The Mother : Contact
THEME/S
She is the golden bridge, the wonderful fire. The luminous heart of the Unknown is she...
Mother - I would like to open a Music section here. . .see what you can do with it. Saying this, the Mother held my head with both Her hands and closed Her eyes for some time. These words of the Mother were so very unexpected that I just could not believe my ears. I was not sure if I had heard right or was it a projection of my imagination. Then, the Mother opened Her eyes and said sweetly smiling: Mother - I don't have any room for it at the moment. I will ask Kireet to find something. When we get something, I will inform you. Do you have any space in your house to take classes?
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I - (Realising I had indeed kennel correctly) Yes, Mother, there is a big verandah at the entrance to the house. That is where I used to practise and prepare for the Sangeetmala programmes. The space is quite sufficient. I also practise my dance there with Charupada who accompanies me on the tabla. Mother - Good. So start your classes there. I will tell Kireet about it. Boys and girls will go to you after their Group activities. Take them once or twice a week, give about an hour or so after your Group activities for these classes. I - The children finish sports quite early but my Group ends later. Can I ask my sister-in-law (Arup's mother) to take some classes while I am still at sports. My sister-in-law knows singing. Mother - Yes, that's fine. Start the classes in this way for now. I will give you another space when something is available. Then the Mother concentrated on me once again for some time. I felt a great strength enter me at Her touch. I bowed my head at Her lotus feet, then holding them I told Her, "Divine Mother, with Your Grace everything is possible." I feel, at that moment on that day, it was my inmost being that had spoken those words to the Mother. A long time has passed and the Music section has grown. The Mother has worked through me with the abilities I could muster. Anyway, let me come back to that day. I returned with the flowers and the books given by the Mother to Red House. I felt another chapter was opening in my life's book. There used to be singing classes at the Ashram before this. When Dilip-da lived here, he would take these classes in his house which is the present-day Tresor Nursing Home. Sahana-di also used to take some classes in her house. When the Mother asked me to take charge of the Music section, I remember Tinkori-da teaching a few students in two rooms adjoining the Dance-hall. I also remember that when I used to prepare for the Sangeetmala programmes, if there were any items where students were involved, the Mother would take keen interest
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The singing classes started with the little ones. The front verandah of our house used to come alive with their singing every evening. I began preparing myself to be able to run this Music section. However, at all times, I felt the Mother's help. On Sunday mornings when I went to Her for Pranam, She would sometimes ask if it was not inconvenient to take classes at home. She would also explain to me that a good space hid not yet been found. On one such occasion, the Mother asked me, Mother - How are your singing classes going? I - Fine, Mother. Mother - (selecting flowers to give me) I want to teach music to all my children, any kind of music. All the children are entitled to learning music. This, of course, does not mean that all the students will become expert musicians or artists. But it is important for them to learn to appreciate music. In Europe, all the children learn music right from childhood. Many learn to play the piano from a very tender age. Others learn to play other instruments. You know music is a great art that helps man to purify himself. That is why if you have the time,never refuse any child who wants to learn music. The Mother handed me the flowers She had selected and remained focused on me for quite some time. I felt very consciously that the Mother was preparing me in order to help me fulfil my responsibilities in the work She had assigned to me. My singing classes in the verandah of the Red House did not last very long. A few months later, Tinkori-da fell ill and he could no longer go to the Dancing-hall annexe to take his classes. He asked the Mother if he could continue his classes at home, to which the Mother gave consent. I was, therefore, given access
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Thus, I stopped my afternoon duties at the Publication department and became totally absorbed in the Music section work. I spent my entire afternoons in the Music section as it began growing steadily. The Mother would ask me often: Mother - How are your singing classes going on? Is everything fine? I - Yes, Mother. By Your Grace, the Music section is growing well. Apart from teaching singing, what else can I do in the music classes? What else can I teach the children? Mother - Make them listen to good music. Select good pieces of music, like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart or pieces of Indian classical music, the music of ragas. That will be very beautiful. I like that sort of music very much. You will have to make a very fine selection. (then silence, as She began handing me the flowers one by one. The Mother resumed.) There is another thing where you will need to be very vigilant. Never let the students disrespect music. Never. Because pure music comes from a very high level. That is why it is important that they learn to respect music from an early age. From your
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I - What is light music, Mother? Mother - Music that has no spiritual touch at all. The music that excites the Vital part in us is merely a play of some rhythmic beats. Always avoid that kind of music. Always stay far from light film music. These kinds of music are to be categorically ignored. I don't want any of that. After saying this, the Mother looked at me intently for quite some time. I - Mother, how can one get that spiritual touch in music? Mother - Awaken the aspiration. Pray to the Divine for aspiration. I - (touching the Mother's feet) My sweet Mother, I do not know what the Divine is. For me He lives in the seventh heaven. I can't even think of praying to Him. I just know You. I know that Sri Aurobindo is divine. You are everything to me. You are my Divine. I, therefore, bow at Your feet and pray that You help me to experience that pure music, that real music. Make me pure. I once again bowed at Her feet. When I raised my head, I noticed She was holding a beautiful Surrender rose, and waiting to give it to me. As soon as I stood up, She continued with a gentle smile: Mother - I am not talking to you about that Divine who dwells in the seventh heaven! I am talking about that Supreme Lord who dwells in your being. Within you - here, here! (The Mother placed Her hand on my chest to show me) Try and establish a connection with Him. He is there! He is there! A gentle snowfall of tranquillity touched my body, my mind, my heart. I kept looking at the Mother's eyes, unable to utter a word. The Mother too remained silent. Only the eyes communicated. I don't know how long this lasted. Finally, She blessed me and I came out of Her room. On another occasion, when the Mother enquired about the Music classes, I told Her, "Mother, you told me to make them hear good music..." The Mother replied before I had
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After I got this work from the Mother, life was not just a bed of roses. There were difficulties and obstacles along the way. When news got around that a Music section had been started here and I was given its responsibility, some people in the Ashram were happy and some were not. All kinds of comments and criticisms began. Everyone had something to say. This kept increasing and by the time these remarks came to my ears, they became quite consequential. None of the critics came to me directly, they kept discussing amongst themselves. The ones who were happy would express their joy whenever they met me. After the closure of Sangeetmala, a new chapter was opening in the field of music. They were glad at this new development. Instead of simply ignoring all the negative, critical comments by people I began lending them credence and as a result, I became more and more discouraged. It took such a proportion that one Sunday when I went to see the Mother,
Hardly had the Mother heard this that She revealed Her furious side. She was indignant. The expression of Her face changed. With a very loud angry voice, She said, "Go out! GO out! Go out again! All you can think of is 'go out'! Why can't you understand that music is within you? Within you? Here! Here!" Saying this, She tapped me hard on my chest twice. In anger, Her lips and cheeks started trembling. I became absolutely cold seeing this aspect of the Mother. That was the last time I ever spoke to the Mother about going out or of my education in teaching music! The first and last! After this incident, I began feeling quite worthless. How could I have been affected by the criticism of ordinary people when the work was entrusted to me by the Divine Mother Herself? Foolishly, I once again went and told the Mother about it! I felt ashamed and overcome with regret. However, I did not feel like adding one more gaffe while trying to rectify the preceding one. Like a tree feels after a thunderous storm, I felt the same, broken in heart, mind and body. I went to the Ashram quietly and sat near the Samadhi. After some time my being fell completely silent. A wordless prayer rose from within me like a flame of light.
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The work of the Music section went on growing. Children of all ages began to join. It became impossible to take their classes together. They had to be divided into different age-groups and in accordance with their musical capability. Naturally for all these different groups, different sorts of musical material had to be prepared. In the initial years, I had to put in a lot of work. It also became difficult for me to take Classes Of all these different levels. One day, finding the right opportunity, I told the Mother, "Mother, whatever songs I had gathered Over the years in my musical collection, I have exhausted. In order to teach all these different levels of students, I need a huge amount of material, a huge collection of songs. I have practically run out of ideas, Mother. What Should I do now?" Looking at me, the Mother said without the slightest hesitation: "Why? Whatever is needed, create. You prepare them." "But, Mother, I do not know how to prepare this. I do not know how to compose music. I can't. Never have i ever thought of composing music!" The Mother kept quiet. She offered me the flowers She had in Her hand and then blessed me. I came away. The rest of the day passed off like other days. I went for my sports activities in the evening as usual and then returned home. Every evening, upon returning hone from sports, I Would Switch on the soft blue light in my room. This evening too, as I was removing my kitty-cap, I switched on the lamp. Nobody Was home except my mother who was doing her English homework for Sailen-da's class in the adjacent room. I Was humming some tune aloud. Then suddenly my head was abuzz With a ceaseless flow of melodies. One melody after another, one melody after another! All kinds of melodies, melodies I had never heard before. My head was overflowing
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I cannot tarry on the shore anymore. My tryst is with the Beloved Beyond the ocean without shore. Whose call doth me with restlessness fill, As upon my little raft I float, O, what shall become of me, my Helmsman, I cannot see where I drift on my boat. I cannot tarry on the shore anymore.
Who art thou who call'st me thus.? Call me again, call me yet again! In your beckoning call, for my union with you.
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Mother - There is a region above the earth atmosphere which is the world of art and beauty. The music that exists there rarely comes down to our earth. Rarely! I - Douce Mere, I am seeing you after a long gap, but Your help, Your grace have continuously been with me, assisting me, protecting me. The work I used to feel at one time to be impossible to accomplish, today reveals Your presence, Your touch, Your light! You are the one who is guiding me along the path, telling me what I should do. The experience of being seated at the feet of the Goddess was unmistakable. The Mother spoke: Mother - It will come. Everything will come. Everything is here. Here! Here! (the Mother touches my heart very softly) Whenever I give someone a responsibility, I also keep giving the necessary strength to fulfil it. But when I see that the person is incapable of taking on the responsibility, I look for another instrument. (The Mother places Hen hand on my head and continues) Have faith in me and keep walking. Everything will surely come. Everything will come. I - (keeping my hands on Her feet) O Omnipotent Mother, You who can triumph over all, I have received a touch of Your grace. I aspire to become more worthy of You. Grant me strength so that You may make of me a worthier instrument. Mother - My blessings will always be with you. Always. My long association with the Music section has enabled me to live through many events and incidents. Let me share with you some of these here. I am talking about the time when the Mother had left Her physical body. Once, a group of young students were dancing to some light music in front of the Drinking-water room in the school at about 4.30 in the afternoon when there was nobody around. Kireet-bhai, our Registrar then, was working in his office at that time. Hearing this loud music, he went up to these boys and asked them to stop it at once. The music and
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The influence and importance of classical music gradually began to increase in the Ashram. The Mother told me once that She wanted all Her children to learn music, some sort of music. In the course of years we had an influx of several teachers of music into the Ashram and now there exist ample opportunities to learn Carnatic or Hindustani vocal, Sitar, Sarod, Flute, Esraj, Tabla, Piano, Recorder, Violin, Cello, Synthesizer, Guitar, etc. Today, after all these years of working in the Music section and after having come in contact with numerous renowned visiting artists, I feel deeply that it is not enough to have good teachers of music or have at our disposal limitless possibilities of learning music. One has to have the right temperament for music and deep within oneself, a true, genuine urge and aspiration to pursue this great art.
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