Chapter 4Note on the Texts

THE MOTHER WITH LETTERS ON THE MOTHER consists of two separate but related works: The Mother, a collection of short prose pieces on the Mother, and Letters on the Mother, a selection of letters by Sri Aurobindo in which he referred to the Mother in her transcendent, universal and individual aspects. In addition, the volume contains Sri Aurobindo’s translations of selections from the Mother’s Prayers and Meditations as well as his translation of “Radha’s Prayer”. The Mother, the Letters and the translations are published in three separate parts. PART ONE: THE MOTHER The Mother was first published as a booklet in 1928. It consists of six chapters, all of which were written in 1927. Each chapter has a separate history. Chapter 1. Sri Aurobindo wrote this essay as a message for dis- tribution on 21 February 1927, the birthday of the Mother. Three months earlier, after an important spiritual experience of 24 Novem- ber 1926, Sri Aurobindo had withdrawn from outward contacts and placed the Mother in charge of the disciples who had gathered around him. He told them at that time to turn entirely to her for spiritual and practical guidance. This message therefore had a special significance in its immediate historical context. In 1928 it was published as the first chapter of The Mother. Chapter 2. Sri Aurobindo wrote this piece after he had finished replying to a series of questions asked by Motilal Mehta, a disciple living in Gujarat, in a letter dated 30 May 1927. Motilal’s questions and Sri Aurobindo’s replies are published on page 107 of Letters on Himself and the Ashram, volume 35 of THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SRI AUROBINDO. One of Motilal’s questions referred to the message that is published as Chapter 1 of The Mother. Another question asked for “the