Mother and Me

Mother’s Laughter

Even when I was young, I always laughed so loudly that my mother used to scold me. “You sound like a donkey,” she said. Then one day I told her teasingly that I had seen two donkeys laughing with their heads up towards the sky. She immediately told me to stop telling stupid things. Then she asked, “How did you know they were laughing? Donkeys do not laugh — they only bray!” But I was sure they were laughing!

Anyway, when I came to the Ashram, my friend ‘J’ and his artist friend ‘K’ told me about the story of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and their pet donkey. This donkey was gifted to them by a Frenchman. Later, I corroborated the story with ‘R’ who is still in the Ashram. The Mother always thought that the donkey too was a ‘sadhak’ and was to be treated as such.

After the owl, my most favourite animal is a donkey! I love them. If you do not, please look into their eyes. They are so deep and contemplating.

Besides, have you ever seen a donkey complaining to his master? He works and works, whatever the weather — hot or rain. It is this attitude of a donkey that always attracted me. A perfect sadhak — a Karmayogi!

No wonder Lord Jesus, Moses and many others used the donkey as their escorts. Unfortunately, not a single Hindu God thought of making the donkey as his mascot! What a pity!

Anyway, inspired by the owl and the donkey, I used these two wonderful animals as examples to my students in medical colleges and tell them: “Remain awake during the night like an owl and work hard like a donkey.” No wonder then that an owl sitting on the head of a donkey was suggested by one of my students as the insignia for medical students! Therefore, I was more than enchanted to hear about the donkey of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother — indeed, a true ‘sadhak.’

I mention this because it brings to mind a particular episode. Once it so happened that the Mother was a little unwell. I had to prescribe antibiotics for her chest infection which I thought was secondary to the gum infection in her mouth. She held the glass and looked at me. I noticed a mild hesitation on her face, which was rather unusual. I told her, “Please, Mother, drink it like a good girl!”

The moment I uttered these words, the Mother just said, “A... girl!” and burst into hearty laughter. I could feel the entire room vibrating! Everyone in her room was surprised. Even the sadhaks who were near Sri Aurobindo’s Samadhi heard her laughter! Later some of my friends asked me about the laughter coming from the Mother’s room. What no one could hear was my smile! Needless to say she took the medicine with a grin.