Amal Kiran's Correspondence with The Mother

4 October 1964

Dearest Mother,

The Trustees and the solicitor managing grandpa’s estate in Bombay want me to go there — as I am also a Trustee — and settle the matter of dissolving the Trusteeship and making all of us direct owners of our shares in the big building, of which we are co-owners with the sons of grandpa’s nephew. I feel I need your help very much. Grandpa’s nephew, himself a solicitor, and his sons are tough nuts to crack and we should not in any way play into their hands. The sooner I go the better. Will you give me your blessing (as well as protection) before I go? (Of course, if you don’t wish me to go, I shan’t).

I suppose you have to go and I am quite ready to help you — “mais je ne suis pas si sûre que ces gens ne vous rouleront pas!”¹⁶

Blessings

4 October 1964

##6 November 1964

Dearest Mother,

S is again unwell. The effects of her last dengue fever are recurring — bone-breaking pain, severe head- ache, temperature not high but subnormal. Please send her your force to make her well.

I have just realised that we are in November. This means November 24, the great day of your Darshan, is pretty close. It also means that November 25, the day on which the earth had the doubtful luck of having my first Darshan, is not very far away.

On the 25th morning I am busy — but I must see you that day even if the vision is as short as lightning!

The enclosed packet is to bring health to S.

With love

6 November 1964

##End 1964

Dearest Mother,

We want Mother India to be moulded more and more according to your light and guidance. Hari has a lot of ideas for making it reach out far and wide with Sri Aurobindo’s vision, without, of course, losing the proper quality. He feels — and I agree — that if the various ideas that come to us off and on can be directly put before you and get adjudged by you straight away, we can make considerable progress. That is why an opportunity, whenever convenient to you, to have matters quickly settled in a short personal meeting seems very desirable. On the managerial side, new ways open up quite often. If you can let Hari consult you personally at certain intervals, we shall be thankful. I can also come in, if you permit, when editorial issues arise.

Already we are trying hard to make Mother India a success in the true sense that serves your cause and Sri Aurobindo’s. We feel we can do much more with a little extra push of Grace from you. We should like this push to include even an order from you for anything you think we should do.

I understand and shall try to call you with Hari, at least once a month for the work at Mother India.

End 1964

##16 January 1965

(One of Amal’s co-workers suggested that Mother India readers should be asked their opinions and expectations of the journal in order to increase its popularity and make it more successful. Informed by Amal of this suggestion, the Mother commented:)

Let us become as vulgar as we can and success is sure to come.

16 January 1965

##17 January 1965

(Amal asked the Mother what changes might be made in Mother India without falling below her standard. She replied:)

I have no superficial views on the subject — and what I could say would not fit the “new spirit” of the journal. Keep me out of all this, it is better.

17 January 1965

##18 January 1965

(Regarding her comment of 16 January 1965 on success and vulgarity, the Mother clarified:)

All that is done with the purpose of pleasing the public and obtaining success is vulgar and leads to falsehood. I enclose a deeper view of the subject.

Blessings

(The “deeper view” sent to Amal may have been the following statement of the Mother:)

You say you want to get rid of falsehood, here is a way.

Do not try to please yourself, do not try either to please others. Try to please only the Lord. Every one of us, human beings, is a coat of falsehood put on the Lord and hiding Him. He alone is true; He is the Truth.

It is on Him that we must count and not on the coats of falsehood. (27 January 1963)

18 January 1965

##2 March 1965

(Regarding an attack on the Ashram on the night of 11 February 1965, ostensibly as part of an anti-Hindi agitation; several Ashram properties were looted or burned.)

Dearest Mother,

On inquiry, I had learnt from Nolini last week that you had approved of the idea of enclosing, with copies of the Ashram journals, copies of your Declaration and of Udar’s statement. So we have had these things printed for us and they were intended to be sent along with the copies of Mother India of February. We have mentioned them as a Special Supplement in our Contents.

This is CANCELLED.

Just now we have heard from Counouma that you have decided against enclosing Udar’s statement. Does that include your Declaration? Cannot the Declaration by itself go?

NO. I have another plan.

2 March 1965

##3 March 1965

Dearest Mother,

We shall certainly omit your Declaration and Udar’s statement. But as we have already mentioned both of them in our Contents as a “Special Supplement”, we have to put a small slip into the magazine about the omission. We have framed the following:

TO THE READER

The Special Supplement mentioned in the Contents has not been inserted for certain reasons.

Impossible.

S told me that you said to her, “Amal can print in Mother India the last part of the Declaration, beginning with ‘Our position is clear’.” So, along with the message on Protection, may I take this also for the March issue?

I keep that for the Bulletin.

Are there any other “Words” you can spare for me?

If the February issue is not yet sent you must put the supplement announced, but adding in a footnote to Udar’s writing the enclosed note.

Blessings

(The “enclosed note”, whose authorship is unknown, reads:) The report about the attack on the Ashram on the night of the 11th February did not arise from any sense of retaliation or from fear or justification or self-commiseration, neither for favour or offence; it arose from an inner compulsion to give the simple truth. This is its basis.

3 March 1965