Prayers and Meditations

Origin, Significance, Index of 313 prayers




There are some Prayers of the Mother of 1914 in which she speaks of transformation and manifestation. Since at that time she was not here, does this not mean that she had these ideas long before she came here?

The Mother had been spiritually conscious from her youth, even from her childhood upward and she had done Sadhana and had developed this knowledge very long before she came to India.

Sri Aurobindo > The Mother > Pg. 384



There are many who hold the view that she was human but now embodies the Divine Mother and her "Prayers", they say, explain this view. But, to my mental conception, to my psychic being, she is the Divine Mother who has consented to put on her the cloak of obscurity and suffering and ignorance so that she can effectively lead us—human beings—to Knowledge and Bliss and Ananda and to the Supreme Lord.

The Divine puts on an appearance of humanity, assumes the outward human nature in order to tread the path and show it to human beings, but does not cease to be the Divine. It is a manifestation that takes place, a manifestation of a growing divine consciousness, not human turning into divine. The Mother was inwardly above the human even in childhood, so the view held by "many" is erroneous.

I also conceive that the Mother's "Prayers" are meant to show us—the aspiring psychic—how to pray to the Divine.

Yes

Sri Aurobindo > The Mother > Pg. 48

Sri Aurobindo on 'Prayers and Meditations' >>







ORIGIN & SIGNIFICANCE


Prayers and Meditations consists of extracts from the Mother’s spiritual diaries. Most of them are from the period 1912 to 1917. The 313 prayers were selected by the Mother for publication. They were originally written in French and then later translated in English. A few prayers were translated by Sri Aurobindo whilst some translations were revised by Him during publication.








INDEX OF PRAYERS








AN ANSWER TO YOUR ASPIRATION



December 10, 1916

Certain apparent weaknesses are sometimes more useful to Thee for Thy work, O Lord, than too evident a perfection. A manifest perfection seems to be the possible prerogative only of one who has withdrawn both from the world and from work in the world. But for him whom Thou hast chosen as one of Thy workers upon earth, I see clearly that certain weaknesses, imperfections (provided they are only apparent and not real), are in Thy eyes more useful, and hence more perfect than perfection itself. And to renounce perfection in its apparent form is part of an integral renunciation of the ignorance of the separate self.

Is that why, O Lord, Thou givest me only so rarely the ecstasy of complete identification and perfect consciousness?

I was spoiled by Thee formerly: Thou madest me live so constantly in Thy Presence.... But now it seems that Thou wouldst teach me to know the unchanging bliss even in darkness, and not to have any preference for either consciousness or unconsciousness.

Beyond all desire, to be plunged in the condition of those who live by desire... strange!

But the strangest thing is that this leaves me perfectly calm, peaceful and content, and that in this darkness I see a great strength, and that in the depth of the night sublime celestial harmonies can also be heard.

Each new step in Thy kingdom, O Lord, is a new cause for wonder!








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