History of Auroville Mother s known words in their context. Book 2 Testing Period

Transcription

1 History of Auroville Mother s known words in their context Book 2 Testing Period 14 th August 1964 February 1965 February 2016 version Edited by Gilles Guigan Auroville Archives gillou@auroville.org.in Corrections and additional information are always welcome History of Auroville Book 2 Page 1

2 History of Auroville Book 2 Page 2

3 1964, August 1964, August 14 th : The S.A.S. holds its first World Conference at the Ashram Theatre in Pondicherry and decides among other things to develop near Pondicherry a new township, which, months later, Mother will name Auroville : The Conference had been announced at least 20 months in advance 1 and its entire programme, approved and blessed by Mother, had been sent along with the April 1964 issue of the Information Letter of the SAS and put up on the Ashram Notice Board: 2 Subjects of the Seminar: 1. How can humanity become one? 2. What is the way of making the consciousness of human unity grow in men? 3. What is a change of consciousness 4. How can a change of consciousness change the life upon earth? Agenda for the Conference: 1. Report of the General Secretary. 2. To receive the report of the Seminar and consider steps to implement its recommendations. 3. To study in what wasy we can serve or help the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in its work of giving to the world an example of a spiritualised life. 4. To consider proposals for furthering the activities of the Society Short talks. * 1 For example, it had been announced in the 1 st issue (January 1963) of the Information Letter of the SAS. 2 Glimpses of the Mother s Love and Action, edited by Vijay Poddar and published by the SAS in In the 4 th issue (January 1964) of the Information Letter of the SAS, Navajata had written: Our World Conference comes off this August. It aims at inviting the attention of all to the ideals of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother so that those who find themselves in accord can get together and work for their realisation. Your suggestions are welcome. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 3

4 * Excerpt from the 8-page Summary Report published in the October 1964 issue of Mother India and reproduced in a brochure entitled: Sri Aurobindo Society s World Conference The first World Conference of Sri Aurobindo Society was held in Pondicherry from 10 th to 14 th August. It was attended by more than 400 delegates from all parts of India and from U.S.A., Japan, East Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Ceylon. The Mother s message to the Conference was: The future of the Earth depends on a change of consciousness. The only hope for the future is in a change of man s consciousness and the change is bound to come. But it is left to men to decide if they will collaborate for this change or it will have to be enforced upon them by the power of crashing circumstances. The conference comprised a two-day seminar, and a two-day plenary session besides a day free for committee meetings. The conference started with the Mother s tape-recorded organ music Aspiration of the body for the Divine and Her words No human will can finally prevail against the Divine s will. Let us put ourselves deliberately and exclusively on the side of the Divine and the victory is ultimately certain. This was followed by a hymn on Sri Aurobindo. Sri Navajata, General Secretary of Sri Aurobindo Society, welcomed the delegates and introduced the two-day Seminar. He observed that the Society had been registered four years back to work for the fulfilment of the ideals of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother throughout the world and that one of the dreams mentioned by Sri Aurobindo in his message of 15 th August 1947 was "A world union forming the outer basis for a fairer, brighter and nobler life for all mankind. 4 The Mother too, in the book 4 The third dream was a world-union forming the outer basis of a fairer, brighter and nobler life for all mankind. That unification of the human world is under way; there is an imperfect initiation organised but struggling against tremendous difficulties. But the momentum is there and it must inevitably increase and conquer. Here too India has begun to play a prominent part and, if she can develop that larger statesmanship which is not limited by the present facts and immediate possibilities but looks into the future and brings it nearer, her presence may make all the difference between a slow and timid and a bold and swift development. A catastrophe may intervene and interrupt or destroy what is being done, but even then the final result is sure. For unification is a necessity of Nature, an inevitable movement. Its necessity for the nations is also clear, for without it the freedom of the small nations may be at any moment in peril and the life even of the large and powerful nations insecure. The unification is therefore to the interests of all, and only human imbecility and stupid selfishness can prevent it; but these cannot stand for ever against the necessity of Nature and the Divine Will. But an outward basis is not enough; there must grow up an international spirit and outlook, international forms and institutions must appear, perhaps such developments as, dual or multilateral citizenship, willed interchange or voluntary fusion of cultures. Nationalism will have fulfilled itself and lost its militancy and would no longer find these things incompatible with self-preservation and the integrality of its outlook. A new spirit of oneness will take hold of the human race. (Sri Aurobindo) History of Auroville Book 2 Page 4

5 Words of The Mother ; had stated that the general aim to be attained was the advent of a progressing universal harmony. 5 He explained that our present life of competition, fearful alertness and brinkmanship was spelling ruin to us in terms of both time and resources and, what was worse, it harmed us psychologically as it meant living in the falsehood of a narrow, egoistic and ignorant division rather than in the truth of unity. In our ignorance we do not realise that by indulging in jealousy, hatred and greed, we ourselves close the doors of our true progress. A true solution to all these problems lies in a change of consciousness. Imagine for a moment, he added, what would be the result if we realised the truth that we are one and the Supreme is progressively, manifesting Himself in this world, and if we planned life accordingly. He informed the gathering of what The Mother had told him, that if the Conference could help even one individual to become conscious, it would be considered a success. Many papers for the Seminar were received but only a few were selected to be read and discussed. On being requested, The Mother had graciously given Her answers to the subjects of the Seminar. They were tape-recorded and played at the end, and were accepted as the findings of the Seminar. 6 The Mother s Answers: 1. How can humanity become One? By becoming conscious of its origin. 2. What is the way of making the consciousness of human unity grow in man? Spiritual Education, that is to say an education which gives more importance to the growth of the spirit than to any religious or moral teaching or to the material so-called knowledge. 3. What is a change of consciousness? A change of consciousness is equivalent to a new birth, a birth in a higher sphere of existence. 4. How can a change of consciousness change the life upon earth? A change in human consciousness will make possible the manifestation upon earth of a higher Force, a purer Light, a more total Truth. [ ] The following proposals are approved by The Mother:- 1) Opening of Sri Aurobindo Society s Centres in the different countries of the world. 2) Translation and publication of Sri Aurobindo s and The Mother s writings in different languages. 3) Development of a township near Pondicherry, with all the amenities and facilities for residence and work for those who want to prepare for a better life. 7 4) Establishment of a studio for production of good films. 5) Setting up of Industries which will demonstrate a true solution to labour problems. 6) Publications and meetings in different countries of the world to explain what is spiritual education, how it can be imparted, and how a true world unity in diversity can be achieved. 8 All who may like to cooperate are welcome. * 5 These words are not found in Words of The Mother, 1, 2 or 3 (CWM, Vol. XIII, XIV & XV) but in Words of Long Ago (CWM, Vol. II, p. 47), in an article She wrote in 1912 in which She wrote: The general aim to be attained is the advent of a progressing universal harmony. The means for attaining this aim, in regard to the earth, is the realisation of human unity through the awakening in all and the manifestation by all of the inner Divinity which is One. In other words to create unity by founding the Kingdom of God which is within us. 6 The tape recording of these questions and of Mother s answers is available at AV Archives. 7 Vijay wrote in GMLA: To develop a township near Pondicherry for those who want to prepare for a new life. 8 In his report in GMLA, Vijay wrote instead: To work for World Unity in diversity through spiritual education. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 5

6 The proposal to develop a new township came from Navajata, 9 the General-Secretary of the SAS. According to his son, his intention was to make it easier, or even possible, for SAS members (and other disciples) who wished to live near Mother and the Ashram and/or to establish their business there to do so in good conditions while being in the atmosphere of like-minded people. To understand the rationale behind Navajata s proposal, one has to keep in mind that the Ashram had evolved a lot during and after WW II. The Japanese bombing of Calcutta during WW II had resulted in many disciples moving with their respective families to Pondicherry feeling that it was the safest place on earth. The presence of these children had convinced Mother to start the Ashram School on 2 nd December (Before that, children were not allowed at the Ashram.) The flow of disciples moving to Pondicherry had amplified after the War (1945), after India s independence (1947) and after the merger of Pondicherry with India ( de facto in 1954 and de jure in 1962). Some of these disciples had also established their business there in order to provide for their respective families and be able to offer money to Mother. Their wish was to live near Mother and the Ashram in order to be in Her atmosphere and be able to contribute to Her work without having to meet all the constraining conditions Ashramites had to meet. Navajata s proposal was an answer to this wish. As, in India s gurukul tradition, disciples are keen to live in the house of their guru, land and accommodations were to belong to the SAS whose President was the Mother. We will see that it will only be several months later that Mother will take up Navajata s township project, that She will name it Auroville and will widen a lot its scope and magnitude to make it an attempt to develop an ideal town. Though the launching of Auroville will eventually be remembered as one of Mother s main ACTIONS, its ambition was at first so limited that the decision to develop it was not considered as a major event worth reporting in detail. See: Mother does not find the need to mention the decision to develop it to Satprem during their conversations on 14 th and 19 th August Though, in its October 1964 issue, Mother India, will present an 8 pages report of this World Conference, only two of its lines will be on the future township. The October 1964 issue of the Information Letter of the SAS will report briefly on the World Conference without mentioning any of the proposals it had approved. Though, in its issue of the 4 th quarter of 1964, the Bulletin will present a one-page report on this World Conference, it won t mention any of the approved proposals. On 23 rd June 1965, Mother will tell Satprem that, until a few days back, she had only a very secondary interest in [Auroville] because [she] had not received anything direct. * The fourth proposal refers to New Horizon International, the project of Dr. Alexander Markey, an American film-maker, who had, in the mid 1950 s, wanted to create a school and studio of cinema near the Ashram farm named Lake Estate because of its proximity to Ossudu (Usteri) Lake. On 20 th August 1960, 10 Mother had spoken to Satprem about this project which was to include many other things. Though it hadn t taken off at that time, She told Satprem it was not abandoned : But then Markey left; he died [in 1958]. That s what happens things change. It s not that the project stops, but it s forced to take other paths. Auroville brochures will continue to mention this cinema project for years. 9 Vijay Poddar told this editor that this proposal had been submitted by his father, Navajata, and that, later, Mother turned it into something far more ambitious than what he had proposed at this Conference. Page 48 of his By the Way Pranab Bhattacharya wrote that [originally], Auroville was the idea of Navajat. Shraddhavan told this editor that, sometime during the 1970 s, Kishorilal Dhandania had told her the same. 10 Read Mother s Agenda, or the entry in this compilation dated 20 th August History of Auroville Book 2 Page 6

7 1964, August 15 th : Sri Aurobindo s 88 th Birthday. On that day, a number of photos are taken of Mother s mudras. * Message distributed within the Ashram: MA, p. 167; SAS Info (6, Oct. 1964). Avoid the imagination that the supramental life will be only a heightened satisfaction of the desires of the vital and the body; nothing can be a greater obstacle to the Truth in its descent than this hope of glorification of the animal in human nature. Mind wants the supramental state to be a confirmation of its own cherished ideas and preconceptions; the vital wants it to be a glorification of its own desires; the physical wants it to be a rich prolongation of its own comfort and pleasures and habits. If it were to be that, it would be only an exaggerated and highly magnified consummation of the animal and the human nature, not a transition from the human into the Divine. (Sri Aurobindo) * Message for the issuance of a Sri Aurobindo Commemorative stamp: The Mother, Her Miraculous Touch, Vol. II, p August 15, 1964 He has come to bid the earth to prepare for a luminous future. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 7

8 1964, August 24 th : Message for the opening of the athletic competition of the Ashram s Physical Education Department (P.E.D.): SAS Info (6, Oct. 1964). We are here to lay the foundations of a new world. All the virtues and skills required to succeed in athletics are exactly those the physical man must have to be fit for receiving and manifesting the new force. I expect that with this knowledge and in this spirit you will enter this athletic competition and go through it successfully. My blessings are with you. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 8

9 1964, September 1964, September 16 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem in which Mother comments Sri Aurobindo s aphorisms Nos. 103 to 107, which all pertain to Sannyasa: AM, pp ; MA, pp French, conversation, tape-recording available. Mon petit, that s why we started the Ashram! That was the idea. Because when I was in France, I was always asking myself, How can people have the time to find themselves? How can they even have the time to understand the way to free themselves? So I thought: a place where material needs are sufficiently satisfied, so that if you truly want to free yourself, you can do so. And it was on this idea that the Ashram was founded 11, not on any other: a place where people s means of existence would be sufficient to give them the time to think of the True Thing. [Mother smiles] Human nature is such that laziness has taken the place of aspiration (not for everyone, but still fairly generally), and license or libertinism has taken the place of freedom. Which would tend to prove that the human species must go through a period of brutal handling before it can be ready to get away more sincerely from the slavery to activity. The first movement is indeed like this: At last, to find the place where I can concentrate, find myself, live truly without having to bother about material things... This is the first aspiration (it s even on this basis that the disciples at least in the beginning were chosen), but it doesn t last! Things become easy, so you let yourself go. There are no moral restraints, so you do stupid things. But it cannot even be said it was a mistake in recruiting it would be tempting to believe this, but it s not true, because the recruiting was done on the basis of a rather precise and clear inner sign... It s probably the difficulty of keeping the inner attitude unalloyed. That s exactly what Sri Aurobindo wanted and attempted; he used to say, If I can find a hundred people, it will be enough for my purpose. 12 But it wasn t a hundred for long, and I must say that when it was a hundred, it was already mixed. Many people came, attracted by the True Thing, but... one slackens. In other words, an impossibility to remain firm in one s true position. * On , Mother had already spoken to Her class on a similar line: Questions & Answers, French verbal. At the beginning of my present earthly existence, I came into contact with many people who said that they had a great inner aspiration, an urge towards something deeper and truer, but that they were tied down, subjected, slaves to that brutal necessity of earning their living, and that this weighed them down so much, took so much of their time and energy that they could not engage in any other activity inner or outer. I heard this very often, I saw many poor people I don t mean poor from the monetary point of view, but poor, because they felt imprisoned in a material necessity, narrow and deadening. I was very young at that time, and I always used to tell myself that if ever I could do it, I would try to create a little world oh! quite a small one, but still... a small world where people would live without having to be preoccupied with food and lodging and clothing and all the imperative necessities of life, so as to see whether all the energies freed by this certainty of a secure material living would turn spontaneously towards the divine life and the inner realisation. 11 Obviously, Mother will found Auroville on this idea too because, on , she will tell Satprem: Ultimately, [Auroville] must be a town for studies studies and research on how to live both in a simplified way and in a way such that the higher qualities have MORE TIME to develop. 12 On , Sri Aurobindo wrote to his younger brother, Barin: I do not want hundreds of thousands of disciples. It will be enough if I can get a hundred complete men, purified of petty egoism, who will be the instruments of God. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 9

10 Well, towards the middle of my life at least, what is usually the middle of a human life the means was given to me and I could realise this, that is, create such conditions of life. And I have come to this conclusion, that it is not this necessity which hinders people from consecrating themselves to an inner realisation, but that it is a dullness, a tamas, a lack of aspiration, a miserable laxity, an I-don t-care attitude, and that those who face even the hardest conditions of life are sometimes the ones who react most and have the intensest aspiration. That s all. I am waiting for the contrary to be proved to me. I would very much like to see the contrary but I haven t yet seen it. As there are many energies which are not utilised, since this terrible compulsion of having something to eat or a roof to sleep under or clothes on one s back does not exist as one is sure of all that there is a whole mass of energies which are not utilised for that; well, they are spent in idle stupidities. And of these, the foolishness which seems to me the most disastrous is to keep one s tongue going: chatter, chatter, chatter. I haven t known a place where they chatter more than here, and say everything they should not say, busy themselves with things they should not be concerned with. And I know it is merely an overflow of unused energy. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 10

11 1964, October 1964, October 8 th : The SAS purchases a first plot of land for Auroville (at the rate of Rs 300/acre): Plot No 175/2 (according to new survey) in Thiruchitrambalam Panchayatt. It is now part of Aurobrindavan that is on the west side of the NH 66. Auroville s Land records On 23 rd June 1965 Mother will explain to Satprem: Then, [in 1964] we took up the idea of Auroville again (I was the one who called it Auroville ), but from the other end: instead of the formation having to find the place [as had been the case in the 1930 s when we had made a first attempt to develop an ideal town in the then princely State of Hyderabad], it was the place [between Ossudu Lake and the NH 66] that caused the formation to be born. 1964, October: SAS Info letter (6, Oct. 1964). Report on the World Conference: By the Mother s grace the World Conference went off well. The report will be sent to the members shortly. Here we are reproducing the Mother s answers to the subjects of the Seminar The Seminar on Human Unity. The questions and answers are those already reproduced above. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 11

12 1964, November 1964, November 16 th : Having learned that people had started contributing money for plots of land in the new town launched by the SAS (with the intention of building their house there), Huta writes to Mother to ask Her whether she too could have a small house there. Mother replies: MMTL p. 3; Spirit, p. 5; AVMW, p. 29. English My dear little child Huta, You will have your house in the new town. 14 But it may not be so soon as you believe. With love. Hence, the SAS is already raising funds for the new town and buying land for it; it is also already inviting financial contributions from people wanting to have a plot in Auroville (as Mother will later repeatedly say). All this is obviously approved by Mother (who is President of the SAS); in fact, She writes Her sanction on every application form for residence in Auroville and then signs them. 1964, November 24 th : Darshan message: Darshan Messages of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother English The world will trouble you so long as any part of you belongs to the world. It is only if you belong entirely to the Divine that you become free. (Sri Aurobindo) 1964, November, 28 th : The SAS buys a first plot of land for its new town, in the Pattanur Panchayatt west of Aurobrindavan where it had bought its first plot of land for Auroville. It is now part of Sadhana Forest. Auroville s Land records 14 Note that Mother still speaks of the new town, which may imply that she had not yet named it Auroville. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 12

13 1964, December 1964, 4 th Quarter: The Bulletin publishes this text written by Mother: White Roses, pp ; Bulletin, Feb, 65, p. 89. Mother will mentions it to Satprem on English Those who wish to help the Light of Truth to prevail over the forces of darkness and falsehood can do so by carefully observing the initiating impulses of their movements and actions, and discriminate between those that come from the Truth and those that come from falsehood, in order to obey the first and refuse or reject the others. This power of discrimination is one of the first effects of the advent of the Truth s Light in the earth s atmosphere. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 13

14 Indeed it is very difficult to discriminate the impulses of truth from the impulses of falsehood, unless one has received this special gift of discrimination that the Light of Truth has brought. However, to help at the beginning, one can take as a guiding rule that all that brings with it or creates peace, faith, joy, harmony, wideness, unity and ascending growth comes from the Truth; while all that carries with it restlessness, doubt, scepticism, sorrow, discord, selfish narrowness, inertia, discouragement and despair comes straight from the falsehood. 1964, December 25 th : Christmas Message: Bulletin Feb 1965, p Gaz. Vol 1, No 5-6, p. 17. English & French If you want peace in the world or upon earth, first establish peace in your heart. If you want union in the world, first unify the different parts of your own being On 5 th June 1965, speaking of this message, Mother will tell Satprem: It went to World Union. This message shows that, at that time, peace and human unity were already on top of Mother s concerns. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 14

15 New Year Message French & English. 1965, January Salute to the advent of the Truth. 1965, early: Mother decides to take up the township project of Navajata and his SAS. Her interest may have increased when She understood that the response to it was very positive and/or when She decided to widen its scope. Whereas the resolution passed by the Society s Conference spoke only of amenities and facilities for residence and work, the Information Letter of the SAS and/or the Bulletin are now mentioning more facilities: Facilities Mother had spoken of earlier but had not yet been able to create: o an Auditorium [with an excellent organ an old dream of Mother], o a colony for employees [on 10 th July 1954, Mother had written to the Employees of Sri Aurobindo Ashram to inform them about her intentions to create one for them], o Pavilions representing the various cultures of the world [Mother had written about these in the Bulletin in 1952 as the main facilities of the International University Centre which She was in the process of establishing in the Ashram]. Other facilities: Residential houses, an Industrial Estate, medical and educational buildings, guest houses, restaurants, shopping centres, an artist colony, a colony for the aged, orchards, farms, flower gardens, an air-strip, and all that goes to make up a complete town. We have seen that, in the late 1930 s Mother had attempted to build an ideal town for the Ashram (in the then princely state of Hyderabad) and that it was still-born. She is now making another attempt. But, why a town? Why not developing in an existing town as the Ashram had done? The idea was to own fully a large territory (a compound or campus) so that it is free from private property and enables Auroville to do the following within it: Develop as it wishes without having to respect the rights of other owners; Create its own rules and regulations for development and not depend on the goodwill and understanding of some non-auroville panchayat or municipal authority; Regulate admissions in order to protect its atmosphere from undesirable mixture. Develop and operate/maintain its own infrastructure and municipal services instead of paying municipal taxes to some outside authority which is expected to provide these. Whenever required/possible, become a money-free zone and society. The first sentence of A Dream (in which She described, in 1954, an ideal society) is: There should be somewhere on earth a place which no nation could claim as its own Though there is no report in Auroville s Archives stating that, at this early stage, Mother spoke already of Her hope to have such a free territory for Auroville, it is likely to have been there at least in Her consciousness. Her long-time wish was definitely not to separate Auroville from India (creating more divisions was definitely not part of Her program) but to have a territory free of private property/possession, free of money, free of all existing laws, rules and regulations (hence History of Auroville Book 2 Page 15

16 free of all existing taxes and duties) and free of the rule of any outside authority so that it is able to develop truly freely and create its own organisation and governance system, its own laws, rules, regulations, contribution system, its own judicial system, etc. all this according to its own evolving state of consciousness. For this to be at all possible, Auroville s territory would probably need to be quite large She names the new township Auroville 16 and it is probably at this occasion that She writes this undated message: Blessings to Auroville Bénédictions à Auroville As more land is now required, it is decided to develop the township on both side of the NH 66 and not only on its west side. Map showing the fist site (1964), the second site (1965) and the final site (1966 onwards) 16 Ville is the French word for City. Though Auro obviously refers to Sri Aurobindo, Mother wanted Auroville to be known as the Ville de l Aurore The city of Dawn. In English, Mother will refer to Auroville as a Town and as a City ; in French as a Ville and as a Cité. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 16

17 It is probably around that time that the SAS starts circulating this particular model of application form for Land in Auroville, later renamed Application Form for Residence in Auroville : Application form for Land in Auroville Land in Auroville The minimum area of land allotment is 3,000 sq. ft. [279 m²] and larger areas are granted if desired. The Mother has fixed Rupee One per square foot [Rs 11/m²] 17 as donation for the use of developed land (incl. water and electric connection up to the site) 18. The amount can be paid in full at once or in instalments subject to The Mother s approval. All cheques should be drawn in favour of the Sri Aurobindo Society. 17 This amounts to Rs. 44,000/acre for developed plots. The SAS started buying agricultural land at Rs 300/acre. The contributions asked for plots weren t raised even when land prices shot to Rs 5,000/acre and more. 18 In a township, developed plots of land normally includes also roads, sewage and telephone connections. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 17

18 The whole township with all its property will belong to the SAS of which the Mother is the President. Persons accepted for residence will be granted the use of the house and land throughout their lifetime and their children can continue to use them if they follow the same ideals and have The Mother s approval. 19 Those who wish to start an industry may submit their proposals. Each application is placed before The Mother with a photograph of the applicant and the allotment is made after obtaining The Mother s approval. 20 The application should indicate the extent of land applied for and the procedure of payment. A copy of the latest photograph of the applicant must also be enclosed. We are trying to obtain government loans of 80% on residential houses and 70% loans for industry, repayable within fifteen years by the persons concerned. 21 Provisions will be made for those wanting single rooms and also for those requiring two-room apartments. The donation for these will be decided later. In all matters, the decision of The Mother, President of the SAS, will be final. 19 Note that No private property was a rule from the outset but possession rights were guaranteed. 20 In fact, it doesn t seem that the allotment was ever done. At first, it was because the site kept moving eastwards and then because Roger didn t like the idea of allotting such large plots and the SAS had no money to create the promised infrastructure. (In all likelihood, it had spent all the contributions made towards developed plots of land on purchasing more land, hoping that more money would come in due time to create the infrastructure. 21 It doesn t seem that such loans were ever made available. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 18

19 1965, February 1965, February 11 th : The Ashram, many of its departments and buildings as well as connected industrial undertakings are attacked by violent mobs in the night during the anti-hindi demonstrations. Bulletin Apr. 65, p. 80. French & English 1965, February 16 th : In response to this attack, Mother writes the following declaration: Bulletin 2 nd Quarter 1965, p.82; SAS Info (7, March 1965) English A declaration Some people looking at things superficially, might ask how is it that the Ashram exists in this town for so many years and is not liked by the population? The first and immediate answer is that all those in this population who are of a higher standard in culture, intelligence, good will and education not only have welcomed the Ashram but have expressed their sympathy, admiration and good-feeling. Sri Aurobindo Ashram has in Pondicherry many sincere and faithful followers and friends. This said, our position is clear. We do not fight against any creed, any religion. We do not fight against any form of government. We do not fight against any social class. We do not fight against any nation or civilisation. We are fighting division, unconsciousness, ignorance, inertia and falsehood. We are endeavouring to establish upon earth union, knowledge, consciousness, Truth, and we fight whatever opposes the advent of this new creation of Light, Peace, Truth and Love. History of Auroville Book 2 Page 19

20 1965, February 21 st : Mother s 87 th birthday Gaz. Vol. 3 No 4-5 p. 3; CWM, Vol. XV, p. 199; Bulletin, 1965, 2 nd Quarter. French & English Darshan Message: Above all the complications of the so-called human wisdom stands the luminous simplicity of the Divine s Grace, ready to act if we allow it to do so «Au dessus de toutes les complications de la soi-disant sagesse humaine, se tient la lumineuse simplicité de la Grâce Divine, prête à agir si nous la laissons faire.» History of Auroville Book 2 Page 20