumined continent of violent peace and griefless countries. Third part: The King was able to bridge the gulf that divides the subtle vital world from the gross vital world which is felt indispensable for purification, transformation, perfection and Divinisation of surface vital plane. So the visions of the wonder-world became a reality with pure loveliness and bliss and life was fulfilled with the touch of supreme Delight. The King was able to invert the Spirit's apex Supramental consciousness towards life through an intermediate subtle vital plane and by this action, he controlled life's restless seas and obeyed a governing Wisdom. He felt the Presence of this inscrutable Supermind but could not know its origin. Life became the slave of World-self, thus she was able to canalise the seas of omnipotence. In this part, we see that King was able to bridge the gulf between the Cosmic world and the subtle vital world. In this cosmic Consciousness King experienced triple time as a ceaseless moving picture and met the whole world as the chaos of personality. Fourth part: In this part, King met his universalised subtle vital action and felt a deep need 'To take all beings into his saviour arms,' (Savitri-123) and 'To force on them the happiness they refuse' (Savitri-123) and of transforming earth life through his experience: 'Heaven’s joys might have been earth’s if earth were pure.' (Savitri-123) He felt the need of Divinised Sense and Heart which was natural Delight's bright extreme. His life's closed doors were opened to things Supreme. The King met the guardians of Supravital and subtle vital worlds as 'Immortal figures.' (Savitri-123) We also get the hint of nude god-children who are perfect instruments to Divinise life and the vital transformation and 'They steeped existence in their youth of soul.' (Savitri-127 ) Fifth part: In this part, the King standing on the border of the Supramental world, received the call of Bliss world and saw that world but could not bridge the gulf between them. Before the Divine Mother or 'gracious great-winged Angel' possesses life, 'A dark ambiguous Presence questioned all.' (Savitri-130 ) This dark Power abolishes the action of the mighty true Vital being and the boon of Psychic happiness. Thus life meets doom and Spiritual fall by the influence of work born out of the activation of three gunas . From this Canto, we learn the lesson of how Para-Prakriti, or a hierarchy of dynamic Consciousness can act stumblingly and steadily on life and experience both rise and fall or glory and fall of life. This Canto asks to develop the highest dynamic Consciousness which can meet the inert Inconscient’s law. We can refer the Mother’s following important observation related with Her vital Being: “But you see, you see all the way I have come...And I was born with a consciously prepared body—Sri Aurobindo was aware of that, he said it immediately the first time he saw me: I was born free. That is, from the spiritual standpoint: without any desire. Without any desire and attachment. And mon petit, if there is the slightest desire and the slightest attachment, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do this work. A vital like a warrior, with an absolute self-control (the vital of this present incarnation was sexless—a warrior), an absolutely calm and imperturbable warrior—no desires, no attachments...Since my earliest childhood, I have done things which, to human consciousness, are “monstrous;” my mother went so far as to tell me that I was a real “monster,” because I had neither attachments nor desires. If I was asked, “Would you like to do this?” I answered, “I don’t care.” If people were nasty to me, or if people died or went away, it left me absolutely calm—and so: “You are a monster, you have no feelings.” And with that preparation... It is eighty-six years since I came here, mon petit! For thirty years I worked with Sri Aurobindo consciously, without letup, night and day ... We shouldn’t be in a hurry.” The Mother’s Agenda/28.03.1964 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Inverting the spirit’s apex towards life, She (The Mother Nature) spends the plastic liberties of the One To cast in acts the dreams of her caprice, His wisdom’s call steadies her careless feet, He props her dance upon a rigid base, His timeless still immutability Must standardise her creation’s miracle.” Savitri-121 “At her will the inscrutable Supermind leans down To guide her force that feels but cannot know, Its breath of power controls her restless seas (of the vital world.) And life obeys the governing Idea” Savitri-121 “She has canalised the seas of omnipotence;” Savitri-121(the descent of Divine force on large scale) “And still her doors are barred to things supreme” Savitri-123 “And high dependencies of her virgin sun,” Savitri-124 “The grand Illuminate seized her gleaming limbs And filled them with the passion of his ray Till all her body was its transparent house And all her soul a counterpart of his soul.” Savitri-125 “This world of bliss he (King Aswapati) saw and felt its call, But found no way to enter into its joy; Across the conscious gulf there was no bridge” Savitri-128 9/ Book 2, Canto 4 - The Kingdoms Of The Little Life A Brief Restatement: This Book 2 Canto-4 gives the message that after exhaustion of multiple material enjoyments of life, Spiritual life begins and we have to understand that “Physical life exhausts itself by too much giving and ruins itself by too much devouring..." (The Life Divine-216) We also get the hint that after the opening of the Spiritual being, "His gates to the world were swept with seas of light. ” (Savitri-236) and thus a higher life begins. "Insatiate seeker, he has all to learn: He has exhausted now life’s surface acts, His being’s hidden realms remain to explore. He becomes a mind, he becomes a spirit and self; In his fragile tenement he grows Nature’s lord. In him Matter wakes from its long obscure trance, In him earth feels the Godhead drawing near." Savitri-133 This Canto speaks of triple creation, where the first creation is subconscious evolution, the second creation is the evolution of lower/little life and the third creation (not the last) is identified as ‘body’s early (evolution of) mind.’ (Savitri-146) The First Creation: Subconscious evolution is a faint and dim beginning of a crude child soul crying 'for toys of bliss.' (Savitri-136) In this stage 'a random shapeless energy drove towards form and took each whisp-fire for a guiding sun.' In this preliminary evolution of man, sense-pleasure and sense- pangs are caught and are found to be lost soon and their desire-driven will bring 'poor and sad results.' Life becomes an outcome of 'meaningless suffering and grey unease.' The King experienced in this Nature's twilit room, that Matter and Spirit 'embrace and strive and each know each' (Savitri-141) as eternal playmates. 'In Nature he saw the mighty Spirit concealed' and 'Watched the weak birth of a tremendous Force.' (Savitri-141) " It (All Nature) turns in us to finite loves and lusts, The will to conquer and have, to seize and keep, To enlarge life’s room and scope and pleasure’s range, To battle and overcome and make one’s own, The hope to mix one’s joy with others’ joy, A yearning to possess and be possessed, T o enjoy and be enjoyed, to feel, to live." Savitri-139-140 The Second Creation: In this kingdom, the dwarf animal self arose and the experiment began of a solitary brute in a human body without any life-plan. This is a life exclusively for outward purposes, for the satisfaction of body's want and responds to outward touches without an aim. The body is unaware of annamaya Purusha within, mind is exclusively preoccupied with the objective world and thoughts are open to sense instincts of animal desire and 'To enjoy and to survive was all their care.' (Savitri-143) Not in this life, but in all life this dim being must learn by failure and grow in light and force 'And rise to his higher destiny at last.' (Savitri-146) "It captured not the spirit in the form, It entered not the heart of what it saw; It looked not for the power behind the act, It studied not the hidden motive in things Nor strove to find the meaning of it all." Savitri-143 The Third Creation: This small thinking man (of third creation) has no upward gaze, no inward look, no loftier aim, no deeper cause to live, satisfied awhile with 'dwarf lusts and brief desires,' (Savitri-149) interested to utilize truth and power only for outward use. His life is limited like animal’s feeding-space and he opposes all adventures of the Unseen and Soul’s journey through unknown infinity. "It knew not the Immortal in its house; It had no greater deeper cause to live. In limits only it was powerful; Acute to capture truth for outward use, Its knowledge was the body’s instrument; Absorbed in the little works of its prison-house It turned around the same unchanging points In the same circle of interest and desire, But thought itself the master of its jail." Savitri-149-150 In Savitri, the slow evolution starts from the Subconscient plane from the beginning of the creation and when the earth will be ready for Divine life then the ‘last salvation’ is experienced which is identified as the total transformation of the earth’s Subconscient and Inconscient plane. In Savitri, the first Spiritual experience of the evolving man is identified as the discovery of Soul either Psychic or Spiritual Being and the last Siddhi of an integral Yogi is ‘Truth supreme.’ This is the transformation of universal Inconscient and there will be no longer any Ignorance, suffering, falsehood and death. This Yoga will continue through all life and all Time before which this present life is a very small fragment. This Canto also hints King’s opening of six or seven chakras known as Kundalini from below the feet as 'The first writhings of the cosmic serpent Force.' (Savitri-138) The Mother said, “The tantrics recognize seven chakras , I believe. Theon said he knew of more, specifically two below the body and three above (the head). That is my experience as well – I know of twelve chakras . And really, the contact with the Divine Consciousness is there (The Mother motions above the head), not here (at the top of the head). One must surge up above.” These twelve centres define the twelve Selves, twelve Sheaths or twelve subtle bodies to which one can consciously visit in a trance. In integral Yoga, the gulf created between lower life and the Supramental life is bridged by discovering the Subconscient Self and Inconscient Self as 'sleeping memories' that are 'Oblivious of their flame of happy truth.' (Savitri-139) "Impure, degraded though her motions are, Always a heaven-truth broods in life’s deeps; In her obscurest members burns that fire." Savitri-139 (fire of Subconscient Self) This Canto foresees the coming of ‘some tremendous dawn of God’ (Savitri-137} where King saw the purpose of Divine Work in Time and also in the aimlessness of lower life a Divine work, magic will and Divine transformation was worked out. This Canto proposes to work out the 'adventure of the Unseen And the soul's tread through unknown infinities.' (Savitri-148) OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "In the enigma of the darkened Vasts, In the passion and self-loss of the Infinite When all was plunged in the negating Void, Non-Being’s night could never have been saved If Being had not plunged into the dark Carrying with it its triple mystic cross. Invoking in world-time the timeless truth, Bliss changed to sorrow, knowledge made ignorant, God’s force turned into a child’s helplessness Can bring down heaven by their sacrifice." Savitri-140-141 “A difficult evolution from below Called a masked intervention from above Else this great, blind inconscient universe Could never have disclosed its hidden mind, Or even in blinkers worked in beast and man The Intelligence that devised the cosmic scheme.” (Supramental Intelligence) Savitri-146-147 10/ Book 2, Canto 5 - The Godheads Of The Little Life A Brief Restatement: First part: (page 151 to 154) This Book-2, Canto-5 gives us input regarding the lower vital beings/little deities (or tamasic and rajasic beings) that dominate largely our untransformed life and are the cause of all lust, anger, massacre, suicide, disorder, disease, accident, division, and disharmony in men These vital beings are identified as elfin, imps, goblin, faery and genni . They are 'Ignorant and dangerous wills but armed with power, Half-animal, half-god their mood, their shape.' (Savitri-152) They take shelter in our twilight untransformed nature and 'Wherever love and light and largeness lack.' (Savitri-153) In the event of disease of most difficult kind also is an attack of these dark world and they can be removed by occult means or Yogic power/Subconscient purification and transformation without the aid of any medicine. “The Mother used to say that when Sri Aurobindo cured some body, one often saw a subtle hand come with a current of blue force and seize, as it were, the vibration of illness or disorder between its fingertips.” (The Mother's Agenda/24th February-1962) "Its seed of joy they curse with sorrow’s fruit, Put out with error’s breath its scanty lights And turn its surface truths to falsehood’s ends, Its small emotions spur, its passions drive To the abyss or through the bog and mire: Or else with a goad of hard dry lusts they prick, While jogs on devious ways that nowhere lead Life’s cart finding no issue from ignorance. To sport with good and evil is their law; Luring to failure and meaningless success, All models they corrupt, all measures cheat, Make knowledge a poison, virtue a pattern dull And lead the endless cycles of desire Through semblances of sad or happy chance To an inescapable fatality." Savitri-152 In the evolution of Nature, they also like Asuras , demons, and Pisachas , wait for the hour of Divine transformation or 'Till they have learned their secret in their source, In the light of the Timeless and its spaceless home.' (Savitri-153) They make our evolution slow which binds life and invites doom. When our Soul attain freedom from lower life, then our Soul force travels back in time of this birth and past births and illumine the obscurities of nether untransformed life. "A slowly changing order binds our will. This is our doom until our souls are free. A mighty Hand then rolls mind’s firmaments back, Infinity takes up the finite’s acts And Nature steps into the eternal Light. Then only ends this dream of nether life." Savitri-154 The Second Part: (Page 154 to 160) This Canto also hints about the human love of sattwic mind which can give brief ‘Joy that forgot mortality for a while’ (Savitri-159) and its brief blaze can crumble vital passion into ashes. It can manifest beauty only for an hour and afterward feels tired. Divine Love can uplift the limitations of fragile human love and can lead man toward uninterrupted joy and immortality. "A fragile human love that could not last, Ego’s moth-wings to lift the seraph soul, Appeared, a surface glamour of brief date Extinguished by a scanty breath of Time; Joy that forgot mortality for a while Came, a rare visitor who left betimes, And made all things seem beautiful for an hour, Hopes that soon fade to drab realities And passions that crumble to ashes while they blaze Kindled the common earth with their brief flame." Savitri-159 The third Part: (Page 160 to 163) A perfect and integral Divine instrument is at once receiver of overhead Wisdom and Light of Integral Jnana Yoga , his own personal will is tuned and identified with the Divine Will of Integral Karma Yoga and his heart becomes the centre of the overflow of Divine Love, Delight and Beauty of Integral Bhakti Yoga . “Our instruments have not that greater light, Our will tunes not with the eternal Will, Our heart’s sight is too blind and passionate.” Savitri-161 The Fourth Part: (Page 163 to 167) This Canto hints that without vital transformation, the King can hold the Divine Presence for a brief period. If the tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind are not purified sufficiently, then one experiences Divine Will, Divine Wisdom and Divine Ecstasy of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga briefly. A Bliss that sleeps in the Inconscient and Subconscient Self do not open to give the experience of Oceans of Bliss. "A new life dawns, he looks out from vistas wide; The Spirit’s breath moves him but soon retires: His strength was not made to hold that puissant guest. All dulls down to convention and routine Or a fierce excitement brings him vivid joys:" Savitri-165 “His knowledge dwells in the house of Ignorance; His force nears not even once the Omnipotent, Rare are his visits of heavenly ecstasy. The bliss which sleeps in things and tries to wake, Breaks out in him in a small joy of life:” Savitri-165 The Fifth Part: (Page 167 to 172 This Canto hints the transformation of lower Nature by 'Calling the powers of a bright hemisphere' through Vedantic Sacrifice and thus sheding the discredit of inferior life. A path is traced in the inner world which 'Make the abysm a road for Heaven's descent.' (Savitri-172) "There is a deeper seeing from within And, when we have left these small purlieus of mind, A greater vision meets us on the heights In the luminous wideness of the spirit’s gaze. At last there wakes in us a witness Soul That looks at truths unseen and scans the Unknown; Then all assumes a new and marvellous face: The world quivers with a God-light at its core, In Time’s deep heart high purposes move and live, Life’s borders crumble and join infinity." Savitri-168 "An Infant nursed on Nature’s covert breast, An Infant playing in the magic woods, Fluting to rapture by the spirit’s streams, Awaits the hour when we shall turn to his call." Savitri-169 In this study, we will get mysteries of demon gods, flickering ghosts of lower vital plane that largely dominate earthly existence who prefer to live in 'The vague Inconscient’s dark and measureless cave.' (Savitri-172) The King trod the soil of vital plane 'that failed beneath his feet' and 'His only sunlight was his spirit’s flame.' (Savitri-172) Our Psychic being is surrounded with ten layers of desire Souls of which this vital plane is one of them. So, in order to uncover the Psychic being one has to go beyond the lures of (1) the world of titans and asuras imitating the Divine, (2) the world of lower nature of forbidden sense enjoyment, (3) the world of vital mind surrounding the vital self, (4) the world of the physical mind surrounding the annamaya Purusha , (5) the world of schoolman mind, (6) the world of fixed mind, (7) the world of outer mind, (8) the mother of seven Sorrows, (9) the mother of (limited) Might and (10) the mother of (limited) Light respectively. About them, we are aware while concentrating on Savitri’s Yoga. To recapitulate, this Canto proposes a ‘mighty Hand’ that helps us to travel back in time to the past of this life and past births for illumination of Subconscient darkness and Divine transformation and also hints the action of ‘golden Messengers’ (Savitri-170) who are responsible for the carrying out the cellular transformation. This also hints (in successive Cantos) at our patient waiting for the ‘golden Hand that never came’ (Savitri-199) and locking up our protected life in Savitri’s ‘golden hands’ (Savitri-723). OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “The magic was chiselled of a conscious form; Its tranced vibrations rhythmed a quick response, And luminous stirrings prompted brain and nerve, Awoke in Matter spirit’s identity And in a body lit the miracle Of the heart’s love and the soul’s witness gaze.” Savitri-157-58 “Our seekings are short-lived experiments Made by a wordless and inscrutable Power Testing its issues from inconscient Night To meet its luminous self of Truth and Bliss.” Savitri-168 “In our body’s cells there sits a hidden Power (true physical Being) That sees the unseen and plans eternity, Our smallest parts have room for deepest needs; There too the golden Messengers (Supramental beings) can come:” Savitri-169-70 “Each part in us desires its absolute.” Savitri-170 “And when that greater Self comes sea-like down To fill this image of our transience, All shall be captured by delight, transformed: In waves of undreamed ecstasy shall roll Our mind and life and sense and laugh in a light Other than this hard limited human day, The body’s tissues thrill apotheosised, Its cells sustain bright metamorphosis.” Savitri-171 11/ Book 2, Canto 6 - The Kingdoms And Godheads Of The Greater Life A Brief Restatement: This Book-2, Canto-6 gives us input regarding the action of higher vital beings, the action of higher Nature of Para-prakriti which can give us the Divine’s touch and not His embrace; in this plane twilight is not entirely abolished, hence its door is open to both Gods and Beings of higher planes and hostile agencies of Subconscient world; the greatness of this world is to seek Soul saving Truth tirelessly and create and manifest new forms. For him (King) this higher ‘Life was a search but finding (of the Absolute) never came.’ (Savitri-174) The First Part: (From Page 173 to175) This Canto gives a hint to learn the lesson to open towards the Divine’s constant touch or 'a touch of sure delight in unsure things' (Savitri-173) In this higher plane, life was a search but finding of the Supreme Truth never came. " The souls came there that vainly strive for birth, And spirits entrapped might wander through all time, Yet never find the truth by which they live. All ran like hopes that hunt a lurking chance; Nothing was solid, nothing felt complete: All was unsafe, miraculous and half-true. It seemed a realm of lives that had no base." Savitri-175 The Second Part: (From Page 175 to176) 'Some hue of the Absolute could fall on life,' (Savitri-176) or as Satyavan spoke to Savitri in the early period of his Sadhana, ‘I lived in the ray but faced not the sun.’ (Savitri-407) This Divine touch will help in the long run to open towards Divine's embrace or Supramental Sunlight. " In an outbreak of the might of secret Spirit, In Life and Matter’s answer of delight, Some face of deathless beauty could be caught That gave immortality to a moment’s joy, Some word that could incarnate highest Truth Leaped out from a chance tension of the soul, Some hue of the Absolute could fall on life, Some glory of knowledge and intuitive sight, Some passion of the rapturous heart of Love." Savitri175-176 The Third Part: (From Page 176 to179) It speaks primarily of self-concentration through endless unfolding of Truth, utilizes subjective time as an endless pilgrimage and secondarily of self-expansion of working out timeless mysteries in Time and utilizes objective space for Divine creation and manifestation. " For by the form the Formless is brought close And all perfection fringes the Absolute. A child of heaven who never saw his home, Its impetus meets the eternal at a point: It can only near and touch, it cannot hold; It can only strain towards some bright extreme: Its greatness is to seek and to create." Savitri-179 The Fourth Part: (From Page 179 to181) We have to be aware of the Divine action of Paraprakriti in the midst of darkness. This Divine Shakti works even when we are most unconscious and feel our development deeply arrested. This Power working amid darkness is also identified as 'crucified God.' "Even nescient, null, her sleep creates a world. When most unseen, most mightily she works; Housed in the atom, buried in the clod, Her quick creative passion cannot cease. Inconscience is her long gigantic pause, Her cosmic swoon is a stupendous phase: Time-born, she hides her immortality; In death, her bed, she waits the hour to rise. Even with the Light denied that sent her forth And the hope dead she needed for her task, Even when her brightest stars are quenched in Night, Nourished by hardship and calamity And with pain for her body’s handmaid, masseuse, nurse, Her tortured invisible spirit continues still To toil though in darkness, to create though with pangs; She carries crucified God upon her breast." Savitri-179-180 The Fifth Part: (From Page 181 to183) The Divine Mother draws world-shunning and heaven-seeking liberated souls earthward to fill in their Nature and Soul with the equal Divine Presence. This Canto defines Jivatma's constant union with Para-prakriti and if their bond is strong then time cannot separate them. This union is further extended as the constant union of Paramatma with Paraprkriti in the heart centre. " Her eternal Lover is her action’s cause; For him she leaped forth from the unseen Vasts To move here in a stark unconscious world. Its acts are her commerce with her hidden Guest, His moods she takes for her heart’s passionate moulds; In beauty she treasures the sunlight of his smile." Savitri-181 "Although she is ever in him and he in her, As if unaware of the eternal tie, Her will is to shut God into her works And keep him as her cherished prisoner That never they may part again in Time." Savitri-181-182 In that higher plane, from every thought and feeling an action is born and every action is a symbol and means of descent of higher Divine Power and this universe is built by this descended truth and myth. ‘But what she needed most (of conscious emergence of full Sachchidananda in its own creation) she cannot build.’ (Savitri-183) From the truth of this intermediate world Religion and Modern Science and other creative forces of Mother Nature are born. "There every thought and feeling is an act, And every act a symbol and a sign, And every symbol hides a living power. A universe she builds from truths and myths, But what she needed most she cannot build; All shown is a figure or copy of the Truth, But the Real veils from her its mystic face. All else she finds, there lacks eternity; All is sought out, but missed the Infinite." Savitri-183 The Sixth Part: (From Page 183 to184) In this part, we find invisible beings of higher planes assist a Sadhaka in pursuing his Spiritual quest. They whisper to the ear and bring a flash of sunlight to the eye. "The beings of that world of greater life , Tenants of a larger air and freer space, Live not by the body or in outward things: A deeper living was their seat of self. In that intense domain of intimacy Objects dwell as companions of the soul; The body’s actions are a minor script, The surface rendering of a life within." Savitri-183 “In all who have risen to a greater Life , A voice of unborn things whispers to the ear, To their eyes visited by some high sunlight Aspiration shows the image of a crown: To work out a seed that she has thrown within, To achieve her power in them her creatures live.” Savitri-183-184 The Seventh Part: (From Page 184 to188) This part gives the message that with the opening of our Soul, destiny is rewritten and ordinary destiny is changed to Spiritual destiny. " As if thought-out eternal characters, Entire, not pulled as we by contrary tides, They follow the unseen leader in the heart, Their lives obey the inner nature’s law. There is kept grandeur’s store, the hero’s mould; The soul is the watchful builder of its fate; None is a spirit indifferent and inert; They choose their side, they see the god they adore." Savitri-184 The Eighth Part: (From Page 188 to191 ) This part reveals the King's unfolding of Spiritual Love and Wisdom. " In her covert lanes, bordering her chance field-paths And by her singing rivulets and calm lakes He found the glow of her golden fruits of bliss And the beauty of her flowers of dream and muse. As if a miracle of heart’s change by joy He watched in the alchemist radiance of her suns The crimson outburst of one secular flower On the tree-of-sacrifice of spiritual love." Savitri-190 "A comrade of Silence on her austere heights Accepted by her mighty loneliness, He stood with her on meditating peaks Where life and being are a sacrament Offered to the Reality beyond, And saw her loose into infinity Her hooded eagles of significance, Messengers of Thought to the Unknowable." Savitri-190-191 The Ninth Part: (From Page 191 to195) We find here the Para-prakriti's influence of Love, Beauty and Delight on individual Jivatma . " In her mazes of approach and of retreat To every side she draws him and repels, But drawn too near escapes from his embrace; All ways she leads him but no way is sure. Allured by the many-toned marvel of her chant, Attracted by the witchcraft of her moods And moved by her casual touch to joy and grief, He loses himself in her but wins her not. A fugitive paradise smiles at him from her eyes: He dreams of her beauty made for ever his, He dreams of his mastery her limbs shall bear, He dreams of the magic of her breasts of bliss." Savitri-193 The Tenth Part: (From Page 195 to 201) In this part, the King claimed 'a panacea for all Time’s ills' (Savitri-198) through the reconciliation of the highest Sachchidananda consciousness with the lowest Abyss. " A fire to call eternity into Time, Make body’s joy as vivid as the soul’s, Earth she would lift to neighbourhood with heaven, Labours life to equate with the Supreme And reconcile the Eternal and the Abyss." Savitri-196 This Canto proposes that the only business or 'heart's business' (Savitri-181) of a Sadhak is to call down Paramatma (Supreme Purusha) and Paraprakriti (Supreme Mother) to heart centre 'And keep him close to her breast in her world-cloak' (Savitri-181) ceaselessly. This will avoid the risk of escape from her arms and 'turn to his formless peace' (Savitri-181) of param Dham . King Aswapati's this Supramental union is also confirmed symbolically in Savitri's Yoga as 'Unwilling to loose his (Paramatma) body from her (Paraprakriti) breast.' (Savitri-471) OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “ “Our life’s repose is in the Infinite; It cannot end, its end is Life supreme.” Savitri-197 “A sun of transfiguration still can shine And Night can bare its core of mystic light; (the experience of opening of Inconscient and Subconscient Self.) The self-cancelling, self-afflicting paradox Into a self-luminous mystery might change, The imbroglio into a joyful miracle. Then God could be visible here, here take a shape; (Supramental state.) Disclosed would be the spirit’s identity; Life would reveal her true immortal face.” Savitri-200-01 (Cellular transformation.) 12/ Book 2, Canto 7 - The Descent Into Night A Brief Restatement: This Descent into Night and 'falsity's endless net' (Savitri-210) of Book-2, Canto-7, is forbidden in traditional Spirituality and King Aswapati entered this prohibited dark world with the hope of finding ‘wide world failure’s cause (Savitri-202)’ and ‘panacea for all Time’s ill;' (Savitri-198) for key of world problem is hidden in the Inconscient night or 'For the key is hid and by the Inconscient kept.' (Savitri-68) The First Part: (From Page 202 to 205) Life has turned into Death in the Inconscient and Immortality in the Superconscient. Or ' A Death figuring as the dark seed of life, Seemed to engender and to slay the world.' (Savitri-202) In Integral Yoga this negation of Death is transformed into affirmation of Immortality. The other two negations of life are desire or hunger and incapacity and which is transformed into satisfied delight and Omnipotence. " He saw the fount of the world’s lasting pain And the mouth of the black pit of Ignorance; The evil guarded at the roots of life Raised up its head and looked into his eyes." Savitri-202 " All glory of life was dimmed, tarnished with doubt; All beauty ended in an aging face; All power was dubbed a tyranny cursed by God And Truth a fiction needed by the mind: The chase of joy was now a tired hunt; All knowledge was left a questioning Ignorance." Savitri-205 The Second Part: (From Page 205 to 206) In this Night King Aswapati met threatening energies and dark goddesses whose very gaze invited calamity. " A peril haunted now the common air; The world grew full of menacing Energies , And wherever turned for help or hope his eyes, In field and house, in street and camp and mart He met the prowl and stealthy come and go Of armed disquieting bodied Influences. A march of goddess figures dark and nude Alarmed the air with grandiose unease; Appalling footsteps drew invisibly near, Shapes that were threats invaded the dream-light, And ominous beings passed him on the road Whose very gaze was a calamity:" Savitri-205 The Third Part: (From Page 206 to 208) King's experience of the dark world is that ‘There all could enter, ' wandering like a lost soul' (Savitri-211) 'but none stay for long.' (Savitri-206) Similarly, all can enter 'Supermind’s huge store' (Savitri-187) for a very brief period with new creations, new inventions and new opulence at their disposal but none can stay in that world permanently. Only a few, who have a strong subtle and causal body can enter the Supramental world for a longer period and can descend into the Subconscient and Inconscient night for a longer period and experience conscious transformation. " A tract he reached unbuilt and owned by none: There all could enter but none stay for long. It was a no man’s land of evil air, A crowded neighbourhood without one home, A borderland between the world and hell." Savitri-206 “A Power that laughed at the mischiefs of the world, An irony that joined the world’s contraries And flung them into each other’s arms to strive, Put a sardonic rictus on God’s face.” Savitri-207 “Falsehood came laughing with the eyes of truth; Each friend might turn an enemy or spy, The hand one clasped ensleeved a dagger’s stab And an embrace could be Doom’s iron cage.” Savitri-207-8 The Fourth Part: (From Page 208 to 211) Those developing Souls who enter this night unconsciously experience Spiritual fall and forfeit their ‘lonely chance' (Savitri-210) in this birth and their beauty of life ends with an ‘aging face.' (Savitri-205) " He saw a city of ancient Ignorance Founded upon a soil that knew not Light. There each in his own darkness walked alone: Only they agreed to differ in Evil’s paths, To live in their own way for their own selves Or to enforce a common lie and wrong; There Ego was lord upon his peacock seat And Falsehood sat by him, his mate and queen: The world turned to them as Heaven to Truth and God." Savitri-208-209 "Inconscient traders in bundles of contraries, They did what in others they would persecute; When their eyes looked upon their fellow’s vice, An indignation flamed, a virtuous wrath; Oblivious of their own deep-hid offence, Moblike they stoned a neighbour caught in sin ." Savitri-209 The Fifth Part: (From Page 211 to 214) This part describes King's entry into the darkest plane of Inconscient sheath. " A greater darkness waited, a worse reign, If worse can be where all is evil’s extreme; Yet to the cloaked the uncloaked is naked worst. There God and Truth and the supernal Light Had never been or else had power no more." Savitri-211 The Sixth Part: (From Page 214 to 216) King Aswapati met the proletariats of his kingdom who were high in their thought and speech but harboured animal lower Nature and like insects crawling among other ephemeral insects. Modern society is described as 'Shudra society of labour' (Essays on the Gita-523) and its disproportionate increase in the present time is a real threat to the survival of the human race. "In street and house, in councils and in courts Beings he met who looked like living men And climbed in speech upon high wings of thought But harboured all that is subhuman, vile And lower than the lowest reptile’s crawl." Savitri-215 The Seventh Part: (From Page 216 to 219) In integral Yoga, a conscious descent into Night is possible after the opening of the Supramental Being. This Canto gives the message that without the purification of Subconscient Night, mental, vital and physical transformation cannot be complete. This Canto-7 also gives the message that before conquering Death from without, one must conquer it from within. Spirit’s bare and absolute Power can alone meet, purify and transform the naked night of Hell. King Aswapati had experience of death without dying: “A formless void oppressed his struggling brain, A darkness grim and cold benumbed his flesh, A whispered grey suggestion chilled his heart; Haled by a serpent-force from its warm home And dragged to extinction in bleak vacancy Life clung to its seat with cords of gasping breath; Lapped was his body by a tenebrous tongue.” Savitri-218 “A dense and nameless Nothing conscious, mute, Which seemed alive but without body or mind, Lusted all beings to annihilate That it might be for ever nude and sole.” Savitri-217 This Canto proposes that Sadhaks become 'Heroes and soldiers of the army of Light' (Savitri-211) and walk safely and securely in this dangerous dark world only by keeping 'God in their hearts.' (Savitri-211) This Canto also proposes that for Subconscient transformation ceaseless Japa is indispensable. “Here must the traveller of the upward Way— For daring Hell’s kingdoms winds the heavenly route— Pause or pass slowly through that perilous space, A prayer upon his lips and the great Name . “ Savitri-210 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “To the blank horror a calm Light replied: Immutable, undying and unborn, Mighty and mute the Godhead in him woke And faced the pain and danger of the world. (The Supramental Godhead can face the pain and danger of the world.) He mastered the tides of Nature with a look: He met with his bare spirit naked Hell.” Savitri-219 13/ Book 2, Canto 8 - The World Of Falsehood, The Mother Of Evil And The Sons Of Darkness A Brief Restatement: In Book-2, Canto-8, King Aswapati challanged 'the darkness with his luminous soul' (Savitri-227) and .dared to adventure into the dark ocean of Subconscient and Inconscient plane with Supramental energy at his disposal. The First Part: (From Page 220 to 222) This Canto gives some new message on the dark nether world. It has identified the Mother of Evil as the guardian of that world and represented Death as her foster son. Those who strive for immortality on earth must confront this dark antagonist Force. "There in the heart of vain phenomenon, In an enormous action’s writhen core He saw a Shape illimitable and vague Sitting on Death who swallows all things born. A chill fixed face with dire and motionless eyes, Her (Mother of Evil) dreadful trident in her shadowy hand Outstretched, she pierced all creatures with one fate." Savitri-222 The Second Part: (From Page 222 to 225) This Canto also hints about twice born Soul known as Divine Child (Savitri-224). He needs a congenial atmosphere in which he can survive and flower and 'he needs yet four things before he can succeed, (1) the Sruti or recorded revelation, (2) the Sacred Teacher, (3) the practice of Yoga and (4) the Grace of God.” (CWSA-18/Kena and other Upanishads/p-169) Unfortunately ‘world’s Spiritual Shrines’ (Savitri-226) are largely occupied by dark 'terrible agencies.' ‘Assuming names divine they guide and rule’ (Savitri-226) and they cunningly slay the Soul of the Divine children in the cradle. Savitri book proposes that when a Dvija is born, then either the Divine deputes for him a living Teacher/Spiritual fosterer (like King Aswapati , the Guru and father of Savitri ) or he has to find him out in a distant land. (like the discovery of Satyavan in the deep forest) "Alarmed for her rule and full of fear and rage She prowls around each light that gleams through the dark Casting its ray from the spirit’s lonely tent, Hoping to enter with fierce stealthy tread And in the cradle slay the divine Child." Savitri-224 This Canto gives the secret of outer Death. Before outer death, when the growth of the Soul is arrested, his Psychic being decides to leave the body. After this Psychic escape, the aura or the golden nimbus around the body withdraws. A dark shadow is replaced. And finally, after a brief time passed, the subtle body and subtle mind leave the body. " A silence falls upon the spirit’s heights, From the veiled sanctuary the God retires, Empty and cold is the chamber of the Bride; The golden Nimbus now is seen no more, No longer burns the white spiritual ray And hushed for ever is the secret Voice. Then by the Angel of the Vigil Tower A name is struck from the recording book; A flame that sang in Heaven sinks quenched and mute; In ruin ends the epic of a soul. This is the tragedy of the inner death When forfeited is the divine element And only a mind and body live to die." Savitri-225 The Third Part: (From Page 225 to 227) Those who want to lead a Spiritual life or want to become the instrument of Truth, their name is recorded in the Subconscient and inconscient world. The giant sons of darkness sit and plan to make the life of instruments of truth or god’s radiant children, miserable. Those who cannot bear their (dark forces) long torture and wounds are not fit for higher Spiritual life and cannot make the earth a playfield of heaven. "Armoured, protected by their lethal masks, As in a studio of creative Death The giant sons of Darkness sit and plan The drama of the earth, their tragic stage. All who would raise the fallen world must come Under the dangerous arches of their power; For even the radiant children of the gods To darken their privilege is and dreadful right. None can reach heaven who has not passed through hell." Savitri-226-227 The Fourth Part: (From Page 227 to 232) So world problems can be resolved by opening towards 'superconscient Fire', and invert its dynamic energy to enter into dark Subconscient and Inconscient world. Thus, Subconscient and Inconscient Selves are discovered and by their Force and Light, cells of the body are exulted, the dark antagonist Forces are slain and 'Healed were all things that Time’s torn heart had made.' (Savitri-232) Thus, ‘sorrow could live no more in Nature’s breast.’ (Savitri-232) The previous Canto makes a Sadhak aware that 'The world turned to them (falsehoods) as Heaven to Truth and God' (Savitri-209) and suggests in this Canto that for the transformation of Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths, ceaseless Japa of Divine's name is indispensable. "Arousing consciousness in things inert, He imposed upon dark atom and dumb mass The diamond script of the Imperishable, Inscribed on the dim heart of fallen things A paean-song of the free Infinite And the Name , foundation of eternity, And traced on the awake exultant cells In the ideographs of the Ineffable The lyric of the love that waits through Time And the mystic volume of the Book of Bliss And the message of the superconscient Fire." Savitri-232 The Canto makes a Sadhak aware that 'hell as a short cut to heaven’s gates' (Savitri-231) and further hints that like King Aswapati he has to confront with dark forces and bear 'the fierce inner wounds that are slow to heal.' (Savitri-230) OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “She groped in his deeps for an invisible Law, Fumbled in the dim subconscient for his mind (that had fallen) (tamas, rajas and sattwa are three negative inconscient mental energy.) And strove to find a way for spirit to be. “(Search for discovery of Subconscient Self.) Savitri-222, “Yet in her formidable instinctive mind She feels the One grow in the heart of Time And sees the Immortal shine through the human mould.” Savitri-224 “Into the abysmal secrecy he came Where darkness peers from her mattress, grey and nude, And stood on the last locked subconscient’s floor Where Being slept unconscious of its thoughts (Subconscient Self) And built the world not knowing what it built.” Savitri-231 14/ Book 2, Canto 9 - The Paradise Of The Life Gods A Brief Restatement: This Canto begins with the message of King Aswapati's movement of Consciousness between the Psychic and Spiritual planes. “A lustre of some rapturous Infinite, It held in the splendour of its golden laugh Regions of the heart’s happiness set free, (Psychic) Intoxicated with the wine of God, (Spiritual) Immersed in light, perpetually divine.” Savitri-233 In this Book-2, Canto-9, King Aswapati, entered a higher world in cosmic Consciousness, ('As one who sees in the World-Magician’s glass.' (Savitri-234) 'Around him shone a great felicitous Day' (Savitri-233)) known as Overmind. The Canto indicates that one can enter this higher cosmic Consciousness either through the Psychic being (And make the heart wide as infinity (Savitri-235)) or through the Spiritual Being (And lay on the breast of universal love (Savitri-233)) or through the movement of both the Selves. (A touch supreme surprised his hurrying heart.(Savitri-237)) "In sudden moments of revealing flame, In passionate responses half-unveiled He reached the rim of ecstasies unknown; A touch supreme surprised his hurrying heart, The clasp was remembered of the Wonderful, And hints leaped down of white beatitudes." Savitri-236-237 This Overmental world is free from fear, grief, shocks of fate, adverse circumstances, free from our body’s poor health ‘inviting death,’ (Savitri-233) and free ‘from our danger-zone of stumbling Will.’ (Savitri-233) There pain transformed into potent joy, no presence of lower Nature to terminate endless charm, desire and personal will transformed into omnipotent flame, pleasure had the stature of God, dream walked in the highway of stars, and sweet common action, thought and feeling turned into miracle. The mental foreknowledge transformed into the ecstatic truth of triple time, trikaladristi. King’s anguish of the Soul, long strife in the subconscient night and wounded limbs suffered during the war with Inconscient dark forces were healed quickly and recompensed with calm and peace, Spiritual ease, celestial rest and sorrowless hours in this higher plane. "And, lapped in a magic flood of sorrowless hours, Healed were his warrior nature’s wounded limbs In the encircling arms of Energies That brooked no stain and feared not their own bliss." Savitri-235 Finally, King entered a Supramental world where he met the forms that divinise the sight, heard the music that can immortalise the mind, received Wisdom that newly makes the universe, harboured power that can reconcile Spirit with Matter, the cells of the body experienced nectar-cup of the Absolute and extreme delight that could shatter mortal cells. Thus, Immortality captured Time and Space and carried forward the rhythm of all life. "It shrank no more from the supreme demand Of an untired capacity for bliss, A might that could explore its own infinite And beauty and passion and the depths’ reply Nor feared the swoon of glad identity (Samadhi experience) Where spirit and flesh in inner ecstasy join Annulling the quarrel between self and shape." Savitri-236 “A giant drop of the Bliss unknowable Overwhelmed his limbs and round his soul became A fiery ocean of felicity; He foundered drowned in sweet and burning vasts: The dire delight that could shatter mortal flesh, (The experience of cellular transformation.) The rapture that the gods sustain he bore.” Savitri-237 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A scale of sense that climbed with fiery feet To heights of unimagined happiness, Recast his being’s aura in joy-glow, His body glimmered like a skiey shell; His gates to the world were swept with seas of light. ” Savitri-236 15/ Book 2, Canto 10 - The Kingdoms and Godheads of the Little Mind A Brief Restatement: In this Book-2, Canto-10, King Aswapati, entered the triple world of ‘little mind tied to little things,’ known as physical mind or tamasic mind, vital mind or rajasic mind, and intellect or sattwic mind. What is pigmy Tamasic (Physical) Mind? The normal waking state is dominated by the physical mind, which is the assured base, close to earthly nature, first status of slow ascent and lowest sub-plane of intellect, the starting point of the movement of that apparent material world. It contradicts and opposes the vital mind by inertia, indolence and dullness and intellect by narrowness, precarious thought, ignorance and obscurity. “At its low extremity held difficult sway A mind that hardly saw and slowly found; Its nature to our earthly nature close And kin to our precarious mortal thought That looks from soil to sky and sky to soil But knows not the below nor the beyond, [Physical mind is not aware of the truth of the existence in Subconscient and Superconscient planes.] It only sensed itself and outward things.” Savitri-239 “The slow process of a material mind Which serves the body it should rule and use And needs to lean upon an erring sense, Was born in that luminous obscurity.” Savitri-240 "A twilight sage whose shadow seems to him self,” Savitri-240 “One sees it (physical mind) circling faithful to its task, Tireless in an assigned tradition’s round; In decayed and crumbling offices of Time It keeps close guard in front of custom’s wall, Or in an ancient Night’s dim environs It dozes on a little courtyard’s stones And barks at every unfamiliar light As at a foe who would break up its home, A watch-dog of the spirit’s sense-railed house Against intruders from the Invisible, Nourished on scraps of life and Matter’s bones In its kennel of objective certitude.” Savitri-246 What is the muddy and deceptive Rajasic (Vital) Mind? The man’s vital mind is an instrument of desire, the troubled seed of things, which hunts after unrealised possibilities, burns all hearts with ambiguous fire, enlarges always passion and craving, creates dissatisfaction, an unrest, a seeking for something more than what life seems able to give it, a constant demand for more and always more, a quest for new worlds to conquer, an incessant drive towards an exceeding of the bounds of circumstance and a self-exceeding. It is not satisfied with physical and objective enjoyment only but seeks to a subjective, imaginative, a purely emotive satisfaction, enjoyment and pleasure, which are dependent on external things, external sense contacts and concerned with the practical, the immediately realizable and possible events, the habitual, the common and average. “Thence sprang the burning vision of Desire . A thousand shapes it wore, took numberless names: A need of multitude and uncertainty Pricks it for ever to pursue the One On countless roads across the vasts of Time Through circuits of unending difference. It burns all breasts with an ambiguous fire.” Savitri-247 "Ardent to find, incapable to retain, A brilliant instability was its mark, To err its inborn trend, its native cue." Savitri-248 What is the purposeful and laborious Sattwic Mind (Intellect)? Mind is essentially the faculty of Supermind, which measures and limits and fixes a particular centre for cosmic movement and action and only very indirectly and partially illumined and it can look upward and receive the Supramental communication and passes it on to the other lower members. And since man is a mental being, so thought is at least his most constant, normal, immediate and effective means for enlightening his Ignorance. “In her high works of pure intelligence, In her withdrawal from the senses’ trap, There comes no breaking of the walls of mind, There leaps no rending flash of absolute power, There dawns no light of heavenly certitude.” Savitri-251 “In this small mould of infant mind and sense Desire is a child-heart’s cry crying for bliss, Our reason only a toys’ artificer, A rule-maker in a strange stumbling game. But she her dwarf aides knew whose confident sight A bounded prospect took for the far goal.” Savitri-257 “Reason cannot tear off that glimmering mask, Her efforts only make it glimmer more; In packets she ties up the Indivisible; Finding her hands too small to hold vast Truth She breaks up knowledge into alien parts Or peers through cloud-rack for a vanished sun:” Savitri-257 To liberate life and Nature from their narrow, false and divisible consciousness is a difficult task of an integral Yogi or supramental man. Sri Aurobindo observed them as three dwarfs, bound in a golden chain. The Gita recommends them as three asuras and defines amply the Nature of these three Gunas . The Gita proposes new static methods for developing Souls and Sri Aurobindo proposes dynamic Supramental method to go beyond their influence. And in fact, both methods are to be combined to eradicate their influence. The Gita’s method: “Sattwa must be transcended as well as rajas and tamas ; the golden chain must be broken no less than the leaden fetters and the bond-ornaments of a mixed alloy. The Gita prescribes to this end a new method of self-discipline . It is to stand back in oneself from the action of the modes and observe this unsteady flux as the Witness seated above the surge of the forces of Nature. He watches but is impartial and indifferent, aloof from them on their own level and in his native posture high above them. As they rise and fall in their waves, the Witness looks, and observes, but neither accepts nor for the moment interferes with their course. First, there must be the freedom of the impersonal Witness; afterward there can be the control of the Master, the Ishwara. ” CWSA/21/The Synthesis of Yoga-238 Integral Yoga's method: “The Supermind had descended long ago—very long ago—into the mind and even into the vital: it was working in the physical also but indirectly through those intermediaries. The question was about the direct action of the Supermind in the physical. Sri Aurobindo said it could be possible only if the physical mind received the supramental light: the physical mind was the instrument for direct action upon the most material. This physical mind receiving the supramental light Sri Aurobindo called the Mind of Light… As soon as Sri Aurobindo withdrew from his body, what he has called the Mind of Light got realised in me.” The Mother/29 June 1953/The Mother’s Centenary Works/13/62-63, The Synthesis of Yoga book proposes that not only we will go beyond the Gunas but also reconcile the higher nature of Para-prakriti with the lower nature of three gunas of Apara-prakriti and higher nature can penetrate the lower Nature in order to transform the lower nature. “When we break out from ego and physical mind into the infinity of the spirit, we still see the world and others as the mind has accustomed us to see them, as names and forms; only in our new experience of the direct and superior reality of spirit, they lose that direct objective reality and that indirect subjective reality of their own which they had to the mind. They seem to be quite the opposite of the truer reality we now experience; our mentality, stilled and indifferent, no longer strives to know and make real to itself those intermediate terms which exist in them as in us and the knowledge of which has for its utility to bridge over the gulf between the spiritual self and the objective phenomena of the world.” (CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga-442) “But it is also possible to make this silence of the mind and ability to suspend the habits of the lower nature a first step towards the discovery of a superior formulation, a higher grade of the status and energy of our being and pass by an ascent and transformation into the supramental power of the spirit. And this may even, though with more difficulty, be done without resorting to the complete state of quietude of the normal mind by a persistent and progressive transformation of all the mental into their greater corresponding supramental powers and activities.” (CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga-758-759) The Synthesis of Yoga book proposes another method in addition to the Gita’s method by which one can go beyond three gunas . “There is nothing to be done with this fickle, restless, violent and disturbing factor but to get rid of it (physical mind) whether (1) by detaching it and then reducing it to stillness or (2) by giving a concentration and singleness to the thought by which it will of itself reject this alien and confusing element." (CWSA/23/The Synthesis of Yoga-314) “Tamas in the spiritual being becomes a divine calm, which is not an inertia and incapacity of action, but a perfect power, sakti, holding in itself all its capacity and capable of controlling and subjecting to the law of calm even the most stupendous and enormous activity: rajas becomes a self-effecting initiating sheer Will of the spirit, which is not desire, endeavour, striving passion, but the same perfect power of being, sakti , capable of an infinite, imperturbable and blissful action. Sattwa becomes not the modified mental light, prakasa , but the self-existent light of the divine being, jyotih ., which is the soul of the perfect power of being and illumines in their unity the divine quietude and the divine will of action.” (CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga-689) “This process (of Spiritual transformation) may be rapid or tardy according to the amount of obscurity and resistance still left in the nature, but it goes on unfalteringly so long as it is not complete. As a final result the whole conscious being is made perfectly apt for spiritual experience of every kind, turned towards spiritual truth of thought, feeling, sense, action, tuned to the right responses, delivered from the darkness and stubbornness of the tamasic inertia, the turbidities and turbulences and impurities of the rajasic passion and restless unharmonised kinetism, the enlightened rigidities and sattwic limitations or poised balancements of constructed equilibrium which are the character of the Ignorance.” (CWSA-22/The Life Divine-941,) The Gita confirms that Intellect has the capacity to enter partial union with the Divine, buddhi grahyam atindriyam. Savitri book confirms that this partial Divine union will not be able to discern truth from falsehood which is again a partial truth. The two characters in Savitri, Death and Savitri’s birth mother were having the partial realisation of the Divine but both were advocates of Soul-slaying Truth. In this Canto we can carefully note this line, mind “Denied the (Soul saving) Truth that transient (Soul slaying) truths might live.” (Savitri-244) Again this Soul-slaying truth will not be able to remove the ‘twilight thought’ from tamasic, rajasic and sattwic mind which seems to be one of the affirmative conditions in confronting Death . However, the study of the whole Nature of the tamasic mind, rajasic mind and sattwic mind is very crucial to begin traditional Yoga and continuing the integral Yoga. In order to pursue the sadhana , Arjuna wanted to know from the Lord, the vivid description of the whole nature of three gunas . In this Canto, we observe three solutions of Psychic transformation, Psychic and Spiritual transformation and Supramental transformation of the triple mind. They are: Psychic Transformation: We will have to remember that Divine wisdom does not visit man as a guest from outside but it is slowly accumulated from within through the blows of life. Similarly, Divine Love does not visit as a guest from outside but it evolves from within from the disgust of precarious human relation and human love. Both Love and Wisdom are necessary for the fulfillment of life. "For knowledge comes not to us as a guest Called into our chamber from the outer world; A friend and inmate of our secret self, It hid behind our minds and fell asleep And slowly wakes beneath the blows of life; The mighty daemon lies unshaped within, To evoke, to give it form is Nature’s task." Savitri-244 “A greater Mind may see a greater Truth, Or we may find when all the rest has failed Hid in ourselves the key of perfect change.” Savitri-256 Psychic and Spiritual Transformation: " Above in a high breathless stratosphere, Overshadowing the dwarfish trinity, Lived, aspirants to a limitless Beyond, Captives of Space, walled by the limiting heavens, In the unceasing circuit of the hours Yearning for the straight paths of eternity, And from their high station looked down on this world Two sun-gaze Daemons witnessing all that is. " Savitri-258 Supramental Transformation: " A fire shall come out of the infinitudes, A greater Gnosis shall regard the world Crossing out of some far omniscience On lustrous seas from the still rapt Alone To illumine the deep heart of self and things. ” Savitri-258 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Accustomed to a blue infinity, (Overmental infinity or preliminary Supramental) It (Overmind) planed in sunlit sky and starlit air; It saw afar the unreached Immortal’s home And heard afar the voices of the Gods.” Savitri-258 “Iconoclast and shatterer of Time’s forts, Overleaping limit and exceeding norm, It (Supramental) lit the thoughts that glow through the centuries And moved to acts of superhuman force.” Savitri-259 16/ Book 2, Canto 11 - The Kingdoms And Godheads Of The Greater Mind A Brief Restatement: This Canto appears to be the continuation of previous Canto, where the King standing on the Overmental Cosmic Consciousness ' saw afar the unreached Immortal’s home And heard afar the voices of the Gods.' (Savitri-258) The King enters the triple planes of Cosmic Consciousness through 'meditation's mounting edge of trance' (Savitri-264) and from a long distance 'he saw the joining' of lower and higher hemispheres. Here the Higher, Illumined and Intuitive minds are universalised and meet the godheads of those Superconscient worlds, who are respectively 'mighty wardens,' 'subtle archangel race' and 'sovereign Kings of Thought.' The universalised Higher and universalised Illumined Minds get their source from the universal Intuitive plane which in turn is sourced from the fourth plane of 'bright Gods' (Savitri-274) of Overmind. The key difference between these higher triple planes and our (lower) mind is that in these former planes, one does not grope around in the darkness and twilight planes or infer conclusions from various pieces of data. These triple planes allow for direct form, visions and flashes of the Truth to be reflected more clearly and truly and therefore less subject to the floundering seen in the triple lower mortal mind. But even these higher planes do not capture the whole Truth, only some fragments of it. In these triple realms, there is harmony, truth and courage. The triple realms are: (1) 'small beginning of immense ascent;' (Savitri-264) (2) 'a light of liberating knowledge;' (Savitri-268) (3) 'wide summit of triple stair' (Savitri-271) respectively. Let us meet the Godheads or emanations of these triple planes with their ascending capacity: Godheads of Universalised Higher Mind: " The mighty wardens of the ascending stair Who intercede with the all-creating Word, There waited for the pilgrim heaven-bound soul; Holding the thousand keys of the Beyond They proffered their knowledge to the climbing mind And filled the life with Thought’s immensities." Savitri-265 "Iridescent, bodying the invisible, The guardians of the Eternal’s bright degrees Fronted the Sun in radiant phalanxes. Afar they seemed a symbol imagery, Illumined originals of the shadowy script In which our sight transcribes the ideal Ray, Or icons figuring a mystic Truth, But, nearer, Gods and living Presences." Savitri-265 "In front of the ascending epiphany World-Time’s enjoyers, favourites of World-Bliss, The Masters of things actual, lords of the hours, Playmates of youthful Nature and child God, Creators of Matter by hid stress of Mind Whose subtle thoughts support unconscious Life And guide the fantasy of brute events, Stood there, a race of young keen-visioned gods , King-children born on Wisdom’s early plane, Taught in her school world-making’s mystic play." Savitri-266 Godheads of Universalised Illumined Mind: "Above stood ranked a subtle archangel race With larger lids and looks that searched the unseen. A light of liberating knowledge shone Across the gulfs of silence in their eyes; They lived in the mind and knew truth from within; A sight withdrawn in the concentrated heart Could pierce behind the screen of Time’s results And the rigid cast and shape of visible things." Savitri-268 Godheads of Universalised Intuitive Mind: "August and few the sovereign Kings of Thought Have made of Space their wide all-seeing gaze Surveying the enormous work of Time: A breadth of all-containing Consciousness Supported Being in a still embrace. Intercessors with a luminous Unseen, They capt in the long passage to the world The imperatives of the creator Self Obeyed by unknowing earth, by conscious heaven; Their thoughts are partners in its vast control." Savitri-271 Overmind and the bright Godheads: Here we find the universalised consciousness where the relation of Jivatma with Paraprakriti is established and it is described in the following symbolic language. Through the descent of D ivine Mother's touch, the mortal head is illumined and a golden nimbus becomes visible surrounding the head. "Or as a lover clasps his one beloved, Godhead of his life’s worship and desire, Icon of his heart’s sole idolatry, She now is his and must live for him alone: She has invaded him with her sudden bliss,... Incarnating her beauty in his clasp She gave for a brief kiss her immortal lips And drew to her bosom one glorified mortal head : She made earth her home, for whom heaven was too small. In a human breast her occult presence lived; He carved from his own self his figure of her: She shaped her body to a mind’s embrace." Savitri-274-275 Paraprakriti is here the Divine Mother and the 'The whole world lives in a lonely ray of her sun.' (Savitri-276) If a Sadhak will 'Dare to surrender to her absolute' (Savitri-276) then a new Manifestation will take place. Even he adores her to possess her Divinity, 'But she remains herself and infinite' (Savitri-276) or 'A distance severed her from those most close.' (Savitri-366) This Canto projects a Sadhak as 'citizens of that mother State' (Savitri-262) or Spiritual fosterer and his Soul as 'Immaculate in white virginity.' (Savitri-274) In order to adventure into 'Matter's night' he must have Kshetriya Soul force in his frontal nature. “Its (Spirit’s) wings can dare to cross the Infinite.” Savitri-260 "Our spirits break free from their environment; The future brings its face of miracle near, Its godhead looks at us with present eyes; Acts deemed impossible grow natural; We feel the hero’s immortality; The courage and the strength death cannot touch Awake in limbs that are mortal, hearts that fail; We move by the rapid impulse of a will That scorns the tardy trudge of mortal time." Savitri-262 “Ourselves are citizens of that mother State Adventurers, we have colonised Matter’s night.” Savitri-262 “These (God-born strength) dared to grasp with their thought Truth’s absolute;” Savitri-272 “Dare to surrender to her absolute.” Savitri-276 “At each moment willed or adventure of the soul,” Savitri-266 “It (Supermind) casts on our world its great crowned influences, Its speed that outstrips the ambling of the hours, Its force that strides invincibly through Time, Its mights that bridge the gulf twixt man and God, Its (Supermind) lights that combat Ignorance and Death.” Savitri-261 In addition to Kshetriya Soul Force, Spiritual life prohibits earthly enjoyments and rest and proposes ceaseless action by uniting with the Divine and ceaseless descent of Divine Wisdom and Love. The ultimate vision is to call down the Supreme Lord and His magic Will in its entirety that can break down all established laws, all the limitations of mortal life instantly; search for that fire of Love which can bring dead back to life; that Power which can cancel the things once done; that supreme Consciousness which can arrest the advance of time and slipping moments (“No silent peak is found where Time can rest.” Savitri-197) and that Bliss which can persuade the past perfect hours to live again with greater intensity or 'A new charm brings back the old extreme delight.' (Savitri-275) Adventure into Supramental consciousness promises endless new discoveries in the material world, endless opulence, beauty and harmony in the surrounding world. It also promises to put pressure on common man or on humanity to reveal their Soul. This Canto also gives the message that the Sadhak must also have the highest Brahmin Soul force in his frontal Nature which is a ceaseless rejection of falsehood and ceaseless acceptance of overhead Truth. This Canto hints at the establishment of Soul-saving Truth which alone can replace the Soul-slaying truth of three gunas . “The Spirit’s truths take form as living Gods” Savitri-261 “Of a truth that sees in an unerring light” Savitri-261 “A memory steals in from lost heavens of Truth,” Savitri-263 “In our unknown depths sleeps their reserve of truth,” Savitri-263 “Answers Truth’s call as to a parent’s voice” Savitri-264 “A happiness it brings of whispered truth;” Savitri-264 “The flame-bright hierarchs of the divine Truth” Savitri-265 “Or icons figuring a mystic Truth,” Savitri-265 “They lived in the mind and knew truth from within” Savitri-268 “And theoricians of unknowable truths,” Savitri-268 “Truths they could find and hold but not the one (Supreme) Truth” Savitri-271 “A Truth-gaze shapes its beings and events;” Savitri-271 “Even Nature’s ignorance is Truth’s instrument;” Savitri-272 “Mystic, ineffable is the spirit’s truth,” Savitri-272 “This greater Truth is foreign to our thoughts;” Savitri-272 “And hoped to conquer Truth’s supernal base.” Savitri-273 “In transparent systems bodied termless truths,” Savitri-273 “This they have planned, to snare the feet of Truth” Savitri-274 “But thought nor word can seize eternal Truth: The whole world lives in a lonely ray of her sun Truth smiled upon the gracious golden game” Savitri-275 “A king of truth upon his separate throne.” Savitri-275 “For Truth is wider, greater than her forms.” Savitri-276 This Canto also makes us aware of our limitations and makes us accountable towards Divine life: “We see not what small figure of her (Para-prakriti) we hold; We feel not her inspiring boundlessness, We share not her immortal liberty. Thus is it even with the seer and sage For still the human limits the divine:” Savitri-276 “To account for the Actual’s unaccountable sum,” Savitri-269 “Its values weighed by the accountant Mind,” Savitri-270 This Canto deals only with higher planes of Consciousness and gives importance to live a life in extreme happiness and joy. Thus ' Joy dares to grow upon forbidden soil.' (Savitri-630). This is also a condition to meet and confront with world’s Ignorance, Falsehood, Suffering and Death. "A happiness it brings of whispered truth; There runs in its flow honeying the bosom of Space A laughter from the immortal heart of Bliss, And the unfathomed Joy of timelessness, The sound of Wisdom’s murmur in the Unknown And the breath of an unseen Infinity." Savitri-264 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A gold supernal sun of timeless Truth Poured down the mystery of the eternal Ray Through a silence quivering with the word of Light On an endless ocean of discovery.” Savitri-264 “Of throbbing new discovery without end.” Savitri-275 “The All-containing was contained in form, Oneness was carved into units measurable, The limitless built into a cosmic sum: Unending Space was beaten into a curve, Indivisible Time into small minutes cut, The infinitesimal massed to keep secure The mystery of the Formless cast into form.” Savitri-266-67 “A breadth of all-containing Consciousness Supported Being in a still embrace…. A great all-ruling Consciousness is there…” Savitri-271 “The secret power in the inconscient depths, Compelling the blinded Godhead to emerge,” Savitri-272 (Discovery of Inconscient Self.) 17/ Book 2, Canto 12 - The Heavens Of Ideal A Brief Restatement: This Book-2, Canto-12, gives the account of King Aswapati’s Psychic being’s ascent to Spiritual and Supramental height, hence this ascent is identified as Purusha yajna or Vedantic sacrifice. "It left known summits for the unknown peaks:" Savitri-277 "Its worlds are steps of an ascending Force:" Savitri-280 "Only the Eternal’s strength in us can dare To attempt the immense adventure of that climb And the sacrifice of all we cherish here." Savitri-280 Here we find an account of the movement of Consciousness in higher planes of Consciousness, particularly in between Psychic and Spiritual plane. "Each stage of the soul’s remote ascent was built Into a constant heaven felt always here." Savitri-277 This Canto also gives hint of opening of Chakras of King Aswapati from above the head moving downward as Divine Shakti . The traditional Yoga gives importance of opening of Chakras or energy centres from below and asks the physical presence of Guru in order to avoid the possibility of Spiritual fall. The opening of Chakras as proposed in integral Yoga is safe and need not depend on the Physical presence of Guru . The descending Shakti will purify mind, vital and body and finally descend to Subconscient and Inconscient plane for purification and transformation. “Our hidden centres of celestial force Open like flowers to a heavenly atmosphere; Mind pauses thrilled with the supernal Ray, And even this transient body then can feel Ideal love and flawless happiness And laughter of the heart’s sweetness and delight Freed from the rude and tragic hold of Time, And beauty and the rhythmic feet of the hours.” Savitri-278 "A million lotuses swaying on one stem, World after coloured and ecstatic world Climbs towards some far unseen epiphany." Savitri-279 So the Yoga which begins with the movement of Consciousness between Psychic and Spiritual plane, replacing or superseding the earlier status of movement of consciousness between three gunas , will culminate with the movement of Consciousness between Inconscient and Supramental plane. “Above the spirit cased in mortal sense Are superconscious realms of heavenly peace, Below, the Inconscient’s sullen dim abyss, Between, behind our life, the deathless Rose.” Savitri-277-278 Thus, King Aswapati prepared his body for cellular transformation. This is identified as the intermediate siddhi beyond Supramental of integral Yoga. “A fiery stillness wakes the slumbering cells , A passion of the flesh becoming spirit, And marvellously is fulfilled at last The miracle for which our life was made.” Savitri-278 We also observe in this Canto the reconciliation of Divine Will, Divine Knowledge and Divine Love through the movement of Consciousness. They become one and further ‘Aspired to reach the Being’s absolute.’(Savitri-279). This sense of Oneness with all existence is a movement towards Cosmic and Supramental Consciousness and the King met in those planes ‘radiant children of Eternity’ (Savitri-282) who can assist a Sadhaka to establish himself in that plane. This Canto also confirms a Sadhak that Spiritual fall can be avoided if Karma Yoga is reconciled with Jnana Yoga . "Happy the worlds that have not felt our fall , Where Will is one with Truth and Good with Power ; Impoverished not by earth-mind’s indigence, They keep God’s natural breath of mightiness, His bare spontaneous swift intensities; There is his great transparent mirror, Self, And there his sovereign autarchy of bliss In which immortal natures have their part, Heirs and cosharers of divinity." Savitri-281 "There is the secrecy of the House of Flame, The blaze of godlike thought and golden bliss, The rapt idealism of heavenly sense; There are the wonderful voices, the sun-laugh, A gurgling eddy in rivers of God’s joy, And the mysteried vineyards of the gold moon-wine, All the fire and sweetness of which hardly here A brilliant shadow visits mortal life." Savitri-279 OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: “It longed for the Light that knows not death and birth. Each stage of the soul’s remote ascent was built Into a constant heaven felt always here.” Savitri-277 “A fiery stillness wakes the slumbering cells, A passion of the flesh becoming spirit, And marvellously is fulfilled at last The miracle for which our life was made. A flame in a white voiceless cupola Is seen and faces of immortal light, The radiant limbs that know not birth and death, The breasts that suckle the first-born of the Sun, The wings that crowd thought’s ardent silences, The eyes that look into spiritual Space.” Savitri-278 The More Important Secret of this chapter: “There is the secrecy of the House of Flame (Agni), (Psychic being) The blaze of godlike thought and golden bliss, The rapt idealism of heavenly sense; There are the wonderful voices, the sun-laugh, A gurgling eddy in rivers of God’s joy, And the mysteried vineyards of the gold moon-wine, All the fire and sweetness of which hardly here A brilliant shadow visits mortal life.” Savitri-279 The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "Yet were there regions where these absolutes met And made a circle of bliss with married hands; Light stood embraced by light, fire wedded fire, But none in the other would his body lose To find his soul in the world’s single Soul, A multiplied rapture of infinity." Savitri-281-282 18/ Book 2, Canto 13 - In The Self Of Mind A Brief Restatement: The Book-2, Canto-13 concentrates on King Aswapati’s full opening of intermediate static Spiritual Being and its relation with dynamic Psychic Being below and dynamic Supramental Being above. It also hints that the most important Psychic being of integral Yoga is partly fulfilled by union with Spiritual Being and fully satisfied with the union with Supramental Being. "Then suddenly a luminous finger fell On all things seen or touched or heard or felt And showed his mind that nothing could be known; That must be reached from which all knowledge comes." Savitri-284 While a Static Spiritual being is indifferent to world problems, its intervention in life reduces desire, personal will, ego, attachment, dualities and action of three gunas. This Canto does not concentrate on the dynamic Spiritual being which is also known as Cosmic Consciousness and its action is more described in the next Canto, Book 2, Canto-14. The Nature of Spiritual Being is ‘Mighty calm,’ ‘immobile calm,’ ‘wordless peace,’ ‘deep peace,’ indifferent to victory and defeat, ‘vast quietism,’ creator Mind, ‘a wide and witness Self,’ a shadow of Supramental light, ‘a pale front of the Unknowable’ Supermind, ‘blank and still.’ Spiritual being can trace a passage of brief Supramental touch, which gives input to explore more on the subject. They are described as That, sceptic Ray, Superconscient Sun, convicting beam, nameless Force, mighty Mother, white passion of God-ecstasy, boundless heart of Love, ‘A greater Spirit.’ "Our sweet and mighty Mother was not there Who gathers to her bosom her children’s lives, Her clasp that takes the world into her arms In the fathomless rapture of the Infinite, The Bliss that is creation’s splendid grain Or the white passion of God-ecstasy That laughs in the blaze of the boundless heart of Love. A greater Spirit than the Self of Mind (greater Spirit is Supermind.) Must answer to the questioning of his soul." Savitri-286-287 This Canto also proposes to become immortal by constantly renewing the mortality though the Spiritual Being is unable to confront Death in the inconscient plane. "Two firmaments of darkness and of light Opposed their limits to the spirit’s walk; It moved veiled in from Self’s infinity In a world of beings and momentary events Where all must die to live and live to die. Immortal by renewed mortality," Savitri-287-288 Finally, the Canto proposes that if one will remain in the world he will have to live in the prison of ego, and if he will activate the Spiritual being it will find a passage of extinction and escape from this world. So, we have to go beyond the Spiritual Mind in order to discover the dynamic Spirit and a comprehensive solution to the world's problems. "To be was a prison, extinction the escape." Savitri-288 OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: “Where Silence listened to the cosmic Voice, But answered nothing to a million calls; The soul’s endless question met with no response.” Savitri-283 “Silence (of Spiritual Being), the mystic birthplace of the soul (Psychic Being).” Savitri-287 (Psychic being’s silence is a suffusion from Spiritual being.) “The Silence knew itself and thought took form:” Savitri-284 “There (state of equality) he could stay, the Self, the Silence won: His soul had peace, it knew the cosmic Whole.” Savitri-284 (cosmic consciousness) 19/ Book 2, Canto 14 - The World-Soul A Brief Restatement: This Book-2, Canto-14 represents King Aswapati’s Spiritual experience of cosmic Self which is the same as the dynamic state of the Spiritual being, all this existence is Brahman of the Gita (Vasudevah Sarvamiti) (The Gita-7.19) , Para Prakriti or the Divine Mother of Tantra . This is also identified as the preliminary stair of the Supermind where the World, Self and Divine are reconciled. This is also the state of Consciousness, which is the outcome of Jivatma’s Divine union with the Para-Prakriti , who holds together this whole universe, jagat dharayete (The Gita-7.5). "Above them all she stands supporting all, The sole omnipotent Goddess ever-veiled Of whom the world is the inscrutable mask; The ages are the footfalls of her tread, Their happenings the figure of her thoughts, And all creation is her endless act. His spirit was made a vessel of her force; Mute in the fathomless passion of his will He outstretched to her his folded hands of prayer." Savitri-295 In all the previous Cantos, King Aswapati had the experience of Cosmic Consciousness, but in this Canto his cosmic Self is Supramentalised and the Divine revealed himself in his personal form. The King's Consciousness continues to move between the universal and transcendent Self. "An incense floated in the quivering air, A mystic happiness trembled in the breast As if the invisible Beloved had come Assuming the sudden loveliness of a face And close glad hands could seize his fugitive feet And the world change with the beauty of a smile." Savitri-290 In Cosmic Consciousness, Matter and Spirit are reconciled and all negations of material life is Divinised by the universal Spirit’s touch. They are: “One who could love without return for love (Divine Love), Meeting and turning to the best the worst, It healed the bitter cruelties of earth, Transforming all experience to delight; Intervening in the sorrowful paths of birth It rocked the cradle of the cosmic Child And stilled all weeping with its hand of joy; It led things evil towards their secret good, It turned racked falsehood into happy truth; Its power was to reveal divinity.” Savitri-291 This Canto proposes a Sadhak on how to enter relation with other Souls by activation of the cosmic Self. Here, the subtle touch of one soul with another soul is given much importance by extension and universalisation of subtle body and a touch of gross 'bodies were needed not' (Savitri-292) to establish this Divine Love. "Life was not there, but an impassioned force, Finer than fineness, deeper than the deeps, Felt as a subtle and spiritual power, A quivering out from soul to answering soul, A mystic movement, a close influence, A free and happy and intense approach Of being to being with no screen or check, Without which life and love could never have been. Body was not there, for bodies were needed not, The soul itself was its own deathless form And met at once the touch of other souls Close, blissful, concrete, wonderfully true." Savitri-292 This Cosmic Self is the home and training ground of dead Souls through internatal trance and one enters the right relation with the world, fellow brothers, dead kith and kin and material things through direct contact with this higher consciousness. "In trance they (dead Souls) gathered back their bygone selves, In a background memory’s foreseeing muse Prophetic of new personality Arranged the map of their coming destiny’s course: Heirs of their past, their future’s discoverers, Electors of their own self-chosen lot, They waited for the adventure of new life." Savitri-293 "The (dead) spirit wandering from state to state Finds here (Cosmic Self) the silence of its starting-point In the formless force and the still fixity And brooding passion of the world of Soul... Ever they (Dead Souls) change and changing ever grow, And passing through a fruitful stage of death And after long reconstituting sleep Resume their place in the process of the Gods Until their work in cosmic Time is done." Savitri-294 In this cosmic Consciousness, the King Aswapati was able to have direct personal contact with the supreme Lord and supreme Mother and Their dual relation, which uplifted the King’s consciousness to the status of Avatara . "His soul passed on, a single conscious power, Towards the end which ever begins again, Approaching through a stillness dumb and calm To the source of all things human and divine. There he beheld in their mighty union’s poise The figure of the deathless Two-in-One, A single being in two bodies clasped, A diarchy of two united souls, Seated absorbed in deep creative joy; Their trance of bliss sustained the mobile world." Savitri-295 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A flame that cancels death in mortal things.” Savitri-291 “Behind them in a morning dusk One stood (the Divine Mother – as the Transcendent Shakti) Who brought them forth from the Unknowable (the Supreme). Ever disguised she awaits the seeking spirit; Watcher on the supreme unreachable peaks, Guide of the traveller of the unseen paths, She guards the austere approach to the Alone.” Savitri-295 20/ Book 2, Canto 15 - The Kingdoms Of The Greater Knowledge A Brief Restatement: Book-2, Canto-15 gives the message of the Supramental plane, which becomes active after one is established in the movement of Consciousness between the Universal and the Transcendent Self which succeeds the movements of Consciousness between the waking trance of the Psychic and non-waking trance of the Spiritual plane. "He scanned the secrets of the Overmind, He bore the rapture of the Oversoul. A borderer of the empire of the Sun, Attuned to the supernal harmonies, He linked creation to the Eternal’s sphere." Savitri-302 A concentration on this Canto can give brief Supramental touch, brief Supramental silence, brief Supramental hope, and brief Supramental Peace. That will help to trace a unique path of our own. “A thousand roads leaped into Eternity... The Known released him (King ) from its limiting chain; He knocked at the doors of the Unknowable.’ (Savitri-298) This Canto hints that due to this Supramental influence; some Permanent changes were observed in King’s physical appearance. They are identified as: “A light was round him (King ) wide and absolute,” (Savitri-297) This change is also observed in Satyavan’s pursuit of Yoga in book-7. They are: “Above the cherished head of Satyavan She saw not now Fate’s dark and lethal orb; A golden circle round a mystic sun Disclosed to her new-born predicting sight” Savitri-533 During King's Psychic and Spiritual opening, he became a twice-born Soul and the first Psychic and second Spiritual reversal of Consciousness was experienced. So a Dvija can hold the Divine's Presence for a brief period and we mark King's this particular brief Spiritual experience and brief Supramental experience in the previous Book-2, Canto-5 and Book-1, Canto-3: “A new life dawns, he looks out from vistas wide; The Spirit’s breath moves him but soon retires: His strength was not made to hold that puissant guest.” Savitri-165 “Hardly for a moment glimpsed viewless to Mind, (Brief Supramental experience.) As if a torch held by a power of God, The radiant world of the everlasting Truth Glimmered like a faint star bordering the night Above the golden Overmind’s shimmering ridge.” Savitri-41 The King experienced another new birth and establishment in a third reversal of Consciousness during this Supramental opening: "In the kingdom of the Spirit’s power and light, As if one who arrived out of infinity’s womb He came new-born, infant and limitless And grew in the wisdom of the timeless Child; He was a vast that soon became a Sun." Savitri-301 In this context, we can note The Mother's following experience: " When we begin living the spiritual life, a reversal of consciousness takes place which for us is the proof that we have entered the spiritual life; well, yet another occurs when we enter the supramental world...And probably each time a new world opens up, there will again be a new reversal. This is why even our spiritual life, which is such a total reversal compared to ordinary life, seems something still so ... so totally different when compared to this supramental consciousness that the values are almost opposite....I can explain the phenomenon like this: successive reversals such that an EVER NEW richness of creation will take place from stage to stage, making whatever came before seem so poor in comparison. What to us seems supremely rich compared to our ordinary life, appears so poor compared to this new reversal of consciousness. Such was my experience." The Mother's Agenda-15.11.1958 We also observe in this Canto, the nature of Supramental action which complements earlier representations of Psychic and Spiritual action: “The greatness and wonder of its boundless works,” Savitri-298 “The glorious dream of their universal acts;” Savitri-298 “Its inexhaustible acts in a timeless Time,” Savitri-298 “And all creation is an act of light.” Savitri-298 “In that high realm where no untruth can come, Where all are different and all is one, In the Impersonal’s ocean without shore The Person in the World-Spirit anchored rode; It thrilled with the mighty marchings of World-Force, Its acts were the comrades of God’s infinite peace .” Savitri-301 “His finite parts approached their absolutes, His actions framed the movements of the Gods, His will took up the reins of cosmic Force.” Savitri-302 The above Supramental action also calls down the Supramental Wisdom and Supramental Love: “Here came the thought that passes beyond Thought, Here the still Voice which our listening cannot hear, The Knowledge by which the knower is the known, The Love in which beloved and lover are one.” Savitri-297-98 Supramental action makes a Sadhaka King, Leader and Captain of the team; Supramental wisdom makes him Scout guarding Truth’s ‘diamond purity’ (Savitri-297) and Pioneer of new Consciousness by tracing a new path; Supramental Love makes his life exceedingly joyful laughter and boundless self-giving. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A consciousness lay still, devoid of forms, Free, wordless, uncoerced by sign or rule, For ever content with only being and bliss; A sheer existence lived in its own peace On the single spirit’s bare and infinite ground.” Savitri-297 “A state in which all ceased and all began.” Savitri-297 (a state of Supramental Consciousness) “Out of the neutral silence of his soul He passed to its fields of puissance and of calm And saw the Powers that stand above the world, (the various Emanations of the Divine Mother) Traversed the realms of the supreme Idea And sought the summit of created things And the almighty source of cosmic change.” Savitri-298 “On peaks where Silence listens with still heart To the rhythmic metres of the rolling worlds, He served the sessions of the triple Fire.” Savitri-299, 21/ Book 3, Canto 1 - The Pursuit Of The Unknowable A Brief Restatement: In Book-3, Canto-1, King entered a state of consciousness beyond Supramental and this absolute static state of the Divine we may call as Bliss Self, Supreme Self, Turiya state, ' Uncreating, uncreated and unborn, The One by whom all live, who lives by none.' (Savitri-309) Its dynamic state is not revealed here. The King was able to enter this absolute plane after bridging the gulf between this world and the Supramental world, about which we get hints from the previous Book-2, Canto-3, 10, 11 and Book-3, Canto-1 & 2. The narration is like this: “This world of bliss he (King Aswapati) saw and felt its call, But found no way to enter into its joy; Across the conscious gulf there was no bridge.” Savitri-128 "It saw afar the unreached Immortal’s home And heard afar the voices of the Gods.' Savitri-258-259 "Far-off he saw the joining hemispheres." Savitri-264 “But who that mightiness was he knew not yet.” Savitri-306 “But what That was, no thought nor sight could tell.” Savitri-308 "And still the last inviolate secret hides Behind the human glory of a Form, Behind the gold eidolon of a Name. A large white line has figured as a goal, But far beyond the ineffable suntracks blaze: What seemed the source and end was a wide gate, A last bare step into eternity." Savitri-311 In the initial phase of the Sadhana, King was able to enter the last perfection (siddhi) of integral Yoga, known as Truth Supreme, but showed his inability to stay in that world for a longer period: “Upbuoyed upon winged winds of rapid joy, Upheld to a Light it could not always hold, It left mind’s distance from the Truth supreme And lost life’s incapacity for bliss.” Savitri-43-44 A similar difficulty is marked in Savitri's Spiritual experience of arriving at Supramental and Bliss Consciousness: "Then this too paused; the body seemed a stone. All now was a wide mighty vacancy, But still excluded from eternity’s hush; For still was far the repose of the Absolute And the ocean silence of Infinity." Savitri-543-544 A similar difficulty is observed in Satyavan's Sadhana while trying to bridge the gulf between this world and the Supramental world: "I lived in the ray but faced not to the sun. I looked upon the world and missed the Self, And when I found the Self, I lost the world, My other selves I lost and the body of God, The link of the finite with the Infinite, The bridge between the appearance and the Truth, The mystic aim for which the world was made, The human sense of Immortality. But now the gold link comes to me with thy feet And His gold sun has shone on me from thy face." Savitri-407-408 How can we enter this world of Bliss through the movement of Consciousness? Through the fourfold ladders of (1) waking Self, Virat , (2) subliminal Self, dream Self, Hiranyagarbha , (3) Supramental Self, Sleep Self, causal body, Susupti (4) Supreme Self, Turiya, the Consciousness of pure self-existence, we climb back through trance or deep meditation to this absolute Divine plane. More hints we can observe from this Canto:- 1) “Although more near to us than nearness’ self,… Hidden by its own works, it seemed far off, Impenetrable, occult, voiceless, obscure… Near, it retreated; far, it called him still.” (Savitri-305) 2) Without this Divine Presence, the world lived empty of its Mission, all things have no charm, no glory, no brightness, which can be compared as love after the beloved’s demise. (Savitri-305) 3) The Delight of this Supreme Self can satisfy life utterly. ‘Its absence left the greatest action dull, Its presence made the smallest (action) seem divine. When it was there heart’s abyss (desire Soul) was' (Savitri-305-306) fulfilled, purified, transformed and perfected. 4) When this Deity, the Anandamaya Purusha withdraws, the existence experiences dissolution or when the Psychic Being withdraws, the individual experiences the death of the body. During that period of dissolution the godlike fullness of Divine Instruments, Vibhutis, Avataras become the support of an impermanent scene. 5) The Canto proposes that to make the mind empty, vital silent and body plastic is the condition of continuous ascent of the Soul, continuous descent of Shakti and boundless change and further proposes to live like a newborn child or a zero formed where every hope and search must cease and nothing built could live. Then all the parts of Nature can transform into the image of Bliss Self. This is the adventure of Spirit within Matter’s Ignorance. Thus Spirit can hold the universe in the trance of its luminous insufficiency. 6) The separate Self or Psychic being must be Supramentalised by the invasion of the Supramental and Bliss Self and its sepatrative identity is lost and a Sadhak becomes egoless and becomes one with the Bliss Self or 'The separate self must melt or be reborn Into a Truth beyond the mind’s appeal.' (Savitri-307) By the influence of its Supreme Truth, the mind dies like a moth and one lives in a ‘fine and blissful Nothingness.’ (Savitri-307) 7) Before that supreme state all human glory, sweetness and harmony become unimportant and obsolete. Thus, by the attraction of this Supreme Self, the unsolved slow evolution of three gunas returns to its Divine Source from which all springs and all ceases. 8) The Supreme Self has no kinship with the dominant three gunas of the universe. Thus, in its vast consciousness, there is no external movement, no tamasic mind’s ignorant action, no rajasic mind’s indulgence in human love and no sattwic mind’s disinterested search for pure truth. All the false personalities born by the influence of three gunas perished before the nameless impersonal influence and oneness of the Supreme bliss Self. There remains only one Supreme Divine Mother without a second personality to substitute Her or “There was no second, it had no partner or peer; Only itself was real to itself.” (Savitri-308) This Oneness of pure existence is safe from the falsehood of ‘thought and mood’ and pure Consciousness is ‘unshared immortal bliss’ (Savitri-309) and dwelt alone, aloof, unique, bare and unutterably sole. This Being is formless, featureless, mute, occult, impenetrable, infinite, eternal, unthinkable and alone. 9) After the prolongation of this static realisation of the Supreme Self, King Aswapati became fit to meet the Dynamic state of the Divine Mother in Person or in Her personal embodied Form for a brief period, who alone can bridge the gulf between Matter and Spirit or Death and Immortality in their entirety. “All he had been and all towards which he grew Must now be left behind or else transform (by dynamisation of Supreme Self) Into a self of That which has no name.” Savitri-307 “A height was reached where nothing made could live, A line where every hope and search must cease Neared some intolerant bare Reality, A zero formed pregnant with boundless change .” Savitri-306 (This is the point at which Supreme Self is dynamised.) This Canto gives the message to a Sadhak that by realisation of static Supreme Self one will recoil from world problems and escape into the supreme Abode of Param Dham and by dynamisation of Supreme Self through prolongation of static realisation, the world problems can be resolved and untransformed Nature can be Divinised. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A cave of darkness guards the eternal Light.” Savitri-305 (Here eternal Light is the Subconscient and Inconscient Self) “Nothing could satisfy but its delight: Its (Supreme Self’s) absence left the greatest actions dull, Its presence made the smallest seem divine.” Savitri-305 22/ Book 3, Canto 2 - The Adoration Of The Divine Mother A Brief Restatement: The Book-3, Canto-2, begins with the vast static silence state of Supreme Self, Turiya, Bliss Self, which can abolish and swallow the burdening tamasic need, the rajasic sense urge and limited sattwic knowledge without transforming that life. In this state, ego is dead with boundless silence of the Supreme Self but oblivious of Supreme Self's Power and world transforming Mission. This realisation is an escape from life's problems and does not bring victory and crown of integral Yoga. This realisation does not define the mystery of Avatar's Divine birth and Divine action, leaving unbroken the 'last chapter's seal' and 'still the last inviolate secret' (Savitri-311) and 'last bare step' is hidden. By the pressure of static Supreme Self, 'The soul’s ignorance is slain but not the soul:' (Savitri-311) This hints that by activation of the static Supreme Self Ignorance and Falsehood can be destroyed but cannot be transformed. In the absolute silence of static supreme realisation, 'an absolute Power' sleeps and the Sadhak's task is to awaken the trance-bound Soul linked with this static realisation and 'make the world a vessel of Spirit's force' (Savitri-312) and mould the clay into 'God's perfect shape.' (Savitri-312) The dynamic state of the Supreme Self perfects the action of Psychic Being, Spiritual Being and Supramental Being; its influence reduces or silences the demand of desire Soul, it turns all parts of being towards a single-minded quest and single-minded opening towards the Divine Mother Consciousness and it establishes the Bliss Consciousness in all the parts of Being and Becoming. The King here meets the Supreme Mother or Creatrix Bliss Mother as: "A being of wisdom, power and delight, Even as a mother draws her child to her arms, Took to her breast Nature and world and soul.... The Power, the Light, the Bliss no word can speak Imaged itself in a surprising beam And built a golden passage to his heart Touching through him all longing sentient things." Savitri-312 "A Mother Might brooded upon the world; A Consciousness revealed its marvellous front Transcending all that is, denying none:” Savitri-313 "The undying Truth appeared, the enduring Power Of all that here is made and then destroyed, The Mother of all godheads and all strengths Who, mediatrix, binds earth to the Supreme." Savitri-313 "The Formless and the Formed were joined in her: Immensity was exceeded by a look, A Face revealed the crowded Infinite." Savitri-314 The speciality of this Canto is the manifestation of the Supreme Self's dynamic Divine Love which can transform without slaying the desire Soul surrounding Psychic being and can transform the darkness of Subconscient and Inconscient sheaths: “But where is the Lover’s everlasting Yes,” Savitri-310, “Across the silence of the ultimate Calm, Out of a marvellous Transcendence’ core, A body of wonder and translucency As if a sweet mystic summary of her self Escaping into the original Bliss Had come enlarged out of eternity, Someone (Divine Mother) came infinite and absolute.” Savitri-312 “A moment’s sweetness of the All-Beautiful (Divine Mother) Cancelled the vanity of the cosmic whirl.” Savitri-312 “A love that bore the cross of pain with joy Eudaemonised the sorrow of the world, Made happy the weight of long unending Time, The secret caught of God’s felicity.” Savitri-312-133 “A Heart was felt in the spaces wide and bare, A burning Love from white spiritual founts Annulled the sorrow of the ignorant depths; Suffering was lost in her immortal smile. A Life from beyond grew conqueror here of death; To err no more was natural to mind; Wrong could not come where all was light and love. ” Savitri-313-14 “All here shall be one day her sweetness’ home, All contraries prepare her harmony; Towards her our knowledge climbs, our passion gropes; In her miraculous rapture we shall dwell, Her clasp shall turn to ecstasy our pain.” Savitri-314 “All that denies must be torn out and slain And crushed the many longings (of desire Soul) for whose sake We lose the One (Divine Love) for whom our lives were made. Now other claims (of desire Soul) had hushed in him their cry:" Savitri-316 The Divine Love is a supremely affirmative dynamic energy defined as ‘Lover’s everlasting Yes’ (Savitri-310) which can transform Inconscient/Subconscient negations known as ‘everlasting No’ (Savitri-310) without rejecting and destroying them, without slaying the Soul’s Ignorance, can transform the wheel of earth’s doom known as ‘cosmic whirl.’ (Savitri-310) It can bear the cross of pain with joy; transcends all the creation but denies none and can annul the sorrow of ignorant depths. It can turn pain into ecstasy, confront and conquer death, and transform falsehood. Before its Presence error of mind and wrong action cannot materialise and the mind becomes a faultless instrument of the Divine. All discords of life move towards harmony, all darkness of suffering is healed and this Divine Love can transform superseding earlier static Divine realisation which can crush and silence the many longing desires of mind, life and body. The Spiritual and Psychic Love can reject falsehood, Supramental and Bliss Love can transform falsehood and save the Soul, Mind, Life and Body. So, King Aswapati’s single-minded quest longed and yearned only the Supreme Divine Mother’s Presence in the form of Soul saving Truth, Love and Joy and ‘vast surrender.’ "All Nature dumbly calls to her alone To heal with her feet the aching throb of life And break the seals on the dim soul of man And kindle her fire in the closed heart of things." Savitri-314 "Once seen, his heart acknowledged only her . Only a hunger of infinite bliss was left. All aims in her were lost, then found in her; His base was gathered to one pointing spire." Savitri-315 "This Light comes not by struggle or by thought; In the mind’s silence the Transcendent acts And the hushed heart hears the unuttered Word. A vast surrender was his only strength. A Power that lives upon the heights must act, Bring into life’s closed room the Immortal’s air And fill the finite with the Infinite." Savitri-315-316 "Only he longed to draw her presence and power Into his heart and mind and breathing frame; Only he yearned to call for ever down Her healing touch of love and truth and joy Into the darkness of the suffering world. His soul was freed and given to her alone ." Savitri-316 This Canto gives the Sadhak , the task that, after stabiliastion of his consciousness in the Psychic, Spiritual and Universal planes, he has to ascend and enter the Supreme Self in absolute silence and dynamises it to meet the Supreme Mother in Her Personal form. This will help him to receive the fourth Divine Call of Paraprakriti's union with Apara-prakriti of transforming the nether Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths. "In her confirmed because transformed in her, Our life shall find in its fulfilled response Above, the boundless hushed beatitudes, Below, the wonder of the embrace divine ." Savitri-315 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “In absolute silence sleeps an absolute Power. Awaking, it can wake the trance-bound soul And in the ray reveal the parent sun:” Savitri-311-12 23/ Book 3, Canto 3 - The House Of The Spirit And New Creation A Brief Restatement: In the Book-3, Canto-3, King was able to dynamise the Supramental Force of having four consequences through ‘downward look’ (Savitri-322) and by embracing all existence. They are identified as (1) new creation, (2) extinction of suffering, (3) oneness with the existence and (4) transformation of Subconscient and inconscient sheaths. Supramental touch/embrace will equip life with new creation and new manifestation which may be identified as an extension of integral Karma Yoga . The source of all action is Consciousness or ‘The one Consciousness that made the world was seen’ (Savitri-318) These new creations are: A new and marvellous creation rose.” Savitri-323 “In these new worlds projected he became” Savitri-325 “A stream ever new-born that never dies,” Savitri-325 “Lured at each turn by new vicissitudes To self-discovery that could never cease.” Savitri-328 “Brought new creations for the thought’s surprise” Savitri-328 “And vast adventure into thinking shapes And trial and lure of a new living’s dreams.” Savitri-328 “A new creation from the old shall rise,” Savitri-330 2: Supramental touch/embrace can transform the suffering of life. This can be identified as the extension of integral Bhakti Yoga . They are: “No suffering of hearts compelled to beat” Savitri-321 “He felt the extinction of the world’s long pain,” Savitri-322 “All struggle was turned to a sweet strife of love” Savitri-324 “There was no sob of suffering anywhere; Experience ran from point to point of joy: Bliss was the pure undying truth of things. All Nature was a conscious front of God:” Savitri-324 3: Supramental touch/embrace can give the experience of Oneness with all existence. This is identified as an extension of integral Jnana Yoga and this perfection is identified as sajujya mukti . We can observe them from the following lines: “There was no more division’s endless scroll; One grew the Spirit’s secret unity , All Nature felt again the single bliss.” Savitri-319 “His soul was a delegation of the All (Psychic being as a delegate of Supreme.) That turned from itself to join the one Supreme .” Savitri-319 “A living Oneness widened at its core” Savitri-322 “Existence found its truth on Oneness’ breast” Savitri-322-23 “The great world-rhythms were heart-beats of one Soul ,” Savitri-323 “Lived their innumerable unity ;” Savitri-323 “There were no contraries, no sundered parts, All by spiritual links were joined to all And bound indissolubly to the One :” Savitri-323 “There Oneness was not tied to monotone;” Savitri-324 “And made of difference oneness’ smiling play; It made all persons fractions of the Unique, ” Savitri-324 “There leaps out unity’s supreme delight ” Savitri-324 “Harmonised a Oneness deep, immeasurable.” Savitri-325 “The bliss of a myriad myriads who are one .” Savitri-325 “An image cast by one deep truth’s absolute, Married to all in happy difference... One in the might and joy of multitude. Even in the poise where Oneness draws apart To feel the rapture of its separate selves, The Sole in its solitude yearned towards the All And the Many turned to look back at the One .” Savitri-326 “In the temple of the ideal shrined the One :… The virgin forms through which the Formless shines,” Savitri-327 4: Supramental touch/embrace or ‘constant lightnings of the spirit’ (Savitri-329) can penetrate the Subconscient and inconscient sheaths. This is identified as an extension of the integral Yoga of Self-perfection. They are: “And in subconscious whispers and in dream Still murmured at the mind’s and spirit’s choice. Its treacherous elements spread like slippery grains Hoping the incoming Truth might stumble and fall,” Savitri-317 “All Nature’s recondite (little known) spaces were stripped bare, All her dim crypts and corners searched with fire Where refugee instincts and unshaped revolts Could shelter find in darkness’ sanctuary Against the white purity of heaven’s cleansing flame.” Savitri-318 “All seemed to have perished that was undivine: Yet some minutest dissident might escape And still a centre lurk of the blind force. For the Inconscient too is infinite; The more its abysses we insist to sound, The more it stretches, stretches endlessly.” Savitri-318 “For even there (dim far universe) the boundless Oneness dwells To its own sight unrecognisable, It lived still sunk in its own tenebrous (dark shadowy or obscure) seas, Upholding the world’s inconscient unity Hidden in Matter’s insentient multitude.” Savitri-331 “It merges knowledge in the inconscient deep; Accepting error, sorrow, death and pain, It pays the ransom of the ignorant Night, Redeeming by its substance Nature’s (Spiritual) fall.” Savitri-331 “Himself he knew and why his soul had gone Into earth’s passionate obscurity To share the labour of an errant Power Which by division hopes to find the One.” Savitri-331 : His heart lay somewhere conscious and alone Far down below him like a lamp in night; Abandoned it lay, alone, imperishable, Immobile with excess of passionate will, His living, sacrificed and offered heart Absorbed in adoration mystical, Turned to its far-off fount of light and love.” Savitri-331-332 “In the centre of his vast and fateful trance Half-way between his free and fallen selves, Interceding twixt God’s day and the mortal’s night, Accepting worship as its single law, Accepting bliss as the sole cause of things, Refusing the austere joy which none can share, Refusing the calm that lives for calm alone, To her (Paraprakriti) it turned for whom it willed to be.” Savitri-332 “Armed with the intuition of a bliss To which some moved tranquillity was the key, It persevered through life’s huge emptiness Amid the blank denials of the world.” Savitri-332-33 The perfection’s law promises movement in between ‘hierarchy of lucent planes’ (Savitri-326) of Consciousness and ensures swift Spiritual evolution. This Inconscient transformation is very crucial in deciding Earth’s future. For such transformation to be active individuals must be established in Supramental Consciousness through Yoga of Self-perfection. To tear desire from its Inconscient root is identified as 'A last and mightiest transformation' (Savitri-318) of King Aswapati . A similar mighty transformation visited Savitri when 'The world’s darkness had consented to Heaven-light.' (Savitri-664) "Then lest a human cry should spoil the Truth He tore desire up from its bleeding roots And offered to the gods the vacant place. Thus could he bear the touch immaculate. A last and mightiest transformation came. " Savitri-318 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “In the temple of the ideal shrined the One: It peopled thought and mind and happy sense Filled with bright aspects of the might of God And living persons of the one Supreme, The speech that voices the ineffable, The ray revealing unseen Presences, The virgin forms through which the Formless shines ,” Savitri-327 24/ Book 3, Canto 4 - The Vision And The Boon A Brief Restatement: In the Book-3, Canto-4, the King Aswapati entered a Supramental world and through a Supramental vision met the ‘mighty face’ (Savitri-334) of the Divine Mother in his heart. This also symbolises that the King’s Psychic Being is Supramentalised. "An Influence had approached the mortal range, A boundless Heart was near his longing heart, A mystic Form enveloped his earthly shape.... The One he worshipped was within him now:" Savitri-334 The Divine Mother discouraged King to call down immeasurable Divine Force and man is not ready to bear the Infinite’s weight. She asked King to live with the slow-paced evolution of humanity and accept God-like toil for earth and men with patience. She further informed that a static Soul realisation of later Vedantists and the influence of three gunas of ordinary life have made a world estranged from life and thought. The Divine Mother describes elaborately the limitation of present humanity who cannot reconcile heaven with earth. The infallible Guide leads all the Souls through stumble and failure and till they discover their Psychic being, 'rest and earthly ease' (Savitri-339) are forbidden. "The goal recedes, a bourneless vastness calls Retreating into an immense Unknown; There is no end to the world’s stupendous march, There is no rest for the embodied soul. It must live on, describe all Time’s huge curve. An Influx presses from the closed Beyond Forbidding to him rest and earthly ease, Till he has found himself he cannot pause." Savitri-399 Man during his journey in higher planes of Consciousness, is assisted by Immortals and Ambassadors of those planes of Consciousness. The Divine Mother declares that in spite of present limitations, tardy evolution and attachment to inferior life, ‘a pure perfection and a shadowless bliss ’ (Savitri-340) is man’s mighty fate. She asks King to ‘Help still humanity’s blind and suffering life’ (Savitri-340) with the aid of his ‘spirit’s wide omnipotent urge.’ (Savitri-340) Any impatience towards fulfilment of the highest human aspiration can draw King Aswapati towards Titan's drive, imperfect fruit and partial prize. So, the King must renounce the fruit of his long labour and offer everything to unchanging Divine Will. All things shall change and transform in All Life and All Time and not in this life and not in this brief time. Then King’s prayer again rises to activate dynamic Divine Shakti who came to him in Supramental vision (Light floated round the marvellous Vision’s brow. Savitri-346) to fulfil his aspiration for earth and men. King saw ‘Omnipotent’s flaming pioneers,’ (Savitri-343) ‘the sun-eyed children of a marvellous dawn’, who came into this fallen human sphere as architects of Immortality. “Their tread one day shall change the suffering earth.” (Savitri-344) The King foresaw the coming of the high Divine successor, the Avatara, Satyavan . ‘He shall know’ (Savitri-344) what the heart of the mortal could not think, ‘He shall do what the heart of the mortal could not dare.’ (Savitri-344) The King prayed to the Divine Mother to ‘Mission to earth some living form’ (Savitri-345) of Her who ‘with one gesture change all future time.’ (Savitri-345) The Divine Mother was satisfied with the King’s Tapasya , askesis and consecration and agreed to incarnate Her living form on earth and She shall ‘break the iron Law, Change Nature’s doom by the lone spirit’s power.’ (Savitri-346) "She shall bear Wisdom in her voiceless bosom, Strength shall be with her like a conqueror’s sword And from her eyes the Eternal’s bliss shall gaze. A seed shall be sown in Death’s tremendous hour, A branch of heaven transplant to human soil; Nature shall overleap her mortal step; Fate shall be changed by an unchanging will.” Savitri-346 Thus, King was the eternal Seeker of Truth, Love and Power of All Life. Through him, great swift-footed deed awoke. His Supramentalised Psychic Being established the empire of the Soul, who also can conquer the opulence and wealth of heaven. His empire of Soul can rule Matter and the bounded universe and can reconcile Spirit with Matter. The literal meaning of King’s name is ‘The Lord of Life’ (Savitri-348) and he resumed his mighty Supramental action again in this ambiguous globe. Thus, ends the Book-3, Canto-4. In the next Canto, we shall witness the secret of the Divine Mother’s earthly embodiment which the Lord of the Gita confirms that ‘My birth and My work are both Divine’ janma karma cha me divyam . Savitri’s birth is the symbol of Para-prakriti’s movement in an earthly embodiment which is ‘A columned shaft of fire and light.' (Savitri-581) Satyavan’s birth is the symbol of Paramatma’s earthly incarnation of 'unknown Lover' (Savitri-374). And Their meeting symbolises the union between Supreme Mother and Supreme Purusha in our heart centre as 'incarnate dual Power.' (Savitri-705) Their task is to repeat King Aswapti's following Subconscient transformation experience: "A divinising stream possessed his veins, His body’s cells awoke to spirit sense, Each nerve became a burning thread of joy: Tissue and flesh partook beatitude. Alight, the dun unplumbed subconscient caves Thrilled with the prescience of her longed-for tread And filled with flickering crests and praying tongues." Savitri-334 This Canto proposes a Sadhak to become 'A wanderer from the occult invisible suns' (Savitri-348) substituting the earlier habit of outer wandering. King Aswapati's outer wandering reduced after his realisation of universal Self or 'Humanity framed his movements (outer wandering) less and less.' (Savitri-26) This we notice in Savitri after she discovered Divine Love from without in the form of Satyavan , she declared firmly, 'Now of more wandering it has no need.' (Savitri-412) OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Flashing with lightnings, mad with luminous wine.” Savitri-334 “He shall know what mortal mind barely durst think, He shall do what the heart of the mortal could not dare. Inheritor of the toil of human time, He shall take on him the burden of the gods; All heavenly light shall visit the earth’s thoughts, The might of heaven shall fortify earthly hearts; Earth’s deeds shall touch the superhuman’s height, Earth’s seeing widen into the infinite.” Savitri-344 “One moment fill with thy eternity, Let thy infinity in one body live, All-Knowledge wrap one mind in seas of light, All-Love throb single in one human heart.” Savitri-345 25/ Book 4, Canto 1 - The Birth And Childhood Of The Flame A Brief Restatement: The Book-4, Canto-1 symbolically represents the mystery of the Godhead’s birth. The Divine Mother, when incarnated in an earthly body, her birth, childhood, youth and rest of her life are guided by the influence of higher Nature, Para-prakriti. Deluded Souls do not understand this mystery of Divine birth and consider Desire (The Gita-16.8) as the sole cause of this world existence. In the Mother’s womb, Savitri spent three (five) thoughtful seasons of nine (ten) months before her mighty birth in the Spring season. Here seasons of summer, monsoon, autumn, winter, dew-time and spring are described not as a dead mechanical cycle but as a living deity, the force of the Divine Mother who participated in building the physical frame of Savitri . Savitri’s growth in the mother’s womb took place by ‘A mightier influx (that) filled the oblivious clay’ (Savitri-353) and after her birth her dim cave of Subconscient and inconscient sheaths were flooded with ‘slow conscient light’; (Savitri-355) her lovelier body was formed by the new descent of Divine Love and new Delight; her sense was purified by the pressure of Psychic being. Invisible Supramental sunlight ran through her veins and the same light flooded her brain with heavenly brilliances. This Canto suggests that in child Savitri the Mind of Light became active which lies in between Overmind and Supermind. Her surface Nature was also divinised or “Nearer the godhead to the surface pressed.’ (Savitri-357) She lived self-guarded and self-protected in the Spirit’s silence and in her luminous cell. "A mind of light , a life of rhythmic force, A body instinct with hidden divinity Prepared an image of the coming god; And when the slow rhyme of the expanding years And the rich murmurous swarm-work of the days Had honey-packed her sense and filled her limbs, Accomplishing the moon-orb of her grace, Self-guarded in the silence of her strength Her solitary greatness was not less." Savitri-357 Her pure aspiration called high Spiritual destiny down and she was able to guard the Truth’s diamond throne from the vigil tower. Her Supramental love invisibly embraced all without any sign and word and sound. Due to her half-opened Psychic being, many high Gods preferred to live in her Psychic temple. Her body is like heaven’s transparent light, a golden bridge between heaven and earth and she can walk alone with her strange and starry head in the deepest Night. "A scout of victory in a vigil tower, Her aspiration called high destiny down; A silent warrior paced in her city of strength Inviolate, guarding Truth’s diamond throne ." Savitri-358 "Many high gods dwelt in one beautiful home; Yet was her nature’s orb a perfect whole, Harmonious like a chant with many tones, Immense and various like a universe." Savitri-358 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “The strong Inhabitant turned to watch her field A lovelier light assumed her spirit brow And sweet and solemn grew her musing gaze; Celestial-human deep warm slumbrous fires Woke in the long fringed glory of her eyes Like altar-burnings in a mysteried shrine.” Savitri-357 “A nectarous haloed moon her passionate heart Loved all and spoke no word and made no sign, (Her universal Love needs no external aid and expression.) But kept her bosom’s rapturous secrecy A blissful ardent moved and voiceless world.” Savitri-358 26/ Book 4, Canto 2 - The Growth Of The Flame A Brief Restatement: The Book-4, Canto-2 gives an account of (1) Savitri’s state of Consciousness of young Divinity, (2) the state of consciousness of her followers and devotees, (3) the gulf between Savitri and her followers, (4) a desperate attempt to bridge those gulfs, (5) Spiritual fall down and (6) discouragement of gathering together of devotees for a Divine purpose. 1: Savitri’s Soul and Nature were equally Divinised and she was waiting to find her destined equal Soul: “But mid this world, these hearts that answered her call, None could stand up her equal and her mate. In vain she stooped to equal them with her heights, Too pure that air was for small souls to breathe. These comrade selves to raise to her own wide breadths Her heart desired and fill with her own power That a diviner Force might enter life, A breath of Godhead greaten human time.” Savitri-365-66 “Her greater self lived sole, unclaimed, within.” Savitri-366 “Among the many who came drawn to her Nowhere she found her partner of high tasks, The comrade of her soul, her other self (second Self) Who was made with her, like God and Nature, one .” Savitri-366 "No equal heart came close to join her (Savitri’s) heart, No transient earthly love assailed her calm, No hero passion had the strength to seize; No eyes demanded her replying eyes.” Savitri-367 2: The Personality of her admirers, followers and devotees: “Only a few responded to her call: Still fewer felt the screened divinity And strove to mate its godhead with their own, Approaching with some kinship to her heights.” Savitri-362 “They could not keep up with her tireless step; Too small and eager for her large-paced will, Too narrow to look with the unborn Infinite’s gaze Their nature weary grew of things too great.” Savitri-363 “Others pursued her with life’s blind desires And claiming all of her as their lonely own, Hastened to engross her sweetness meant for all. As earth claims light for its lone separate need Demanding her for their sole jealous clasp, They asked from her movements bounded like their own And to their smallness craved a like response. Or they repined that she surpassed their grip, And hoped to bind her close with longing’s cords. Or finding her touch desired too strong to bear They blamed her for a tyranny they loved, Shrank into themselves as from too bright a sun, Yet hankered for the splendour they refused. Angrily enamoured of her sweet passionate ray The weakness of their earth could hardly bear, They longed but cried out at the touch desired Inapt to meet divinity so close, Intolerant of a Force they could not house. Some drawn unwillingly by her divine sway Endured it like a sweet but alien spell; Unable to mount to levels too sublime, They yearned to draw her down to their own earth. Or forced to centre round her their passionate lives, They hoped to bind to their heart’s human needs Her glory and grace that had enslaved their souls.” Savitri-365 3: The gulf between Savitri and her admirers: “A friend and yet too great wholly to know, She walked in their front towards a greater light, Their leader and queen over their hearts and souls, One close to their bosoms, yet divine and far. ” Savitri-363 “Her will was puissant on their nature’s acts, Her heart’s inexhaustible sweetness lured their hearts, A being they loved whose bounds exceeded theirs; Her measure they could not reach but bore her touch, Answering with the flower’s answer to the sun They gave themselves to her and asked no more. One greater than themselves, too wide for their ken, Their minds could not understand nor wholly know, Their lives replied to hers, moved at her words:” Savitri-364 “Although she leaned down to their littleness Covering their lives with her strong passionate hands And knew by sympathy their needs and wants And dived in the shallow wave-depths of their lives And met and shared their heart-beats of grief and joy And bent to heal their sorrow and their pride, Lavishing the might that was hers on her lone peak To lift to it their aspiration’s cry, And though she drew their souls into her vast And surrounded with the silence of her deeps And held as the great Mother holds her own, Only her earthly surface bore their charge And mixed its fire with their mortality:” Savitri-366 “Admired, unsought, intangible to the grasp Her beauty and flaming strength were seen afar Like lightning playing with the fallen day, A glory unapproachably divine." Savitri-367 “All worshipped marvellingly (Savitri), none dared to claim.” Savitri-368 4: Desperate effort to bridge the gulf between herself and her admirers: “A mind daring heavenly experiment, Growing towards some largeness they felt near, Testing the unknown’s bound with eager touch They still were prisoned by their human grain: They could not keep up with her tireless step; Too small and eager for her large-paced will, Too narrow to look with the unborn Infinite’s gaze Their nature weary grew of things too great.” Savitri-363 “For even the close partners of her thoughts Who could have walked the nearest to her ray, Worshipped the power and light they felt in her But could not match the measure of her soul.” Savitri-363 “Or longing with their self of life and flesh They clung to her for heart’s nourishment and support: The rest they could not see in visible light; Vaguely they bore her inner mightiness. Or bound by the senses and the longing heart, Adoring with a turbid human love, They could not grasp the mighty spirit she was Or change by closeness to be even as she. Some felt her with their souls and thrilled with her, A greatness felt near yet beyond mind’s grasp; To see her was a summons to adore, To be near her drew a high communion’s force.” Savitri-363-364 “So men worship a god too great to know, Too high, too vast to wear a limiting shape; They feel a Presence and obey a might, Adore a love whose rapture invades their breasts; To a divine ardour quickening the heart-beats, A law they follow greatening heart and life. Opened to the breath is a new diviner air, Opened to man is a freer, happier world:” Savitri-364 “Her will was puissant on their nature’s acts, Her heart’s inexhaustible sweetness lured their hearts, A being they loved whose bounds exceeded theirs; Her measure they could not reach but bore her touch, Answering with the flower’s answer to the sun They gave themselves to her and asked no more.” Savitri-364 “They felt a godhead and obeyed a call, Answered to her lead and did her work in the world; Their lives, their natures moved compelled by hers As if the truth of their own larger selves Put on an aspect of divinity To exalt them to a pitch beyond their earth’s. They felt a larger future meet their walk; She held their hands, she chose for them their paths:” Savitri-364 “Some near approached, were touched, caught fire, then failed , Too great was her demand, too pure her force. Thus lighting earth around her like a sun, Yet in her inmost sky an orb aloof, A distance severed her from those most close.” Savitri-366 5: Spiritual fall: After meeting Savitri , those unable to recognise and hold her Divine Presence experienced a Spiritual fall. “Uplifted towards luminous secrecies Or conscious of some splendour hidden above They leaped to find her in a moment’s flash, Glimpsing a light in a celestial vast, But could not keep the vision and the power And fell back to life’s dull ordinary tone. ” Savitri-362 “Or with a slow great many-sided toil Pushing towards aims they hardly could conceive; Yet forced to be the satellites of her sun They moved unable to forego her light, Desiring they clutched at her with outstretched hands Or followed stumbling in the paths she made.” Savitri-363 "In man a dim disturbing somewhat lives; It knows but turns away from divine Light Preferring the dark ignorance of the fall ." Savitri-366 6: Discouragement of gathering together of devotees for a Divine purpose: In this Canto a Sadhak is discouraged from wasting his time in gathering together of people, lakasangraha, for a Divine purpose. It proposes to utilise time and space exclusively to accumulate Spiritual energy (Self-concentration) and by the movement of Spiritual consciousness, he does good of all creatures (Self-expansion). His one, only and best friend is his Psychic Being. "Whoever is too great must lonely live. Adored he walks in mighty solitude; Vain is his labour to create his kind, His only comrade is the Strength within.” Savitri-368 When a high Soul takes birth on earth, it becomes difficult for him to find an equal Soul, who can help him in accomplishing his Divine Mission of fourfold Divine union. Till the arrival of an equal companion or till the finding of a complementary Soul, he must live alone with his Psychic Being. The effort made to create, nurture and build an equal Soul is identified here as a waste of time. Savitri is a representative symbol of Incarnation and myriad Instruments and Emanations, always present close to earth’s atmosphere with the single mission of divinising the clay. This Canto proposes Divine’s Yantras, Vibhutis and Avataras , that they should not waste their time in building Soul of their own kind but to utilise time to accumulate Spiritual energy and canalise this Transcendent Force to earth and men. They will learn the lesson to depend on their own Spiritual energy rather than on collective force. In the long run, humanity will be prepared to divinise themselves and all the Divine opulence will be given to them. 7: The Gulf between Sri Aurobindo and His direct disciples: “It (Savitri) heralds the Supermind. But I had a feeling (after reading the last chapter of Savitri ) he (Sri Aurobindo ) had not completed his revision. When I read this, I felt it was not the end, just as when I read the last chapter of the “Yoga of Self-Perfection ,” (of The Synthesis of Yoga) I felt it was not finished. He left it unfinished. And he said so. He said, “No, I will not go down to this mental level anymore.” But in Savitri’s case… (I didn’t look after it, you know), he had around him Purani , that Chinmayi , and… (what is his name) Nirod —they all swarmed around him. So I didn’t look after Savitri. I read Savitri two years ago (1961), I had never read it before. And I am so glad! Because I read it at the time I could understand it –and I realised that none of those people had understood ONE BIT of it.” The Mother /The Mother's Agenda/13th March-1963 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Earth nursed, unconscious still, the inhabiting flame, Yet something deeply stirred and dimly knew; There was a movement and a passionate call, A rainbow dream, a hope of golden change; Some secret wing of expectation beat, A growing sense of something new and rare And beautiful stole across the heart of Time.” Savitri-367 27/ Book 4, Canto 3 - The Call To The Quest A Brief Restatement: The Book-4, Canto-3, defines King Aswapati’s Mission known as ‘The Call’ and he made Savitri aware of her two important discoveries known as ‘The Quest’. King Aswapati again confirmed his mission for earth and men related to 'shadowless bliss.' (Savitri-340, 369) “Again the mighty yearning (of King) raised its flame That asks a perfect life on earth for men And prays for certainty in the uncertain mind And shadowless bliss for suffering human hearts And Truth embodied in an ignorant world And godhead divinising mortal forms.” Savitri-369 The King got the overhead direction or ‘from some far sky of thought’ which was received by ‘the echoing passages of his brain’ and this overhead wisdom ‘left its stamp (of Divinity) on the recording cells’ of the King and his ‘dim ignorant cells’ and ‘the blind brain’ (Savitri-375) received Divine transformation. The King got a blueprint of how he will realise the mission from above. The Fate-driven earth-born race will face the greatest opposition in realisation of the perfect life from the three Inconscient energies of gunas . The dwarf Sattwic mind will oppose the realisation of comprehensive Truth; the dwarf rajasic mind will oppose the realisation of tireless Divine Love and the dwarf tamasic mind will be satisfied with the attainment of ‘low-peaked height’ (Savitri-372) of consciousness. Inconscient’s mindless muddy water blocks all the action of Divine Will, Wisdom and Love. The man turns for little gains to ignorant Powers, kindles a light for demon face, loves ignorance fathering his pain and a great Illusion wraps his life. Even the descent of flaming light returns back to its home; none understands the Eternity’s direction and the luminous divine Eye retires from its action. The King has not lost confidence in humanity and hoped for his action with swift revealing Spiritual steps and fit all his actions to a transcendent scheme. The Godhead can grow within his heart and the Mighty Mother can stay permanently in the Psychic Heart Centre. Man must receive the Divine call to exceed himself. Earth life is an epic of hope and failure and she can exceed her form and fixed fate. Though she is a goddess, yet she is caught in the net of Death and forbidden joy . In the altar of despair, she builds hope; with the pains of hell, she aspires to joy and her high step can liberate all humanity. The King Aswapati , as Father and the Guru of Savitri , gave her double tasks of finding the Divine without and within. Firstly, she will tread a brief golden path with her second Self Satyavan , the lyrist of her Soul’s most intimate chords, mover of her force and guide. His Light will guard her from without and within and by holding his strong hand she can confront life’s extreme adversity. Secondly, she has to discover her Psychic being where the Supramental Mother can choose to stay permanently and with the power of the Psychic being, she can tread a sun-lit path followed by a journey in the abysmal night, dream twilight of Subconscient plane, permanent rise of Soul to Sachchidananda plane and permanent descent of Sachchidananda consciousness by returning to earth life along with Satyavan. This Canto also hints Savitri’s Psychic opening not by Vedic/Tantric self-discipline but by Vedantic Self-discipline where the Soul in the heart opened by the pressure/descent of Soul in the Mind or Spiritual Being, or ‘A hand from some Greatness opened her heart’s locked doors.’ (Savitri-375) In King, the Karma, Jnana and Bhakti are reconciled to such extent the all-overhead Power, Knowledge and Ecstasy rushed into his physical frame known as annamaya Purusha/annamaya Kosha and thus physical transformation or cellular change is experienced. “The Wise who know see but one half of Truth, (sattwic men) The strong climb hardly to a low-peaked height, (tamasic men) The hearts that yearn are given one hour to love.” (rajasic men) Savitri-372 “Thought, vision, feeling, sense, the body’s self Are seized unutterably and he (King) endures An ecstasy and an immortal change; He feels a Wideness and becomes a Power, All knowledge rushes on him like a sea:” Savitri-375 After Savitri knew that her unknown Lover was waiting for her the Unknown, the palace of Madra became empty of its sweetness, the sovereign of daily joys of life went far; her moonbeam feet touched not the lucent floors. The beauty and divinity were gone. Delight had fled to search for another specious world and future home. "For somewhere on the longing breast of earth, Thy unknown lover waits for thee the unknown. Thy soul has strength and needs no other guide Than One who burns within thy bosom’s powers. There shall draw near to meet thy approaching steps The second self for whom thy nature asks, He who shall walk until thy body’s end A close-bound traveller pacing with thy pace, The lyrist of thy soul’s most intimate chords Who shall give voice to what in thee is mute." Savitri-374 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: (Earth) “Knows that one high step might enfranchise (liberate) all” Savitri-371 28/ Book 4, Canto 4 - The Quest A Brief Restatement: Before discovering Divine within Savitri has to discover her Divine without. Before this Divine Call, the attraction of ‘Madra’s spacious halls, the white carved pillars, the cool dim alcoves, the tinged mosaic of the crystal floors, the towered pavilions, the wind-rippled pools and gardens humming with the murmur of bees’ became pale, unwanted and obsolete. In Book-4, Canto-4, Savitri leaves the palace in search of her ‘only Lord’ (Savitri-637) who can hold her comprehensive Divine Love, Delight and Beauty, collaborate in fulfilling her Divine Mission which is a manifestation of the Divine Will and call down Divine Wisdom, Truth and Light to guard her mission’s ‘diamond throne’ (Savitri-358) and adventure ahead in Consciousness like a pioneer to manifest the Divine life. He (the destined Lover) will give voice to what in her is mute and the lyrist of her 'soul’s most intimate chords.' (Savitri-374) We get some hints from this Canto related with the Spiritual destiny of a Sadhaka . They are divided into three parts. The Divine Destiny is made by (1) the intervention of Divine work and Divine descent of Wisdom, (2) the intervention of higher Beings (hooded godheads) (Savitri-377) who accompany him from his birth, (3) the intervention of 'all seeing Eye above,' (Savitri-378) the Divine architect. These three elements are responsible for building Spiritual destiny. If Sadhaka has realised Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental beings, then (4) beings of those planes will join with him as emanations of Divine Mother and they will further help to change the destiny. This Canto proposes a Sadhaka that before wearing the face of Satyavan to receive Savitri’s full Divine Love, he must develop/integrate the following twelve exclusive attributes (or twelve types of liberated Souls) through practices of multiple self-disciplines of traditional and integral Yoga. They are: 1: “The strong king-sages from their labour done, Freed from the warrior tension of their task, Came to her serene sessions in these wilds; The strife was over, the respite lay in front.” Savitri-381 2: “In the soul’s unprofaned star-white recess They sojourned with an everliving Bliss; A Voice profound in the ecstasy and the hush They heard, beheld an all-revealing Light. All time-made difference they overcame; The world was fibred with their own heart-strings; Close drawn to the heart that beats in every breast, They reached the one self in all through boundless love.” Savitri-381 3: “Nameless the austere ascetics without home Abandoning speech and motion and desire Aloof from creatures sat absorbed, alone, Immaculate in tranquil heights of self” Savitri-382 4: “The seers attuned to the universal Will, Content in Him who smiles behind earth’s forms, Abode ungrieved by the insistent days. About them like green trees girdling a hill Young grave disciples fashioned by their touch Trained to the simple act and conscious word, Greatened within and grew to meet their heights.” Savitri-382 5: “Bathed in the purity of the mild gaze That, uninsistent, ruled them from its peace, And by its influence found the ways of calm.” Savitri-382 6: “King-children nurtured in that spacious air Like lions gambolling in sky and sun Received half-consciously their godlike stamp:… Plastic and firm beneath the eternal hand, Met Nature with a bold and friendly clasp And served in her the Power that shapes her works.” Savitri-382 7: “One-souled to all and free from narrowing bonds, Large like a continent of warm sunshine In wide equality’s impartial joy, These sages breathed for God’s delight in things… The love that flows from the one Mother’s breast Healed with their hearts the hard and wounded world.” Savitri-383 8: “Drunk with a wine of lightning in their cells” Savitri-383 9: “Some lost to the person and his strip of thought In a motionless ocean of impersonal Power, Sat mighty, visioned with the Infinite’s light, Or, comrades of the everlasting Will, Surveyed the plan of past and future Time.” Savitri-383-84 10: “Some winged like birds out of the cosmic sea And vanished into a bright and featureless Vast: Some silent watched the universal dance, Or helped the world by world-indifference.” Savitri-384 11: “Some watched no more merged in a lonely Self, Absorbed in the trance from which no soul returns, All the occult world-lines for ever closed, The chains of birth and person cast away:” Savitri-384 12: “Some uncompanioned reached the Ineffable.” Savitri-384 Among the above twelve types of great exclusive liberated Souls, Savitri was unable to discover her Soul’s companion who was a symbol of comprehensive Divine Love: “Still she found not the one predestined face For which she sought amid the sons of men.” Savitri-385 Thus, in Savitri’s life, many months passed without discovering Satyavan (Paramatma in material embodiment). She has not lost hope and waited for the opportune moment of the destined meeting. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “August, exulting in her Maker’s eye, She felt her nearness to him in earth’s breast, Conversed still with a Light behind the veil, Still communed with Eternity beyond.” Savitri-381 29/ Book 5, Canto 1 - The Destined Meeting Place A Brief Restatement: This Book-5, Canto-1 gives the message that Savitri has to receive the Divine Love from without, from within and from above. They will bring complete fulfilment of her earth life and her mission of transforming earth will be expedited which is her long pending issue of all life. This Canto confirms that all the happenings of past, present and future life are not accidental but there exists a Divine plan and all events happen in the cosmic play in a foreseen time and place. "Unknowing she had neared her nameless goal… And nothing happens in the cosmic play But at its time and in its foreseen place.” Savitri-389 "These knew each other though in forms thus strange. Although to sight unknown, though life and mind Had altered to hold a new significance, These bodies summed the drift of numberless births, And the spirit to the spirit was the same." Savitri-398-399 We are given a brief time from cradle to grave to call down Timeless eternity and a small place to call down spaceless Infinity. Savitri’s birth and youth in Madra’s palace is the symbol of the ascent of the Soul to the highest status of Supreme Self and her return to Shalwa’s forest hermitage is the symbol of descent into nether earth in order to discover the last Godhead sleeping in the Inconscient sheath (Savitri-405) and this Godhead in the form of Inconscient Self can illumine earth life by its lone power or ‘lay his (man’s) hand on happy inconscient things.’ (Savitri-390) This Canto also proposes a Sadhak to become ascetic within symbolised as 'a soul retiring from the world' (Savitri-391) and ‘solitude far from the world’ (Savitri-391) with the realisation of Brahma Satya Jagat Mithya as the starting point of ‘sad and limitless (Divine) Call’ (Savitri-391) of the endless integral Yoga. OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: "The Mighty Mother lay outstretched at ease. All was in line with her first satisfied plan; Moved by a universal will of joy The trees bloomed in their green felicity And the wild children brooded not on pain... Behind the rapt smile of the Almighty’s dance." Savitri-390 The More Important Secret of this chapter: “His (ascetic’s) vast extended spirit couched behind.” Savitri-391 The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “To lay his hand on happy inconscient things,” Savitri-390 “Love in the wilderness met Savitri.” Savitri-391 30/ Book 5, Canto 2 - Satyavan A Brief Restatement: Satyavan's surface personality was built from the accumulation of Soul Forces from his past births. " Noble and clear as the broad peaceful heavens A tablet of young wisdom was his brow; Freedom’s imperious beauty curved his limbs, The joy of life was on his open face. His look was a wide daybreak of the gods, His head was a youthful Rishi’s touched with light, His body was a lover’s and a king’s." Savitri-393 Satyavan’s early days in the Shalwa’s forest land were to think, act, enjoy and breathe like other mundane man and yet he had a brief partial glimpse of his deeper Self. If an individual's thoughts, actions and emotions are activated without the support and help of the Divine, then he is identified as a Mundane "Once were my (Satyavan’s) days like days of other men: To think and act was all, to enjoy and breathe; This was the width and height of mortal hope:” Savitri-406-407, Then a ‘truth was felt’ in his moderate life ‘that screened its shape from mind.’ (Savitri-407) A moderate is oblivious of future doom and is preoccupied with present moments. An awareness of future doom comes through vision, and by consecration, Divine union is experienced and the doom changes. The moderate Satyavan , who lived in the illumined Soul ray of God’s touch but was not ready to face the eternal Sun of His constant embrace, ('I lived in the ray but faced not to the sun.' Savitri-407) became ascetic Satyavan , when this surface concentration of the Divine ray penetrated heart and flesh. This ascetic Divine realisation could not bridge the gulf between Matter and Spirit. When he concentrated on the world, he lost the God and when concentrated on the God, he lost the world. With Savitri’s arrival this gulf was bridged and the consecrated Satyavan became King Child and was able to live and face the Sun light, representing Vijnana . And in the cosmic Consciousness of Vijnana , the Spirit and Matter are reconciled and Matter’s or physical body’s fixed death-bound destiny and grooves of Iron law are changed into the Spirit’s immortal all life. This is a passage from mere mundane man incarnating to the integral ascending Godhead of the race or ‘the soul of man climbing to God,’ (Savitri-703) and its destined saviour. Satyavan’s Godhead status does not prevent him from living ‘in one house with the primal beast’ (Savitri-541) in the forest, colloquies with the Djinn and Asuras of the Subconscient world; thus, in the Divine’s single plan ‘high meets the low’ (Savitri-541) or ‘God’s summits look back on the mute Abyss;’ ( Savitri-541) accepts to be small and human on earth. This is the emergence of Lord Satyavan , for whom Savitri fought with dark Godhead in Death’s Night. Through this sacrificial action, the highest Divine Consciousness of the Avatar is reconciled with the lowest consciousness of the earth. Sri Aurobindo reveals Satyavan as a symbol of Divine Love (masculine Power). Divine love is an overhead energy that descends to Earth through a prepared human channel. When Divine Love enters earth’s atmosphere he is ‘Abased, disfigured, mocked’ (Savitri-397) by inferior beings. Tamasic beings (within and without) misunderstand the Divine Love, rajasic beings misuse the Divine Love and sattwic beings limit the action of Divine Love. The dwarf mind, life and body cannot hold the ineffable Divine Love in its pure form. Still, this Divine Love is held by 'A soul made ready through a thousand years' (Savitri-396) and 'He is still the godhead by which all can change.' (Savitri-397) Through this Canto, we can concentrate on dual Avatara’s supreme relation of Krishna and Kali in a mortal body. Even the experience of a brief touch of Divine Love is of immense value in our external life. The meeting of the Dual Avatara in the heart is also identified as a brief Supramental experience of uninterrupted intense immortal joy. The mortal body learns with much difficult training to wear this intense delight. This bliss is born after the awakening of the last Godhead of the Inconscient Self and it can transform and remake our all life. This Book-5, Canto-2 symbolically proposes a Sadhak to 'meet the ancient Mother ' (Savitri-393) and live in the matrix of new triple Time and new universalised Space of Cosmic Consciousness, where an incalculable amount of Divine Force, Truth, Light, Ananda, Love, Beauty, Peace and Silence invades into earth's atmosphere and to live without them is to return to the old world and mortal time subject to death, decay and disease. His rare privilege is to meet the dual Avatara in subtle physical, Psychic and Superconscient planes. "This golden figure given to his grasp Hid in its breast the key of all his aims, A spell to bring the Immortal’s bliss on earth, To mate with heaven’s truth our mortal thought, To lift earth-hearts nearer the Eternal’s sun. In these great spirits (dual Avatar) now incarnate here Love brought down power out of eternity To make of life his new undying base." Savitri-397 OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: “The one for whom her heart had come so far.” Savitri-393 “For suddenly her heart looked out at him,” Savitri-395 “Then trembling with the mystic shock her heart” Savitri-396 “Heart feels for heart, limb cries for answering limb; All strives to enforce the unity all is.” Savitri-398 “Her heart unveiled and his to find her turned;” Savitri-399 The More Important Secret of this chapter: “The chariot stood like an arrested wind. And Satyavan looked out from his soul’s doors And felt the enchantment of her liquid voice Fill his youth’s purple ambience and endured The haunting miracle of a perfect face.” Savitri-396 “A forehead that wore the crown of all her (Savitri’s) past, Two eyes her constant and eternal stars, Comrade and sovereign eyes that claimed her soul, Lids known through many lives, large frames of love.” Savitri-396 The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "A mystery wakes in our inconscient stuff, A bliss is born that can remake our life.” Savitri-397-398 31/ Book 5, Canto 3 - Satyavan And Savitri A Brief Restatement: Sri Aurobindo was able to accommodate His (and also The Mother’s ) all life’s comprehensive high Spiritual Visions and experiences in symbolic characters of incarnations, emanations and instruments, depicted from the legendary epic Mahabharata where Savitri , the descending Godhead, Avatara, the all Mother, the Mother of all Time, Paraprakriti, knew her fiery Self and her Being’s aim of pursuing the Soul of earth, symbolised as Satyavan in his earthly form in each birth and in all life. She glimpsed the glory for which she had chosen earth and its atmosphere for a gradual and subsequently constant, intense, comprehensive and instantaneous total descent of Divine attributes of Truth-Light, Power, Wisdom and Delight. She keeps her will alive to drive human Souls and fills in their brute elements, the endless hope to Divinise clay and confronts the riddle of Birth, inevitable Death, grooves of iron Law and stone eyes of fixed Fate in them with the sheer power of her unchanging Soul force manifested as living fire of Divine Love. She has chosen the Souls who have long suffered on this harsh globe, for the field of her sacrifice and action and she is even ready to walk and waste all infinity with wounded feet to accomplish her seemingly impossible task of transforming earth’s shadow, fixed destiny, grooves of iron Law, meaningless suffering, splendid failure, twilight and grey inhibitions. She leans with pity over earth-bound men in order to share the burden of ‘earth’s struggle and fate.’ Satyavan , a mere man of action, a woodsman, Nara, Jivatma , raised his consciousness to the status of the ascending integral Godhead, Avatara, Narayana , by the Power of consecration and loss of ego and was destined to fulfill Savitri’s mighty Mission of bridging the gulf between Heaven, Earth and Hell. He was also the Eternal Consciousness, a unique rare treasure loaned by Gods, who accompanied Savitri from the beginning of the creation as first ‘man and woman’ or first dual Incarnation and the Supreme had promised to grant physical immortality in all life when the first Avatara’s ‘heart dared death and suffered life.’ He continued his life in many successive births and bodies as ‘twin souls born from one undying fire’ of this mortal existence to endure in his human heart a million wounds representing the delegate Soul of earth. Through his long suffering in human form the God’s debt is paid. His Godhead status does not prevent him from living ‘in one house with the primal beast’ in the forest, colloquies with the Djinn and Asuras of the Subconscient world; thus in the Divine’s single plan he reveals solidarity with antagonist powers; ‘high meets the low’ or ‘God’s summits look back on the mute Abyss.’ He accepts the small and human personality of woodsman on earth and his small beginning witnesses the immense ascent of the Soul and immense descent of Shakti, leading the creation towards a mighty end. While tracing the path of immortality he signed salvation’s testament with his blood and broke into the dangerous and dark Inconscient’s depth and if he were to meet the Spiritual fall in the form of death while attempting to break the wheel of earth’s doom and before bridging the gulf between Heaven and Earth in order to balance the dark account of mortal Ignorance then this would be a great loss for humanity. Or an Avatara , as a delegate Soul of Heaven lent to earth must live a brief period in human history in order to trace and build a passage in intermediate ranges of consciousness so that a large section of humanity will be able to bridge the gulf between Heaven and Earth and reconcile Spirit with Matter with less effort. This work is further accelerated if Divine Love becomes active in earth’s atmosphere through action and interfusion of dual Avatara . His Divine work on earth of invasion of the series of Light and Love is treated unfinished and half done till all the evils are slain or transformed in their Inconscient home. In Savitri and Satyavan , Soul and Nature had realised equal Divine Presences and merged themselves in the oneness of wide harmony and balance. Their Spirit and body were glad, fulfilled through their union which drove them towards the discovery of ‘Love’s deathless moment,’ (Savitri-579) beings’ aim and richness extending over all Time. Their first meeting gives the most thrill by witnessing the dual Avatara in a secluded shrine of earth and in the secluded chamber of their heart who carry all the memory of their past births and their unfulfilled world task. From time to time or from the beginning of the creation, earth waits patiently for this destined meeting. Each meeting after the passing of many ages brings a new promise of Divine manifestation and the new hope becomes again visible in earth’s creatures. They had treasured the rich relation of their brief human birth through a subtle link of union or clasp of two eternities through many successive births and bodies of un-beginning past and felt the call of Spirit’s unending future joy; even they knew their Selves ‘older than the birth of Time.’ (Savitri-537) A vast intention of love’s unseen Presence has drawn these dual incarnating Powers closer in this life and their love asks them to wait endlessly as if they have all eternity ahead for their self-fulfilment. Together they have disdained from the God’s everlasting Night of Inconscient world and turned away from His everlasting Day of Sachchidananda plane and returned to Earth to wage a million wars against the universal dark rebel forces attached to present unstable existence, to bear the earth Mother’s ancient adversary, to bear ‘world’s intolerable wrongs’ (Savitri-701) and to accomplish their double task of raising the world to God’s deathless Light, a permanent ascent of Divine Consciousness and bringing down Divine Shakti to earth and men, a permanent descent of Divine Consciousness. Dyumatsena, the self-exiled King of Shalwa , father of Satyavan , is the Divine’s Conscious instrument, Yantra , here fallen blind, limiting his capacity to three gunas and walks lamely on this dangerous world with slow evolutionary mental footsteps. Through this Spiritual fall he has lost the celestial inner kingdom of seven immortal Selves and through that loss its kingdom of outer glory and opulence. Due to this adverse fate, he now sojourns a wiser life in the solemn rustle of the wood and his yearning towards All meets two solitudes (1) that of an outcast from the empire of the outer light symbolically represented as a crutch upon which his faltering-limb supports and he helplessly stumbles in the rushing speed of hasty Time and (2) lost to the comradeship of five galloping hooves of sense that of sound, touch, sight, taste and smell symbolically represented as his sightless blind identity. This double doom of his father compelled Satyavan to live in the high peopled loneliness of the Spirit which called the Divine Mother to enter his earthly life in human form and finally helped his long pure childhood’s lonely dream to restore King Dyumatsena’s steady royal walk in high dynamic outer Kingdom and a deeper visionary eye of Divine Wisdom. Restoration of the outer Kingdom was also the outcome of his revival of the inner kingdom through sadhana in double seclusion. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Her beating heart a remembrance of bliss” Savitri-410 “Each now was a part of the other’s unity, The world was but their twin self-finding’s scene Or their own wedded being’s vaster frame.” Savitri-411 “Oneness must sever its recovered bliss Or fate sunder (divide) our lives while life is ours.” Savitri-412 32/ Book 6, Canto 1 - The Word Of Fate A Brief restatement : This book (with its two Cantos) deals with the question of Fate, its source, its effect on our lives and whether it can be conquered. It also deals with problem of pain, the reason for its existence and when it will leave the scene. In this Book-6, Canto-1 (and also Canto-2) a reconciliation of moderate Spirituality represented by Savitri’s birth Mother, ancient Vedantic Spirituality represented by King Aswapati and Savitri , Overmental Spirituality of God represented by Narad are observed. Moderate Spirituality aims at escaping from problems of existence and extreme adversity through partial Divine union whereas ancient Vedantic Spirituality aims at resolving the problems of existence and confronting with extreme adversity of life through comprehensive Divine union. Overmental Gods have a role of helping men through foreknowledge and strengthening the Soul force of strong Souls and forcing weak Souls to experience Spiritual fall. Narad proposes that if one could live in the exceeding joy of the Self then doom might sleep in his life; this doom hunts and captures men when they remain unconscious of their Divine existence; if Savitri’s heart could be permanently imprisoned in the Supramental world and if she could live in the highest consciousness and exceeding bliss in her conscious waking state then doom might have slept permanently in her life and subsequently from earth’s life. He also proposes that this exceeding Bliss must be routed to man’s life through the opening of the Inconscient Self and the discovery of Divine Love hidden in the Inconscient Sheath or ‘Love that broods within the dim abyss.’ (Savitri-416) Narad’s arrival also calls down the future Supramental world and the promise of transformation of dark energies of the Subconscient and inconscient world: “And as he sang the demons wept with joy Foreseeing the end of their long dreadful task And the defeat for which they hoped in vain, And glad release from their self-chosen doom And return into the One from whom they came.” Savitri-417 Ancient Vedantists have the conviction ‘Only for good the secret Will can work’ (Savitri-424) and ‘I am stronger than death and greater than my fate.’ (Savitri-432) Others do not have this faith as they have no strong direct contact with the Divine. Here the King speaks of the double destiny of men. One is that of fixed destiny born out of ‘blindness of our will,’ our Karma or bounded action and the other is our changeable Spiritual destiny which is born out of oneness with Divine Will, Divine Wisdom and Divine Love. So, this Canto gives the message that one can escape untimely death and can live a long secure life if his Psychic being opens. For these Psychic and Spiritual Self opened Souls Death is not a curse but a passage and choice (iccha mrityu) for higher life. "Death is our road to immortality." Savitri-424, “Our death is made a passage to new worlds,” Savitri-194, “Death is a passage, not the goal of our walk:” Savitri-197, Savitri was able to trace her Lord in the distant land. Here, Savitri is identified as Para-prakriti or the virgin Mother and her meeting with Paramatma Satyavan can bring perfection in life and perfection in delight. Thus, we discover the Mahamantra of Savitri whose repetition can bring our Souls to the front: “Virgin who comest perfected by joy,” Savitri-424 The main participants who partake in uncovering this topic (mystery) are: Narad – who represents a Divine messenger aware of the source and secret mystery of fate and the forces that act behind all apparent destinies but does not have the power to change fate (that is also the limitation of our relation with Overmental Gods and Goddess) only he has the power to inform and awaken one to its impending action. He lives in a realm where Truth manifests without the distortion (What Narad saw about the detailed future of Savitri, about the same thing King Aswapati got the hint. In this sense Gods are superior to King Aswapati as projected in Savitri book) of any intermediary ignorance or inconscience, but he understands the secret mystery behind the ignorance and the future destiny of the earth. He comes to awaken and add a sense of haste (swiftness and acceleration) to Savitri’s Divine mission. King Aswapati – plays the role of both the father and the Guru of Savitri but as a seer of Truth and aware of the Divine Mother’s descent and action and ability to change fate, he is unperturbed by Narad’s pronouncements (Because King Aswapati had developed the strong conviction that the Supreme Will can work only for the good, independent of whatever it seems good or bad to man’s mind) and is aware of the purpose that Savitri has descended for. (Like king Aswapat i, in Integral Yoga the physical Guru has the responsibility of helping to find the Psychic Self. Then Psychic being is the inner Guru who takes the next responsibility of transforming Subconscient and Inconscient darkness in Sadhana .) The Queen – birth mother of Savitri and here is shown as someone who has accomplished some realisations and done sadhana , aware of the higher planes of existences and some of the secrets behind life and nature, but does not believe that Death can be overcome by a direct descent of the Divine power, but rather pleads the case for a slow and gradual evolution of man to his divine nature. (She has realized the Divine but was not aware that the Divine Power can change the untransformed Nature and hence can change human destiny.) The Queen was strong moderate by nature and hence she recoils from any high mission and discourages Savitri to step back from her Soul’s choice and asks her to follow an easier established path (“A choice less rare may call a happier fate,” Savitri-432). In the course of time, Savitri transcended her moderate passionate wise Mother and Mighty Seer Father. (She must disrupt, dislodge by her soul’s force Her past, a block on the Immortal’s road, Savitri-12) Savitri – although the incarnation of the Divine Mother, here she also represents someone who accepts their fate (which in her case is not the result of any karma of her previous lives) and can answer to it, not by pleading to a lower power/gods or by side stepping it (by rejecting to marry Satyavan), but by relying on (Spiritual experience of meeting with Satyavan that uplifted her consciousness to Supreme Height) their pure Soul force and the Divine within. (Savitri book indicates that Savitri’s Psychic being has more power than the Gods and the Guru.) “Then meet a greater god, thy self beyond Time.” (Savitri-375) The two cantos explore how the fate of most mortals differs from the fate of the Avatars or divine beings (Divine instruments, Yantra, Vibhuti and Avatara ). In the former case fate (is the fixed destiny activated by Nature’s law where the Supernature or Ishwara remains as witness during critical transitional moments) is usually prescribed to mortals by their karma, or nature or the actions of the Gods, while in the latter it is self-chosen, part of their mission (to activate the Supernature and witness or the ruler becomes Over-ruler and Overseer to change the fixed death bound destiny of the individual and the race). Hence, to escape one’s fate of a self-chosen mission is not possible for the divine (conscious) beings, who descend from a higher plane of Consciousness. We learn that these beings have to take their share of human misery if they wish to transform the earth and that all suffering can ultimately only be erased by bringing the highest supramental light to the lowest/deepest part of the Inconscient. Pain, we are told is the necessary instrument, the Gods use to cajole the divine within the inconscient to evolve towards the higher light…without which it would remain in its current (untransformed dark) state. We learn that once the highest divine light invades and transforms the inconscient sheath, pain no longer has its place and is transformed into its true state of divine (Ecstasy) good/joy…. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: "Earth keeps for man some short and perfect hours” Savitri-421 “Virgin who comest perfected by joy, Reveal the name thy sudden heart-beats learned. Whom hast thou chosen, kingliest among men?” Savitri-424 33/ Book 6, Canto 2 - The Book Of Fate, The Way Of Fate And The Problem Of Pain Summary Restated: In this Book-6, Canto-2 we meet three personalities. First one is the human personality of Savitri’s Mother, who seems to be concerned and blind with her own interest in an easy, comfortable and long happy human life. She does not bother for the world's misery and suffering and its irradiation from earth life. Due to her partial union with the Divine and satisfaction with that achievement, she was unaware of Divine’s comprehensive world plan, unaware of Divine Grace which acts during danger and difficulties of human life, unaware of dynamic Divine Power which can descend to change individual and collective destiny. King Aswapat i, due to his hard life of concentrated Tapasya could get a brief glimpse of Savitri’s past, present and future and also earth’s past, present and future. A detailed foreknowledge of the above issue was available to Narad , due to his Overmental God status. None of the above three have the capacity to change Savitri’s destiny and hence earth’s destiny. So, Savitri’s Psychic Being is identified as a greater God, and enjoys greater power and privilege than God and the Guru . Narad confirms that man is the author of his fate/doom and he can rewrite his fixed fate by opening the Psychic being through long sacrifice. He also issues the same proposal of hard sacrifice for Avatara for achieving his task of earth’s redemption. One can note the following two verses from Savitri: “Even if he (Avatara ) escapes the fiercest fires, Even if the world breaks not in, a drowning sea, Only by hard sacrifice is high heaven earned: He must face the fight, the pang who would conquer Hell.” Savitri-447 “Thy (common man) fate is a long sacrifice to the gods Till they have opened to thee thy secret self (Psychic Being) And made thee one with the indwelling God (Psychic Being).” Savitri-458 Narad identifies three dwarves, tamasic mind, rajasic mind and sattwic mind as the ‘hidden foe.’ Through these three inconscient energies the dark and hostile forces of the nether world enter into our life. The ordinary destiny can be changed if one can go beyond their influence. “There is no visible foe, but the unseen Is round us, forces intangible besiege, Touches from alien realms, thoughts not our own Overtake us and compel the erring heart; Our lives are caught in an ambiguous net. An adversary Force was born of old: Invader of the life of mortal man, It hides from him the straight immortal path. A power came in to veil the eternal Light, A power opposed to the eternal will Diverts the messages of the infallible Word, Contorts the contours of the cosmic plan: A whisper lures to evil the human heart, (whisper of vital and physical mind) It seals up wisdom’s eyes, the soul’s regard, It is the origin of our suffering here, It binds earth to calamity and pain. This all must conquer who would bring down God’s peace. This hidden foe lodged in the human breast Man must overcome or miss his higher fate. This is the inner war without escape.” Savitri-447-448 The main participants who partake in uncovering this topic (mystery) are restated with more deeper meaning: King Aswapati: Aswapati, King of Madra , the son of God, Vibhuti, destined to do some special Divine work, represents the human aspiration, hard Tapasya , askesis, and concentrated endeavour to explore all the multiple planes of Consciousness through vast and multiple identities. As Divine father he fostered, nourished and served his Divine daughter selflessly without attachment and wanted his daughter to ‘set earth alight’ with her ‘flame of radiant happiness.’ Like all human fathers, he aspires that her mortal life be unwounded and to serve humanity with ‘glad and griefless days.’ His capacity to unite with new bliss and flame-white Love came by annulling all ‘the contact formed with time-born things.’ He was able to retrieve the earth’s lost Spiritual energies, discovered earth’s secret beyond all previously attained Spiritual wisdom, nurtured Almighty’s Power in silence and solitude, sought the Divine strength that was not yet manifested on earth and called down the Divine Mother in the form of his daughter, Savitri. As Spiritual Teacher, the Guru ; firstly, he made her aware that her world Mission of awakening ‘Almighty powers’ that ‘are shut in Nature’s cells,’ ‘meet the Omnipotent in this house of flesh,’ ‘Out of Immortal’s substance you were made’ and hewing the path of immortality would be accomplished not by her own effort alone but by venturing to find her second Self, future Lord, unknown Lover, personal Godhead of the race and lyricist of her ‘soul’s most intimate chords’ in distant lands, who alone can match the measure of her waiting Soul, can walk with him like Gods in Heaven and can stand up as her equal comrade and peer; secondly, ‘must fire always test’ the purity and greatness of her Soul, who must wrestle with supernatural Darkness and must leave behind Death’s night to raise the fallen world. None can possess the kingdom of heaven and supreme Delight that has not passed through the ‘stones of suffering’ and tragic torture of giant sons of Falsehood; thirdly, she must continue her father’s unfinished Yoga and unfinished mission of ‘pure perfection and a shadowless bliss’ for the whole of suffering humanity and of changing all future time by unlocking the doors of human Fate. Queen: The Queen , the beautiful, passionate and the wise human mother of Savitri, the Divine’s unconscious instrument in Ignorance, child Soul, bala , represents mankind satisfied and preoccupied with earthly life of surface consciousness with having partial static Divine realisation through ‘sacrificial flame of aspiration,’ illumination of intellect, sattwic mind, limited light in Ignorance, and in her understanding of the mystery of creation and the Creator, the truth distorted and the Immortal’s meaning in the world was veiled. Thus, the limitation of her sattwic mind is here identified as soul slaying truth. As a human mother she fostered, nourished and served her Divine daughter with self-interest and attachment. She understands perfectly the limitations of human love and static Divine Love which cannot illuminate material life and not aware of the dynamic aspect of Divine Love which can transform life and human love. She was unaware of the secret of abundant dynamic Divine’s Grace and Bliss that hunt behind all effort to accept danger and pain to resolve the fundamental problem of existence and hence to decline all greater adventure by rejecting the doomed Satyavan was identified by her as the best solution. She, like a common man, was unable to recognise the greatness, nobility and action of world redemption of an Avatara and hence nourished no regard and gratitude towards him. She was also not aware that all unforeseen events are part of God’s secret plan and that He can overrule the Iron Law of Nature by conscious human effort and by dynamisation of His Supernature. So Narad asks the Queen not to interfere in matters that are beyond her understanding and power and to stand back from the stupendous scene and tremendous strife of her daughter’s heaven-sent task. The Queen was a representative Soul of moderate Spirituality or a beginner of integral Yoga and during the critical hour of her daughter’s choice of Satyavan , she experienced a Spiritual fall as her Soul was not sufficiently trained to lean on the pure and tranquil Spirit for all necessary aid and help during the hour of extreme adversity. This suggests that to oppose Divine’s Will in carrying out her daughter’s ‘heaven-sent task’ of rescuing men is the cause of her Spiritual decline. Her only daughter and husband’s mighty Spiritual Presence did not help her to overcome this fall of Consciousness and she lost the ‘empire of her hard-won quietude.’ (Savitri-437) Narad: Narad , the heavenly sage, the God, the instrument having the experience of oneness and complete union with the Divine. He was a mediator between Heaven and Earth, who was aware of the source and mystery of human fate and was having the power to foresee the future of man and knowledge of Soul saving Truth behind this creation, came down to earth to make Savitri aware that Soul’s greatness is measured through the capacity to bear pains of hell and she must cross on the stones of supreme universal suffering to arrive at her high mission, though he was having no power at his disposal to change her destiny and hence incapable of changing human destiny. Savitri’s Psychic being has the ability to give shelter where all the ‘high Gods could live.’ This Divine stationed in the heart centre is also projected as ‘greater than the God,’ the Guru and personal Godhead and has the capacity to change her own destiny and the destiny of the race or ‘She only can save herself and save the world.’ To bring all the worlds under her loving control and to uplift her body’s destiny or destiny of the race, her Soul entered a series of world adventures in different planes of Consciousness to become one with Divine Will and with the growth of Consciousness, a sort of mastery, a harmony and peace preoccupied the cells of the body and further extended to her multiple Selves of Sun-vast Truth. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “A day may come when she must stand unhelped On a dangerous brink of the world’s doom and hers, Carrying the world’s future on her lonely breast, Carrying the human hope in a heart left sole To conquer or fail on a last desperate verge, Alone with death and close to extinction’s edge. Her single greatness in that last dire scene Must cross alone a perilous bridge in Time And reach an apex of world-destiny Where all is won or all is lost for man." Savitri-461 34/ Book 7, Canto 1 - The Book Of Yoga, The Joy Of Union Summary: We have identified the special features in Book-7, Canto-1 that have inspired our sadhana life. 1, First, we discover that both Savitri and Satyavan were Karma Yogis accepting the most practical and the most difficult issue of material life and divinised them. They are: “A worshipped empress all once vied to serve, She made herself the diligent serf of all, Nor spared the labour of broom and jar and well, Or close gentle tending or to heap the fire Of altar and kitchen, no slight task allowed To others that her woman’s strength might do. In all her acts a strange divinity shone: Into a simplest movement she could bring A oneness with earth’s glowing robe of light, A lifting up of common acts by love.” Savitri-470 “All of his (Satyavan) speeding days that he could spare From labour in the forest hewing wood And hunting food in the wild sylvan glades And service to his father’s sightless life He gave to her (Savitri) and helped to increase the hours By the nearness of his presence and his clasp, And lavish softness of heart-seeking words And the close beating felt of heart on heart.” Savitri-472 2, Secondly, we discover a subtle physical relation between them which will replace the transient and divisible human love. Subtle physical relations increase by changing the centre of living from the surface to deep within. They are: “For when he (Satyavan) wandered in the forest, oft Her conscious spirit walked with him and knew (while Satyavan was away from her in the forest.) His actions as if in herself he moved; He, less aware, thrilled with her from afar.” Savitri-473 3, Thirdly, we discover their Psychic, Spiritual, Supramental, Bliss Divine union and through which Psychic, Spiritual, Supramental and Bliss Love are manifested in the earthly atmosphere. They are: “A fusing of the joys of earth and heaven, A tremulous blaze of nuptial rapture passed, A rushing of two spirits to be one, (Psychic union experience) A burning of two bodies in one flame. (Spiritual union experience) Opened were gates of unforgettable bliss: (Supramental and bliss Self experience.) Two lives were locked within an earthly heaven And fate and grief fled from that fiery hour.” Savitri-468 4, Fourthly, we observe that if the bond of their relation is made strong through the accumulation of Spiritual energy or Yoga Shakti or Divine Love, then Death cannot divide their life. They are: “Priceless she deemed her joy so close to death; (Her joy was priceless which can confront death and can save life. Earthly joy is soul slaying and always submits itself before death.) Apart with love she lived for love alone.” Savitri-468 (She lived only for the Divine who has incarnated here as Love.) “Always behind this strange divided life Her spirit like a sea of living fire Possessed her lover and to his body clung, One locked embrace to guard its threatened mate.” Savitri-471 “Yet ever they grew into each other more Until it seemed no power could rend apart, Since even the body’s walls could not divide.” Savitri-473 5: Fifthly, Satyavan’s birth Mother is identified in this epic as the smallest character, the symbolic representation of the child Soul and through her Sri Aurobindo gives the strongest message of true consecrated service to all earth-bound aspiring child Souls and their right relation with the Mother Soul; here symbolically represented as Savitri . Mother Soul serves Earth from below as a slave and from above and beyond like strong sunlight and she trespasses the bound life of child Souls as a strong Goddess and liberates them from their barren days. Like all other parents, Satyavan’s birth mother was not aware of the doom nearing her only child and aspired for him ‘All joy of earth, all heaven’s beatitude.’ (Savitri-467) A similar observation is marked in King Aswapati who aspired to pass the mortal life of his only child Savitri unwounded and further aspired for this young spirit untouched with tears, and be possessed by all new and ‘beautiful things.’ (Savitri-422) OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: “All of his (Satyavan) speeding days that he could spare From labour in the forest hewing wood And hunting food in the wild sylvan glades And service to his father’s sightless life He gave to her and helped to increase the hours By the nearness of his presence and his clasp, And lavish softness of heart-seeking words And the close beating felt of heart on heart.” Savitri-472 “Thus in the silent chamber of her soul Cloistering her love to live with secret grief She dwelt like a dumb priest with hidden gods Unappeased by the wordless offering of her days, Lifting to them her sorrow like frankincense, Her life the altar, herself the sacrifice.” Savitri-472-73 35/ Book 7, Canto 2 - The Parable Of The Search For The Soul A Brief Restatement: The Book-7, Canto-2 concentrates on the initial approach to find the Soul. Savitri’s Consciousness was moving between Psychic and Spiritual planes and also between three gunas and these Psychic and Spiritual planes. In her search for Soul, she entered the inner world leaving aside the surface world and came across two planes known as the (1) world of titans and asuras , (2) the world of lower nature of forbidden joy. They are linked with each other through the verse, ‘“Man’s lower nature hides these awful guests.’ (Savitri-481) So those who want to lead a higher life, must enter the inner ten worlds of desire Souls to discover their Psychic being. If they do not want to reject the untransformed lower nature which occupies ‘too large a place’ (Savitri-487) in life and dare not to meet and confront with the dark and invisible dangerous forces, they are considered unfit to lead a higher Divine life. In this Canto, we find a relation between Para prakriti Savitri and Paramatma Satyavan whose source is in absolute trance or brief cataleptic trance. They are: “As the Voice touched, her body became a stark And rigid golden statue of motionless trance, A stone of God lit by an amethyst soul.” Savitri-474 “Then Savitri by her doomed husband sat, Still rigid in her golden motionless pose, (brief cataleptic trance) A statue of the fire of the inner sun.” Savitri-477 Through the movement of consciousness, she came in contact with the Psychic being and also met the Spiritual Mother who consented to live permanently in her Psychic heart centre. Thus, before a Psychic being is Supramentalised it has to be Spiritualised. These experiences are: “Our larger being sits behind cryptic walls: There are greatnesses hidden in our unseen parts That wait their hour to step into life’s front: We feel an aid from deep indwelling Gods; (Psychic beings) One speaks within, Light comes to us from above.” (Spiritual being) Savitri-485 “Out of the mystic cavern in man’s heart The heavenly Psyche must put off her veil And step into common nature’s crowded rooms And stand uncovered in that nature’s front And rule its thoughts and fill the body and life.” Savitri-486-87 (Psychic transformation) “A portion of the mighty Mother came (Spiritual Mother) Into her as into its own human part: Amid the cosmic workings of the Gods It marked her the centre of a wide-drawn scheme, Dreamed in the passion of her far-seeing spirit To mould humanity into God’s own shape And lead this great blind struggling world to light Or a new world discover or create. Earth must transform herself and equal Heaven Or Heaven descend into earth’s mortal state.” Savitri-486 We again find in this Canto, Savitri came in contact with her Inconscient Self, which is identified here as nameless God. They are: “A conscious soul in the Inconscient’s world, (discovery of Inconscient Self) Hidden behind our thoughts and hopes and dreams, An indifferent Master signing Nature’s acts Leaves the vicegerent mind a seeming king.” Savitri-478 “A nameless god (Inconscient Self) in an unapproachable fane, In the secret adytum of his inmost soul He guards the being’s covered mysteries Beneath the threshold, behind shadowy gates Or shut in vast cellars of inconscient sleep. The immaculate Divine All-Wonderful Casts into the argent purity of his soul His splendour and his greatness and the light Of self-creation in Time’s infinity As into a sublimely mirroring glass. Man in the world’s life works out the dreams of God.” Savitri-479 During this movement of Consciousness, Savitri also entered the source of existence, here identified as Supreme Light which is felt necessary to arrive at a deathless state. “Our greater self of knowledge waits for us, A supreme light in the truth-conscious Vast: It sees from summits beyond thinking mind, It moves in a splendid air transcending life. It shall descend and make earth’s life divine.” Savitri-484 “His (Divine’s) young unaging look on deathless things, His joy in our escape from death and Time,” Savitri-484 OM TAT SAT The Important Secret of this chapter: “Man’s lower nature hides these awful guests. Their vast contagion grips sometimes man’s world. An awful insurgence overpowers man’s soul. In house and house the huge uprising grows: Hell’s companies are loosed to do their work, Into the earth-ways they break out from all doors, Invade with blood-lust and the will to slay And fill with horror and carnage God’s fair world.” Savitri-481 “Nothing is wholly dead that once had lived; In dim tunnels of the world’s being and in ours The old rejected nature still survives; The corpses of its slain thoughts raise their heads And visit mind’s nocturnal walks in sleep, Its stifled impulses breathe and move and rise; All keeps a phantom immortality.” Savitri-483-84 “The inferior nature born into ignorance Still took too large a place, it veiled her self And must be pushed aside to find her soul.” Savitri-487 36/ Book 7, Canto 3 - Entry Into The Inner Countries A Brief Restatement: The Book-7, Canto-3 concentrates on the inner world. Here Savitri discovered her two Selves, identified as annamaya Purusha , true physical being, Soul in the body and Pranamaya Purusha , true vital being, Soul in the vital. Here also we find the description of subtle physical sheath and subtle vital sheath and their relation with Subconscient sheath and how Subconscient lower untransformed nature trespass the subtle physical and subtle vital. Here we mark, Savitri utilised Nama Japa (to repeat the name of the Divine) or ‘saviour Name’ (Savitri-491) as means of sadhana which has the capacity to transform all the invasion of lower Nature into a still and empty chamber and can call down peace, vast calmness, freedom and tranquillity of mind. After exploring the limitations of the tamasic mind and rajasic mind she came across ‘a brilliant ordered Space’ of Sattwic mind. Here we observe a reason’s balanced reign, ‘adamant walls of law,’ ‘a small world or rule and line,’ and limited freedom. Here, the sattwic mind is divided into three parts of schoolman mind, fixed mind and outer mind . They, three have three characteristics of fear, doubt and impatience respectively and through these attributes they limit the Illimitable. Schoolman mind occupies life’s large space, fixed pillars of thought, lives in its dreams. ‘Its thoughts (are) an army ranked and disciplined.’ It does not dare to pursue ‘great and difficult’ adventure,’ does not call down the ‘flaming god;’ cannot set the world ablaze with the inner Fire. It limits the Soul with narrow ideal, adores an exclusive God, meditation is done to realise a narrow end; shuts its door to Divine Love and dries the heart with a rational religion. Its sacrifice is cold and flameless, Shastra is a sealed book devoid of Spiritual influence. Fixed mind is a quiet country where sense hunger is partly quenched, doubt is replaced with fixed faith. This is a firm and settled space of intelligence where all things are kept in their proper place. This fixed mind appears to be the creator of this apparent world, a substitute of the mighty Soul. Aspirant of limited perfection, limited truth and limited harmony. This is the home of elite who are satisfied with their exclusive achievement, the victory of single truth, and clarity of the sword of limited Light. It does not want to go beyond itself to discover the Psychic being. A fixed mind is satisfied with truth’s rounded outcome and ordered knowledge of apparent things. This is the world of artists, scientists, writers, philanthropists who are satisfied with their single achievement and do not show interest to go beyond their exclusive confident life. Then, Savitri came to the world of outer mind , where all are in haste and all are impatient to save the God’s world. Here no Divine Light and mystic Voice are received. The outer mind cannot receive the Divine messengers of the subliminal world. It is not aware of waking trance, dreams of unborn Reality and strange goddesses with deep pooled magical eyes. This Canto gives the message that those who are deeply dissatisfied with the limitations of schoolman mind, fixed mind and outer mind can trace their Psychic being. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Awhile she moved through a blank tranquillity Of naked Light from an invisible sun, A void that was a bodiless happiness, A blissful vacuum of nameless peace.” Savitri-491 “To find the inner self concealed in sense.” Savitri-489 (true vital being) “She forced her way through body to the soul.” Savitri-489 (true physical being) “Soul was not there but only cries of life.” Savitri-490 (surface life is far from the influence of true vital being.) “She crossed through spaces of a secret self ” Savitri-490 (Annamaya and Pranamaya Purusha .) “But now the vital godhead wakes within (true vital being) And lifts the life with the Supernal’s touch.” Savitri-490 “A schoolman mind had captured life’s large space,” Savitri-496 “Here was a quiet country of fixed mind ,” Savitri-498 “And pass through masked doorways into outer mind ” Savitri-500 37/ Book 7, Canto 4 - The Triple Soul Forces A Brief Restatement: In the Book-7, Canto-4, before finding the Psychic being Savitri came across three Mother powers of the subtle world who are having link with three inconscient energies of tamas, rajas and sattwa of Aparaprkriti (lower Nature) and also have a link with the higher Nature (Para-prakriti) of four Mother powers of Psychic plane. They are three untransformed Subliminal Soul Forces known as tamasic Mother or Mother of seven sorrows, rajasic Mother or Mother of might and sattwic Mother or the Mother of Light. They are also representative symbols of desire Soul and also three (limited) perfections, siddhis in the subtle mental world of having a link with the lower worlds of Ignorance. Those who search their Soul, feel satisfied with these three Mother powers and their limited Siddhis and do not strive to go beyond to discover the Psychic being. A subtle world is accepted as a link through which the gulf between higher nature and lower untransformed nature is bridged or this important subtle physical plane bridges the gulf between the Spiritual plane and the surface Nature of mind, life and body. Since Subtle physical, subtle vital and subtle mental have important roles in earth’s transformation, so purification, transformation and perfection of three subliminal Mother powers are identified as crucial in the life of Sadhaka of integral Yoga. These three Mother Powers are to be strongly linked with four Psychic Mother Powers of Brahma Shakti, Kshetra Shakti, Vaisya Shakti, Shudra Shakti and the four Spiritual Mother Powers of Maheswari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati . They are also to be linked with the Supramental Source identified as Truth Supreme, Power supreme, Supreme Delight and Will supreme as hinted in Savitri . The great hope with which the Mother of seven Sorrows strives for purification, transformation and perfection of her existing limited attributes are observed in the following verse where she will be transformed in the future as the Mother of seven Delight: “Within me a blind faith and mercy dwell; I carry the fire that never can be quenched And the compassion that supports the suns. I am the hope that looks towards my God, My God who never came to me till now; His voice I hear that ever says ‘I come’: I know that one day he shall come at last.” Savitri-505 “Thy (Mother of seven Delight) love shall be the bond of humankind, Compassion the bright key of Nature’s acts: Misery shall pass abolished from the earth; The world shall be freed from the anger of the Beast, From the cruelty of the Titan and his pain. There shall be peace and joy for ever more.” Savitri-507-508 Similarly, we observe great hope in the Mother of (limited) Might and she strives for her purification, transformation and perfection to become Mother of perfect and unlimited Might. She is waiting for her days when she can guide, save and help all humanity. Her future hope and promise we observe in the following verse: “The cosmic evil is too deep to unroot, The cosmic suffering is too vast to heal. A few I guide who pass me towards the Light; A few I save, the mass falls back unsaved; A few I help, the many strive and fail. But my heart I have hardened and I do my work: Slowly the light grows greater in the East, Slowly the world progresses on God’s road. His seal is on my task, it cannot fail: I shall hear the silver swing of heaven’s gates When God comes out to meet the soul of the world.” Savitri-510 “One day I will return (as Mother of unlimited Might), a bringer of light; Then will I give to thee the mirror of God; Thou shalt see self and world as by him they are seen Reflected in the bright pool of thy soul. Thy wisdom shall be vast as vast thy power. Then hate shall dwell no more in human hearts, And fear and weakness shall desert men’s lives, The cry of the ego shall be hushed within, Its lion roar that claims the world as food, All shall be might and bliss and happy force.” Savitri-514 Similarly, the third and the greatest Mother Power of the subliminal world, the Mother of (limited) Light strives for her purification, transformation and perfection. Her future hope of becoming the Mother of unlimited Light and helping mankind to lead towards Supramental Light is observed in the following verse: “Only when Eternity takes Time by the hand, Only when infinity weds the finite’s thought, Can man be free from himself and live with God. I bring meanwhile the gods upon the earth; I bring back hope to the despairing heart; I give peace to the humble and the great, And shed my grace on the foolish and the wise. I shall save earth, if earth consents to be saved. Then Love shall at last unwounded tread earth’s soil; Man’s mind shall admit the sovereignty of Truth And body bear the immense descent of God.” Savitri-516 “His hunger for the eternal thou must nurse And fill his yearning heart with heaven’s fire And bring God down into his body and life. One day I will return (as Mother of unlimited Light), His hand in mine, And thou shalt see the face of the Absolute. Then shall the holy marriage be achieved, Then shall the divine family be born. There shall be light and peace in all the worlds.” Savitri-521 This Canto gives the important message that for the transformation of human life into Divine Life the gulf between Divine Consciousness and human Consciousness of three gunas must be bridged. That gulf can be bridged in the subtle mind, the subtle vital and the subtle body which have double doors ; one open towards Subconscient negative energies and the other open towards Superconscient affirmative energies. So, their purification, transformation, universalisation and perfection are important requisites in the manifestation of Divine Life. So, all our opposition to enter and concentrate on the inner life must be transcended and open the doors of three Mother Powers for their own perfection and discovery of still powerful and more intimate Psychic Being. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “One day I will return, a bringer of strength, (as Mother of seven Delight) And make thee drink from the Eternal’s cup; His streams of force shall triumph in thy limbs And Wisdom’s calm control thy passionate heart.” Savitri-507 “But without wisdom power is like a wind, It can breathe upon the heights and kiss the sky, It cannot build the extreme eternal things.” Savitri-514 “His hunger for the eternal thou (Mother of Light) must nurse And fill his yearning heart with heaven’s fire And bring God down into his body and life.” Savitri-521 38/ Book 7, Canto 5 - The Finding Of The Soul A Brief Restatement: In Book 7, Canto-5, Savitri discovered her Psychic being through the Tantric Method of Yoga and not the Vedantic self-discipline. This Tantric method is safe for Developed Souls but not so safe for developing Souls. Because the desire Soul surrounding the Psychic Being is not easy to overcome but rather it invites Spiritual fall. In the Vedantic method, first, the Spiritual being opens and by its pressure or descent, the Psychic being opens and this Self-discipline is rather safe for developing Souls without any possibility of Spiritual fall. In this Canto, Savitri’s Psychic being not only opens but the Psychic being is Spiritualised and Supramentalised. It means mediatrix Spiritual Mother and Creatrix Supramental Mother consented to live permanently in Savitri’s Psychic heart centre, thus, the Psychic being is identified as an important centre for individual and world Transformation. “Here in this chamber of flame and light they met; (Psychic and Spiritual being met) They looked upon each other, knew themselves, The secret deity (Spiritual being) and its human part (Psychic being), The calm immortal (Spiritual being) and the struggling soul (Psychic being). Then with a magic transformation’s speed They rushed into each other and grew one.” Savitri-527 (This is the experience of Spiritualisation of Psychic being.) (By this experience the Spiritual Mother consented to live in the Psychic heart centre.) “In its deep lotus home her being sat As if on concentration’s marble seat, Calling the mighty Mother of the worlds To make this earthly tenement her house.” Savitri-528 (The Mighty Supramental Mother stationed permanently in the Savitri’s Psychic Heart Centre.) So, Savitri book proposes that if a Sadhaka has realised the Psychic being and his consciousness learns the lesson to live in a waking trance, then through the movement of Consciousness he can Spiritualise and Supramentalise the Psychic being, then he can save and transform himself, the collectivity and the world. But to realise this perfection is a long patient action of time. This Canto gives the input, that if the Psychic being opens, then this heart Centre acts as a Fortress of Truth and Virginity, surrounded by a large world of Ignorance and from this Divine Centre the Overhead truth and purity pour into the world of Falsehood and world perversion, thus one extends help to illumine the world and this is further universalised as ‘the little strength we have to help our race.’ (Savitri-527) “O soul, my soul, we have created Heaven, Within we have found the kingdom here of God, His fortress built in a loud ignorant world.” Savitri-531 This Canto also informs us that with the Psychic realisation of Savitri, the Gods and Goddess of the Overmental world preferred to live with her. Similar experience we also observe with King Aswapati : . (Savitri's experience) “In the slow process of the evolving spirit, In the brief stade between a death and birth A first perfection’s stage is reached (by Savitri) at last; Out of the wood and stone of our nature’s stuff A temple is shaped where the high gods could live. Even if the struggling world is left outside One man’s perfection still can save the world.” Savitri-531 (Savitri's experience) "Many high gods dwelt in one beautiful home; Yet was her nature’s orb a perfect whole, Harmonious like a chant with many tones, Immense and various like a universe." Savitri-358 (King Aswapati’s experience) “In an outburst of heavenly joy and ease Life yields to the divinity within And gives the rapture-offering of its all, And the soul opens to felicity. A bliss is felt that never can wholly cease, A sudden mystery of secret Grace Flowers goldening our earth of red desire. All the high gods who hid their visages From the soiled passionate ritual of our hopes, Reveal their names and their undying powers.” Savitri-278 This Canto also hints at the Psychic transformation of Savitri’s untransformed Nature. They are: “And all emotions gave themselves to God.” Savitri-529 “Its proud ambitions and its master lusts Were tamed into instruments of a great calm sway To do a work of God on earthly soil.” Savitri-530 “Its childish game of daily dwarf desires Was changed into a sweet and boisterous play,” Savitri-530 “Then sin and virtue leave the cosmic lists;” Savitri-531 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “In its deep lotus home her (Psychic) being sat As if on concentration’s marble seat, Calling the mighty Mother of the worlds (Supramental Mother) To make this earthly tenement her (Savitri’s) house.” (Supramentalised Psychic being) Savitri-528 “But when its feet had touched the quivering bloom, A mighty movement rocked the inner space As if a world were shaken and found its soul: (Discovery of Inconscient Self) Out of the Inconscient’s soulless and mindless night” Savitri-528 “All underwent a high celestial change: Breaking the black Inconscient’s blind mute wall, Effacing the circles of the Ignorance, Powers and divinities burst flaming forth; Each part of the being trembling with delight Lay overwhelmed with tides of happiness And saw her hand in every circumstance And felt her touch in every limb and cell.” Savitri-529 “In the deep place where once the Serpent slept, There came a grip on Matter’s giant powers (opening of Inconscient Self) For large utilities in life’s little space; A firm ground was made for Heaven’s descending might.” Savitri-530 39/ Book 7, Canto 6 - Nirvana And The Discovery Of The All Negating Absolute A Brief Restatement: “The psychic and the spiritual opening with their experiences and consequences can lead away from life or to a Nirvana ; but they are here (in integral Yoga) being considered solely as steps in a transformation of the nature.” CWSA-22/The Life Divine-943 In this Canto Savitri's Spiritual Being opened which is identified as 'calm slow sun' and from which overhead light invaded her whole inner and outer life. If Spiritual energy enters the body in a large scale then the body vibrates unusually or symbolically as represented in Savitri , 'Still quivering from her lover’s strong embrace.' (Savitri-533) Thus, 'Matter is the Spirit’s willing bride.' (Savitri-538) With the opening of her Spiritual being, she could see Satyavan's future Spiritual destiny where the dark shadow above his head was illumined: "Above the cherished head of Satyavan She saw not now Fate’s dark and lethal orb; A golden circle round a mystic sun Disclosed to her new-born predicting sight The cyclic rondure of a sovereign life." Savitri-533 This Canto defines the Nature of Spiritual Love which is 'Absolved in the self-rapt immortal’s bliss.' (Savitri-533) and this joy can bridge the gulf between Earth and Heaven or Matter and Spirit. She was given a brief time to tread this 'Golden Path' with Satyavan before the abysmal Night fell on her days: "Always he was with her, a living soul That met her eyes with close enamoured eyes, A living body near to her body’s joy. But now no longer in these great wild woods In kinship with the days of bird and beast And levelled to the bareness of earth’s brown breast, But mid the thinking high-built lives of men In tapestried chambers and on crystal floors, In armoured town or gardened pleasure-walks, Even in distance closer than her thoughts, Body to body near, soul near to soul, Moving as if by a common breath and will They were tied in the single circling of their days Together by love’s unseen atmosphere, Inseparable like the earth and sky." Savitri-533 Savitri in her Spiritual Journey meets two Voices from within and above. One Voice is soul-slaying negation or 'A denser darkness than the Night could bear,' (Savitri-534) and the other is Soul saving affirmation or 'a greater Voice came down' (Savitri-536) from height. The former Voice gives the message that this world is an illusion and 'only the blank Eternal can be true' and proposes to cease from this vain existence. The latter affirmative Voice confirms that the Spiritual being can be dynamised to such an extent that it 'Accept(s) to be small and human on the earth,' and consecrates even the smallest and the meanest work: "But not for self alone the Self is won: Content abide not with one conquered realm; Adventure all to make the whole world thine, To break into greater kingdoms turn thy force. Fear not to be nothing that thou mayst be all; Assent to the emptiness of the Supreme That all in thee may reach its absolute." Savitri-536 Cantos 6 & 7 are best understood when they are read in conjunction (Spiritual or blank pure Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness) with each other and when the term Nirvana is understood from the perspective of Integral Yoga as a transitory phase to a higher more encompassing consciousness. The all negating Absolute is not a nihilistic state where existence and being ceases or is treated as a false concoction of the separative personality as has been understood from past philosophies and religions – rather the Absolute is beyond all positive terms of existence, even the most abstract and transcendent that can be conceived of by the human mind and senses. The reaching of a state of static realisation above and residing in the absolute is the foundation (and starting point) for the next stage of the play of the cosmic energies and dynamic self. In these following two Cantos, Savitri proceeds from her first perfection of finding her Psychic being in her heart centre (which is Spiritualised and Supramentalised) to the subsequent perfections of finding her spiritual and supramental beings/realisations – the process of these ascents are reflected in her passing through the transitionary stages of Nirvana and cosmic consciousness and finally reaching a stage where both the personal liberation and cosmic consciousness are held together in a state of (absolute) harmony (of dwelling in the supramental/transcendent consciousness). As such we find that Nirvana and cosmic/universal consciousness are not opposites or contraries, they only appear so when we reside in the consciousness of the mind, in the higher (supramental consciousness) they are contained as mutually complementary states. Brahma satya Jagat Mithya is the first fundamental Siddhi of integral Yoga. The Canto-6 deals with this part of Savitri’s realisation. This realisation is a little different from escapist later Vedantic doctrine. “The Divine alone is true – all the rest is falsehood. The Divine alone is real – all the rest is illusion. The Divine alone is life – all the rest belongs to the kingdom of death. The Divine alone is light – all the rest is semi-obscurity. The Divine alone is love – all the rest is selfish sentimentality. And yet the Divine is everywhere, in the ignorant man as well as in the sage. And yet the Divine is everywhere, in the sinner as well as in the saint.” The Mother/The Mother's Agenda/undated-1958 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “When Nature who is now unconscious God Translucent grows to the Eternal’s light, Her seeing his sight, her walk his steps of power And life is filled with a spiritual joy And Matter is the Spirit’s willing bride.” Savitri-538 “So man (Satyavan ) evolving to divinest heights Colloques still with the animal and the Djinn; The human godhead with star-gazer eyes Lives still in one house with the primal beast. The high meets the low, all is a single plan.” Savitri-542 40/ Book 7, Canto 7 - The Discovery Of The Cosmic Spirit And The Cosmic Consciousness A Brief Restatement: The Book-7, Canto-7, confirms that both Paramatma Satyavan and Para prakriti Savitri’s main method of Yoga was Spiritual or “Her divine emptiness was their instrument.” (Savitri-553) or “An impersonal emptiness walked and spoke in her.’ (Savitri-552) In the previous Canto Savitri’s main method of Sadhana was also confirmed as Spiritual. Or “Annul thyself that only God may be.” (Savitri-538) Or “In a simple purity of emptiness Her mind knelt down before the unknowable.” (Savitri-522) " Assent to the emptiness of the Supreme That all in thee may reach its absolute." (Savitri-536) "Banish all thought from thee and be God’s void." (Savitri-537) This Canto confirms that Savitri had the knowledge of past, present and future birth known as All Life, about which her surrounding world was little aware: “They marvelled at her, for she seemed to know What they had only glimpsed at times afar.” Savitri-553 Its complementary line from the Gita: “The Blessed Lord said: Many are my lives that are past, and thine also, O Arjuna ; all of them I know, but thou knowest not, O scourge of the foe.” The Gita-4.5 With the attainment of Cosmic Consciousness, the inner life changes but ‘daily human life,’ ‘outward body of the routine,’ ‘small unchanging works’ and ‘happy quiet of ascetic peace’ (Savitri-551) do not change. Cosmic consciousness is the dynamic state of the Divine where ‘living spirit’ clasps her body and in this state, Matter can reconcile with the Spirit and with the Spirit’s penetration into material life, Savitri experiences change in the form of purification, transformation and perfection in her outward life. She continues to pour her greatness, sweetness and light upon her surrounding little hermit world. In this Book-7, Canto-7 Savitri realised her cosmic Self which is identified as the second fundamental realization of integral Yoga. In this Consciousness Divine becomes dynamic and one lives in waking trance. First fundamental realisation: Brahma satya jagat mithya , Divine is Real and world is an Illusion; second fundamental realisation: the world which appears to be false is created from Brahman ; third fundamental realisation: Brahma satya jagat satya and Brahman consciousness can penetrate material life and Divinise life. The characteristics of the second fundamental realisation are: “Her being, a circle without circumference,” Savitri-554 “A spirit, a being saw created things And cast itself into unnumbered forms” Savitri-554-55 “A Truth in which negation had no place,” Savitri-555 “Her spirit saw the world as living God;” Savitri-556 In the earlier Cantos it is confirmed that those who have a Mission (aim of life) and have realised their Psychic beings, their life is fully protected by the Divine. Savitri had both the awareness of her aim and Psychic realisation. This Canto proposes that if a Spiritual being is made open, then also it ensures protection to life. These developments are as follows: “Heaven’s tranquil shield guarded the missioned child.” Savitri-16 (Spiritual opening) “Only were safe who kept God in their hearts:” Savitri-211(Psychic opening) “And Savitri’s life was glad, fulfilled like earth’s; She had found herself, she knew her being’s aim.” Savitri-532 (Psychic being’s awareness) “Something perhaps unfelt, unseen, unknown Guarded the body for its future work,” Savitri-552 (Spiritual opening) “Guarded behind its face of ignorance:” Savitri-556 (Spiritual opening) This Canto also hints that the attainment of Cosmic consciousness is also the beginning of Subconscient transformation. So the opening of higher Selves like Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Selves are utilised exclusively for purification, transformation and perfection of untransformed Nature. “She was a subconscient life of tree and flower, The outbreak of the honied buds of spring; She burned in the passion and splendour of the rose, She was the red heart of the passion-flower, The dream-white of the lotus in its pool. Out of subconscient life she climbed to mind,” Savitri-557 These are the hidden agenda of cosmic Consciousness, which are utilised for both self-concentration and self-expansion. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “She passed beyond Time into eternity, Slipped out of space and became the Infinite; Her being rose into unreachable heights And found no end of its journey in the Self.” Savitri-555 “She was the godhead hid in the heart of man, She was the climbing of his soul to God.” Savitri-557 41/ Book 8, Canto 3 - Death In The Forest Summary or Brief Restatement: This Canto speaks symbolically of the earthly departure of Satyavan in all life and Satyavan will return to earth after Savitri’s Yoga in Subconscient and Inconscient planes are complete which is again an issue of many births. Savitri was supremely aware of the day in which Satyavan would leave his body. "Now has a strong desire seized all my heart To go with Satyavan holding his hand Into the life that he has loved and touch Herbs he has trod and know the forest flowers And hear at ease the birds and the scurrying life That starts and ceases, rich far rustle of boughs And all the mystic whispering of the woods." Savitri-562 This gives a clear message to a Sadhak , instead of following the escapist solution of Moderate and later Vedantist , he must prepare and accumulate Soul force in his inner life all the time to confront Death which is experienced by Sayavan as follows: "But as he worked, his doom upon him came. The violent and hungry hounds of pain Travelled through his body biting as they passed Silently, and all his suffering breath besieged Strove to rend life’s strong heart-cords and be free. Then helped, as if a beast had left its prey, A moment in a wave of rich relief Reborn to strength and happy ease he stood Rejoicing and resumed his confident toil But with less seeing strokes. Now the great woodsman Hewed at him and his labour ceased: lifting His arm he flung away the poignant axe Far from him like an instrument of pain. She came to him in silent anguish and clasped, And he cried to her, “Savitri, a pang Cleaves through my head and breast as if the axe Were piercing it and not the living branch. Such agony rends me as the tree must feel When it is sundered and must lose its life. Awhile let me lay my head upon thy lap And guard me with thy hands from evil fate: Perhaps because thou touchest, death may pass.” Savitri-564 This has to be understood that during the inner wandering in the Subconscient and Inconscient plane in finding the secret of Immortality and origin of Death, Satyavan met an accidental death in all life. His link with Savitri made him again return to earth as the last Avatara. This link is the Divine Love which grows and becomes strong through Sadhana . By breaking the weak bond fostered through human love, Death succeeds in carrying human Souls to its home. The awareness of Satyavan’s death will make a Sadhaka supremely conscious of the brief Time he is given in this birth and utilis es it as a bank to accumulate Spiritual energy. His only Divine work is to call down timeless Eternity into slipping moments and to call down spaceless Infinity into his limited surrounding space. "Wordless but near she watched, no turn to lose Of the bright face and body which she loved . Her life was now in seconds, not in hours, And every moment she economised (every moment is utilised to call down Divine energy.) Like a pale merchant leaned above his store, The miser of his poor remaining gold. But Satyavan wielded a joyous axe. He sang high snatches of a sage’s chant That pealed of conquered death and demons slain, And sometimes paused to cry to her sweet speech Of love and mockery tenderer than love:" Savitri-563-564 This Canto also hints that during death 'the bright spirit’s luminous gaze' was withdrawn and 'Only the dull and physical mind was left.' (Savitri-565) Integral Yoga proposes that before meeting physical death, the dwarf physical mind must be illumined and transformed. This is a difficult task and the Mother declared, "This physical mind receiving the supramental light Sri Aurobindo called the Mind of Light… As soon as Sri Aurobindo withdrew from his body, what he has called the Mind of Light got realised in me.” The Mother’s Centenary Works/13/62-63 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Like the strong sun that serves earth from above.” Savitri-562 “All grief and fear were dead within her now And a great calm had fallen. The wish to lessen His suffering, the impulse that opposes pain Were the one mortal feeling left. It passed: Griefless and strong she waited like the gods.” Savitri-564-65 42/ Book 9, Canto 1 - Towards The Black Void A Brief Restatement: This Book-9, Canto-1 is concentrated on Savitri’s entry into the Inconscient world. This world is the home of Death and only dead people can visit that unhealthy world of negation and darkness. King Aswapati traveled this world without dying and suffered multiple injuries that were slow to heal. Savitri also visited the Inconscient world without dying. (Death said to Savitri) “O mortal, turn back to thy transient kind; Aspire not to accompany Death to his home, As if thy breath could live where Time must die." Savitri-580 In this Canto, the movement of Consciousness between the Supramental and Inconscient plane is observed which appears to be a long movement before Consciousness is preoccupied with Subconscient transformation (which is the message of Book-10, Canto-1 to 4). This Canto suggests that those who are established in Supramental Consciousness can alone visit the Inconscient world in deep trance and through that exercise alone, the Inconscient world can be illumined and transformed. Sri Aurobindo’s Accident in 1938 was an attack by a dark asuric force (Lord of Falsehood) while he was pursuing transformation action in Subconscient/Inconscient Sheath. This Canto also suggests that a Sadhaka must be established in Supramental Consciousness, before meeting his own death or death of kith and kin or brother Souls. Extreme adversity must be met ‘like a tree recovering from a wind.’ (Savitri-574) Savitri had the following experiences after Satyavan’s death: “She measured not her loss with helpless thoughts,” Savitri-571 “Then suddenly there came on her the change Which in tremendous moments of our lives Can overtake sometimes the human soul And hold it up towards its luminous source.” Savitri-571 “Over was the haunted pain, the rending fear: Her grief had passed away, her mind was still, Her heart beat quietly with a sovereign force. There came a freedom from the heart-strings’ clutch, Now all her acts sprang from a godhead’s calm.” Savitri-573 This Canto suggests that after arriving in Supramental Consciousness, the transformation work pursued in the Subconscient and inconscient world may not be easy and may continue through many births. “That mightier spirit turned its mastering gaze On life and things, inheritor of a work Left to it unfinished from her halting past, (This line suggests that Subconscient and Inconscient transformation is a continuation of Savitri’s past birth extending over future birth till she returns to earth as last Avatara .) When yet the mind, a passionate learner, toiled And ill-shaped instruments were crudely moved.” Savitri-573 (This line suggests mind’s infant state in transformation action.) This Canto suggests that in order to change destiny and conquer Death , one must have knowledge of past, present and future lives. This is possible by the opening of Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental beings. “Only the spirit sees and all is known.” Savitri-571 “Now to the limitless gaze disclosed that sees” Savitri-572 “And live in borders of the seen and known.” Savitri-579 (One can foresee and know much before the happening of the event.) Its complementary line: “For what the spirit sees, creates a truth And what the soul imagines is made a world.” Savitri-456 “I know all past and all present and future existences, O Arjuna , but Me none yet knows.” The Gita-7.26 "Many are My lives that are past, and thine also, O Arjuna ; all of them I know, but thou knowest not…" The Gita-4.5 This change of destiny is further strengthened by the following experience as hinted in Savitri : “Only the spirit (of Savitri) knew the spirit (of Satyavan) still, And the heart divined the old loved heart, though changed. ” Savitri-576 “All was the violent ocean of a will Where lived captive to an immense caress, Possessed in a supreme identity, Her aim, joy, origin, Satyavan alone. ” Savitri-579 “Around him nameless, infinite she surged, Her spirit fulfilled in his spirit, rich with all Time, As if Love’s deathless moment had been found, A pearl within eternity’s white shell.” Savitri-579 The mystery of the Inconscient world is that it is a kingdom of titans who can slay the living Soul. They are cruel, sentinels of dumb necessity, and they watch across Savitri’s path mercilessly. In this midnight’s dumb abysses, Savitri rose like a ‘columned shaft of fire and light,’ (Savitri-581) ‘against fixed destiny and the grooves of’ (Savitri-581) Iron Law and there Satyavan met her with his wonderful bright eyes. "Then, to that chill sere heavy line arrived Where his feet touched the shadowy marches’ brink, Turning arrested luminous Satyavan Looked back with his wonderful eyes at Savitri ." Savitri-580 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “The Woman answered not. Her high nude soul, Stripped of the girdle of mortality, Against fixed destiny and the grooves of law Stood up in its sheer will a primal force.” Savitri-581 43/ Book 9, Canto 2 - The Journey In Eternal Night And The Voice Of The Darkness A Brief Restatement: The importance of Book-9, Canto-II is the movement of Consciousness through which the gulf between the Supramental plane and the Inconscient plane is bridged. If this gulf is not bridged then Satyavan cannot be traced or discovered in the Inconscient home of Death and by this loss of contact Satyavan cannot return to earth. In other Cantos, we have marked how through the movement of Psychic, Spiritual, and Supramental Consciousness different planes of Consciousness or ten worlds are bridged. They are: The gulf between Savitri and Satyavan in the Inconscient plane: “But now a silent gulf between them came” Savitri-584 “Visionless she moved amid insensible gulfs,” Savitri-584 The gulf between Savitri and Satyavan in the Subconscient plane: “In vain thou (Death) hast dug the dark unbridgeable gulf,” Savitri-648, A similar gulf King Aswapati felt in between Supramental Self and Bliss Self: “This world of bliss he saw and felt its call, But found no way to enter into its joy; Across the conscious gulf there was no bridge.” Savitri-128, Linking the gulf between the Spiritual and Mental plane: “A mediating ray had touched the earth (mediating ray is the Spiritual energy) Bridging the gulf between man’s mind and God’s; Its brightness linked our transience to the Unknown.” Savitri-353 Psychic being can bridge the gulf between Spirit and Matter: “But soon the link of soul with form grew sure” Savitri-355 “Unlocked were inner spirit’s trance-closed doors:” Savitri-369 Spirit travelling backwards in Time in order to illumine the dark untransformed world in universalised Consciousness: “A gap was rent in the all-concealing vault (of King Aswapati); The conscious ends of being went rolling back: The landmarks of the little person fell, The island ego joined its continent.” Savitri-25, Bridging the gulf between Bliss self and Sense mind: “A consciousness of beauty and of bliss, A knowledge which became what it perceived, Replaced the separated sense and heart And drew all Nature into its embrace.” Savitri-28 Bridging the gulf between Absolute, Alone, Real and his Fate in universalised Consciousness: “A union of the Real with the unique, A gaze of the Alone from every face, The presence of the Eternal in the hours Widening the mortal mind’s half-look on things, Bridging the gap between man's force and Fate Made whole the fragment-being we are here.” Savitri-35, The gulf between Psychic being and Spiritual Being is bridged: “In moments when the inner lamps are lit And the life’s cherished guests are left outside, (This line suggests life’s cherished guests stand as obstacles to Spiritual experience.) Our spirit sits alone and speaks to its gulfs. A wider consciousness opens then its doors; Invading from spiritual silences” Savitri-47-48, Our surface casual life is harmonized by bridging the gulf between surface action and inner life: “But who shall pierce into the cryptic gulf And learn what deep necessity of the soul Determined casual deed and consequence?” Savitri-52, Supramental action and removal all gulfs in different planes: “Because eternal eyes turned on earth's gulfs” Savitri-101 “She hopes by the creative act’s release To o’erleap sometimes the gulf she cannot fill, To heal awhile the wound of severance, Escape from the moment’s prison of littleness And meet the Eternal’s wide sublimities In the uncertain time-field portioned here.” Savitri-177 “Its (Supermind) mights that bridge the gulf twixt man and God, Its (Supermind) lights that combat Ignorance and Death.” Savitri-261, “There was no cleavage between soul and soul, There was no barrier between world and God.” Savitri-319 “There (in the Supramental) was no gulf between the thought and fact,” Savitri-327 “And made her joy a bridge twixt earth and heaven,” Savitri-534, “To make thy life a bridge twixt earth and heaven;” Savitri-536, (Death asked) “What bridge can cross the gulf that she (Truth supreme) has left Between her (Truth supreme) and the dream-world she (Truth supreme) has made?” Savitri-663, “The two (Heaven and Earth) longing to join, yet walk apart, Idly divided by their vain conceits; … They gaze across the silent gulfs of sleep.” Savitri-684 Bridging the gulf between Supramental/bliss Self and Inconscient/Subconscient Sheath is the most difficult exercise of integral Yoga and hence from this point of view Book-9 and Book-10 are very important and the Mother had chosen Book-10 for translation into the French language in order to better understand and pursue her Subconscient transformation. The purpose of entry into this dark Inconscient world is to bridge the gulf with the aid of her golden relation with Satyavan which calls down (‘But now a silent gulf between them came’ (Savitri-584) ‘In vain thou (Death) hast dug the dark unbridgeable gulf,’ (Savitri-648)) large scale invasion of Divine Love. Now this action of Divine Love is still remote from the Inconscient plane or ‘Even from herself cast out, from love remote.’ (Savitri-584) How can the gulf between them be bridged by the movement of Consciousness? The most crucial gulf is identified as the border of Subconscient and Inconscient Sheath where Savitri lost Satyavan for a brief period while journeying along with Death. Due to this gulf, ‘Her eyes had lost their luminous Satyavan ’ (Savitri-584) or ‘The soul of the beloved now seen no more.’(Savitri-585) Ordinary human love cannot bridge this gulf, so death becomes inevitable. After the gulf is bridged in isolation/loneliness and deep meditation/sleep state in the Inconscient sheath she again restores her relation with Satyavan through a series of Spiritual experiences: ‘Her husband, grew into a luminous shade;’ (Savitri-585) ‘I will bear with him the ancient Mother’s load I will follow with him earth’s path that leads to God.’ (Savitri-590) ‘For I (Savitri) who have trod with him (Satyavan ) the tracts’ (Savitri-590) of all Time; ‘Wherever thou (Death) leadst his (Satyavan’s) soul I shall pursue.’ (Savitri-590) This is identified as the great victory of Savitri in the Inconscient world. “The feet of love tread naked hardest worlds. He (Divine Love) labours in the depths, exults on the heights; He (Divine Love) shall remake thy universe, O Death .” (Savitri-592) This victory can meet other extreme danger, “Let not the inconscient gulf swallow man’s race” (Savitri-687) or “Her mouth of darkness swallowing all that is.” (Savitri-585) Inconscient Sheath is ‘an all-negating immensity’ (Savitri-585) or ‘immense refusal of the eternal No.’ (Savitri-583) In the core of it lies the Inconscient Self (‘Matter still slept empty of its Lord’ (Savitri-405)) which is the Divine’s last and the greatest Spiritual energy by whose intervention ‘a grand solution’ (Savitri-90) will be witnessed in the cosmic life. So, after the discovery of the Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental Self, a Sadhaka’s task is to trace the Subconscient and Inconscient Selves, by whose discovery, Supramental energy will flow into mind, life, and body from below the feet. The simultaneous flow of Supramental energy from above the head and below the feet or ‘Our life is entrenched between two rivers of light’ (Savitri-531) is the apex Spiritual experience for transformation action. The Divine Love labours in the depths as the Inconscient Self and exults on the height as the Supramental/Bliss Self and this Divine Love has the capacity to rebuild Death’s perishable world. "Love’s golden wings have power to fan thy void: The eyes of love gaze starlike through death’s night, The feet of love tread naked hardest worlds. He labours in the depths, exults on the heights; He shall remake thy universe, O Death .” Savitri-592 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Armoured with light she advanced her foot to plunge Into the dread and hueless vacancy; Immortal, unappalled, her spirit faced The danger of the ruthless eyeless waste.” Savitri-582 “Mine is the labour of the battling gods: Imposing on the slow reluctant years The flaming will that reigns beyond the stars, They lay the law of Mind on Matter’s works And win the soul’s wish from earth’s inconscient Force.” Savitri-588 44/ Book 10, Canto 1 - The Dream Twilight And The Ideal A Brief Restatement: The Book-10 is identified as The Book of Double Twilight. The first twilight is created by the invasion of fathomless Light above to the dark Subconscient plane below and the second twilight is created either by the invasion of darkness below to the bright Subconscient plane or by the invasion of fathomless Light below the feet through the opening of Subconscient and Inconscient Selves to dark Subconscient sheath. The Book-10, Canto-1 concentrates on Subconscient transformation by Psychic, Spiritual and Supramental invasion to a dark Subconscient sheath. They are identified as: Psychic invasion: “As when a goddess’ bosom dimly moves To first desire and her white soul transfigured, A glimmering Eden crossed by faery gleams, Trembles to expectation’s fiery wand, But nothing is familiar yet with bliss.” Savitri-604 “A comrade of the Ray and Mist and Flame, By a moon-bright face a brilliant moment drawn, Almost she seemed a thought mid floating thoughts, Seen hardly by a visionary mind Amid the white inward musings of the soul . Half-vanquished by the dream-happiness around, Awhile she moved on an enchantment’s soil, But still remained possessor of her soul.” Savitri-605-606 Spiritual Invasion: “Here in this seat of Darkness mute and lone, In the heart of everlasting Nothingness Light conquered now even by that feeble beam: Its faint infiltration drilled the blind deaf mass; Almost it changed into a glimmering sight That housed the phantom of an aureate Sun Whose orb pupilled the eye of Nothingness. Savitri-601 Supramental Invasion: “A golden fire came in and burned Night’s heart ; Her dusky mindlessness began to dream; The Inconscient conscious grew, Night felt and thought.” Savitri-601 “Above, her spirit in its mighty trance Saw all, but lived for its transcendent task, Immutable like a fixed eternal star.” Savitri-606 The whole of humanity is now going through this Subconscient transformation unconsciously and few prepared vessels are going through this transformation consciously. Those who are open towards Subconscient transformation, they will feel all the time a Divine Force is entering the mind, vital, body, and Subconscient sheaths in a very minuscule manner. When this descent of Divine force is strong enough to be felt as a higher body temperature of fever, then its outcome is a miracle in Subconscient sheath resulting in some Divine manifestation. In the previous Cantos of the whole book, (1) we get the information that if our Psychic and Spiritual beings are open then beings of those higher planes will accompany us and assist us in our sadhana , involve in many creative actions, and call down Divine energies. Integral Yoga identifies ten Selves and their opening activates affirmative Beings belonging to higher planes. (2) Similarly, through our untransformed nature, asuric beings or dark energies enter our system and do their destructive and pessimistic action both in waking and dream states. (3) We also get this information from Savitri that like our parents, some invisible beings pursue us in this birth and take care of us. Similarly, some beings accompany us from our previous births. So, we have to remember that neither this world, nor any creative action, nor any destructive action, nor any powers and personalities that are acting through us are our own. (4) Now in this book-10, Canto-1, we get some new inputs that will assist in our Subconscient transformation action. It describes some invisible beings identified as ‘a morning twilight of the gods’ (Savitri-601) who assist us in our sadhana and carry us from the twilight physical mind, twilight vital mind, and twilight intellect to complete and integral Divine Light, Wisdom, Delight etc. Now we will concentrate on the character of these affirmative twilight beings. Their forms arise from our sleep and they justify the long night followed by a new dawn and a new birth of consciousness. These dreaming deities look beyond the visible things and fashion in their thoughts, ideal worlds. By their presence ‘the heaviness of the eyeless dark’ (Savitri-602) has overpassed and all the sorrow of the night perished. He who wakes in this twilight world, finds his dreams true and all ran after light and joy and love. This twilight world is an atmosphere that cannot dare too much light, love and delight yet breathes strange ecstasy and anticipates deeply of delight. This twilight world is surrounded by vague fields, vague pastures, vague trees, vague scenes, vague cattle, vague spirits, vague melodies and vague ideal lands without a goal but having sweet memories, mighty measures of thought, far chanting of gods with low disturbing voices of desire. These twilight gods are fugitive beings and 'natural habitants of' (Savitri-602) the Subconscient world and they have the capacity to assist an individual to find his Soul. In that Subconscient sheath, nothing there was fixed or stayed for long, no mortal feet can take rest upon that soil, no breath of life lingered embodied there, no joy can dance for long period and no beauty can settle there. Yet in that Subconscient world, the memory of gladness ever repeats the same note, shapes are strangely consistent, the same thoughts are constant passers-by, all charms are renewed unendingly, waits always to hear the music like the recurrence of a haunting rhyme. Divine touches incessantly, the things that never seized for Subconscient transformation. The Divine Light showers as a trail of disappearing star and each Divine touch faints the vessel and the promise of unrealised bliss is heard. Psychic being participates in this Subconscient transformation through its purity, adoration and subtle presence and its unaware, momentary and escaping thrill is experienced as much sweeter than any rapture known to earth and heaven. Now we will concentrate on the line: “Heaven ever young and earth too firm and old” (Savitri-603) This line also suggests that when we open ourselves towards Divine Forces, we become young and energetic and when we keep the door open towards dark Subconscient and inconscient undivine energies we become old and weak. This also suggests the presence of heavenly beings for Subconscient transformation whose raptures of creation last too long; their affirmative bold formations are too absolute and are too intimate with eternal things. They stand up sculptured on the eternal hills and win immortality by perfect physical form. These heavenly beings are too pure, too great, too meaningful without shadow and without incertitude. "Their bold formations are too absolute; Carved by an anguish of divine endeavour They stand up sculptured on the eternal hills, Or quarried from the living rocks of God Win immortality by perfect form. They are too intimate with eternal things: Vessels of infinite significances, They are too clear, too great, too meaningful; No mist or shadow soothes the vanquished sight, No soft penumbra of incertitude." Savitri-603-604 Thus, a golden hem of bliss is experienced along with the gleaming shoulder of some godlike hope and flying feet of fine desires. These heavenly beings are visitors from the morning star, satisfied with the first perfection of Psychic opening. They mingle in a passion of pursuit and thrill with the spray of joy…. "Half-vanquished by the dream-happiness around, Awhile she moved on an enchantment’s soil, But still remained possessor of her soul. Above, her spirit in its mighty trance Saw all, but lived for its transcendent task, (Realisation of Cosmic and Transcendent Divine.) Immutable like a fixed eternal star." Savitri-606 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “In that tremendous darkness heavy and bare She atoned for all since the first act whence sprang The error of the consciousness of Time, The rending of the Inconscient’s seal of sleep,” Savitri-599 “And when there is no world, no creature more, When Time’s intrusion has been blotted out, It shall last, unbodied, saved from thought, at peace.” Savitri-600 “Here in this seat of Darkness mute and lone, In the heart of everlasting Nothingness Light conquered now even by that feeble beam: Its faint infiltration drilled the blind deaf mass; Almost it changed into a glimmering sight That housed the phantom of an aureate Sun Whose orb pupilled the eye of Nothingness." Savitri-601 “A golden fire came in and burned Night’s heart; Her dusky mindlessness began to dream; The Inconscient conscious grew, Night felt and thought.” Savitri-601 45/ Book 10, Canto 2 - The Gospel Of Death And Vanity Of The Ideal A Brief Restatement: Book 10, Canto 2 represents the gospel of Death which is a Soul slaying truth and his ideal appears to be in vain in resolving world problems. This Canto proposes that to remain satisfied with a brief touch of Divine Force is a moderate and escapist Spirituality which cannot transform Nature but to prepare for that Truth which slowly and constantly infiltrates into the material vessel, which alone can expedite Subconscient transformation and transform Nature. Death’s ideal accepts the later Vedantic doctrine of the Soul’s (Jivatma’s) union with Spirit (Paramatma) and refuges the ancient Vedantic doctrine of the Spirit’s reconciliation with Matter. This Canto is important from three points of view. Firstly , it gives more description of the twilight of the Subconscient world which must be approached through faint infiltration of Truth Light (Or ‘Threatened (falsehood) with this faint beam of wandering Truth’ Savitri-585) and not the later Vedantic escape from material problems; secondly, here Sri Aurobindo defines the Soul slaying human love through the symbolic representation of Death’s gospel; thirdly in this Canto, the Supreme word, Mahavakya, of Savitri book is revealed. 1: “I think Sri Aurobindo deliberately made this Death very vulgar to discourage all the Illusionists and Nirvanists .” The Mother/The Mother’s Agenda-6/164, (Death said) “Earth only is there and not some heavenly source. If heavens there are they are veiled in their own light, If a Truth eternal somewhere reigns unknown, It burns in a tremendous void of God; For truth shines far from the falsehoods of the world; How can the heavens come down to unhappy earth Or the eternal lodge in drifting time?” Savitri-609 (Death said) “The Avatars have lived and died in vain, Vain was the sage’s thought, the prophet’s voice; In vain is seen the shining upward Way. Earth lies unchanged beneath the circling sun; She loves her fall and no omnipotence Her mortal imperfections can erase, Force on man’s crooked ignorance Heaven’s straight line Or colonise a world of death with gods.” Savitri-609-610 (Death said) “Heaven’s hour adjourned flees into bodiless Time. Death saves thee from this and saves Satyavan: He now is safe, delivered from himself; He travels to silence and felicity. Call him not back to the treacheries of earth And the poor petty life of animal Man. In my vast tranquil spaces let him sleep” Savitri-611 (Death said) “Renounce, forgetting joy and hope and tears, Thy passionate nature in the bosom profound Of a happy Nothingness and worldless Calm, Delivered into my mysterious rest.” Savitri-612 2: As per our study like Arjuna of the Gita, Death has raised twenty-three questions and indirectly hints at a passage to immortality. From the Arjuna we learn the lesson of Jivatma’s union with Paramatma, similarly, from Death’s conversation with Savitri, we can learn the lesson of reconciliation of Perfect Spirit with imperfect Matter. A Soul-slaying human love, a soul-slaying word and a soul-slaying momentary work can slay the Psychic being. This means human association, thought bound to three gunas and any action by the pressure of three gunas can veil the Psychic being. Whereas Divine Love, Divine descended overhead Knowledge and Divine action by the pressure of Divine Will can save and activate the Psychic being. (Death said) “Thy mortal longing made for thee a soul. This angel in thy body thou callst love, Who shapes his wings from thy emotion’s hues, In a ferment of thy body has been born And with the body that housed it it must die. It is a passion of thy yearning cells, It is flesh that calls to flesh to serve its lust; It is thy mind that seeks an answering mind And dreams awhile that it has found its mate; It is thy life that asks a human prop To uphold its weakness lonely in the world Or feeds its hunger on another’s life.” Savitri-608 (Death said) “What is this love thy thought has deified, This sacred legend and immortal myth? It is a conscious yearning of thy flesh, It is a glorious burning of thy nerves, A rose of dream-splendour petalling thy mind, A great red rapture and torture of thy heart. A sudden transfiguration of thy days, It passes and the world is as before.” Savitri-610 (Death said) “If Satyavan had lived, love would have died; But Satyavan is dead and love shall live A little while in thy sad breast, until His face and body fade on memory’s wall Where other bodies, other faces come.” Savitri-610 (Death said) “Love cannot live by heavenly food alone, Only on sap of earth can it survive. For thy passion was a sensual want refined, A hunger of the body and the heart; Thy want can tire and cease or turn elsewhere. Or love may meet a dire and pitiless end By bitter treason, or wrath with cruel wounds Separate, or thy unsatisfied will to others Depart when first love’s joy lies stripped and slain: A dull indifference replaces fire Or an endearing habit imitates love: An outward and uneasy union lasts Or the routine of a life’s compromise:” Savitri-611 (Death said) “Two strive, constant associates without joy, Two egos straining in a single leash, Two minds divided by their jarring thoughts, Two spirits disjoined, for ever separate. Thus is the ideal falsified in man’s world; Trivial or sombre, disillusion comes, Life’s harsh reality stares at the soul:” Savitri-611 (Death said human love is) “A sweet secretion from the erotic glands Flattering and torturing the burning nerves, Love is a honey and poison in the breast Drunk by it as the nectar of the gods. Earth’s human wisdom is no great-browed power, And love no gleaming angel from the skies; If they aspire beyond earth’s dullard air, Arriving sunwards with frail waxen wings, How high could reach that forced unnatural flight? But not on earth can divine wisdom reign And not on earth can divine love be found; Heaven-born, only in heaven can they live; Or else there too perhaps they are shining dreams.” Savitri-618-619 3: Supreme Word of Savitri (Mahavakya) “If there is a yet happier greater god, Let him first wear the face of Satyavan And let his soul be one with him I love; So let him seek me that I may desire.” Savitri-614, A Psychic being is identified as a greater God. That means if a Sadhaka has realised his Psychic Being in the heart centre, then his status is greater than overmental God and he can call down Divine Love to earth and men. If he calls down Paramatma/Purushottama/ Supramental Purusha to the heart centre then he begins to wear the face of Satyavan and experiences static Divine union. With the prolongation of this union, dynamic Brahman/Paraprakriti/ Supramental Mother comes down permanently to stay in the heart centre. Then heart centre becomes the meeting ground of Paramatma Satyavan and Paraprakriti Savitri and this dynamic union possesses material life and the cellular transformation begins the action. To Love and Possess equally Paramatma Satyavan and Paraprakriti Savitri in the heart centre is the supreme Word of Savitri and the extension of World transformation through the mighty descent of Divine Force. This is the condition of receiving Savitri’s comprehensive Divine Love. Here we divide this comprehensive Divine Love into four parts: Jivatma’s union with Paramatma (realisation of transcendent Divine) Jivatma’s union with Paraprakriti (Universalisation of Consciousness and beginning of individual transformation)) Parmatma’s union with Paraprakriti (beginning of cellular and world transformation.) Paraprakriti’s union with Aparaprakriti (Matter) (transformation of Subconscient and Inconscient Sheaths or Reconciliation of Spirit with Matter.) A Sadhak , who does not wear the face of Paramatma Satyavan within the heart centre has no issue, no charm and glory and his life is symbolically revealed as experiencing the sorrow of widowhood or 'Like love when the beloved's face is gone.' (Savitri-306) This is the most difficult Spiritual task before a Sadhak but there is none else. When King Aswapati asked Savitri 'somewhere on the longing breast of earth, Thy unknown lover waits for thee the unknown,’ (Savitri-374) Savitri went across the world to meet her Lord. She met twelve types of exclusive liberated great Souls before meeting Satyavan but they were not fit to hold Savitri’s Comprehensive Divine Love. To hold Savitri’s comprehensive Divine Love, one has to reconcile twelve exclusive Divine attributes of liberated Souls. So he can ‘wear the face of Satyavan ’ or move the Consciousness comprehensively in all the above four ways. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “His bliss laughs to us or it calls concealed Like a far-heard unseen entrancing flute From moonlit branches in the throbbing woods, Tempting our angry search and passionate pain. Disguised the Lover seeks and draws our souls. He named himself for me, grew Satyavan. For we were man and woman from the first, The twin souls born from one undying fire. Did he not dawn on me in other stars? How has he through the thickets of the world Pursued me like a lion in the night And come upon me suddenly in the ways And seized me with his glorious golden leap! Unsatisfied he yearned for me through time, Sometimes with wrath and sometimes with sweet peace Desiring me since first the world began. He rose like a wild wave out of the floods And dragged me helpless into seas of bliss. Out of my curtained past his arms arrive; They have touched me like the soft persuading wind, They have plucked me like a glad and trembling flower, And clasped me happily burned in ruthless flame. I too have found him charmed in lovely forms And run delighted to his distant voice And pressed to him past many dreadful bars. If there is a yet happier greater god, Let him first wear the face of Satyavan And let his soul be one with him I love; So let him seek me that I may desire. For only one heart beats within my breast And one god sits there throned. Advance, O Death, Beyond the phantom beauty of this world; For of its citizens I am not one. I cherish God the Fire, not God the Dream.” Savitri-614 46/ Book 10, Canto 3 - The Debate Of Love And Death A Brief Restatement: This book-10, Canto-3, reveals first Savitri’s discovery of the Subconscient Self within Subconscient Sheath. This discovery is important for the purification and transformation of Subconscient and adjacent worlds of mind, life and body. "A spirit moved in black immensities And built a Thought in ancient Nothingness; A soul was lit in God’s tremendous Void, A secret labouring glow of nascent fire." Savitri-622 This creation is to be wholly accepted and embraced as the manifestation of the Brahman . If the existing mind of most man is crippled; life is untaught and crude; if there exist brutal and evil activities, then they are to be accepted as incidents of the Divine’s vast and varied plot; His great and dangerous drama’s needed steps. We have to meet our Lord in the nascent sleep of shadow and the Night and in the wakefulness of the stars and Sun and wait for the hour in which high Supracosmic Source meets the low and nether Inconscient Sheath. The emergence of Divine Life on earth is possible by the reconciliation of God’s Night with His fathomless Light and Life and Death become the fuel of the great world action and world existence. "For now at last I know beyond all doubt, The great stars burn with my unceasing fire And life and death are both its fuel made. Life only was my blind attempt to love: Earth saw my struggle, heaven my victory; All shall be seized, transcended; there shall kiss Casting their veils before the marriage fire The eternal bridegroom and eternal bride. The heavens accept our broken flights at last. On our life’s prow that breaks the waves of Time No signal light of hope has gleamed in vain.” Savitri-638 Savitri has to unite with Satyavan in the Subconscient and Inconscient world by calling down Divine energy there. Satyavan’s death created such an opportunity for Savitri . She has to prove her Divine Love which can transform those dark worlds. So, her task is to call down Divine Love from higher planes and the emergence of the same Divine Love by activation of Subconscient Self and the ‘two rivers of Light’ (Savitri-531) wait ‘to be kindled in our secret cells.’ (Savitri-626) "Yet Light is there; it stands at Nature’s doors: It holds a torch to lead the traveller in. It waits to be kindled in our secret cells; It is a star lighting an ignorant sea, A lamp upon our poop piercing the night. As knowledge grows Light flames up from within: It is a shining warrior in the mind, An eagle of dreams in the divining heart, An armour in the fight, a bow of God." Savitri-626 Lastly, this Canto gives a clue how the business of Death and Night fails on Earth. That is possible by universalisation of Divine Love, by attainment of unity consciousness of Supermind and all is known and clasped by Divine Love. "A Lover leaning from his cloister’s door Gathers the whole world into his single breast. Then shall the business fail of Night and Death: When unity is won, when strife is lost And all is known and all is clasped by Love Who would turn back to ignorance and pain?” Savitri-632-33 This Canto also proposes that Subconscient transformation can only be experienced in deep meditation or non-waking trance. Entry into Subconscient plane is a terrible battle against the forces of darkness and in the Mother’s language, “I am given the awareness of how huge this thing (Divine descent) is one drop at a time…so I won’t be crushed,” (The Mother’s Agenda, July 15, 1961,) and this Subconscient transformation could be done ‘only in deep meditation…and not in any other time, in activity or even in concentration.’ (The Mother’s Agenda, December 11, 1963) "But now her spirit’s flame of conscient force Retiring from a sweetness without fruit Called back her thoughts from speech to sit within In a deep room in meditation’s house ." Savitri-639 A Sadhak of integral Yoga must understand that before conquering Death from without Savitri must conquer Death from within accompanied with mighty calmness. “O Death, I have triumphed over thee within ; I quiver no more with the assault of grief; A mighty calmness seated deep within Has occupied my body and my sense: It takes the world’s grief and transmutes to strength, It makes the world’s joy one with the joy of God." Savitri-633 OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “My love eternal sits throned on God’s calm; For Love must soar beyond the very heavens And find its secret sense ineffable; It must change its human ways to ways divine, Yet keep its sovereignty of earthly bliss.” Savitri-633 “For now at last I know beyond all doubt, The great stars burn with my unceasing fire And life and death are both its fuel made. Life only was my blind attempt to love: Earth saw my struggle, heaven my victory; All shall be seized, transcended; there shall kiss Casting their veils before the marriage fire The eternal bridegroom and eternal bride.” Savitri-638 47/ Book 10, Canto 4 - The Dream Twilight And The Earthly Real A Brief Restatement: The canto marks the final confrontation of Savitri with Death in his own realm (of Night). The next time Savitri meets Death will be in the realm of light where Death’s contorted mask is removed and his true divine nature is revealed. Death (after his gospel in the previous canto) argues for Savitri to give up her quest and conviction of revealing the Divine behind all matter and bringing down the divine from the highest planes. Savitri destroys all his arguments with the Truth. Finally, Death slowly recognises that the Divine Mother may be present in Savitri and asks for that darshan and agrees to release him if he is blessed with that vision. A vast transformation comes over Savitri and the divine Mother within steps forward and reveals herself to Death and asks him to return Satyavan’s soul. Despite this Death remains stubborn and refuses to give up Satyavan. But the light and force of the Divine Mother overwhelms him and he retreats defeated, giving up the soul of Satyavan . Arjuna was shown Viswarupa Darshana (The Vision of the universal Godhead) by the Lord in the Gita f or the completeness of his Spiritual life. Here in this Canto-IV, book-10, Savitri, the Divine Mother had possessed Death by Her dynamic Viswa rupa. Death God is projected here as a temporary dark instrument of the Divine. This is also the message for a Sadhak of integral Yoga that he has to realise the vision of Viswarupa of the Gita through his third eye and be possessed by the Viswarupa of the Divine Mother, in his passage towards immortality. For him, realisation of the Divine is an easier task and the transformation of earthly Nature is a very difficult task, which he has to experience after the universalization of Consciousness. (Death's Viswa rupa experience) "Weighed on his unbowed head and stubborn breast; Light like a burning tongue licked up his thoughts, Light was a luminous torture in his heart, Light coursed, a splendid agony, through his nerves; His darkness muttered perishing in her blaze. Her mastering Word commanded every limb And left no room for his enormous will That seemed pushed out into some helpless space And could no more re-enter but left him void. He called to Night but she fell shuddering back, He called to Hell but sullenly it retired: He turned to the Inconscient for support, From which he was born, his vast sustaining self; It drew him back towards boundless vacancy As if by himself to swallow up himself: He called to his strength, but it refused his call. His body was eaten by light, his spirit devoured." Savitri-667 If a Sadhak attains Cosmic Consciousness, then he must pursue sadhana in secrecy and silence. His presence will be intolerable for the common man because of this particular nature, ‘Universal, he is all,--transcendent, none.’ (Savitri-657) When he lives in universal Self, he becomes very intimate with all; when he lives in transcendent Consciousness, he goes beyond all these relations. This is unbearable to man’s righteousness. His outward appearance will be marked with Truth-Power or the 'sound of infinity' in his voice and his eyes will shine with the 'light of things beyond.' (Savitri-663) OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Darkness below, a fathomless Light above, In Light are joined, but sundered by severing Mind Stand face to face, opposite, inseparable, Two contraries needed for his great World-task, Two poles whose currents wake the immense World-Force.” Savitri-656-657 “A few have dared the last supreme ascent And break through borders of blinding light above, And feel a breath around of mightier air, Receive a vaster being’s messages And bathe in its immense intuitive Ray.” Savitri-659 48/ Book 11, Canto 1 - The Soul's Choice And The Supreme's Consummation A Brief restatement: After the Savitri moves through the realms of Eternal Night and the Dream Twilight and defeats Death so that he retreats and gives up his claim to Satyavan’s Soul, Savitri enters the realm of the Superconscient. As she enters these realms she moves up the levels of the overmind and then onto the Supramental and Sachchidananda planes. As she ascends past the Overmind regions she encounters the Supreme who gives her the final test. To date Savitri has had to deal with obstacles from her birth mother, her untransformed nature and Death, both within (as a void/nirvana) and without. Having conquered Death and secured Satyavan , the Supreme asks her to enjoy the fruits of her glory, reminds her that she is the Eternal Bride and His force – He asks her to withdraw to live in her spirit above or in her Soul within and no longer does she need to strive against the recalcitrant nature who in the course of time (eons) will eventually be transformed. Savitri in spite of the deeply loving and ensnaring words of the Divine, refuses – just as she refused to succumb to the eternal night and the twilight she also refuses this boon. This is because, for Savitri, the Divine has to be experienced integrally, not just in one realm. The Divine then takes her to the highest planes of existence, from where she will be better able to make her decision and tempts her three more times. But each time Savitri refuses, because in those highest stations of Sachchidananda, Savitri is united with the Supreme Mother’s consciousness and she feels all of creations as her children. The voices of these children plead to her to remain with them and the love which binds her to Her creations makes her ask the Supreme that all that He offers her, let that be provided to all of Earth and man, not just to her. One key difference I (Auroprem) note between the Supreme’s discussion with Savitri and the Divine Mother’s instruction with King Aswapthi is that even though both Lord and the Supreme Mother said not to hasten the descent of the force on unprepared earth, with King Aswapati, he was asked to remain on earth and “let thy toil be vast” (Savitri-340) or ‘Accept the difficulty and godlike toil,’ (Savitri-335) and not to retire to a station above creation. With Savitri, the Supreme is actually asking her to withdraw into the highest planes of Consciousness 'through immense extinction in eternity'. (Savitri-696) (This also hints at the difference between dynamic Divine Mother and static Divine Father.) The Supreme is pleased with Savitri’s choice and grants her the Supreme Consummation which is to find the Divine in all through 'A thousand doors of oneness', (Savitri-695) 'force her will on fate,' (Savitri-694) 'stamp her will on Time' (Savitri-695) and her joy becomes imperfect if 'not shared by all.' (Savitri-686) "A virgin unity, a luminous spouse, Housing a multitudinous embrace To marry all in God’s immense delight, Bearing the eternity of every spirit, Bearing the burden of universal love, A wonderful mother of unnumbered souls." Savitri-695 Divine says that after Savitri prepares the Earth it will then be able to bear the descent of the Supreme Mother, the last Avatar . This will coincide with the emergence of a new race of diviner men, who will also raise the existing race of men towards the Divine. This will then allow the Supreme’s force and presence to act directly on Earth without distortion and the need of any intermediary consciousness. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this Canto: "A divine force shall flow through tissue and cell And take the charge of breath and speech and act And all the thoughts shall be a glow of suns And every feeling a celestial thrill. Often a lustrous inner dawn shall come Lighting the chambers of the slumbering mind; A sudden bliss shall run through every limb A nd Nature with a mightier Presence fill. Thus shall the earth open to divinity And common natures feel the wide uplift, Illumine common acts with the Spirit’s ray And meet the deity in common things. Nature shall live to manifest secret God, The Spirit shall take up the human play, This earthly life become the life divine.” Savitri-710 49/ Book 12, Epilogue - The Return To Earth A Brief restatement : This chapter signifies the permanent descent of Sachchidananda Consciousness to earth consciousness which was the result of Savitri’s permanent ascent of Soul to Sachchidananda consciousness, here symbolically represented as Everlasting Day. Savitri along with Satyavan return to earth consciousness and to their bodies with the blessings of the Supreme to stay in the Earth’s atmosphere and continue their eternal work as the dual incarnating power of the Supreme (1) to raise the consciousness of man to God and (2) to bring down the higher consciousness to the Earth plane. Satyavan recognizes the great (subjective and objective) change that Savitri has undergone (during this long cataleptic trance) and realizes that it is due to her love alone (Or accumulation of her Yoga Shakti in the form of Divine Love that was able to bring back Satyavan from the clutch of Death or Their strong bond of Divine union failed Death to take Satyavan away from Savitri ) that he has consented to remain on the earth plane and continue their work. The boons Death gave to Savitri have resulted in the King’s (Dyumatsena’s ) outward vision (and inner vision of seven immortal worlds) being restored and his lost kingdom (symbolized as King Dyumatsena’s lame identity with Ignorance) and returned with the eye of wisdom and integral Knowledge. The poem finishes with marked difference in the consciousness of the Earth, (permanent manifestation of Sachchidananda Consciousness on Earth), especially in the inconscient plane, which now houses the promise of greater dawn and light due to the work of this dual Force on the (Subconscient/Inconscient plane) earth plane. OM TAT SAT The Most Important Secret of this chapter: “Awakened to the meaning of my heart That to feel love and oneness is to live And this the magic of our golden change, Is all the truth I know or seek, O sage.” Savitri-624 Download the above synopsis We must pursue Sadhana by outwardly becoming a mere man of action like the woodsman status of Satyavan and inwardly like King Aswapati, who drops all his separative identity in the Divine, possesses the highest objective of Jnana and Bhakti Yoga by becoming a Karma Yog i. We must note that while pursuing this difficult Yoga if we experience Spiritual fall then, also we can again pursue this Sadhana of Karma Yoga like King Dyumatsena , in double seclusion that of an outcast from the privilege of light of the outer world and renouncing the enjoyment of five senses symbolised here as loss of eyesight. We must learn to consecrate our Soul’s childhood near the Mother Soul, here identified as Savitri , who serves earth and her children from below like a slave and from above like Sunlight. Her ceaseless consecration and ceaseless Divine union could not satisfy and fulfill life because there is always the threat of an inrush of Ignorance, Falsehood, Suffering and Death from below. They can abruptly end all the charm of life. The remedy lies in her Subconscient and Inconscient transformation through a collaboration of a few prepared universalised individual vessels.

"Yet still, a captive in her golden hands," Savitri-723 The Central Thuth of The Mother "And behind her is the Ishwara and faith in him is the most central thing in the sraddha of the integral Yoga. This faith we must have and develop to perfection that all things are the workings under the universal conditions of a supreme self-knowledge and wisdom, that nothing done in us or around us is in vain or without its appointed place and just significance, that all things are possible when the Ishwara as our supreme Self and Spirit takes up the action and that all that has been done before and all that he will do hereafter was and will be part of his infallible and foreseeing guidance and intended towards the fruition of our Yoga and our perfection and our life work. This faith will be more and more justified as the higher knowledge opens, we shall begin to see the great and small significances that escaped our limited mentality and faith will pass into knowledge. Then we shall see beyond the possibility of doubt that all happens within the working of the one Will and that that will was also wisdom because it develops always the true workings in life of the self and nature. The highest state of the assent, the sraddha of the being will be when we feel the presence of the Ishwara and feel all our existence and consciousness and thought and will and action in his hand and consent in all things and with every part of our self and nature to the direct and immanent and occupying will of the Spirit. And that highest perfection of the sraddha will also be the opportunity and perfect foundation of a divine strength: it will base, when complete, the development and manifestation and the works of the luminous supramental Shakti ." Sri Aurobindo CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-781-782 The Central Truth of The Mother or The Book of Consecrated Faith “A glad and strong and helpful submission is demanded to the working of the Divine Force, the obedience of the illumined disciple of the Truth, of the inner Warrior who fights against obscurity and falsehood, of the faithful servant of the Divine. This is the true attitude and only those who can take and keep it, preserve a faith unshaken by disappointments and difficulties and shall pass through the ordeal to the supreme victory and the great transmutation.”³¹ Sri Aurobindo “I have said somewhere, or may be written, that no matter how great your faith and trust in the divine Grace, no matter how great your capacity to see it at work in all circumstances, at every moment, at every point in life, you will never succeed in understanding the marvellous immensity of Its Action, and the precision, the exactitude with which this Action is accomplished; you will never be able to grasp to what extent the Grace does everything, is behind everything, organises everything, conducts everything, so that the march forward to the divine realisation may be as swift, as complete, as total and harmonious as possible, considering the circumstances of the world.”¹⁵ The Mother This paper chooses Sraddha as central truth of The Mother book because through prolongation of faith, the static Divine union of the Supreme Self is dynamised to experience union with the Supreme Mother; thus through 'ascending faith,' a contact with the Divine is established and through 'descending faith' the Divine Shakti comes down to mind, life, body, subconscient and inconscient planes. The Maha Mantra of integral Yoga in the language of The Mother book is "All Life is Yoga or All Life is possession of the fourfold Divine Shaktis ." Its Maha Vakya or Supreme Word is "The Mother’s power and not any human endeavour and tapasya can alone rend the lid and tear the covering and shape the vessel and bring down into this world of obscurity and falsehood and death and suffering Truth and Light and Life divine and the immortal’s Ananda ."⁴⁰ This line suggests that The Mother's infinite Grace is supported and subordinated by Self-control, which we undersatnd as Tapasya . Both are combined, ceasless consecration to call down Divine Force and ardous or rigorous self-control which assists in the increase of consecration. ‘The Mother ’ book proposes a Vedantic self-discipline in order to arrive at a Tantric aim. It gives us hints that by prolonging the Vedantic sacrifice of static Divine Union, one will arrive at the dynamic Divine Union of Tantric objective. Faith acts as a link through which static Divine union is dynamised and it also serves as a link through which dynamic Divine Shakti penetrates into Material life. So, faith acts as a connecting link in both the ascending and descending action of Consciousness. The faith has its double utility in integral Yoga, that of firstly, (1) the faith in the Divine, Vedantic faith which is defined as ‘ascent of the whole being to the truth seen by it or offered to its acceptance;’⁵ and the other is (2) faith in the Shakti, Vedic faith, which is defined as Influence²⁷ and Will of the Supreme dynamised as Shakti, directed to press upon the lower nature of mind, life and body to realise the greater truth of self-becoming and self-exceeding.¹⁹ It is a free perception or an imperative direction from the inner Spirit. The dependency on the ever-growing static and dynamic faith, sraddha , is felt imperative in four successive stages. The true nature of static faith as proposed in the Gita is of quadruple kind ; first is the ‘faith of each man takes the shape, hue, quality given to it by his stuff of being, his constituting temperament, his innate power of existence, sattvanurupa sarvasya sraddha ;’¹⁶ secondly , Sraddha is that it is an aspect of the Self, sraddhamayayo Purusha ;² thirdly, whatever is man’s faith that he becomes ultimately, yo yachhadra sa evasah .² Lastly, this faith is Divinely fulfilled and culminated in an eternal flame of knowledge, sraddhavan labhate jnanam .³ 'At the end, the flickerings of faith will cease; for we shall see his face and feel always the Divine Presence.' ¹⁴ Integral Yoga proposes that the true nature of dynamic faith is of quadruple kind. Firstly, we have to change our central faith¹⁷ from the formation of ordinary material and mental man that concentrates on the ‘development and satisfaction and interests in the old externalised order of things’¹ to a ‘deeper faith and vision which see only the Divine and seek only after the Divine.’¹ If the equality, the Psychic light and will are already there, then a sure guidance and protection will be present throughout and we will realise that all is done for the best, the progress assured and victory inevitable. Secondly , If the central faith is established in the Divine, then one’s Spiritual destiny³⁰ is decreed. Thirdly, the dynamic faith has the magic power to bring the dead back to life, the capacity to turn the bitter poisons of the world into immortal nectar, can see the happier positive Spiritual intention behind all adversity and opposition, the mystery of Divine Love behind all hatred, jealousy and suffering and the flower of Divine strength and joy in the seed of pain. Fourthly , a Sadhaka of integral Yoga must remember that he carries with him a fragment of Eternal’s Omnipotence and Omniscience or ‘Godhead’s seed’³⁵ and its entire revelation in his bodily life is the inevitable consequence of his integral faith that is only a will aiming at the realisation of a greater static and dynamic truth. This Integral Faith is really an influence from the supreme Spirit which calls the lower nature to rise out of its petty limitation and narrowness and transforms itself to illimitable Divine Nature. The two active mental imperfections, (1) samsaya, the sceptical doubt,²⁸ which always turns its back on our total knowledge of Spiritual possibilities and (2) asuya , the constant carping of the narrow uncreative intellect which paralyses⁵ our collective Ashram living, must however be conquered for the Divine perfection by systematic development of sraddha. We begin this journey with the three elements of complete mental faith on the Divine that are (1) the mind's constant concurrence, (2) strong consent of the will and (3) the heart’s intense delight and submission. The last siddhi, perfection of faith in the Divine Shakti is identified as ‘intimate feeling of her presence and her powers and the satisfied assent of all our being to her workings in and around it.’⁶ This paper proposes some series of Perfection/siddhi or provisional psycho-physical exercises or mental belief on faith, Sraddha , which is meant for educating one to begin, repeat subsequently and end each day with the revival of the highest aspiration of the Soul, towards God, Light, Freedom, Bliss and Immortality. With Spiritual realisation, our mental faith and ideas become concrete reality, living truth and dynamic power. In integral Yoga, it is defined that for beginners Vedantic method of self-discipline is indispensable and the Vedic method of self-discipline is indispensable after one is established in static union with the Divine; both methods are indispensable for developed Souls. If this understanding will not be given importance, then it will give birth to fear, impatience and doubt and one will be under the subjection of Nature. This suggestion is already there as hinted in the Gita where Arjuna was discouraged³⁶ to do Vedic sacrifice in the initial phase of the sadhana and encouraged³⁷ in the final stage of sadhana . The seven Indispensable Vedantic Faith or Faith in the static Divine: 1) The first indispensable faith is, “The Divine exists within, above and outside me and my meeting with Him everywhere cannot fail in this life. I want direct contact, Pratakhya , with Him and adore Him in all creatures and extend my infinite gratitude towards Him.” 2) The second indispensable faith is, “There is nothing worth living in my life without Him and He is the only inexhaustible source of all my delight, thought and action and the higher I project this aspiration, the greater the truth that seeks to descend upon me. So, my whole life and all life is a broadening of receptivity and constant prayer offered to the Divine.” 3) The third indispensable faith is, “He has taken my full and total responsibility and His sure guidance and protection is present throughout in spite of many dangers, difficulties and failures. His failures are part of the act of His omniscient Omnipotence which knows the right time and circumstance for the incipience, the change of destiny, the immediate and the final results of all its cosmic undertakings.” 4) The fourth indispensable faith is, “He responds to my every call and even to my most external emotional call and gives me this conviction that all unforeseen events and apparent discords are parts of His illimitable secret plan and vast harmony.” "Whether it seem good or evil to men’s eyes, Only for good the secret Will can work." Savitri-424 5) The fifth indispensable faith is, “What the Divine wills for me or decides for me is the best and faultless, the progress assured and victory inevitable; He leads me in the shortest possible path towards the ultimate goal in spite of my ignorance, misunderstanding, ego, revolt and cry. This belief can be further extended for His creation that what He decides or what He arranges everywhere all things rightly from the beginning of the creation, whether it seems good or evil to the mortal eye, only for the good and for the best, the Divine Will can work. The Creation exists, moves forward and whatever happens are preparing for far more complete, far more integral than we can imagine and see with the one side of things and are intended for the full satisfaction of the whole vision of the Creator. His Will must be worked out in the passage of time in spite of all evil that rises from the Inconscient sheath, all Ignorance with its obstinate strength, all stumbling of man’s personal will, deep folly of his mind and blind reluctance of his heart.”³⁸ I know ‘that whatever happens in the Divine Providence is for the best even though it may seem to the mind otherwise.’³⁴ 6) The sixth indispensable faith is that we must repeat to the doubting intellect the promise of the Master of the Gita, “I will surely deliver you from all sin and evil; do not grieve.”¹¹ Or the promise of Savitri, “Yet still to ourselves we say rekindling faith, “Oh, surely one day he shall come to our cry, One day he shall create our life anew And utter the magic formula of peace And bring perfection to the scheme of things. One day he shall descend to life and earth, Leaving the secrecy of the eternal doors, Into a world that cries to him for help, And bring the truth that sets the spirit free, The joy that is the baptism of the soul, The strength that is the outstretched arm of Love. One day he shall lift his beauty’s dreadful veil, Impose delight on the world’s beating heart And bare his secret body of light and bliss.””¹² 7) The seventh indispensable faith is, “He is all Love, all Ananda , all Beauty, all Peace, all Knowledge and all Light and He is ready to pour these Divine attributes when called upon.” The Eight Specialised Vedic Faith or Faith in the dynamic Shakti ¹⁸: “One day I shall behold my great sweet world Put off the dire disguises of the gods, Unveil from terror and disrobe from sin. Appeased we shall draw near our mother’s face, We shall cast our candid souls upon her lap; Then shall we clasp the ecstasy we chase, Then shall we shudder with the long-sought god, Then shall we find Heaven’s unexpected strain.” Savitri-613 In addition to Vedantic faith we can practice remembering some specialised form of faith or dispensable faith to remould some of our finest faculty. Once the indispensable faith establishes the Spiritual base, the practice of the dispensable faith helps to integrate it. So, the dispensable faith becomes indispensable and more profoundly, its necessity is felt in the difficult transformation action of integral Yoga. 1) ‘Faith is certainly a gift given to us by the Divine Grace. It is like a door suddenly opening upon an eternal truth, through which we can see it, almost touch it.’⁴ For Supramental descent, ‘An entire faith, opening, self-giving to the Mother are the one condition necessary throughout.’²² The first indispensable faith is, “If the faith and surrender are complete in all parts of the being then there can be no attack. If there is a strong central faith and surrender at all times, then there can be attacks but the attacks will have no chance of success.”²⁰ 2) When we suffer long or stumble in the darkness¹⁴ (Spiritual fall), the sceptic mind murmurs, “I have trusted to the Highest and I am betrayed into suffering and sin and error.”¹⁴ So when doubt, depression, tamas and insincerity predominates over the nature, then the mantra of repetition is, “Never mind, my aspiration will come back again. Meanwhile I know that The Mother is with me even when I do not feel Her, She will carry me through even the darkest period.”²⁴ ‘Even when you cannot aspire actively, keep yourself turned to the Mother for the help to come — that is the one thing to do always.’³² ‘What the psychic always feels is “What the Mother does is for the best”, and it accepts all with gladness. It is the vital part of the heart that is easily touched by the suggestions.’²³ 3) When all higher experience is forgotten and bitterness of life comes to the surface, the sceptic mind repeats, “I have staked my whole life on an idea which the stern facts of experience contradict and discourage. It would have been better to be as other men are who accept their limitations and walk on the firm ground of normal experience.”¹⁴ To all such suggestions of impurity, weakness, unfitness, turn back from Divine labour and Spiritual fall due to temporary defeat repeat the mantra, “I am a child of Immortality chosen by the Divine; I have but to be true to myself and Him --the victory is sure; even if I fell, I would rise again.”⁷ “Do not think whether people agree with you or do not agree with you or whether you are good or bad, but think only that 'the Mother loves me and I am the Mother’s .' If you base your life on that thought, everything will soon become easy.”³⁹ 4) The rajasic and sattwic egoism are eliminated by concentration of the following mantra, “A Divine (Mother) Power works in this mind and body and it is the same that works in all men and in the animal, in the plant and in the metal, in conscious and living things and in things apparently inconscient and inanimate.”⁸ 5) To all suggestions of death, disease and accident, repeat the mantra , “No part of my being supports or dwell upon the disease of the body. All disease, all accidents and all death are a perfect illusion and non-existent to the true consciousness of the body.” Additionally, the promise of Savitri that she keeps her will to divinise the clay in spite of repeated failure, prolonged defeat and dead resistance. She always drives the Souls to a new attempt of winning victory over death and fate, plants heaven’s delight in heart’s passionate mire, pours godhead’s seeking into a bare beast frame and hides immortality in the mask of death.¹³ 6) We must always persist unwearied to the last in the atmosphere of every contradicting event and disillusionment and adhere to the injunction of the Gita , “Yoga must be continually practised without yielding to any discouragement by difficulty or failure until the bliss of Nirvana is secured.”⁹ and for the Divine Shakti in man nothing is impossible. Every thought and impulse has to be reminded in the language of the Kena Upanishad , “That is the Divine Power of Brahman and not this which men here cherish and adore.”²⁵ 7) The seventh indispensable faith is, “A wise impersonality, a quiescent equality, a universality which sees all things as the manifestations of the Divine, the one Existence, is not angry, troubled, impatient with the way of things or on the other hand excited, over-eager and precipitate, but sees that the law must be obeyed and the pace of time respected, observes and understands with sympathy the actuality of things and beings, but looks also behind the present appearance to their inner significances and forward to the unrolling of their divine possibilities, is the first thing demanded of those who would do works as the perfect instruments of the Divine.”¹⁰ 8) The eighth indispensable faith is, “Divine is All and by the entire descent of His Shakti all the problems of existence can be resolved instantly. But for such a descent to be practicable, we have to enlarge the purity of the subtle and causal body indefinitely. It is only they who ascend in their consciousness to the luminous Source or enter the Spiritual experience of Origin of existence they only can avoid and overcome catastrophes²⁶ of all kinds and will stand in a golden glory.” Recapitulation: “Only were safe who kept God in their hearts: Courage their armour, faith their sword, they must walk, The hand ready to smite, the eye to scout, Casting a javelin regard in front, Heroes and soldiers of the army of Light.” Savitri-211 "Happy are men anchored on fixed belief… Happiest who stand on faith as on a rock” Savitri-499 "No signal light of hope has gleamed in vain.” Savitri-638 “There is one kind of faith demanded as indispensable by the integral Yoga and that may be described as (1) faith in God and the Shakti, (2) faith in the presence and power of the Divine in us and the world, (3) a faith that all in the world is the working of one divine Shakti, that (4) all the steps of the Yoga, its strivings and sufferings and failures as well as its successes and satisfactions and victories are utilities and necessities of her workings and (5) that by a firm and strong dependence on and a total self-surrender to the Divine and to his Shakti in us we can attain to oneness and freedom and victory and perfection.”⁵ Sri Aurobindo “— but that he who desires only the Divine shall reach the Divine is a certitude much more certain than that two and two make four. That is the faith every sadhak must have in the bottom of his heart, supporting him through every stumble and blow and ordeal. It is only false ideas still casting their shadow on your mind that prevent you from having it. Push them aside for good and see this simple inner truth in a simple and straightforward way — the back of the difficulty will be broken.”²¹ Sri Aurobindo Once the centralised faith is established in the Divine, then an individual’s higher Spiritual life is decreed. Then this faith has to be integralised through psycho-physical exercise as stated above, followed by the Spiritual union of Ishwara and Ishwari and the Supramental union of Brahman and Maya. Once the faith is integralised then an individual’s Supramental destiny is decreed. After the centralised faith is established in the Divine, then the centralising thought shuns its former dividing nature and retains its power of Truth and Oneness and once the faith is integralised, then the reconciling wisdom is activated, which harmonises all the inarticulate murmur⁴¹ and disjointed mutterings of the Inconscient and unites Matter and Spirit. The utility and necessity of doubt²⁸ is felt at a certain stage of sadhana of integral Yoga because man in his ignorance and in his progressive labour towards knowledge, would remain obstinate in an ignorant belief and limited knowledge. Now, whatever new ideas seize us or are generated through our writings and expressions demand our credence but they are not without regard to their possible error, limitation, imperfection and influence of three gunas . So, all ideas and suggestions can be held in suspense until it is given their right place and luminous shape of truth through Psychic and Spiritual intervention and further strengthened and fulfilled by Supramental knowledge. This is what is confirmed in the Gita that through faith, sraddha, the knowledge of Psychic Being and Spiritual being are gained, sraddhavan labhate jnanam ³ and the innate Nature of Psychic Being and Spiritual being are made up of faith, shraddha mayoyam purusho .² The utility and necessity of doubt will cease to exist when ‘the foundation of equality is firmly established’³³ and ‘when the sun of the gnosis has risen.’³³ In integral Yoga, faith is utilised to remove two imperfections of sceptical doubt, samsaya, and narrow carping, asuya . Faith is identified as the pivot of all endeavour and action related with the increase²⁹ of means of sadhana such as (1) aspiration, (2) rejection of lower nature, (3) surrender and (4) sincerity. Faith further helps for (1) the perfection and surrender of the four fundamental Executrix Mother Powers or Soul powers of Brahma Shakti, Kshetra Shakti, Vaisya Shakti and Shudra Shakti , (2) the perfection and surrender of four instrumental nature, intellect, heart, vital and body, (3) perfection and dynamisation of four mediatrix Mother Powers or Spiritual powers that of Maheswari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati and finally (4) leading towards the dynamisation and culmination of four Creatrix Mother Powers or Supramental power that of Truth Supreme, Power Supreme, Supreme Delight and Will Supreme. OM TAT SAT References: - 1: “The first necessity is to dissolve that central faith and vision in the mind which concentrate it on its development and satisfaction and interests in the old externalised order of things. It is imperative to exchange this surface orientation for the deeper faith and vision which see only the Divine and seek only after the Divine. The next need is to compel all our lower being to pay homage to this new faith and greater vision.” Sri Aurobindo/ CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/72, ““Since I want only the Divine, my success is sure, I have only to walk forward in all confidence and His own Hand will be there secretly leading me to Him by His own way and at His own time.” That is what you must keep as your constant mantra and it is besides the only logical and reasonable thing to do — for anything else is an irrational self-contradiction of the most glaring kind. Anything else one may doubt — whether the supermind will come down, whether this world can ever be anything but a field of struggle for the mass of men, — these can be rational doubts — but that he who desires only the Divine shall reach the Divine is a certitude much more certain than that two and two make four. That is the faith every sadhak must have in the bottom of his heart, supporting him through every stumble and blow and ordeal. It is only false ideas still casting their shadow on your mind that prevent you from having it. Push them aside for good and see this simple inner truth in a simple and straightforward way — the back of the difficulty will be broken.” SABCL-23/Letters on Yoga/584-585, CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-97, “But if we desire to make the most of the opportunity that this life gives us, if we wish to respond adequately to the call we have received and to attain to the goal we have glimpsed, not merely advance a little towards it, it is essential that there should be an entire self-giving. The secret of success in Yoga is to regard it (goal is the Divine) not as one of the aims to be pursued in life, but as the one and only aim, not as an important part of life, but as the whole of life.” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-71, 2: “(1) The faith of each man takes the shape given to it by his stuff of being, O Bharata . (2) This Purusha, this soul in man, is, as it were, made of shraddha, a faith, a will to be a belief in itself and existence, and (3) whatever is that will, faith or constituting belief in him, he is that and that is he.” The Gita-17.3, 3: The Gita-4.39, 4: TMCW-9/Questions and answers-1957-1958/p-351, 5: “The perfect faith is an assent of the whole being to the truth seen by it or offered to its acceptance, and its central working is a faith of the soul in its own will to be and attain and become and its idea of self and things and its knowledge, of which the belief of the intellect, the heart’s consent and the desire of the life mind to possess and realise are the outward figures.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-771, “And yet faith is necessary throughout and at every step because it is a needed assent of the soul and without this assent there can be no progress. Our faith must first be abiding in the essential truth and principles of the Yoga, and even if this is clouded in the intellect, despondent in the heart, outwearied and exhausted by constant denial and failure in the desire of the vital mind, there must be something in the innermost soul which clings and returns to it, otherwise we may fall on the path or abandon it from weakness and inability to bear temporary defeat, disappointment, difficulty and peril. In the Yoga as in life it is the man who persists unwearied to the last in the face of every defeat and disillusionment and of all confronting, hostile and contradicting events and powers who conquers in the end and finds his faith justified because to the soul and Shakti in man nothing is impossible . And even a blind and ignorant faith is a better possession than the sceptical doubt which turns its back on our spiritual possibilities or the constant carping of the narrow pettily critical uncreative intellect, asuya, which pursues our endeavour with a paralysing incertitude. The seeker of the integral Yoga must however conquer both these imperfections.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-773, “The Divine Grace and Power can do everything, but with the full assent of the sadhak . To learn to give that full assent is the whole meaning of the sadhana . It may take time either because of ideas in the mind, desires in the vital or inertia in the physical consciousness, but these things have to be and can be removed with the aid or by calling in the action of the Divine Force.” CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-171, 6: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-781, 7: CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II-p-99, “Keep firm faith in the victory of the Light and face with calm equanimity the resistances of Matter and human personality to their own transformation.” SABCL-23/Letters on Yoga-II-III/p-585, “They (faith, surrender and samata) have to be put into every part and atom of the being so that there may be no possibility of a contrary vibration anywhere.” SABCL-23/Letters on Yoga-II-III/p-584, 8: CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-250, 9: The Gita-6.23, 10: CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-700, 11: The Gita-18-66, 12: Savitri-200, 13: Savitri-354, 14: "It is difficult to acquire or to practise this faith and steadfastness on the rough and narrow path of Yoga because of the impatience of both heart and mind and the eager but soon faltering will of our rajasic nature. The vital nature of man hungers always for the fruit of its labour and, if the fruit appears to be denied or long delayed, he loses faith in the ideal and in the guidance. For his mind judges always by the appearance of things, since that is the first ingrained habit of the intellectual reason in which he so inordinately trusts. Nothing is easier for us than to accuse God in our hearts when we suffer long or stumble in the darkness or to abjure the ideal that we have set before us. For we say, “I have trusted to the Highest and I am betrayed into suffering and sin and error.” Or else, “I have staked my whole life on an idea which the stern facts of experience contradict and discourage. It would have been better to be as other men are who accept their limitations and walk on the firm ground of normal experience.” In such moments — and they are sometimes frequent and long — all the higher experience is forgotten and the heart concentrates itself in its own bitterness. It is in these dark passages that it is possible to fall for good or to turn back from the divine labour ." CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-244, “If one has walked long and steadily in the path, the faith of the heart will remain under the fiercest adverse pressure ; even if it is concealed or apparently overborne, it will take the first opportunity to re-emerge. For something higher than either heart or intellect upholds it in spite of the worst stumblings and through the most prolonged failure. But even to the experienced sadhaka such falterings or overcloudings bring a retardation of his progress and they are exceedingly dangerous to the novice. It is therefore necessary from the beginning to understand and accept the arduous difficulty of the path and to feel the need of a faith which to the intellect may seem blind, but yet is wiser than our reasoning intelligence. For this faith is a support from above; it is the brilliant shadow thrown by a secret light that exceeds the intellect and its data; it is the heart of a hidden knowledge that is not at the mercy of immediate appearances. Our faith, persevering, will be justified in its works and will be lifted and transfigured at last into the self-revelation of a divine knowledge. Always we must adhere to the injunction of the Gita, “Yoga must be continually applied with a heart free from despondent sinking.” (Th Gita-6.23) Always we must repeat to the doubting intellect the promise of the Master, “I will surely deliver thee from all sin and evil; do not grieve.” (The Gita-18.66) At the end, the flickerings of faith will cease; for we shall see his face and feel always the Divine Presence. ” CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-245, 15: The Mother’s Centenary Works (second edition)/Vol-8/p-250, 16: CWSA-19/Essays on the Gita/p-481-482, 17: “And behind her (Shakti) is the Ishwara and faith in him is the most central thing in the sraddha of the integral Yoga. This faith we must have and develop to perfection that all things are the workings under the universal conditions of a supreme self-knowledge and wisdom, that nothing done in us or around us is in vain or without its appointed place and just significance, that all things are possible when the Ishwara as our supreme Self and Spirit takes up the action and that all that has been done before and all that he will do hereafter was and will be part of his infallible and foreseeing guidance and intended towards the fruition of our Yoga and our perfection and our life work.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-781, 18: “The Shakti in her workings will strike ruthlessly at all forms of ignorance and blindness and all even that trusts wrongly and superstitiously in her, and we must be prepared to abandon a too persistent attachment to forms of faith and cling to the saving reality alone. A great and wide spiritual and intelligent faith, intelligent with the intelligence of that larger reason which assents to high possibilities, is the character of the sraddha needed for the integral Yoga .” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-774, 19: “This sraddha — the English word faith is inadequate to express it — is in reality an influence from the supreme Spirit (descending faith) and its light a message from our supramental being which is calling the lower nature to rise out of its petty present to a great self-becoming and self-exceeding.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-774, “What is meant by one’s own force? All force is cosmic and the individual is merely an instrument — a certain amount of the force may be stored in him, but that does not make it his own… There are certain possibilities in the way of the experience. First there is the faith, or sometimes a mental realisation and this of itself is enough to make one open to the Mother’s force so that it is always available at need or call. Even if one does not feel the Force coming, yet the results are there and visible. The next is when one feels oneself like an instrument and is aware of the Energy using it. A third is the contact with the Power above and its descent (spontaneous or at call) into the body — this is the more concrete way of having it, for one physically feels the Force working in one. Finally there is a state of awareness of close contact with the Mother (inward) which brings a similar result.” CWSA-32/The Mother with Letters on the Mother/p-202, 20: CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-794, 21: CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II-p-97, 22: CWSA-32/The Mother and Letters on the Mother/p-157, 23: CWSA-32/The Mother and Letters on the Mother/p-163, 24: CWSA-31/Letters on Yoga-IV/p-676, 25: Kena Upanishada-1.4, CWSA-23/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-72, CWSA-21/The Life Divine/p-403, 26: “Strange feeling …Since last night, a strange impression that the Divine has become… (how to formulate it?) like a golden Force pressing down like this (gesture of pressure on the earth). They alone, who by their aspiration are able to pass through to the Divine Origin, will escape catastrophes… Only those who have an aspiration, a sincere and unconditional aspiration towards the Divine, only they will escape –they will stand in a golden glory.” The Mother’s Agenda-May 4, 1972, “... It presses down on Matter, to force it, to compel it to turn INWARDLY to the Divine – not an external flight (pointing above) but inwardly turning to the Divine. And the apparent outcome seems to be inevitable catastrophes. But along with this sense of inevitable catastrophe, there come solutions to situations or events that look simply miraculous…As if both extremes were becoming more extreme: the good getting better and the bad worse. Like that. And a stupendous Power PRESSING down on the world. Such is my impression.” The Mother’s Agenda/May 6, 1972, “Certain ideas of a more general, more extensive, more collective nature, as it were, are being worked out and are at work in the world. And the two go together: a greater and more total possibility of destruction and an inventiveness that unrestrainedly increases the possibility of catastrophe, a catastrophe that would be much more massive than it has ever been; and at the same time, the birth, or rather the manifestation, of much higher and more comprehensive ideas and wills which, when heard, will bring a vaster, more extensive, more complete and more perfect solution than before.” The Mother’s Agenda-June 1958, "For instance, the outcome of Distortion or of the vibration of distortion should naturally have been an accident or catastrophe, but if, within those vibrations, there is a consciousness that has the power to become aware of the Vibration of Truth and therefore manifest the Vibration of Truth, it can –it must –cancel the other vibration. Which would be translated, in the external phenomenon, by an intervention that would stop catastrophe… There is a growing feeling that the True is the only way to change the world; that all other process of slow transformation are always a tangent (you draw nearer and nearer but you never arrive) and the last step must be this --the substitution of the true vibration. " The Mother's Agenda, 24th March, 1964, "But even when you have the vision of the true thing, it’s RARELY wise to intervene. It becomes indispensable only if someone wants to do something that will necessarily end in a catastrophe. And even then (smiling), the intervention isn’t always very effective." The Mother’s Agenda-7/198-199, 27: “There are no conditions for receiving the influence of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother except faith, an entire sincerity in following the spiritual path and a will and capacity to open oneself to the influence; but this capacity usually comes as the result of sincerity and faith.” CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-106, 28: “I don’t think that real faith is so very super abundant in this Asram. There are some who have it, but for the most part I have met not only doubt, but sharp criticism, constant questioning, much mockery of faith and spiritual experience, violent attacks on myself and the Mother — and that has been going on for the last fourteen years and more. Things are not so bad as they were, but there is plenty of it left still, and I do not think the time has come when the danger of an excessive faith is likely to take body.” 28 June 1934/CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-114, "The Divine holds our hand through all and if he seems to let us fall, it is only to raise us higher. This saving return we shall experience so often that the denials of doubt will become eventually impossible and, when (1) once the foundation of equality is firmly established and (2) still more when the sun of the gnosis has risen, doubt itself will pass away because its cause and utility have ended." CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-775, “You see, the faith of people is a superstition – it’s not faith, it’s superstition. Now there are more and more people who think they have faith, and they ask me ridiculous things! They have superstitions like. Someone brings me a child born with a deformed arm, and the superstition is that if I put my hand on the arm of the child, he’ll be healed.... Things like that. It’s completely stupid. That’s not Power! They need a little miracle, you know, at their level.” The Mother’s Agenda-8.05.1971, 29: “There is no method in this Yoga except to concentrate, preferably in the heart, and call the presence and power of the Mother to take up the being and by the workings of her force transform the consciousness; one can concentrate also in the head or between the eyebrows, but for many this is a too difficult opening. When the mind falls quiet and the concentration becomes strong and the aspiration intense, then there is a beginning of experience. The more the faith, the more rapid the result is likely to be. For the rest one must not depend on one’s own efforts only, but succeed in establishing a contact with the Divine and a receptivity to the Mother’s Power and Presence.” CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-217, 30: “Keep faith in your spiritual destiny, draw back from error and open more the psychic being to the direct guidance of the Mother’s light and power. If the central will is sincere, each recognition of a mistake can become a stepping-stone to a truer movement and a higher progress.” CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-228, 31: CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-5, 32: CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-294, 33: “The Divine holds our hand through all and if he seems to let us fall, it is only to raise us higher. This saving return we shall experience so often that the denials of doubt will become eventually impossible and, when once the foundation of equality is firmly established and still more when the sun of the gnosis has risen, doubt itself will pass away because its cause and utility have ended.” CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-775, 34: CWSA-28/Letters on Yoga-I/p-528, 35: Savitri-73, 36: “The action of the three gunas is the subject-matter of the Veda ; but do thou become free from the triple guna , nistreigunya, O Arjuna ; without the dualities, ever based in the true being, without getting or having, possessed of the self, nityasattwastha or O Arjuna live with your ceaseless Psychic waking trance.” The Gita-2.45, 37: “Therefore at all times remember me and fight; for if thy mind and thy understanding are always fixed on and given up to Me, to Me thou shalt surely come.” The Gita-8.7, (Japa is identified as prakriti Yajna.)“He who continually remembers Me, thinking of none else, the Yogin, O Partha, who is in constant union with Me, finds Me easy to attain.” The Gita-8.14, “Worship given to the godhead, to the twice-born, to the spiritual guide, to the wise, cleanness, candid dealing, sexual purity and avoidance of killing and injury to others, are called the askesis of the body.” The Gita-17.14, “Therefore with the pronunciation of OM the acts of sacrifice, giving and askesis as laid down in the rules are always commenced by the knowers of the Brahman or Spiritual man.” The Gita-17.24, 38: Savitri-444, 39: CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-480, 40: CWSA-32/The Mother with letters on the Mother/p-26, 41: “…but the healing by faith in the cells is an actual fact and a law of Nature and has been demonstrated often enough even apart from Yoga. The way to get faith and everything else is to insist on having them and refuse to flag or despair or give up until one has them — it is the way by which everything has been got since this difficult world began to have thinking and aspiring creatures upon it. It is to open always, always to the Light and turn one’s back on the darkness. It is to refuse the voices that cry persistently, “You cannot, you shall not, you are incapable, you are the puppet of a dream” — for these are the enemy voices, they cut one off from the result that was coming by their strident clamour and then triumphantly point to the barrenness of result as a proof of their thesis. The difficulty of the endeavour is a known thing, but the difficult is not the impossible — it is the difficult that has always been accomplished and the conquest of difficulties makes up all that is valuable in the earth’s history . In the spiritual endeavour also it shall be so.” CWSA-29/Letters on Yoga-II/p-100 Download this WEB PAGE as a PDF file: "All paralysing self-distrust has to be discouraged, all doubt of our strength to accomplish, for that is a false assent to impotence, an imagination of weakness and a denial of the omnipotence of the spirit. A present incapacity, however heavy may seem its pressure, is only a trial of faith and a temporary difficulty and to yield to the sense of inability is for the seeker of the integral Yoga a non-sense, for his object is a development of a perfection that is there already, latent in the being, because man carries the seed of the divine life in himself, in his own spirit , the possibility of success is involved and implied in the effort and victory is assured because behind is the call and guidance of an omnipotent power. At the same time this faith in oneself must be purified from all touch of rajasic egoism and spiritual pride. The sadhaka should keep as much as possible in his mind the idea that his strength is not his own in the egoistic sense but that of the divine universal Shakti and whatever is egoistic in his use of it must be a cause of limitation and in the end an obstacle. The power of the divine universal Shakti which is behind our aspiration is illimitable, and when it is rightly called upon it cannot fail to pour itself into us and to remove whatever incapacity and obstacle, now or later; for the times and durations of our struggle while they depend at first, instrumentally and in part, on the strength of our faith and our endeavour, are yet eventually in the hands of the wisely determining secret Spirit, alone the Master of the Yoga, the Ishwara . Sri Aurobindo CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-779-780 “If we see unity everywhere, if we recognize that all comes by the divine will, see God in all, in our enemies or rather our opponents in the game of life as well as our friends, in the powers that oppose and resist us as well as the powers that favour and assist, in all energies and forces and happenings. And if besides we can feel that all is undivided from our self, all the world one with us within our universal being, then this attitude becomes much easier to the heart and mind. But even before we can attain or are firmly seated in that universal vision, we have by all the means in our power to insist on this receptive and active equality and calm. Even something of it, alpam api asya dharmasya, is a great step towards perfection; a first firmness in it is the beginning of liberated perfection; its completeness is the perfect assurance of a rapid progress in all the other members of perfection. For without it we can have no solid basis; and by the pronounced lack of it we shall be constantly falling back to the lower status of desire, ego, duality, ignorance.” Sri Aurobindo CWSA-24/The Synthesis of Yoga/p-724