A facsimile collection of birthday messages received by Champaklal & Kamala-ben from Sri Aurobindo & The Mother.
TWO LOTUSES*
I wanted to offer something to the Mother and I thought of painting two lotuses, one white and the other red.
Curiously, I received two beautiful lotuses and took up the painting. But due to other work I could not finish it in a day and it took some days before I could finish the job little by little. Naturally one sitting would have been better. However the result was not bad and it was with great joy that I took them to the Mother on my birthday - 2.2.40.
She received the painting very well indeed and was pleased to say: Oh! Very pretty! Very pretty!
She wondered how I could get time to do the painting. She took them in both her hands and with a broad smile said: I give it to you, Champaklal! Take it, it is for you. It is very pretty. You keep it.
I did not answer and I did not take it.
She said again: Take it Champaklal, I give you as my present.
C: Mother! I have done it for you.
Seeing the state of my mind she found a way out.
She gave another broad smile and said to me slowly, almost in a whisper: Champaklal, I will take it to Sri Aurobindo and I will ask him to write upon it.
I said: Mother! Are you taking it to Sri Aurobindo? If so,
* Champaklal Speaks - Edited by M. P. Pandit.
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it would be very nice if you ask him to write the significance. Mother! Sri Aurobindo will write on the white lotus and you will write on the red.
Mother brought it to Sri Aurobindo. I was there. She showed it to him and said, See, how nice it is! Today is Champaklal's birthday, he has done this painting for me. If you write the significance on it I will give it to him. He also wishes that you write on the white lotus sheet and I on the red.
With a beautiful affectionate smile Sri Aurobindo said, "Hmm!" And he wrote on the top of the white lotus:
Aditi
The Divine Mother
And below the red lotus:
To Champaklal
with blessings
2.2.40 SRI AUROBINDO
After writing, he looked at me and gave a sweet smile. And on the top of the red lotus Mother wrote:
The Avatar
Sri Aurobindo
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And below the white lotus:
With blessings to my dear child
2.2.40 MOTHER
Mother asked me not to show the lotuses to anybody.
*
But you know that after many years blocks were made out of these paintings and printed for distribution. Do not ask me why I was told not to show them to anybody at one time and later things were changed. Obviously circumstances changed and the Mother never stood rigidly by what she may have said on an earlier occasion under different conditions. There are so many instances to the point.
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2.2.1940
Tranquillise and widen your consciousness; go deeper into your soul.
SRI AUROBINDO
This year make an effort to achieve equanimity.
THE MOTHER
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2.2.1941
A clarified consciousness with strength to reject ail inconscience and receive all that comes from the Light, this should be the aim before you.
This year you must wholly overcome and throw out the hostile suggestion that has been harassing you, rejecting it in such a way that it will never come back again. Your home, your place and your fulfilment are here.
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2.2.1942
Aspire always to grow more and more conscious so that all the small obstacles shall disappear from the physical consciousness and the obscurer parts of the vital nature.
In front of the repeated attacks from the enemy you must keep your faith intact and endure till the Victory is won.
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Champaklal's Portrait Drawn by the Mother on
2.2.1935 with Her Eyes Closed.
MY PORTRAIT*
6.10.1944
I showed to Mother my portrait done by Her. Some small yellow spots had appeared on the paper.
Mother: That happens when the paper is not good.
C: But this paper is of a good quality.
Mother: There must have been some defect in the making of the paper; it is a pity. The picture is wonderful, very nice.
You know, this portrait was done by Mother with eyes closed. She finished it in a few minutes and when she saw it, she was so happy with it that she took it immediately to Sri Aurobindo.
It was regarding this picture that she once said: "If I were to write thé name of Leonardo da Vinci hère (as thé artist) nobody would question it."
"The pencil just went on moving", she had said.
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2.2.1943
Keep yourself ready by faith and self-opening to receive the Light when it comes.
Let this year be for you the year of a complete opening and of the breaking of ail limitations.
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Page 13
2.2.1944
Let the mind be quiet and receive the Light; let the vital be quiet and receive the Force that delivers.
Let this year bring to you the true faith - a faith that no darkness can obscure.
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Page 15
2.2.1945
Let the year that is beginning mark a definitive stage in the growth of your psychic being and its power over your nature and your life.
I am glad to be able to say that your openness and your receptivity have increased during last year. Do not stop now and let them become perfect in the year to come.
With my love and blessings.
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Page 17
2.2.1946
Continue to open yourself and the psychic consciousness will grow in you and the Light refine and illumine whatever is left of the shadows in the mind and vital being.
My dear child, now I can call you in truth my dear child as I feel you quite close to me having taken shelter in my arms for good — and you are welcome there with all my love.
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FEET*
It was my birthday: 2.2.1947
I was very happy, indeed very very happy. The Mother was so gracious, as on every birthday of mine. When she came to Sri Aurobindo's room — where we ail were waiting for her - she looked at me with a broad smile which had a deep intimacy in it and told Sri Aurobindo:
Today is Champakial's birthday.
Sri Aurobindo's response was immediate and equally intimate. "HMM!", he said with prolonged emphasis, gave me a smile that moved me much.
Now for a long time I had wanted to get the impression of Sri Aurobindo's feet. But it was difficult as I did not want to inconvenience him in any way, or make a break in his routine programme in any manner. With Mother it was different; I could ask her to stand on a paper and then I could draw.
I had formed a plan in my mind. And accordingly I placed a big plank and arranged his chair over it. After sitting on the chair, he used to raise his legs for the footstool; similarly while getting up, he would raise his legs so that the footstool could be removed.
I asked him whether I could put a sheet of paper under the feet as I wanted to take an impression of his feet. He
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smiled and gave his consent.
Then, as he was getting up, after removing the foot stool, I inserted a big sheet of paper. Naturally, when he stood up, his feet were on that paper. I turned the pencil round and got the wanted sketch. I was happy that this could be done without any change in his programme,
It was worth seeing his expression at that time. You know I was very fond of watching his expression. You have seen some of the sketches I have drawn of him in different postures.
I took the paper with the impression, later in the day, to Sri Aurobindo for writing my name and blessings. He was happy and wrote:
my love and blessings
February 2, 1947
The same day I requested Mother to let me have a sketch of her feet. She drew it with her own hand and wrote:
2-2-1947
With love and blessings Mother
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2.2.1947
An increasing advance on the road to the entire psychic change is what is most important in the sadhana, for that is the straight road to the spiritual transformation. Devotion, harmony and scrupulousness in work, a growing inner perception and consciousness, more and more fading of the more vehement movements of the vital ego are among the more prominent landmarks on the road.
My dear child, that which I had foreseen last year has proved to be quite true and this relation of the Mother and the child has much grown in reality, intensity and deepness.
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Page 23
2.2.1948
Matter, blind to the Light, deaf to the call, the material consciousness and material life are the last and most obstinate refuge of the Inconscient and its résistance. There, the nearer the light, the higher it raises its wall of resistance. When that is overcome, the decisive trans- formation can have an open way.
My dear child,
Let your receptivity increase this year, to the extent of giving you the power to fully utilise the force that is at work for restoring perfect good health in you.
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Page 25
2.2.1949
Sri Aurobindo's love and blessings on the occasion of your birthday.
My dear child, now it is time for the faith to become truly active and to stand unshaken against all contra- dictions. Have the faith, the true faith, that you are cured and the cure is bound to corne.
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2.2.1950 and 1951
To my most faithful child, the keeper of the true remembrance, I give today the assurance of my full confidence - I did not write in this book in 1950 because it was to be the most important year of your life, the year that has put a seal to what you were and opened in front of you the door leading to what you will be: a true and complete child of our Lord and whose presence here is more total than it has ever been.
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Aspiring Swan
2.2.1952
Patience
Perseverance
Endurance Faith and an
Unshakable courage...
...We are approaching the goal.
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Page 31
2.2.1953
A steady progress and a clear understanding of what you must be. These are the gains of the finished year. Now there is only to continue.
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Page 33
2.2.1954
In 1940 Sri Aurobindo wrote to you: "Tranquillise and widen your consciousness" and I insisted on achieving equanimity. Many things have happened since then, much progress has been done and yet these things remain still to be fully realised. Let these be accomplished during this year that begins for you. A silent equanimity both inside and outside will be a great achievement for you.
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Page 35
2.2.1955
This time it is a year of true progress which has brought you nearer to thé goal and much doser to me. With my love and blessings.
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Page 37
2.2.1956
I can repeat what I said last year - but this time the progress is much bigger and the closeness to me much more true and intimate. You have advanced on the path at a great speed - and I can only tell you, continue.
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Page 39
2.2.1957
Bonne fête!
To my dear child.
You have continued and this time the progress is much more concrete and complete. I have the strong feeling that I can rely upon you and this is very comfortable.
Let this progress spread to the body now and give you good health steadily.
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Page 41
2.2.1958
To my dear child —
One more year;
one more step towards perfect service in a total surrender.
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Page 43
2.2.1959
My dear child
This year, the Grace has arranged circumstances in such a way that you are does to me than you have ever been — and ail through you have proved most reliable and effective, always ready, always there when you are needed, always doing what needs to be done. I am happy to tell you that on your birthday.
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Page 45
2.2.1960
Champaklal, my dear child, I am glad to be able to say that you are progressing steadily - as you yourself remarked, your consciousness is growing and with one more effort you will soon emerge in the light and become wise.
This one more effort is the control of speech. let it be the boon from the Grace for this year!
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Page 47
2.2.1961
Champaklal,
Bonne Fête!
Few words are needed. Ail is going on well.
Steadily we are advancing towards the goal, and you are keeping pace with me.
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Page 49
2.2.1962
All is well. You are progressing rapidly - there is only to continue steadily and the way will open before you more and more clear.
My love and blessings.
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Page 51
2.2.1963
Champaklal, my dear child,
The way is wide open and it is an artistic one, a fine way of expressing your soul, which will become more and more clear and powerful with the inner growth and flowering of your heart as a sincere expression of your eternal Soul.
With love and blessings.
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Page 53
2.2.1964
Champaklal, my dear child, a big step has been taken, a great change has taken place, the presence of your Soul is clearly felt, not only in what you do - which is steadily progressing -, but in what you are. This is a decisive year for you, heralding the realisation.
(On this occasion the Mother had also given four big artistically prepared folders with paintings and photographs. Messages from these are given on following pages.}
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2.2.64
always with you
for ever
in eternal Love
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Page 57
2.2,64
To Champaklal the great doer of cards
this card to tell him my appreciation of all what he has done and my expectation for still better things to come. In a growing closeness With love and blessings.
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Page 59
To Champakial
Forward! always forward!
Higher! always higher!
Truer! always truer!
BIessings.
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Page 61
2.2.1965
This year, I feel clearly that you have become a part of myself.
For ever love. THE MOTHER
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Page 63
Champaklal, master of the "cards", how to prepare a card for you?
Here is only some material for a card.
With full appreciation of you, your work and your devotion
and with blessings and love.
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Page 65
2.2.1966
Let this year see the advent of the true joy of working in the Divine's Consciousness.
With love.
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2.2.1967 Bonne Fete!
The illness has come like a test and gone like a purification carrying away all that was standing in the way of the joy of an integral consecration.
(The Mother orally said, "I come to you. You will read it carefully. It is concrete, my experience." She repeated it.)
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Page 69
2.2.1968
Bonne Fete!
To Champaklal with love and blessings.
I am happy to say that you are my true child and becoming more and more so.
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Page 71
2.2.1969
Let the full Light be with you in a silent adoration.
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Page 73
Bonne Fete
To Champaklal the faithful
with love and blessings for a happy, healthy and useful year
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A new decade from 70 to 8O
2.2.1970
To Champaklal,
en avant! toujours
en avant!*
(* ...forward, for ever forward!)
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From Mother
To
Love
Peace
Strength
Silence
Consciousness
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Page 79
2.2.71
First Prize of Faithfulness. With my full love bonne fete!
blessings
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2.2.72
To Sri Aurobindo's and Mother's
Champak
one of the hundred
With my love, appreciation, trust and blessings for ever.
En route vers la Realisation.*
(* On the way towards Realisation.)
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2.2.73
With all my love and confidence
and my blessings to reach the goal.
Let us all be eternally grateful to Him who has shown us and shows us constantly the way.
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