Chapter 6September 18, 1965

Little Mother, After what you said this morning, I am wondering if we, the young, do not as citizens of India have the duty of offering our service to the country. Or at least to prepare ourselves for this possibility?

Your child who loves you,

Signed: Sujata

(Mother's answer)

For those who are capable of it, the service to the divine Work is infinitely more important than the service to the country.

I do not think I have said anything this morning that could contradict this undeniable fact.

Signed: Mother

(Regarding the Indo-Pakistani conflict:)

I have all kinds of things to show you... because I have been made to say some things – I am always made to say things!

(Mother gives Satprem

a hibiscus flower called "Grace")

It's the season for graces.

Do you know this text from Sri Aurobindo? (Mother holds out a note)

"... The fight in which we are engaged is not like the wars of old in which when the King or leader fell, the army fled. The King whom we follow to the war today is our own Motherland, the sacred and imperishable; the leader of our onward march is the Almighty Himself...."

"It is for the sake and the triumph of Truth that India is fighting and must fight84 until India and Pakistan have once more become ONE because that is the truth of their being."

A member of UNESCO has asked a stupid question, something to this effect: "There was a time when India represented the spiritual consciousness" (or "taught the spiritual consciousness," I don't remember now), "but now that she is engaged in such a war, who will play this role?"...85 So instead of replying to the question, because I might have told him a thing or two, I answered what you've just read.

Of course! All those Europeans... for fifty years they have been told about Gandhi, so now they don't understand!

That's right. Let your throat be cut without saying a word.

And here is another text of mine that someone has brought back to life:

"The world situation is critical today. India's fate too is hanging in the balance. There was a time when India was absolutely secure, there was no danger whatever of her being a victim to Asuric aggression. But things have changed. People and forces in India have acted in such a way as to invite Asuric influences upon her; these have worked insidiously and undermined the security that was there...."

It dates back to long ago. I was here.

(Sujata:) Long ago, you said, "If there is another war, it will be over India."86 Yes, that was long ago.

But when the division between India and Pakistan took place, Sri Aurobindo wrote very strongly: this division MUST go somehow or other, "by whatever means," he said.87 And to me he said, "If they can't agree on doing it, they will fight."

And yet, if we give credence to official declarations from Delhi, they don't at all intend to go right to the end. They only intend to "adjust" the border a little.

There was a letter from S.M. this morning, saying that the question would never be resolved unless 84Interestingly, Mother had at first written shall fight, then, in the afternoon, she changed shall into must.

85Here is the exact text of the question: "If India, who held (till recently) the hope for humanity in the light of her spiritual leaders, can get involved in such a war, who would lead the world?"

Yes, but that's not what the Prime Minister says.

The Prime Minister... They are all afraid.88 Afraid of world opinion.

Yes, exactly.

At any rate, P. is leaving today for Delhi, and he is taking with him all my "literature" (they hayed asked, "What does Mother say?").

We still have a "Talk" to see for the next Bulletin, don't we? It would be better to finish it. It will be better to finish preparing the issue early, because... things may become more difficult.

Is it going to disorganize your work?

Possibly. I told you about the "hurricane" the other day. So China has sent her ultimatum.89

I don't understand why they give advance warning by the way. If I were them, I wouldn't.

No, they don't intend to do anything.

They don't intend to do anything?

They want to intimidate without doing anything, and they want to know how the world will react. And America reacted immediately.90

(silence)

In Pakistan, there was a firing system of the latest American model, in which they take aim with, I don't know, electrical systems, and they can fire several thousand shots in... anyway, it's frightening; and 87In his message of August 15, 1947, on the occasion of India's independence, Sri Aurobindo wrote: "... The old communal division into Hindus and Muslims seems now to have hardened into a permanent political division of the country. It is to be hoped that this settled fact will not be accepted as settled for ever or as anything more than a temporary expedient. For if it lasts, India may be seriously weakened, even crippled: civil strife may remain always possible, possible even a new invasion and foreign conquest. India's internal development and prosperity may be impeded, her position among the nations weakened, her destiny impaired or even frustrated. This must not be; the partition must go. Let us hope that that may come about naturally, by an increasing recognition of the necessity not only of peace and concord but of common action, by the practice of common action and the creation of means for that purpose. In this way unity may finally come about under whatever form – the exact form may have a pragmatic but not a fundamental importance. But by whatever means, in whatever way, the division must go; unity must and will be achieved, for it is necessary for the greatness of India's future." (Cent. Ed., 26.404-405)

88Four days later, on the 22nd, Lal Bahadur Shastri will announce a cease-fire.

89China has given India three days to dismantle its military posts at the borders of Sikkim.