On Thoughts and Aphorisms

Devotion is the key which opens the door to liberation.

The Mother

Aphorism - 408, 409, 410, 411, 412

408—I am not a Bhakta, for I have not renounced the world for God. How can I renounce what He took from me by force and gave back to me against my will? These things are too hard for me.

409—I am not a Bhakta, I am not a Jnani, I am not a worker for the Lord. What am I then? A tool in the hands of my Master, a flute blown upon by the divine Herd-Boy, a leaf driven by the breath of the Lord.

410—Devotion is not utterly fulfilled till it becomes action and knowledge. If thou pursuest after God and canst overtake Him, let Him not go till thou hast His reality. If thou hast hold of His reality, insist on having also His totality. The first will give thee divine knowledge, the second will give thee divine works and a free and perfect joy in the universe.

411—Others boast of their love for God. My boast is that I did not love God; it was He who loved me and sought me out and forced me to belong to Him.

412—After I knew that God was a woman, I learned something from far-off about love; but it was only when I became a woman and served my Master and Paramour that I knew love utterly.

Page 329

Sri Aurobindo had a genius for humour and all we can do is admire and remain silent.

20 March 1970

What does Sri Aurobindo mean by: "How can I renounce what He took from me by force and gave back to me against my will?"

And also when he says: "After I knew that God was a woman..."?

I cannot answer because, while he was in his body, he never told me anything about this.

If anyone knows the exact date on which he wrote this, it might be an indication.

Perhaps could tell you when this was written, or whether Sri Aurobindo told him anything about it.¹