Mother and Abhay

French Homework

Come, would you like to share a part of our life? A wondrous life. With each breath we inhaled joy. We did not then know it, but we were living history in the making. So, instead of writing history's footnotes, I believe it would be better to relate it. And what better way to do it than through Abhay's activities?

It was the summer of 1940. Abhay was on a visit during his summer vacation. His school was "South Suburban School Branch", Calcutta. He was in class VIII, we think. On April 30, he turned sixteen. After his interview with the Mother, he did not go back to Calcutta but stayed on. That is why our dada, eldest brother, sent Abhay his clothes in a parcel.

Began Abhay's days in the Ashram. Early in the morning, around 5 o'clock, he went to work in the flour mill. After working there for over an hour, back he went to Santal House where he lived. A good bath, then go for his breakfast to the Dining Room—open from 7 to 8. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Abhay worked in the Ashram's Workshop with one hour's lunch break from 12 noon to 1 p.m. He was not treated differently from the paid workers. He was just an apprentice, and Pavitrada believed in laying a good foundation.

Pavitrada was Mother's right-hand man. Under her inspiration he created a slew of services to cater to the Ashram residents' needs. Products from his laboratory,

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next to his bedroom on the first floor, not only catered to the needs of the disciples—hair oil, tooth powder, talcum powder, face cream, blue water for the eyes, etc.—but certain other things were made exclusively for our Gurus: bath salts, for instance. And... ,

, a sort of digestive pills.

Pavitrada was a graduate of Frances prestigious Ecole Polytechnique: an engineer in "Ponts et Chaussees" (Civil engineering, the Highways Department). What he did not know could easily be counted on one's fingers. A most refined gentleman, and with an infinite patience to boot. He was then in his late forties, a handsome man, lean and tall—he stood over 1 m 90 in his socks. A veteran of World War I, he left all his bright prospects for an adventure into the unknown. First of all he went to Japan, then to a monastery in Mongolia as a Lama, from there he sailed for India, and landed at Pondicherry in December 1925. He never left.

Pavitrada's assistant Mrityunjay Mukherjee was a graduate of Calcutta's well-known Presidency College. A good looking and intelligent young man, with a very fine handwriting, but of a querulous nature. Only a saint like Pavitrada could get along with him.

After Abhay's arrival in 1940 and before the opening of the Ashram school in December 1943, Pavitrada took classes for mathematics and science in French. His students were, Mrityunjay, Vasudha—Chandulal's

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sister, Shanti Doshi, Mangat Rai, Noren, Abhay, Sujata and Dayakar. A heterogeneous lot in every sense of the word, province wise and age wise and knowledge wise and language wise. Abhay was the latest to come to the Ashram and had to catch up with the language. For me, it was the subjects that were new, as I had never been to any school but was privately tutored in arts. Pavita, an English lady, taught me both English and French. And Noren who was in Harpagon for Golconde's building work, had Chandulal as his French teacher.

Chandulal, the engineer, was a shortish man, with a goatee. Although a Gujarati, he spoke and wrote French fluently. He wanted the young new-comers to learn French, the idea being to read and understand Mother's writings and to be able to talk with her. He was an enthusiastic teacher. To familiarize us with Mother's work at the same time he set us tasks from "Quelques Paroles, Quelques Prieres de la Mere". It began with grammar and progressed to essays. He submitted our notebooks to Mother, who herself corrected our French. To give our readers but an idea, we have included just one essay by Noren, Sujata and Sumitra (Suprabha's was lost), alongside Abhay's essays.

How Mother found time to correct so many notebooks—apart from the five of us there were at least a dozen more—among her myriad occupations, is still

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a source of wonder to us. Her love knew no bounds.

Through those simple and ordinary lessons Mother taught us eternal and extraordinary values: nothing is insignificant, we should always aim at Mahasaraswati's perfection in work.

I thank my French teachers from the depth of my heart to have enabled me to follow the inspiring and illuminating words that flowed melodiously in incomparable loveliness from the lips of the Mother.

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Mother,

My cold is gradually going well.

I am learning French well with Mrityunjay'da.

I am very happy here. Mother, in Calcutta somebody (ugly face) comes to me when I meditate and tells me that he will give me many money to enjoy or he will make me a leader or as I desire, and also in that time I see your smiling face and he lastly asks me whom I want. Every time I say that I want you, then your light covers my body and that ugly face goes away. Mother, this happened in Calcutta and even here also. I do not like this. He disturbs me very much. Will you kindly tell me now what to do? I want your help.'

My pranam to you and Sri Aurobindo.

Your son

Abhay Singh

I suppose he will come no more now that you have told me about it. But if ever he comes you have only to call me for help and he will go away.

My blessings

Mother

1. We have left intentionally the mistakes in Abhay's English. It was in April 1940 that he settled in the Ashram, and was living in Santal House.

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My sweet Mother,

I am very happy here. I am working in "Flour Mill". It is nice and interesting. I am learning many things in Workshop for you, these works are very nice as well as very interesting. Mother, last Sunday, I helped Pavitra-da in his laboratory room, there I feel very nice joy. Our class is going nicely. We have finished Physics and we have started Chemistry. Zoology is very interesting. Mother, but I am very weak in French and my pronunciation is the worst in the class. My grammar class is not going because Mritunjay-da has no time now.

Mother, my brother has sent me some clothes (not all) in a parcel. Shall I make one list and send it to you? [You can make a list of your things] or shall I send all my things in a box to you? [Not necessary] Mother, I have changed my routine because I am going in Flour Mill in the morning. Shall I send my routine to you? [Yes, you can send it] Mother, I am sleeping at about 10 o'clock (not every day) and I get up from bed at 5 o'clock. I am not going in "Bloc House" for playing deck-tennis. Is it all right, Mother? [Yes, it is all right. My love and blessings]

My pranam to you and my sweet father Sri Aurobindo.

Your son

Abhay Singh

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Sans le Divin, la vie est une illusion douloureuse. Avec Lui, tout est félicité. Expliquez.

En Europe les hommes sont arrivés au plus haut sommet de l'intelligence grâce au développement de la science. À l'aide de la science ils ont préparé bien des choses pour leur plaisir, mais quel en a été le résultat?¹ Ils ont prouvé par leurs fakes actions mêmes que les mensonges est les sou-verains du monde. Qui est responsable pour cette bttaillc guerre horrible et terrible ? Cela montre qu'ils vivent dans l'obscurité et l'ignorance pleines d'erreurs. D'où vient cette obscurité et cette ignorance ? EUes viennent de ce que le but de leur vie n'est pas de réaliser le Divin, pas même de com-prendre le Divin qui est, en vérité, toute compassion. Done, sans le Divin tout est obscur, sombre, ignorant, mensonge, monstruosité et ombre. Sans Lui la vie est une sinistre et grotesque comedie. Done sans Lui la vie est une illusion douloureuse.

Avec Lui tout est félicité car Lui H est Unique Réalité éternelie, la Lumiére qui éclaire toute ignorance, lAmour qui vainc tout orgueil, une Sérénite immense plus vaste

1. Mothers corrections are marked by crossed and underlined words.

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que I'univcrs et une Douceur si intense et si pleine d'infinie compassion que nous ne pouvons le comprendre et encore avec Lui tous les troubles se transforment en sérénité, toutes les souffrances en immuable bonheur, toutes les misères en immobile paix parfaite, en inexprimable joie que les mots pauvres ne peuvent pas exprimer.

(Presque Pour la derniere moitie, j'ai consulte «Prieres et Meditations ».)

17/20 bien

*

Without the Divine life is a painful illusion, with Him all is bliss. Explain.

Men in Europe have reached the highest summit of intelligence thanks to the development of science. With the help of science they have made a lot of things for their own pleasure, but what has been the result? By their very action they have proved that falsehood is the sovereign of the world. Who is responsible for this horrible and terrible war? It shows that they live in obscurity and ignorance full of errors. From where do this obscurity and this ignorance come? They come for the reason that their life's aim is not to realize the Divine, nor even to understand the Divine who, in truth, is all-compassion. Therefore, without the Divine everything is obscure, sombre, ignorant, false, a monstrosity

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and a shadow. Without Him life is a sinister and grotesque comedy. Thus without Him life is a painful illusion.

With Him all is bliss, because He is the eternal Unique Reality, the Light that illuminates all ignorance, Love that conquers all pride, an immense Serenity vaster than the universe and a Sweetness so intense and so full of infinite compassion that it is beyond our comprehension, and again with Him all our troubles are transformed into serenity, all sufferings into an immutable happiness, all miseries into an immobile peace, into an inexpressible joy that poor words cannot express.

(For the last half I have consulted "Prayers and Meditations".)

17/20 good

Lignorance, douloureuse ecole de l'existence ordinaire, toute faite de luttes et de souffrances est le compagnon des hommes puisqu'ils ont tourne le dos devant le au Divin.

Mais avec Lui, on trouve le bonheur supreme, la joie sans melange, la paix immuable. On respire l'infini, on echappe au temps et a l'espace.

17/20 bien

Ignorance, the painful school of ordinary existence, made entirely of struggles and sufferings, is the companion of

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men, because they have turned their back on the Divine.

But, with Him one finds supreme happiness, unalloyed joy, immutable peace. One breathes infinity, escapes from time and space.

17/20 good

Le Divin est la realite Unique, l'Amour supreme, la Paix immuable.

Sans la realite Unique la vie est une illusion.

Elle est douloureuse parce que sans FAmour la vie est un tourbillon incessant d'irreelles personnalites, elle est pleine de complexites, de confusions excessives, inextricables, de pensees en conflit, de tendances en lutte et de desirs en bataille.

Avec Lui tout est felicite puisqu'Il est la Paix immuable.

19 120 Excellent devoir a tous les points be uue.

*

The Divine is the Unique Reality, Love supreme, immutable Peace.

Without the Unique Reality life is an illusion. It is painful because without Love life is a constant turmoil of unreal personalities, it is full of complexities, excessive and

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inextricable confusion, conflicting thoughts, clashing tendencies and warring desires.

With Him all is bliss because He is the immutable Peace.

19 '120 excellent homework from every point of view.

Une flamme brule dans la calme profondeur de notre coeur: c'est le Divin en nous — notre etre veritable. Nous ecoutons sa voix. Nous obeissons a ses inspirations.

Le Divin est le souverain maitre de cet univers. II est Unique Realite. Lumiere de la lumiere et Vie de la vie. II est Amour supreme et sauveur du monde.

O Seigneur il faut que l'ignorance soit vaincue, que i'il-lusion de notre vie se dissipe, que cet univers douloureux sorte de son affreux cauchemar et enfin pour s'eveiller a la conscience de Son Unique realite.

II est conducteur de notre vie, vainqueur de tous les obstacles. II est en toutes choses comme un souffle vivifiant, comme une douce paix, un soleil d'amour lumineux. II est notre refuge, notre force et notre courage. Sans lui comment nou^vivons vivrions-nous ? Son amour est si grand, si pur que nous ne pouvons pas le comprendre. II est immense, infini. Nous devons nous approcher de Lui.

Sans lui la vie est une monstruosite. Sans sa Beaute, Sa Force toute existence est une sinistre et grotesque comedie.

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Si nous vivons dans l'obscurite tout devient douloureux. Mais quand nous nous refugions dans les bras du Divin done toutes les difficultes sont resolues. Quand nous som-mes avec lui toutes les difficultes, obscurites, monstruosites et les forces anti-divines sont vaincues. Quand nous sommes conscients, que nous pouvons distinguer et trier les choses, et que nous pouvons voir quelles sont les forces qui nous tirent vers le bas et celles qui nous poussent en avant. Et quand nous sommes capables de discerner ce qui doit etre de ce qu'il faut eviter, le vrai du faux, le Divin et l'anti-divin, nous devons agir strictement selon cette connaissance. Et cette connaissance devient par la Grace Divine.

Qui est notre vie, notre courage, notre connaissance et notre paix, comment est-ce possible pour nous de vivre dans ce monde sans lui. C'est pourquoi on dit: «Sans le Divin, la vie est une illusion douloureuse. Avec lui tout est felicite.»

17120 bien

*

A flame burns in the calm depth of our heart: it is the Divine in us—our true being. We listen to its voice. We obey its inspirations.

The Divine is the sovereign master of this universe. He is the Unique Reality, Light of light and Life of life. He is supreme Love and saviour of the world.

O Lord, it is imperative that ignorance be conquered, that the illusion of our life be dissipated, that this painful universe emerge out of its frightful nightmare and awake at

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last to the consciousness of His Unique Reality.

He is the conductor of our life, conqueror of all obstacles. In all things He is like a living breath, a sweet peace, a sun of luminous love. He is our refuge, our force and our courage. How could we live without Him? His love is so great, so pure that we cannot understand it. He is immense, infinite. We must come closer to Him.

Without Him life is a monstrosity. Without His Beauty, His Force, all existence is a sinister and grotesque comedy.

If we live in obscurity, everything becomes painful. But when we take refuge in the arms of the Divine all the difficulties are resolved. When we are with Him all the difficulties, obscurities, monstrosities and anti-Divine forces are vanquished. When we are conscious and can distinguish and sift things, we can see those forces that pull us downward and those that push us forward. And when we are capable of distinguishing what must be and what must be avoided, the true and the false, the Divine and the anti-Divine, we must act strictly according to this knowledge. And this knowledge comes by the Divine Grace.

He is our life, our courage, our knowledge and our peace —how is it possible for us to live in this world without Him! That is why we say: "Without the Divine, life is a painful illusion. With Him all is bliss."

17/20 good

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Collectivement, fonder la societe ideale dans le lieu propice a

I'eclosion de la nouvelle race, celle des «Fils de Dieu».

Laissons notre pensee jeter quelques regards en arriere pour tacher d'entrevoir ce qu'etait jadis l'homme. II etait nu d'esprit mais dans ce temps-pa, les hommes se sont reunis ensemble pour s'entraider et travailler de concert a l'erection djin domicile, et ainsi la societe prit [a pris] naissance. Puis ils ont evolue et cette evolution a obei a une loi de progres dont le resultat est la civilisation moderne [actuelle]. Mais cette societe n'a pas la connaissance supreme et par suite elle n'est pas la societe ideale; c'est pourquoi il faut fonder la societe ideale, ce qui ne peut se faire que par le Divin. Done, il faut prier le Divin pour qu'il vienne et transforme notre conscience en une conscience lumineuse et pleine de sagesse pour fonder la societe ideale dans le lieu propice a. I'eclosion de la nouvelle race, celle des « Fils de Dieu» qui seule peut transformer toutes choses en benediction eternelle.

14/20 Assez bien

*

Collectively, to establish an ideal society in a propitious spot for the flowering of the new race, the race of the "Sons of God".

Let our thought look behind to try and know what once man was. He was a naked spirit but in those times,

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men gathered together to help each other and work in a concerted manner to erect a house, and thereby society took its birth. Then men evolved and this evolution obeyed a law of progress whose result is the present modern civilization. But this society does not have the supreme knowledge and consequently it is not the ideal society; that is why the ideal society has to be founded, which can only be done by the Divine. So, one has to pray to the Divine to come and transform our consciousness into a luminous and all-wise consciousness to found the ideal society in a place propitious for the blooming of the new race, the race of the Sons of God which alone can transform everything in eternal blessing.

14120 fair

14 January 1944

Penscz au Divin scul et le Divin sera avec vous.

Le Divin est partout, mais c'est seulement quand nous pensons au Divin seul que nous sommes conscients de Lui et que nous sentons definitivement que le Divin est avec nous car notre esprit est toujours entoure de ce a quoi nous pensons.

*

Think of the Divine alone and the Divine will be with you.

The Divine is everywhere, but it is only when we think

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of the Divine alone that we are conscious of Him and then we definitely feel that the Divine is with us, because our spirit is always surrounded by that of which we think.

*

Notre vie entiere doit etre une priere offerte au Divin.

Comme Le Divin est la seule source de toutes choses et createur de notre existence; c'est pourquoi notre vie entiere doit etre une priere offerte au Divin car sans Lui nous n'avons pas d existence.

*

The whole of our life should be a prayer offered to the Divine.

The Divine alone is the origin of all things and creator of our existence; that is why our whole life must be a prayer offered to the Divine, because without Him we do not exist.

*

Travailler pour le Divin, c'est prier avec son corps.

Quand nous travaillons pour le Divin tout notre corps tend vers Lui avec amour et nous avons des joies sans melange et notre corps devient plus frais, plus pur, plus riant et plus heureux. Dans les autres travaux notre corps est fatigue et malheureux. C'est pourquoi travailler pour le Divin, c'est prier avec son corps.

15/20 assez bien

*

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To work for the Divine is to pray with the body.

When we work for the Divine, our body is reaching out to Him with love and we feel unmixed joys and our body becomes fresher, purer, happier and more smiling. In other works, our body is tired and unhappy. That is why to work for the Divine is to pray with the body.

15/20 fair

21 January 1944

Afin d'etre rempli a nouveau le vase doit parfois se vider.

O Seigneur, afin d'etre rempli a nouveau notre esprit qui est le vase, doit parfois se vider, car quand notre esprit est plein d'impuretes et de pensees malveillantes, il faut les rejeter a l'exterieur pour realiser le vide de l'esprit.

Une fois que le vide est realise, il faut remplir de nouveau avec la conscience absolue qui eclaire l'intelligence, dissipe les obstacles de l'ignorance et vient directement de Douce Mere, car la Douce Mere est la seule Conscience pure et absolue.

17/20 tresbien

*

In order to be filled anew, the vase must get emptied sometimes.

O Lord, in order to be filled anew, our spirit, which is the vase, must sometimes be emptied, because when our spirit is

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full of impurities and evil thoughts, we have to throw them out in order to achieve emptiness of mind.

Once emptiness is achieved, one has to fill it up again with the absolute consciousness which enlightens the intellect, dispels the obstacles of ignorance and comes directly from Sweet Mother, because the Sweet Mother is the only pure and absolute consciousness.

17/20 Very good

28 January 1944

Dans chaque nouvelle aurore se trouve la possibilite d'un progres nouveau.

Douce Mere, chaque nouvelle aurore apporte avec lui de elle la lumiere doree, pure et pleine de sa presence. Cette lumiere s'avance vers tout et enveloppe tout de toute part. Ceux qui sont baignes dans cette pure lumiere avec amour et devotion sont benis et avancent vers Toi. Done dans chaque nouvelle aurore se trouve la possibilite d'un progres nouveau.

*

Each new dawn brings the possibility of a new progress.

Sweet Mother, each new dawn brings with it the golden light, pure and full of its presence. This light moves towards everything and envelopes everything from all sides. Those who are bathed in this pure light with love and devotion

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are blessed and move forward towards You. So, every new dawn brings the possibility of a new progress.

*

Nous avancons sans hate parce que nous sommes surs de Vavenir.

Si nous ne sommes pas surs de l'avenir, nous ne pouvons pas avancer car nous avons des doutes, nous n'avons pas d'esperance pour le succes, tout est obscur.

Mais nous sommes surs de l'avenir parce que la Douce Mere nous conduit et par suite nous avancons sans hate.

(Mere a ajoute:)

Quand on nest pas sur de son avenir on est inquiet et impatient; la certitude, au contraire, vous donne le courage de faire les choses tranquillement et soigneusement avec un souci de perfection.

Benedictions

16/20 bien

*

We move forward without haste for we are sure oftlie future.

If we are not sure of the future, we cannot move forward, because we have doubts, we have no hope for success, everything is dark.

But we are sure of the future, because the Sweet Mother is guiding us and in consequence we are moving forward without haste.

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(Mother added:)

When you are not sure of your future, you are worried and impatient; on the contrary, the certitude gives you the courage to do things quietly and carefully with a regard for perfection.

Blessings

16/20 good

4 February 1944

Des que tout effort disparatt d'une manifestation, elk devient ires simple, de la simplicite d'unefleur qui s'epanouit et qui manifeste sa beaute et repand son parfum sans eclats de voix ni gestes violents.

Des que tout effort, c'est-a-dire celui qui vient de l'orgueil, de la volonte, de l'ambition, de l'egoi'sme, etc. disparait d'une manifestation, elle devient tres simple parce que la Paix, la Serenite, l'flgalite, la Lumiere, etc. apparaissent ou la Mere Divine se manifeste.

La simplicite de la manifestation est comparable a celle d'une fleur qui s'epanouit et qui manifeste sa beaute et repand son parfum sans eclats de voix ni gestes violents.

Simplicite, simplicite! Comme est douce la purete de ta presence...

La simplicite est depourvue de toutes sortes de deformations, elle est comme une fleur qui ne s'inquiete de rien mais qui est integralement identified avec le Divin. Done la

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presence de la simplicite est naturellement douce.

15120 assez bien

*

As soon as all effort disappears from a manifestation, it becomes very simple, with the simplicity of a flower that blossoms and shows its beauty and spreads its perfume without raised voices or violent gestures.

As soon as all effort, that is, the effort that comes from pride, vanity, ambition and egoism, disappears from a manifestation, it becomes very simple because Peace, Serenity, Equality and Light, etc. appear where the Divine Mother manifests herself.

The simplicity of the manifestation can be compared to that of a flower that blossoms, shows its beauty and spreads its perfume without raised voices or violent gestures.

Simplicity, simplicity'. How sweet is the purity of your presence...

Simplicity is devoid of all kinds of deformations, it is like a flower that is worried by nothing, but is totally identified with the Divine. So the presence of simplicity is naturally sweet.

15/20 fair

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Douce Mere,

Au seuil de cette nouvelie jours an nee qui apporte la paix, l'energie et la lumiere, je T'adore en silence et je Te salue avec une profonde devotion.

Le coeur deborde de joie et la gratitude monte vers Toi.

Delivre-moi, Douce Mere, de l'obscurite et permets que je devienne parfaitement eveille... et montre-moi le chemin qui mene sans detours vers Toi.

Douce Mere, je me prosterne a Tes pieds et mon immense salutation monte vers Toi et vers notre Doux Seigneur Sri Aurobindo.

Mes benedictions

*

Sweet Mother,

On the threshold of this new year which brings peace, energy and light, I adore You in silence and I salute You with profound devotion.

The heart overflows with joy and gratitude rises towards You.

Sweet Mother, set me free from obscurity and allow me to become perfectly awake... and show me the path that leads towards You without detours.

Sweet Mother, I bow down at Your feet and my immense

1 Abhay Singh's birthday.

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salutation rises towards You and our Sweet Lord, Sri Aurobindo.

My blessings

26 March 1947

L' aube

Le ciel est un pen reste legerement obscur, mais pen a pen petit a. petit une lumiere divinement pure et harmonieuse, dont l'intensite augmente croit peu a peu, s'allume dans le au ciel. Dans le lointain, des nuages de couleurs variees charment les yeux. L'atmosphere est tres fratche, tres douce et tres calme. Le vent souffle doucement. Tout le monde respire avec bonheur fair pur du matin. Les coqs saluent de leur voix la plus fratche claironnante l'aube du jour nouveau. Les oiseaux chantent sur les arbres. Les fleurs s'epanouissent et lajoyeuse priere du monde s'eleve vers l'infini, tandis que la rosee tombe apportant doucement sur la terre, annoncia-trice d'une vie nouvelle.

*

Dawn

The sky remains slightly dark, but little by little a divinely pure and harmonious light whose intensity increases gradually, lights up in the sky. In the distance, many-coloured clouds delight the eye. The atmosphere is very fresh, very sweet and calm. The wind blows softly. Every one breathes

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happily the morning air. The cocks welcome the dawn of a new day with their loud voices. Birds sing in the trees. Flowers are blooming and the joyous prayer of the world rises towards the Infinite, while the dew gently falls on earth, harbinger of a new life.

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