Chapter 5June 21, 1967

But a few years ago, you said that the fate of the present civilization would be "settled" in 1967. You used the word "settled."70 Well, the impression is that if the future is to be really "settled," a great many things, a great many latent diseases are yet to come out, aren't they?

Yes... Yes (Mother nods her head several times and remains silent).

I've received a telegram from D., from Darjeeling.71 Her request for a permit has been turned down: she wanted to go farther up, but she has been turned down. She had written a letter that came two or three days ago, in which she said, "The talk is all about spying, the atmosphere is full of spying, all letters are opened, everyone is watched," and "things are in an awful condition." And yesterday, I got the telegram in which she said she has been refused a permit: she has to leave.

Very nervous, people are very, very nervous.

A few days ago, I said something about Muslims and Israelites, and F. noted it down.... The impression it made on me (what should I say?)... The whole life is gone, at any rate: it's hollow, dry, like an empty shell – well, the impression is of an unlit lamp. A lightless lamp! (Mother laughs) Here it is anyway:

"The Muslims and Israelites72 represent the two religions in which faith in God is the most extreme. Only, the Israelites' faith is in an impersonal God, while the Muslims' faith is in a personal God. "Their enmity perhaps exists only because they are neighbors!...

I should add that it was a reply to a letter B. wrote to ask me all kinds of questions, in particular: "Why? These two nations being neighbors, why do they hate each other so much?"

"...That curse on the Jews is a Christian story, it has nothing to do with the Muslims. "Violence and enmity... When brothers hate each other, they do so much more intensely 70A disciple asked Mother in March, 1963: "Mother, on 30th August 1945, you had said: 'I cannot promise you that the Divine's Will is to preserve the present human civilisation.' Can you NOW say that the Divine has decided to preserve the present human civilisation?" Mother answered: "It will be settled in 1967."

71Darjeeling, in the Himalayas, is near the border between Sikkim and Nepal, not far from China.

"The Arabs have a passionate nature. They live almost exclusively in the vital and its passions and desires, while the Israelites live mostly in the mind, with a great power of organization and realization, something quite exceptional. The Israelites are intellectuals with an exceptional will. They are not sentimental, that is to say, they don't like weakness. "The Muslims are impulsive, the Israelites are reasonable. "This is not the conflict that will decide the future of our civilization."

(Rough notation of June 15, 1967)

Yes, he ended his letter with: "This conflict which must decide the present civilization..."73 So my last sentence is in answer to that.

Yes, that's not where the issue is being played out.

No.

But this [the notation] is the lightless lamp!

When Pakistan and China attacked India [in 1965], I had a sort of very clear intuition that the conflict, if there is to be one, that must decide the fate of the civilization, can only be played out in India...

Yes.

Because this is where the last Asura [demon] must symbolically come and die. The issue isn't being played out anywhere else.74

(Mother remains silent)

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(A month later, a disciple sent Mother the following letter, in English, on the same subject:)

"...At present the working is going on with direct Supramental 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.

73The question was worded thus: "Must we think that these two great peoples in conflict represent symbolic forces that are destined to decide the fate of our civilization?"

it mean that there will be another bigger conflict in which the present civilisation will be destroyed though the world will be saved? Or does it mean 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."

(July 19, 1967)

(Mother replied thus, in English:)

"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."

(July 27, 1967)

* * *

ADDENDUM (We venture to publish here a text written by Satprem on June 24, 1967, despite its daring or extreme predictions, for it may hold a grain of truth that time will reveal, and above all because it is obviously influenced by Mother's vision. The following is therefore not so much an exercise in prediction as food

for thought.)

THE END OF THE ASURA If, as Sri Aurobindo announced, the supramental Power is to enter a realizing phase in 1967 and if, as Mother said, the fate of the present civilization is to be settled in 1967, it is clear that the earth's many latent diseases must come out in the open and find a focus somewhere, as an abscess is the focal point for the disease of the body, our earth body.

There are no "catastrophes." The Supramental is a force of order and harmony. So what may seem to us at first glance to be a catastrophe is bound to actually put things in order, work in every way and every detail towards putting the earth in order.

September/October is generally the month of wars. There is but one place in the world where the issue is being played out really and symbolically –