The Story of a Soul

17 September 1954

The time was drawing near for me to leave Africa for India. I had not breathed a single word to anybody about my inner resolution. But on 17th September 1954 my mother told me a vision she had about me:

I dreamt that you have put on the jewels belonging to your father and a red sari, and you are preparing to vanish from the ordinary world. You are sitting cross-legged in full pomp. A deep pit is being dug for you. And all of us are trying to persuade you not to take this step. But now it is impossible to stop you.

Then suddenly I woke up and came to your bed: you were fast asleep. Seeing this I was relieved and went to the main door of the house. As soon as I opened it, I found your nephew Suresh standing there, with beautiful roses in his hands.

I laughed at her account. My poor mother did not know that I had made up my mind to stay near the Mother in the Ashram and lead the spiritual life—yet her dream was auspiciously significant. I prayed to the Divine to materialise it—was it not a prophecy of my future? My heart kept saying yes and yes.