THE MOTHER

The Mother

"India must be saved for the good of the world since India alone can lead the world to peace and a new world order."

(Excerpts from the book India the Mother)
1938, What is India?
India is not the earth, rivers and mountains of this land, neither is it a collective name for the inhabitants of this country. India is a living being, as much living as, say, Shiva. All the countries have their own spirit and if politically you make any changes, they would be unreal. For example, although Austria has become a part of Germany, still they are quite separate and the spirit of Austria is in agony. India is a goddess just as Shiva is a God. If she likes, she can manifest in human form.
It is France that can connect Europe with India. There are great spiritual possibilities for France. She will play a big part in spite of her present bad condition. It is through France that the spiritual message will reach Europe. That is why I chose France for my birth although I am not French.
June 3, 1947 (Mother wrote this note after hearing on the radio the declaration of the Viceroy to Indian leaders, announcing Britain's final transfer of power to a partitioned India.)
A proposal has been made for the solution of our difficulties in organizing Indian independence and it is being accepted with whatever bitterness or regret and searching's of the heart by Indian leaders.
But do you know why this proposal has been made to us? It is to prove to us the absurdity of our quarrels.
And do you know why we have to accept these proposals? It is to prove to us the absurdity of our quarrels.
Clearly, this is not a solution; it is a test, an ordeal which, it we live it out in all sincerity, will prove to us that it is not by cutting a country into small bits that we shall bring about its unity and its greatness; it is not by opposing interests against each other that we can win for it prosperity; it is not by setting one dogma against another that we can serve the spirit of Truth. In spite of all, India has a single soul and while we have to wait till we can speak of an India one and indivisible, our cry must be:
LET THE SOUL OF INDIA
LIVE FOREVER!
April 1952 (From an article written on the occasion of the opening of the Sri Aurobindo International University Centre.)
The conditions in which men live upon earth are the result of their state of consciousness. To want to change the conditions without changing the consciousness is a vain chimera.
The unity of the human race can be accomplished neither through uniformity nor through domination or subjection. A synthetic organization of all nations, each occupying its true place according to its own genius and the role it has to play in the whole, can alone result in a comprehensive and progressive unification that would have some chance of lasting
Just as each individual has a psychic being which is his true self and governs more or less openly his destiny, so too has each nation a psychic being which is its true being and fashions its destiny from behind the veil. That is the soul of the country, the national genius, the spirit of each people, the center of national aspiration, the source of all that is beautiful, noble, great and generous in the life of a country. The true patriots feel its presence as a tangible reality. In India, it has become an almost divine entity, and all those who truly love her call her "Mother India," Bharat Mata, and daily address a prayer to her for the safety of the land. It is she who symbolizes and embodies the country's ideal, its true mission in the world..
One would like to see in all countries the same veneration for the soul of the nation, the same aspiration to become instruments fit to manifest her loftiest ideal, the same ardor towards progress and self-improvement enabling each people to identify with its national psychic being and thus find its true nature and true role-what makes each people a living and immortal entity despite all the accidents of history.
Mid 1950s
For human authority to be legitimately exercised over others, it must be enlightened, impartial and unegoistic to the extent that nobody can reasonably challenge its value.
India must be saved for the good of the world since India alone can lead the world to peace and a new world order.
The future of India is very clear. India is the guru of the world. The further structure of the world depends on India. India is the living soul. She incarnates the spiritual knowledge in the world. The government of India ought to recognize this significance of India in this sphere and plan their action accordingly..
Divine power alone can help India. If you can build faith and cohesion in the country it is much more powerful than any man-made power. According to a very old tradition, if twelve honest persons unite to incarnate the divine Will, they can compel the Divine to manifest.. There must be a group forming a strong body of cohesive will with the spiritual Knowledge to save India and the world. It is India that can bring Truth in the world. By manifestation of divine Will and Power alone India can preach her message to the world and not by imitating the materialism of the West. By following the divine Will India shall shine at the top of the spiritual mountain and show the way of Truth and organize world unity.
May 23, 1956
The first time I came to India [in March 1914], I came on a Japanese ship. And on this Japanese ship there were two clergymen, that is, Protestant priests, of different sects. I don't remember what sects exactly, but they were both English; I think one was an Anglican and the other a Presbyterian.
Then [after a religious service in the ship's saloon], the clergyman came to ask me, more or less politely why I hadn't attended. I told him, "Sir, I am sorry, but I don't believe in religion."
"Oho, you are a materialist!"
"No, not at all."
"Ah! Then why?"
"Oh, if I were to tell you, you would be quite displeased, it is probably better not to say anything!"
But he insisted so much that I said at last, "Just this. I don't feel you are sincere, neither you nor your flock. You all went there to fulfill a duty and a social custom, not at all because you really wanted to enter into communion with God."
"Enter into communion with God! But we can't do that! All we can do is to say some good words, but we have no ability to enter into communion with God."
Then I said, "But that's just why I didn't go: it doesn't interest me."
After that he asked me many questions and confided to me that he was going to China to convert the "pagans." At that I became serious and told him, "Listen even before your religion was born-it is not yet two thousand years old-the Chinese had a very high philosophy and knew a path leading them to the Divine. And when they think of Westerners, they think of them as barbarians. And you are going there to convert those who know more than you? What are you going to teach them? To be insincere? To perform hollow ceremonies instead of following a profound philosophy and a detachment from life which lead them to a more spiritual consciousness? I don't think you are going to do a very good think."
Then he was so flabbergasted, the poor man that he said to me, "Eh, I am afraid I can't be convinced by your words!"
"Oh," I said, "I am not trying to convince you. I only described the situation to you. And I don't quite see why barbarians should wish to go and teach civilized people what they have known long before you. That's all."
And that was the end of it!
August 5, 1965, What is India's real genius and what is her destiny?
To teach the world that matter is false and impotent unless it becomes the manifestation of the Spirit.
National unity is a cause for worry in the whole country. What is the Mother's vision in this regard? How will India fulfill her duty towards herself and the world?
The future of the world tends irresistibly towards the unity of all nations. But for the unity of all nations to be possible, each nation must first realize its own unity.
India is much preoccupied by the linguistic problem. What should be the correct attitude for us in this regard?
Unity must be a living fact and not the imposition of an arbitrary rule. When India will be one, she will have spontaneously a language understood by all.
A teacher must absolutely possess the qualities and the consciousness, which he wants to see his students acquire.
I would like the Government to recognize yoga as a subject of education, not so much for us [at the Ashram], but because it will be good for the country.
Matter will be transformed; it will be a solid base. Life will be divinized. Let India take the lead of the movement.
September 16, 1965 (At the height of the war between India and Pakistan, Mother gave this message:)
It is for the sake and the triumph of Truth India is fighting and must fight until India and Pakistan have once more become ONE because that is the truth of their being.
June 28, 1969 (A note)
The West expresses more than it really knows.
India knows more than it really can express.
October 6, 1969 (Indira Gandhi came to see Mother. Mother gave her the following messages.)
Let India work for the future and take the led. Thus she will recover her true place in the world.
Since long it was the habit to govern through division and opposition. The time has come to govern through union, mutual understanding and collaboration.
To choose a collaborator, the value of the man is more important than the party to which he belongs.
The greatness of a country does not depend on the victory of a party, but on the union of all the parties.