1920

1919	1920	1921

(Mother:) “Only after a series of experiences — a ten months' sojourn in Pondicherry, five years of separation, then the return to Pondicherry and the meeting in the same house and in the same way — did the END of the vision occur.... I was standing just beside him. My head wasn't exactly on his shoulder, but where his shoulder was (I don't know how to explain it — physically there was hardly any contact). We were standing side by side like that, gazing out through the open window, and then TOGETHER, at exactly the same moment, we felt, ‘Now the Realization will be accomplished.’ That the seal was set and the Realization would be accomplished. I felt the Thing descending massively within me, with the same certainty I had felt in my vision. From that moment on there was nothing to say — no words, nothing. We knew it was THAT.”

(Nolini:) “As I have already hinted, our mode of living, our life itself took a different turn with the arrival of the Mother. How and in what direction? It was like this. The Mother came and installed Sri Aurobindo on his high pedestal as Master and Lord of Yoga. We had hitherto known him as a dear friend and close companion, and although in our mind and heart he had the position of a Guru, in our outward relations we seemed to behave as if he were just like one of ourselves. He too had been averse to the use of the words ‘Guru’ and ‘Ashram’ in relation to himself, for there was hardly a place in his work of new creation for the old traditional associations these words conveyed. Nevertheless, the Mother taught by her manner and speech, and showed us in actual practice, what was the meaning of disciple and master; she has always practised what she preached. She showed us, by not taking her seat in front of or on the same level as Sri Aurobindo, but by sitting on the ground, what it meant to be respectful to one’s Master, what real courtesy was. Sri Aurobindo once said to us, perhaps with a tinge of regret, “I have tried to stoop as low as I can, and yet you do not reach me.” ”

(V. Chidanandam:) “Before seeing me he stood for a few minutes facing the sea and gazing into the beyond. He stood erect, motionless like a statue. Then he came near and sat in a chair. I made my pranam and sat opposite to him.
         My first impression of Sri Aurobindo was that he was a true Rishi. His God-like face radiated profound peace, and serenity. His intent and faraway look indicated to me that he was not of the earth. He was lean, but he was a picture of health and immense, dynamic calm strength.”

(Champaben:) “In August 1920 my husband and I and also Dikshitbahai came to Pondicherry. We stayed in a hotel named ‘Amanivasam’ for about 15 days. Almost every day we used to meet Sri Aurobindo. At that time I did not know even a bit of English. Sri Aurobindo was staying in the first floor of the ‘Guest House’ (now part of the Playground). He would see us in the verandah adjoining his room. He looked thin and rather darkish. He would talk to my husband for quite long; but I could make nothing of what was being said. Having grown up in the old traditional atmosphere, I thought it would be improper on my part to ask my husband about the gist of his conversation with Sri Aurobindo. All the same, I liked the atmosphere and would feel a kind of inner happiness. At the end of the conversation, I and my husband would bow down to Sri Aurobindo and he would bless us.
         One day my husband said to Sri Aurobindo: “We wish to see your room.” Thereupon, Sri Aurobindo, with great solicitude, took us from the verandah into his room. The floor of the room was kutcha, not properly finished, on account of which there was dust on it, some of which stuck to our feet. In the centre of the room, along its full length, Sri Aurobindo's foot-marks had made a kind of a depressed track in the floor. In those days, Sri Aurobindo would walk the length of the room to and fro for hours together. That was the cause of the depressed track in the floor. The room was quite simple — there were one chair and a table with a typewriter on it. There was also, I remember, a photo of Sri Ramakrishna in the room.”

(T. Kodandarama Rao:) “The Mother was and is a personification of ‘Grace’. I felt and got force whenever I approached the Master. And when I approached the Mother, I felt purity, peace and sublimity. She was so kind and gracious to all. After the evening meditation and talks she used to serve cocoa to all before they departed, every evening. For dinner and supper, she led the Master to the dining room and attended to the needs of others. She used to spend long hours in meditation with the Master after the evening meditation was over, before the light meal.”

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See also

• The Standard Bearer

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