THE
MOTHER’S SPIRITUAL MISSION
M. P. PANDIT
The Mother was once asked when and how she became conscious of her mission. When and how she came to meet Sri Aurobindo. Let me give her answer in her own words.
For the knowledge of the
mission, it is difficult to say when it came to me. It is as though I was born
with it, and following the growth of the mind and brain, the precision and
completeness of this consciousness grew also.
Between 11 and 13 a
series of psychic and spiritual experiences revealed to me not only the
existence of God but man’s possibility of meeting with Him, or revealing Him
integrally in consciousness and action, of manifesting Him upon earth in a life
divine. This, along with a practical discipline for its fulfilment, was given to
me during my body’s sleep by several teachers, some of whom I met afterwards on
the physical plane. Later on, as the interior and exterior development
proceeded, the spiritual and physical relation with one of these beings became
more and more clear and pregnant, and although I knew little of the Indian
philosophies and religions at that time, I was led to call him Krishna and
thenceforth I was aware that it was with him (whom I should meet on earth one
day) that the divine work was to be done...As Soon as I saw Sri Aurobindo, I
recognised him as the well-known being whom I used to call Krishna...and this
is enough to explain why I am fully convinced that my place and my work are
near him in India.
And to India she came in
1914. She collaborated with Sri Aurobindo in starting the journal Arya
which spelled out the Gospel of Divine Life and the way to build it through the
Yoga of Self-Perfection. The Ideal included the perfection of society and the
unity of the Human Race. The Mother had to leave after the outbreak of the
First World War, but she returned in 1920 and has been here ever since carrying
on her divine ministry of bringing solace to suffering humanity implanting,
aspiration for a higher and diviner life, accepting, and helping those who seek
the opportunity to perfect themselves in the ways of Truth, Love, Harmony.
It is a unique Ashram
that she has organised for the practice, and development of a divine life, for
the establishment of a centre of a divine manifestation. Tracing the origins of
this community she once narrated in a reminiscent mood–let me quote:
At the beginning of my
present earthly existence I was put into touch with many people who said they
had a great inner aspiration, an urge towards something deeper and truer, but
were tied down, subjected, slaves of that brutal necessity or earning their
living, and that this weighed down upon them so much, took away so much of
their time and energy that they could not engage in any other activity, inner
or outer. I heard that very often.
I was very young at that
time, and always I used to tell myself that if ever I could do it, I would try
to create a little world–oh! quite a small one, but still–a small world where
people would be able to live without having to be preoccupied by problems of
food and lodging and clothing and the imperious necessities of life, to see if
all the energies freed by this certainty of an assured material living, would
spontaneously be turned towards the divine life and inner realisation. Well,
towards the middle of my life–at least, what is generally considered the middle
of human life–the means was given to me and I could realise this, that is,
create these conditions of living.
This is the Sri
Aurobindo Ashram created by the Mother where more than 1500 seekers are given
facilities to grow out of the normal human life of ignorance, limitation and
suffering into one of knowledge, freedom and joy. The central core
consists of Sadhaks who have consecrated their lives to the realisation of life
divine in their day-to-day existence. The spiritual endeavour, however, is not
confined to the soul development alone. In addition to facilities and guidance
for yoga, meditation, prayer, concentration, adoration and other ways of
physical self-conversion, provision is made for the growth of the mild in the
healthy climate of spiritual knowledge. The vast extent of the Master’s
writings, the Mother’s talks, and the expositions by various disciples in
different languages are there open before the aspirant. Necessary help is given
by the seniors by way of holding classes, study groups, etc., to expand the
mind and help it to acclimatise itself to the vibrations of mind-transcending
knowledge. Next, there is a large field for Karmayoga, disinterested service as
a necessary part of Sadhana. Almost all the different departments of life are
organised in this community and each one undertakes to contribute his share to
the work as his consecration to the Master of Works. Work is welcomed not only
as a means for the growth of the spirit of self-consecration but also as a
testing ground for the extent of the change in one’s consciousness. One gets
plenty of opportunities in such a collective organisation to see for oneself
how far one is able to function in a logic spirit. And last there is the claim
of the physical body. Due care is taken to ensure the development of the
physical body and what is more, to promote the awakening of consciousness in
the body. Thus it is a four-pronged movement from the human to the Divine.
In sum, the pattern of
life that is being shaped by her leads towards a many-sided perfection: harmony
and beauty in the material order, perception of a living consciousness in
material things and cherishing them with utmost care; full development of will
and power by consecrating them to the Divine; enlargement of the faculties of
knowledge and opening up of the higher ranges of the mind leading to a
Truth-Consciousness; the dynamisation of the centre of Love in the heart.
Around the inner circle,
so to say, of the Sadhaks who are seriously engaged in Yogic pursuit, there is
a large belt of devotees who have gathered in order to breathe the sacred
atmosphere of the Masters and prepare themselves for Yoga in the fullness of
time. There is next a growing community of students who are being trained at
the Ashram’s Centre of Education which provides for teaching in arts, sciences,
applied branches of learning with a special stress on the growth of the soul of
the taught. This scheme is designed to ensure complete liberty for the child
under a careful, unseen supervision, precludes imposition from outside and
encourages self-initiation and progress.
In keeping with the
dictum of the Master that All Life is Yoga, the Mother has encouraged Ashram
extensions into fields of business, commerce and industries in a small way.
This experiment is intended to demonstrate how it is possible to work in these
spheres of life keeping to the high standard of honesty and rectitude that are
expected of the seeker for Truth.
This pilot project for
the experiment of a spiritual society accepting the burden of life in a full
measure, is now being extended to a larger range in Aurovilles the City of
Dawn, where arrangements are under way to provide for nearly a hundred thousand
persons from all over the world to pursue this quest of Life Divine in full
freedom, in conditions that permit an ideal equation of man and society.
Countless devotees and
disciples of the Mother in various countries have found a new Light wherewith
to guide themselves in the person and the teaching of the Mother. Her way is
the way of illumined Nature. She insists upon freedom in all walks of life. She
promotes equality of sexes: whether men or women they have the same divine
soul.
The Mother has been
working with Sri Aurobindo for the advent of a New Life for humanity which is
possible only with the development of a new consciousness in man–higher than
the mental consciousness that he has at present. This is the next stage in
human evolution and the Mother has successfully embodied and perfected this
Truth-Consciousness in herself thereby making it possible for others to do
likewise. The work is still on. The change from the human to the divine Nature
is being incessantly organised in herself and steadily built up in those who
are open to this truth of Divine Manifestation.
Her life has been one of
endless patience, quenchless hope and tireless work for the transformation of
the earthly conditions of humanity. She has taken upon herself the load of the
cosmic problem and tackled it at its roots. Of her Sri Aurobindo wrote more
than 50 years ago, and all who have come under her radiant influence have
realised it to be so true:
She is above all, bound
by nothing, attached to nothing in the universe. Yet has she more than any
other the heart of the universal Mother. For her compassion is endless and
inexhaustible...But her compassion does not blind her wisdom or turn her action
from the course decreed; for the Truth of things is her one concern, knowledge
her centre of power and to build our soul and our nature into the divine Truth
her mission and her labour.