Chapter 7October 23, 1971

transferred to British India when I go there, already exists at Pondicherry, but I need funds both to maintain and to enlarge it....

Many more desire and are fit to undertake this Sadhana than I can at present admit and it is only by large means being placed at my disposal that I can carry on this work which is necessary as a preparation for my own return to action....

Aurobindo Ghose

On Himself, XXVI.435

* * *

1 December 1922

Dear Barin, ...I must now make clear the reasons why I hesitated to sanction the publication [of certain texts].... But that about noncooperation would lead, I think, to a complete misunderstanding of my real position. Some would take it to mean that I accept the Gandhi programme.... As you know, I do not believe that the Mahatma’s principle can be the true foundation or his programme the true means of bringing out the genuine freedom and greatness of India.... My own policy, if I were in the field, would be radically different in principle and programme.... But the country is not yet ready to understand its principle or to execute its programme.

Because I know this very well, I am content to work still on the spiritual and psychic plane, preparing there the ideas and forces, which may afterwards at the right moment and under the right conditions precipitate themselves into the vital and material field, and I have been careful not to make any public pronouncement as that might prejudice my possibilities of future action. What that will be will depend on developments. The present trend of politics may end in abortive unrest, but it may also stumble with the aid of external circumstances into some kind of simulacrum of selfgovernment. In either case the whole real work will remain to be done. I wish to keep myself free for it in either case....

Aurobindo

On Himself, XXVI.438

(Satprem reads to Mother a letter from G., which ends with the following question.)

Yes, at the end he says: “Mother, what sort of change may take shape in life if one becomes just Thy Will but nothing else?”

(after a silence)

Supreme Peace, certitude, and even the functioning of the body can change.

(Satprem has not heard well:) You said Supreme Peace....

Supreme Peace is established and becomes constant, and then....

Then the functioning of the body can change.

And certitude in the action also. A certitude in the action when you do things.

That’s all?

It’s very difficult to know what to do.... You get the feeling there’s a Silence, that nothing responds – nothing tells you: “Do this or do that.” So you wonder if that silence means you should simply remain inactive and still, or if you should undertake a positive act, “pull” something and act.

It depends on the case. There’s a slight difference.... There are cases when nothing comes – nothing, everything is stopped. So there you have to wait until it runs its course. There are cases where you are NATURALLY led to do one thing or another, which seems totally indifferent but is part of the Action (I don’t know how to say it). I have experienced both. It depends on the case. There are cases where nothing is needed. There are cases where it’s simply as though you put the Divine ON the thing (Mother makes a gesture of aiming a beam). You know, you’re like... not an intermediary, I don’t know... it’s like a power of concentration on something; then the Divine Force flows through and is focused (same gesture of aiming a beam), but you yourself do nothing – yet the thing is done. Sometimes, if there is a word to be said, then the word comes to you; or if there is something to be done (it may seem like a very small, indifferent thing), you just have to do it quietly – you are LED to do it.

You’re led, yes, I understand....

(silence,

torrential rain)

Because, my own fear is that I am divided between the idea that I must do something and the idea that if there is really something to be done, inevitably the Divine will make me do it.

But then, you wonder whether that’s inactivity, passivity [or even somnolence], or whether you should do something – that’s the only thing.

No, there is a moment when it becomes clear. It all depends on.... All personal preferences and desires