Read Prithwi Singh's correspondence with The Mother - from the period spanning 1938-1967
The Mother : correspondence
THEME/S
Born in Bengal on 3 June 1898, Prithwi Singh Nahar, for many years a householder disciple, joined the Ashram on 27 May 1938 at the age of thirty-nine. During the next few years all seven of his children came to live in the Ashram. Prithwi Singh worked at first in the Ashram Library. Then in the 1940s, seeing the need to coordinate the sales of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, he started the Ashram Publication Department and remained its head for nearly forty years. During this time he also did transcription, proofreading, indexing and translation work. He lived in the Ashram for thirty-seven years, passing away on 13 April 1976 at the age of seventy-seven.
Prithwi Singh's correspondence with the Mother covers the period from 1938 to 1967.
(Before joining the Ashram in May 1938, the disciple had to wind up his affairs in Bengal. In order to pay off some debts, he decided to sell a diamond necklace of his late wife. Then he thought of offering this necklace to the Mother. Unable to decide what to do, he wrote to the Mother for advice.)
Prithwi Singh,
I have just received your letter about the necklace. A wrote to his grandfather informing him about the sale of the necklace as a very good occasion and asking him to buy it for L. The old man replied that L was never moving out of the Ashram and what then could she do with the necklace unless it was simply to have it for admiring it. So you can see that my name never came into the matter. I would never have allowed them to ask it for me.
If you had no debts to pay off or if I were in a position to clear the debts myself for you I would have gladly accepted the necklace, but as it is it seems to me more reasonable to keep to your original plan of selling it.
Hoping all is well with you and the children.
Our love and blessings are with you.
P. S. Your furniture has reached safely and is placed in your room.
24 January 1938
I had advised you to sell the necklace because that seemed in the circumstances the most reasonable thing to do. But since you are moved by your inner feeling to offer the necklace to me, it is not possible for me to refuse it. There are certainly no motives of ego in what you express in your letter, but a very fine, delicate and psychic movement. So I promise you not to scold or chastise you when you bring the gift but accept it and the fine spirit in you which make the offering.
With love and blessings to you and the children
2 February 1938
Well, I surely know very little of a human mother's ways because I never dreamt of getting rid of one of my children by giving him or her something! ...
Anyhow I had nothing of the kind in my mind and I had a fan put in your room because I knew that you were feeling hot—for, you believe that I have withdrawn, but it is quite a wrong belief—I am with you as I always was and know quite well your inner and outer condition.
If you were not hypnotised by appearances you would surely feel my presence living in and around you at all times.
With my love and blessings
P.S. The fan is meant to make your room a little cooler—I hope you will use it for that purpose.
27 April 1939
My dear child,
Since several days I was feeling like writing to you that it might be better to speak to N about your health. I was hesitating to do so because I am under the impression that you are not very fond of doctors and medicines, but it is impossible to let your body fall into this bad habit of becoming weak. You did well to write as it has put an end to my hesitation, and now I would be very much pleased if you spoke a little to N about your body's condition. Sometimes a very little push wakes up once more the receptivity.
My love, help and blessings are always with you.
27 June 1939
I quite agree with your way of looking at the problem and gladly grant your prayer of trying one year more to get out of the difficulty without calling in the medical atmosphere which—I must confess—is more often a hindrance than a help to the working of the Force. But you will have to keep me more often informed of the results of our attempt and concentration. Twice a week does not seem to me too much—I shall answer only if necessary.
P.S. Is there anything to eat that you would find helpful? More milk? or some fruits? I ask you to answer very frankly.
29 June 1939
Mon cher enfant [My dear child],
Your description of the nature of your difficulty regarding your health is quite correct. It is the way in which the subconscient opposes the descent of the Force. But by a very patient and persistent endeavour it is finally conquered.
24 July 1939
Mon cher enfant,
This is a very good sign that you are beginning to feel the effect of the Force in the subconscient; it indicates a true progress.
My love and my blessings are watching over you.
21 August 1939
The fourth slice of bread is fully approved, but it seems to me that you ought to take it without discontinuing the extra milk as I am convinced that the milk is helping in making your body stronger.
You can ask B to take away the fan until the next hot season.
The description of your experience is not quite precise enough (the nature of the touching, from where the kundalini rose to where)—but the disc of light would seem to indicate that you became conscious of the Presence in your centres.
My love and blessings
7 September 1939
The collection [of coins] is indeed very well arranged and quite interesting. I am thinking of reserving a special shelf for it and then I will ask you to come and arrange the boxes on the shelf.
6 January 1941
In the physical the joy of being is the best expression of gratitude towards the Divine.
16 June 1941
The ultimate victory of the Divine is certain beyond all doubt.
6 April 1942
Your attitude towards work is the right one and I see no changes to suggest.
The work done through love and because of love is surely the most powerful.
8 June 1942
I understand that it is almost impossible to keep one's patience when hearing all the nonsense that certain people say here, and I cannot blame you for your hot reply, which, I must say, did not inconvenience me in the least.
20 July 1942
I am sending you two French sentences written with your pen: "Seigneur, donne-nous le bonheur véritable, celui qui ne depend que de toi."
[Lord, give us the true happiness, the happiness that depends on you alone.]
"Nous avanҫons sans hâte parce que nous somme sûrs de l'avenir."
[We advance without haste because we are sure of the future.]
Undated (1942?)
(The disciple asked whether he should wear glasses. His letter ends:)
Please let me know what you think, Mother. I am stopping Agarwal's medicine. I prefer to invoke your aid, as I have been doing; if I am able to open myself to your Force, a miracle might happen, as also if the Force wishes to act unconditionally. Otherwise what has to happen will happen and there is no reason for any regrets after one has received your blessings. I have written frankly so that you may give your decision without hesitation.
With deep devotion and pranams at Thy Feet
I think that glasses will help you both outside and for your work, so I advise you to take two pairs, one tinted, one untinted; probably from England they will be more satisfactory.
Undated
I truly appreciate the feelings and the consideration you have expressed in your letter, and I accept your proposal to write only once in two weeks—but you must continue to come for "pranam" every Tuesday, as you did last year.
With my love and blessings always
4 January 1943
I am sorry you are still having these moments of depression. I hoped they were gone for good. You know that even when you do not feel me I am always with you. Keep this faith in you, and my presence will become a living fact.
1 May 1944
I am glad to have read your letter. X 7 has already spoken to me enthusiastically about the new arrangement and the money they will return to you. All your children are a fine lot and I am very happy to have them here. To be truthful I must add that I love them dearly and their father also.
Of course, the books you mention can be ordered from England.
It is understood that whenever, for one reason or another, you cannot come to see me on Tuesday, you must come the following evening.
3 August 1944
I hope you are giving no importance whatever to these silly talks about "spiritual nearness" and the rest. There is no truth behind it. No time to answer in details—but I must ask you never to judge on appearances and still less on what people say...
6 November 1944
I did not even notice that you detained me. I always stand for a minute or two at that place concentrating upon you and others that might be there. So I have nothing to forgive and send you my love and blessings.
19 April 1945
It seems to me quite natural that the children wish to have a little privacy, and as soon as it is materially possible I shall fulfil their wish. Only one thing I shall say, that if the rest of the inmates were as your children are my work would be infinitely easier; they are among those who give me the least trouble.
23 July 1945
Ma douce Mère [My sweet Mother],
S has given me Y's and Z's8 monthly progress reports for signature. I had supposed that this business of guardianship ceased with my coming here, but I am told that you particularly want it and the whole thing is initiated by you. If that is so, I shall certainly sign the report. But it seems to me that the School is tending to become rather too officious while the method of real teaching is still very fluidic. The grading of students leaves much to be desired, but perhaps I am treading on forbidden grounds. In any case this monthly system would entail too much useless work for you, and the report could be easily made quarterly.
I had to take that step because of the carelessness, laziness and indiscipline of the children refusing to do their tasks and to obey their teachers. It is unfortunate for I would have liked to avoid all these commonplace measures.
P.S. I should confess to you that I felt sad at the use of the atomic bomb.9 It was too heartless. I should frankly like to know from you, Mother, whether this feeling was right or wrong—for it was a regret felt for the action of the Allies, for those who had stood so gallantly against the barbaric onslaught of the Germans, those who had been on the side of the Divine—even though maybe not consciously. And it was also mixed with a feeling of sympathy for the Japanese in spite of all their savagery and dark treachery for which this swift retribution has overtaken them.
The atomic bomb is in itself the most wonderful achievement and the sign of a growing power of man over the material Nature. But what is to be regretted is that this material progress and mastery is not the result of and keeping on with a spiritual progress and mastery which alone has the power to contradict and counteract the terrible danger coming from these discoveries. We cannot and must not stop progress but we must achieve it in an equilibrium between the inside and the outside.
28 August 1945
I do not see that the Supramental will act in the way you expect from It. Its action will be to effectuate the Divine's Will upon earth whatever that may be. On men Its action will be to turn their will consciously or unconsciously on their part towards the way in which the Divine's Will wants them to go.
But I cannot promise you that the Divine's will is to preserve the present human civilisation.
30 August 1945
In all opinions there is something true and something false. It is indeed a great and useful thing to be able to listen to the opinions of others without losing one's temper and I am glad you have been able to do so.
5 October 1945
I am very sorry for the recurrent illness; it evidently shows a lack of receptivity in the body, but no definite cause can be given to it, except a definite tendency to pessimism and despondency ...
However I hope you will soon feel better, and send you my love and blessings.
10 March 1946
You did quite well to state your difficulties and that has not displeased me in the least. But you will allow me to say that, along with most of the human beings, something in you dislikes all sudden changes unless your own mind has itself decided these changes. So, in the present case, the best thing is to wait a little and see if, after becoming accustomed to the new arrangement, you do not discover that it has also its advantages ...
18 March 1946
Ma douce Mère,
With regard to Maria, I find that great apprehension persists in the obscure corner of the mind that the attack may be coming again as soon as the body has sufficiently recovered from the effects of the last attack. This is surely bad and not at all helpful in the process of elimination of this poison from the system. Only today I have discovered it. I pray that this may go away by your Grace, Mother; otherwise if the attacks continue at frequent intervals the body will go to tatters. May I accept with joy and happiness whatever be Thy Will for me.
With deep devotion I prostrate myself at Thy Beloved Feet and offer my grateful pranams.
Yes, the first step for all progress physical as well as spiritual is to eliminate all fear.
15 January 1947
My love and blessings.
Catch hold of a deep inner peace and gently push it in the cells of your body. With the peace will come back the health.
20 April 1947
Thou who protectest us ever with Thy divine solicitude, Thou who art our Mother and Friend and Guide, Thou to whom we always turn in our difficulties, to Thee, O sweet Mother, I prostrate myself again and again with salutations of surrender. Humbly I kneel down at Thy Feet and with folded hands pray to Thee for the fulfilment of Thy Will in me—whatever that may be.
With my heart full of gratitude and devotion I offer my pranams to Thee and to my Lord on the eve of my birthday.
Thy child
Sri Aurobindo sends you his blessings and I join mine with all my love on the occasion of your birthday. I shall see you at Pavitra's place at 6.15 p.m.
2 June 1947
It is with great regret that I have to discontinue terrace darshan. As it is becoming terribly late for you in spite of the notice and as the Library now opens at 12, I have to go earlier to the dining room or not work at that time. Therefore poor Prithwi Singh has to make his exit except for a rare glimpse of you now and then by the vagaries of some happy chance. At this rate perhaps the Supermind, by the impact of its descending Force, will at no distant date throw me completely out into Nirvana or some impersonal Void or lull me into a somnolent sleep of self-oblivion. However, till that fate overtakes me, I prostrate myself at the sweet Feet of my beloved Mother and offer my pranams, however platonically it may be.
It seems to me that you have a very pessimistic view of things and especially of the working of the Supermind. However it is not quite my experience of it... but facts will speak better than words. Meanwhile I suggest that you should replace the morning "darshan" by an evening "darshan" and come up every day after meditation.
Undated (1947?)
As K is insisting on his point in spite of your silence, perhaps it is better to give him a reply.—departmentally. I have drafted a reply which you will kindly change, Mother, wherever you think necessary. He thinks that by troubling you thus he will have his point: therefore I thought that it would be better to give him a straightforward reply. Also his constant reference to his offerings "all this money belongs to you" smacks of a typical Marwari mentality. Besides he is trying to exploit too much the money he has offered for the publication work. However, you will do, Mother, as you think best.
With deep devotion I offer my pranams at your Feet.
Certainly you can send the letter although it may be that K won't like it. It may help him to see the problem through a new angle.
3 February 1948
In view of the strong impetus given to games and sports and other aids for the development of the body at the present time, there is a general feeling that it is an indispensable part of sadhana and therefore those who are not taking part in it in some form or another have divorced themselves from the full action of the Force....
I have personally kept myself aloof from these activities, the overriding reason being bad eyesight, though in my younger days, for some years at least, I had done a lot of exercises, dumbbells etc. and some asanas. There is also certain temperamental disinclination.
Do not be anxious—there is no necessity of doing physical exercise for realising the supramental!
To explain in details what is happening now would take too much time—but one thing is certain: each one must follow his own line irrespective of what the others do and the goal is open to all sincere and steady endeavour.
11 June 1948
Yesterday a big glass pane of one of the doors at the farther end of the room where I work in the Library was broken by the boys while playing. The actual person K who had broken it while pushing aside a spinning top of another boy admitted it himself and cleaned the room full of scattered bits of splintered glass. Fortunately no one was sitting there at the time.
The children play and shout so lustily before S's room that after ten or ten-thirty it becomes difficult to work. When told they move away a little farther, but again return after a few minutes and start their noisy game.
It is not the children so much as the parents who are more to blame. Their contention is that the Mother is looking after the children and they have no responsibilities ....
But I hope, Mother, that it may be possible to do something to prevent the Ashram building from being turned into another playground.
All that you say above is quite true—as for the children playing, we shall try to stop them.
31 December 1949
I wanted to see you, Mother, because certain things were told in your name that had rather hurt me, I frankly confess. Naturally I don't want to write such things. But I know you have no time and now it is no longer necessary. With a strong effort I think I have freed myself from that painful vibration.
I am not aware of having said anything that could give you the slightest pain—so I advise you not to listen to what people say—most of them take a very great pleasure in disturbing others; and when they have nothing nasty to repeat they invent.
8 February 1951
I have received two bits of hair of our Lord. They are so precious and sacred that I should not keep them without your knowledge and permission.
I am sending the sacred treasure to you, Mother, through Dyuman and if you graciously return, I shall be very happy to keep it. But you will do, Mother, as you think best and whatever you decide I shall always be happy to accept knowing that it is for the best. They are in the envelope enclosed.
You can keep them, with my blessings and love.
8 April 1951
Last January—it was on the 3rd, I remember—when I was laid up with an acute attack of filarial fever attended with severe pain and shivering....
The same night I had a dream-experience, almost a waking vision. I saw two beings whose faces I could not see, two tall and sturdily built persons wearing what seemed to be heavy fur coats (later I thought they may be carrying on their backs a heavy load of herbs, as some light was gleaming out at times). They approached me and looked at me. I had no fear at all, but simply said, "If you have come from the Mother, you can do what you like, if not I have nothing to do with you whoever you may be. I firmly withdraw from your influence and you cannot touch a hair of me." With that I was quietly taking your name and withdrew into myself. They talked a while with each other, I suspected they smiled at my remarks. They also drew something from behind their backs as the light gleamed. But other details I could not follow. Then they slowly left and I was fully awake.
Well, the only result I notice is that this time the fever and the swelling subsided quicker. But the filarial trouble is still there. The body is still unopen to the Force.
I am curious to know who they were, looking almost like twins riding on horseback. And in such cases what is the attitude to take? Obviously there should be no fear, but is there any particular way by which a sort of occult tact can be developed to discern the true nature of the embodied Force or the Being?
If there was anything wrong in the attitude I had taken, kindly let me know, Mother.
Your attitude was quite correct and the best one to have in the occurrence.
They might have been the Aswins, the twin riders, the healers.
18 February 1952
Last night, with the experience of the rising of Kundalini, I saw near the heart centre a large serenely luminous crescent for quite a long while. The experience filled the being with strength and joy and a feeling of deep restful repose.
I now write to you of these things so that if there needs anything to be said, to be corrected or set right, you will please indicate it.
This is a very good experience, the luminous crescent meaning spiritual progress.
10 November 1952
Yesterday, for the first time I had the experience of the ascent of Kundalini in the waking state, while I was sitting on the chair, meditating at 11.30 or so in the night. Long had been my aspiration for it, but however hard I might try I had never succeeded before. The Force was ascending from the heart centre to the head and it continued three times, each time as I concentrated at the heart. I could see somewhat the inside of the body, though it was very vague and opaque. In between I saw the open pen and the paper also on the table.
It was not a new experience, but what elated me was that it came in the full waking state. A feeling of strength, restfulness and an inner quietude still continues. The head is cool. But the difficulty is with the thoughts. Unless the mind can be stilled, the effects cannot last. Naturally I remembered you at the time and afterwards prayed to you. Then I sat two minutes at the Samadhi to offer my prayers to Sri Aurobindo and then went to bed.
I just write this to let you know of it, Mother.
This is very good and will surely have excellent results even on the condition of your body
With my blessings
Undated (1953?)
In course of my interview with the Mother which she had graciously given me on the 3rd, I spoke to her of an experience a few days before the passing of Sri Aurobindo. In a dream vision a Message had come from him which thrilled me to the depths as I read it and whose last sentence still rings clear in my heart: "I am going down, but I am soon coming up in a radiant form."
The Mother heard it attentively and when I asked her if I could take it that the Master's return is certain, she revealed to me the following wonderful happening. I note it down in her own words as far as I remember. She said:
"At 1:26 in the morning10 when I was in his room, he was steadily coming out of his body into mine; it was so much that I felt a physical friction in the cells of my body; with it a great power entered into me and I felt capable of resuscitating him. But when I told him, he said, 'No. It is purposely that I have left my body, I will not come back into it, I will return in a new body, the first body built in the supramental way.'"11
And she hastened to add: "But he did not tell me the time when he would return."
Then I told her: "Certainly you know the time, Mother, but if I were to ask, you would not say it and I know it is good not to ask."
She smiled sweetly.
I am sending you the corrected version—but it is for yourself alone and not to be shown to others.
12 June 1953
About 4 or 5 days back during an experience of the ascending and descending force of Kundalini, I felt or rather saw a strong pressure of light pushing through the eye nerves to clean them as it were.
The effect on the external physical is not visible however; maybe the feeling is mere imagination, a sort of wishful thinking. It may also be that this kind of subtle action of your Force may take time to be effective on the material physical plane12 Or it may be a complete misreading of the action of the Force which was for some other purpose. But I just write to you, Mother, because it was so vivid.
Keep quiet in your mind as much as possible and let the Force work. It is bound to have an effect although it may take some time before the effect can clearly be felt.
18 May 1954
Somebody has told me of a sentence either written or spoken by you. I am writing it down here for verification. The wordings are such that it seems it must be from you. It is also in line with what had been long predicted in connection with the numbers 1 2 3 4 etc.-23rd of April 1956 in the case.
I shall be happy to know, if it has been said by you, Mother. Here it is:
"1956 will be the golden harvest of the difficult sowing now in the rocky soil."
It reads more like A's style than mine. I can only hope that it will be true!
15 December 1955
Up to the night I did not know that you were not coming to the Playground for blessings. Otherwise I would have sent you a written word of blessings.
So now, a little late, but never too late, I tell you
Bonne fête! et Bonne année!
[Happy birthday! and Happy New Year!'
with all my love and blessings.
Let this year be a year of radical progress on all planes.
3 June 1956
I wanted to ask about two things:
Last time when I was with you upstairs on my birthday, there was a feeling as if time was not there. Not the experience of timelessness in the spiritual sense, but just a feeling that only I and You were there, and nothing and nobody else existed.13
It is exactly the experience I wanted you to have. I am glad for your receptivity.
Just for a few seconds, but an entirely new experience. I suppose it may be due to exclusive concentration on me at the time. But I don't know. And in the evening at the Playground it was not so.
Another thing is about an experience I had on three occasions during meditation on the Playground. After some half-sleep unconscious state, suddenly as the consciousness became fully awake and alert, there was an exquisitely fine feeling or rather acute perception that every cell of the body was throbbing with a Force of Light in a vibrant stillness of the whole being. It was different from the experience of total silence I once had. It was, though lasting for a minute or two at the most, an awareness for the first time of the innumerable cells of the body and the action of your Force in them, pouring in them a stillness so luminous and thrilling that words cannot describe it.14 What was it, Mother?
It is the experience I am giving during the meditation. So this also is quite correct and I am glad you were conscious of it.
9 June 1957
I came before You with D—and I made my pranam. I had a feeling that I was kneeling before a divine Presence which was majestic, omnipotent yet gracious. It is only the Divine who can lean so understandingly, so compassionately on man.
It was then that I had a most strange feeling—I could not see Your Face15 but I could see at least something of the form and the wonderful pose in which You were sitting. It was awe-inspiring, yet full of compassion and love. It was then that I felt strongly the Presence of Sri Aurobindo. Also when You caressed my head with Your fingers just before I came away, I had the same feeling that it was Sri Aurobindo's hands with the added sweetness of the Mother-touch. Even now, as I recall the experience, I am overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude.
Prithwi Singh, my dear child,
Your experience, on your birthday, was concretely true.
Sri Aurobindo was there to bless you and I am glad you have been aware of it.
With love and blessings
17 June 1960
(Regarding the disciple's attempt to translate Savitri into Bengali)
If you want me to express frankly my view of this affair, I must say that I consider Savitri as untranslatable and will never encourage a translation of it except as a personal exercise for the sake of concentration on this unique marvel; but surely not for publication. That is why I cannot attach any importance to this contention.
14 December 1961
Prithwi Singh
Certainly you can continue the translation of Savitri for your own benefit and I am sure that the help from Sri Aurobindo will always be with you.
15 December 1961
The meditation given on the 15th of August 16 was very intense and deep. Just in the beginning I felt a deep silence as if someone was squeezing out thoughts. There was also a feeling as if at some great presence the whole Ashram became still and silent. I don't know what it was but it lasted only for a short while. After some time thoughts began again to disturb the mind.
I just inform the Mother what I had felt on that grand day.
Sri Aurobindo immense and very concrete (in the subtle physical) was sitting over the whole compound during all the meditation.
28 August 1962
I would like to know about one thing.
It is said that a man has five sheaths or vehicles. The physical sheath falls away at the time of death. The vital and the mental get dissolved when the soul arrives at last at the psychic plane of rest where, in a trance sleep, it assimilates its experiences of past lives for a future birth. Now what happens with regard to the causal body—the supramental and bliss vehicles? Perhaps they are not dissolved, but do they detach themselves from the soul to join with it in its next birth or, as a cause, it is always there, even in the psychic world, so long as the individual retains his individuality and does not lose himself in the transcendence or in Nirvana?
I would like to know, Mother, about this thing.
Alas! as yet there is no supramental body formed! This has still to be realised.
23 September 1964
What has happened now does not seem to be due to the anti-Hindi agitation. Taking advantage of it some unsocial elements have simply turned it to anti-Ashram activities, but against the Divine they cannot stand. This opposition however shows that the time is near when even surface things will change. All this is happening to delay the inevitable destiny of earth. May the Mother's Force be victorious over all obstacles.
Nothing can delay the inevitable realisation.
16 February 1965
The war in the Middle East is perhaps a direct result of the resistance to the Supramental working.
It seems, in Sri Aurobindo's words, that "Rudra still holds the world in the hollow of his hands."
In this connection I would like to know what attitude one should keep with regard to this developing Arab-Israel war. Whether our thoughts should be on the Israeli side or otherwise. Or we should be indifferent to the victory of either if none incarnates the Divine in its fight. In any case, I am sure it will not affect the realisation, as the Mother had once written to me, "Nothing can delay the inevitable realisation."
Those who serve the Truth cannot take one side or another.
Truth is above conflict and opposition.
In Truth all countries unite in a common effort towards progress and realisation.
7 June 1967
I was struck by the power and intensity of Love when I saw You on my birthday. It was the same feeling when I received Your kind message on the Israeli war. All this has made me convinced, not mentally alone, but from the depth of my being, that the power of Divine Love is greater than the power of Divine wrath.
Now I will pray to be enlightened on one point. At present the working is going on with direct Supra-mental Force. Its immediate action on the world of selfishness, strife and disharmony is not encouraging. We see everywhere clashes; the world is going on in the old way as usual, perhaps worse. One is reminded of the old legend that the first thing that arose from the churning of the Ocean of Life was poison. Nectar came last. The action now looks to be similar. India is going on in the same old way, placating Pakistan and the Mussulmans and Russians.
One sentence in the Mother's reply in connection with the Israeli-Arab war seems to me to be very ominous: "This is not the conflict that will decide the future of our civilisation."17 Does it mean that there will be another bigger conflict in which the present civilisation will be destroyed though the world will be saved? Or it means that there may not be any war at all and the fate of our civilisation may be decided by natural evolution of consciousness? But the last one seems very unlikely except that the complete transformation of the Mother's physical will produce such tremendous effect everywhere that disharmony will become impossible.
I am particularly praying for an answer to this question as many, like myself, think that there is a possibility of another war that will decide the future of our civilisation.
It looks evident that if the transformation undertaken could be achieved in its totality, the necessity of another world-war would no more exist.
But purposely, for the sake of the work, the future is not revealed. So your question cannot be answered. Thus for everyone the wisest is to open oneself as much as possible to the force that is pressing for manifestation, to keep sincerely an ardent aspiration and an unshaken faith ... and wait patiently for the result.
With blessings
19 July 1967
What should we expect in music? How to judge the quality of a piece of music? How to develop good taste (for music)? What do you think of light music (cinema, jazz, etc.) which our children like very much?
The role of music lies in helping the consciousness to uplift itself towards the spiritual heights.
All that lowers the consciousness, encourages desires and excites the passions runs counter to the true goal of music and ought to be avoided.
It is not a question of designation but of inspiration—and the spiritual consciousness alone can be the judge there.
22 July 1967
I shall be very thankful if the Mother will please ask S to give a typed copy of the recorded statement of the Mother about the August Darshan. I will easily get it translated from the French.
What I have said to S, is not to be published. S is keeping a record of all I say about the body sadhana which I am doing now. But that record is not to be published, at least for the moment, nor circulated.
The parts of this record which are considered useful for others are published in the Bulletin under the title "Notes sur le chemin" ["Notes on the Way"].
Blessings
12 September 1967
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