Visions of Champaklal

The Faith and the Downward Pull

1936-10-12

There was water all around—difficult to say whether it was a river or a lake or a sea. I saw a man fallen in a place where it was hot possible to swim. That man was not in a position to come out. I had to follow the same route. On seeing the plight of this man, I was not sure as to how I could go. I managed to pull that man out and thought I had saved a life. I asked him, “why did you not call for any help? Would you not have been drowned if I had not pulled you out?” He replied, “I have full faith in God—if He wants to save me, He would surely help.” He said it with such an ardent faith that even an atheist would have had to believe it.

I, then, found a new route. I went along this route. I had to climb a mountain. I do not know what happened to the people who were with me. I kept climbing up the mountain, which looked too high. Finally, I reached a place at a great height, beyond which I could not go as there was no road. There was a deep valley in front of me, and also on sides. I felt as if I had reached the sky. There was somebody behind me who resembled my elder brother (Sunderlal). He held me in a grip and hung one of his legs over the valley. I found it very difficult to balance myself as there was nothing in front of me which I could hold as a support. I fold him that this way both of us would fall into the valley. He remained stubborn. I pleaded with him to leave me. When I woke up, I actually felt that I was saved from death.

Does this have any meaning?

The first part of the dream is an experience of the mental -vital plane and indicates the saving power of an absolute faith. The other shows the ascent to the highest levels of the earth-consciousness, but there is still something of the old self and nature clinging and trying to pull downwards; it refuses to let go, but finally it has to fall off and the being can ascend without downward pull or fear of fall into the skies of the higher consciousness above.

Sri Aurobindo