My Savitri work with the Mother

August 1962

In August 1962, when I offered the first volume of Meditations on Savitri to the Mother, she said:

Child, didn't I tell you before that everything would be all right?

I have planned everything from the beginning to the end in the painting. Every year we shall publish a new book of the series.

A certain number of cantos can be published in each volume, and the painting of the jacket must be changed each time—it should be different in every new volume.

I just listened—I could not reply anything because tears of happiness rolled down from my eyes. I heaved a sigh of relief that now I was surely on the right track and the Mother's labour was not wasted after all...

Then I went into Sri Aurobindo's room and placed the book Meditations on Savitri beside his couch. There also, I could not resist my tears. I felt his presence and my joy knew no bounds.

I did a few paintings for the sake of studies. The Mother liked them all and gave a meaning to each of them.

Here, I remember about the painting of an eye: I just painted it because some colours were left on a palette, and they cried out to be used.

I kept the painting aside and forgot all about it. Meanwhile, an artist happened to see it and insisted on my showing it to the Mother. But I was still hesitating because I did not paint it seriously. Then at last, I showed it to the Mother. She looked at it for quite a long time. She seemed much impressed and said:

Oh, you have painted my vision, it is excellent!

I was completely amazed because I did not really know that it was her vision I painted. But how did it ever happen? I dare say, her Force was definitely working...

The Mother at once gave the meaning and told me that she was going to get it blocked and printed and would use it as a New Year card. And she did. The meaning was:

The physical world becoming aware of the Divine's Presence.

When the Mother used to see the coloured proofs, she was not always satisfied with them. She wrote:

The painting is better brighter but if this is all they can do... it will do! Otherwise, the setting is good

Again I happened to send the proofs, and she wrote:

As usual the colours of the prints are not so good—but it can be improved I suppose.

With love

The Mother was very particular about the coloured proofs and printings. Oh, how we wished we only had a colour block-making machine!

Still we had not resumed our Savitri work. But I was studying Savitri all right. In answer to my letter, the Mother wrote:

As yet, I cannot take up any regular occupation and it is not possible to resume our Savitri activities.

But I want to see the painting you have made for the cover of the second series. Come on the Sunday 23rd of this month at 10 o'clock in the morning and you will show it to me or if it is not ready, you can show a sketch.

In answer to my letter the Mother wrote:

It is not that I have lost interest in our work of Savitri, far from that and surely we will take it up again, but as yet I do not know when. As soon as it is possible I shall let you know. Before that I will call you when the book is ready, most likely in August.

Always with you with love

Meanwhile, I painted a face. The Mother saw the picture which she liked very much and remarked:

O, this is excellent! This is the correct vision. This will surely go as the cover-picture of "Meditations on Savitri" Volume Two.