My Savitri work with the Mother

10 February 1958

On 10th February 1958 I completed three years in the Ashram. The Mother had written on a Japanese card:

To My dear little child Huta
With all my love and sweetest compassion.
Pour une bonne fête.*

In the afternoon Nolini, Amrita, Champaklal, Dyuman, Udar and his wife Mona, Maniben, some others and myself were waiting for the Mother at the gate of Huta House. For at last the renovation of my apartment had been completed. Her car approached driven by Pavitra with Pranab beside him. The Mother asked Pranab to remain in the car.

Along with all of us she climbed the long red staircase. The key was in the Yale lock which she turned, declaring my apartment open. The door led to my studio. The Mother sat on a revolving chair and did my portrait on a canvas board, placed on the easel. Her skilful hand took no more than a few moments to finish it.

Underneath it she wrote:

Bienvenue dans la belle maison.
Bonne Fête pour la 3e fois.

10.2.58

(Welcome to the beautiful house. Happy Birthday for the 3rd time.)

She regarded her work with an amused sparkle in her eyes, then said:

Ah! In this sketch your head looks like a philosopher's head.

Her pleasant laugh rang out and set us all laughing.

The Mother saw and examined each and every thing minutely, including the roof-garden of my apartment. She expressed her happiness at the whole set-up. Then the Mother asked everyone to leave the apartment and wait for her downstairs. Champaklal, who carried a crystal bowl of white roses, gave it to the Mother and left.

Now she and I were alone in my apartment. We went into the Meditation Room. Her glance fell on her own portrait which she had done the previous year and had asked me to keep in this room when my apartment would be ready. She smiled happily and placed the bowl on the altar where photographs of Sri Aurobindo and herself, chosen by her, had been installed. Her signature was visible on her picture. Then she took her seat on a chair specially made for her with light-blue velvet cushions. She put her feet on a foot-stool. First she looked intently at the photographs, and closed her eyes for a few minutes. Then with open eyes she meditated for half an hour. I sat near her chair, watching and thinking. She turned her face towards me and promised:

Child, Sri Aurobindo and I will be here for all twenty-four hours. Whenever you feel lonely, miserable and sad, just sit here and you will be all right.

She got up from the chair, held me close and kissed my forehead. Then she put her arm around my shoulders and we went down. I was silent. The Mother must have seen and felt my soul's gratitude in my eyes when on parting I waved her au revoir. The people who visited my apartment were all praise and admiration for my abode. I thanked them all.

After the Mother had played tennis, she went to the Playground. Before the Translation Class, she called me and said enthusiastically:

Child, I really like your house. It is so peaceful and quiet. I will come to your apartment every night in my subtle body.

With a smile she added:

When Yogis and Saints are disturbed, they at once meditate and find peace again. But there is also a special Grace: then you have concrete peace and nothing can affect you.

The mind and the vital give constant trouble and disturbance when they act under the impulse of Falsehood.

When you have inner strength, when there is no more ego, the Power and Light can come and fill your whole being. After that you can remain absolutely in peace and calm.