Mahakali

(Shyam Sundar:) “Which is swifter for transformation: Divine Love or Mahakali's force?

(Mother:) Kali's force is necessary only for those who are not yet open to Divine Love. For one who is open to Divine Love, nothing more is needed.”

(Mother to Satprem on the day before Kali puja, 1960:) “She has already been here for two days and ... Oh, yesterday especially, she was so ... in such a mood! – like a warrior. I said to her, “But why not change them through ... through an excess of love?”
         So then she answered (I remember how she put it), “First a good punch in the chest (she didn't say ‘in the nose’!), a good punch in the chest, and then when they're down, gasping for air, they're ready.”
         That's one opinion!”

(Shobha Mitra:) “Mother, tomorrow is 1st December, the day of our programme. I am just unable to do Mahakali's dance. Nothing is coming.

(Mother:) Call Her. She will help you.

(stunned) Call Mahakali, Mother?

Yes, call Her. She will come.

I am calling, Mother. You come, come, come.

(Mother fixed Her regard on me for quite some time. Total silence reigned between us. I bowed down to Her and came away.)”

(Shobha:) “1st December arrived. That day, I just kept calling Mahakali and thought of nothing else. I kept praying to Her. I arrived at the Theatre at the designated time to get ready. Millie-di did my makeup, helped me with my costume and ornaments. I was wearing a red Benarasi silk saree with a golden zari border, hair open, a crown on the head and other ornaments on the body. I held a big metal sword in my hand. Millie-di said, “Shobha, go and look at yourself in the mirror.” But in Shobha's mind and heart, there was but one prayer repeating itself: “Mahakali! Compassionate Mahakali! Come down, O Mother!”
         The clock struck eight. The gong sounded for the curtains to be drawn. The dance started with the strains of Sunil-da's music. I was to enter the stage a little later. I sat totally concentrated in the wings awaiting my cue. Now it was my turn to go on stage. With two striding leaps I landed on the stage with great force. Under the impact, my sword broke in two! The upper part landed in front of the Mother's feet. The lower half remained in my hand. As soon as this happened, there was a loud gasp of panic from those who were sitting around the Mother. I myself was awe-struck by this gasp of panic. But I was reassured that the broken sword piece had not touched the Mother. My dance was such that I had not a second of pause. The music rolled on. I danced with a lot of power and enthusiasm. (The spectators told me the following day that the dance had been quite out of the ordinary.) Mahakali's role on stage was to slay the Asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha. Even before the goddess had slain them, they were covered in blood. One of them was hurt in the neck, the other in the arm. I concluded it must have been caused by my broken sword. Just then, such a power came down into my body that I could not be bothered about anything or anyone. I began moving with tremendous power and élan as I slew the Asuras. At the end of the dance-drama, Mother Durga reappeared on stage, her foot on the chest of one of the slain demons. Then, slowly the four aspects of the Mother came on to the stage and stood around Mother Durga – Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati.
         The concluding strains of Sunil-da's music had uplifted the atmosphere with such sweeping beauty and emotion that I find it difficult to describe and impossible to forget. In the final part of the dance-drama, the spotlight was on the Asuras at Mother Durga's feet. The other aspects of Mother Durga were standing behind Her and seeing my condition, I too moved a little behind. My body was trembling visibly and I did not wish to catch anybody's attention. Mercifully, the last pieces were rather short and soon the curtains came down. At once, I went and caught hold of the wooden side-wing to stabilise myself. I felt quite out of sorts with that uncontrollable trembling of the body. I was unable to speak at that moment. I had no control over my body. The people on the stage, observing my condition, went and got Millie-di. Seeing me in that state, Millie-di asked, “Shobha, what's happening to you? Why are you trembling like this?” I was unable to reply, as my body kept trembling terribly. She called Amiyo-da who seeing my condition, at once called Vishwanth-da. In the meantime, Millie-di kept holding me. She asked Amiyo-da to quickly inform the Mother about it. Both of them holding me from either side took me to the Mother.
         The Mother was sitting in Her resting-room on the left side of the stage. They made me enter the Mother's room and closed the door behind me. She was seated in an easy-chair. Pranab-da was standing next to Her, talking. As soon as I entered the room, She turned Her gaze on me. She laughed. She She stretched out both Her arms, beckoning me towards Her. At this point, Pranab-da went out of the room. As soon as I was in front of Her, She held both my arms. I sat down in front of Her. She took my hands into Hers and concentrated intently on me. My body continued to tremble, so much so that even as She held my hands tight, Her shoulders began to tremble as well. In that instant, the Divine Mother's real form was revealed to me. She was silent but what power Her eyes radiated! Through Her hands, I experienced an extraordinary divine strength! Even though Her body was trembling because She was holding me, the force emanating from Her eyes was formidable. She kept holding me in this way for some time. The trembling in my body began slowly to abate. Then I returned to my normal self. When my body took back its normal poise, the Mother concentrated on me with exceeding sweetness and a gentle smile, and placed Her right hand on top of my head. After a while, She said, “Do you know what you have done, my dear child? You have invoked Mahakali's presence in your body! C'était très bien, mon enfant! C'était très bien.” ”

(Amal Kiran letter to Mother:) “I want to ask you a question concerned with my reaction to the inconsideration and vulgarity of Y's letter about Sri Aurobindo. I remember an occasion many years ago when a lady friend of mine spoke unbecomingly of both of you. I verbally choked her off at once, but the indignation within me went on burning. It was like a sword of fire leaping out of my chest, striking and striking through the hours. My mind could serve only to direct it accurately, it had itself little part in the actual violence. The next day the lady had a terrific attack of diarrhoea. A similar blaze began to go out of my chest yesterday on reading Y's letter. I had no scruple in directing it at his journal as if to consume its future to ashes. But although I also struck out at Y himself as if to destroy him I did not encourage the fiery onslaught. I started wondering if it was right to attack a person like that. At times I thought I was perfectly justified. At other times it seemed to me that I should offer my sword of fire to you and Sri Aurobindo and leave it to you both to use it instead of myself concentratedly directing it at Y. I shall be thankful if I can have some words of guidance from you. Please keep in mind that I am not talking of a mere outburst of anger: some force appears to be there which wants to destroy and which feels it has the power to destroy. Of course I would never think of using it for my own private ends.

(Mother:) It is evidently the working of the Kali force that has lit and is directing this fire in you. There is nothing wrong in its action, it is not an anger personal to you but the wrath of a divine power and it must be allowed to act; in fact, I think you could not stop it from burning in you even if you wanted to stop it. This man has drawn it on himself and there is nothing wrong in what is happening, he alone is responsible. Of course, it must not be used for any personal aim or in any self-regarding way.”

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See also

• Gods
• Kali Puja
• News & Notes 671:Growing in power (poem by Celestine)