History of Auroville Mother s known words in their context. Book 4 The Nebula Year

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1 History of Auroville Mother s known words in their context Book 4 The Nebula Year March 1966 February 1967 February 2016 version Edited by Gilles Guigan Auroville Archives gillou@auroville.org.in Corrections and additional information are always welcome History of Auroville Book 4 Page 1

2 History of Auroville Book 4 Page 2

3 1966, March 1966, March 1 st : Answer to Huta who had asked what virtue one should possess in order to be worthy of being a guardian of the Truth Pavilion : MMTL, p. 12; Spirit, p. 40; AVMW, p. 58. English Very dear little child Huta The pure love from your heart and soul is all that is required to make you worthy of being the guardian of the Truth Pavilion. LOVE 1966, March 4 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Huta: MMTL, p. 13; Spirit, p. 41. English. Verbal. Child, Roger is coming on the 7 th and I am going to see him on the 8 th. I shall tell you all about the plan when you come on the 10 th. 1966, March 7 th : Answer to Huta who had again asked that the foundation stone of the Truth Pavilion be laid at the earliest: MMTL, p. 14, Spirit, p. 42; AVMW, p. 58. English. My dear little child Huta, I have left everything to the Lord. It is He who decides and will always decide for this body As yet, for this matter, He has not let me know His will That is why I have not answered. With all my love. 1966, March 8 th : Having arrived from Paris, Roger presents to Mother his first two concepts/models: 1 Rectangular model Nebula model 1 Vijay Poddar remembers helping to carry these two models up to Mother s room. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 3

4 Mother rejects the Rectangular concept which is not based on Her own sketch of the town. She accepts wholeheartedly the Nebula concept, which is based on Her sketch of the town and whose road network is based on Her symbol as can be seen in the drawing below left: Road pattern of the Nebula concept It is based on Mother s symbol Map showing the location and magnitude of the Nebula concept Excerpt from a 1996 interview of Roger (in French) by Luigi and Aryamani: Luigi s as well as Roger s personal archives. French As I did not know exactly what [Mother] wanted whether it was a city open to the world, or an inward looking city, like a protected fortress of spirituality, we came up with two projects, two concepts. Two teams worked separately and so I came with two projects. 2 She chose immediately. She said it is the open city. 3 She was very clear about it; there was no need to discuss it. You understood what I wanted. It is perfect. We were very happy. * Information published in the Information Letter of the SAS: SAS Info Letter (8, June 1966) English Mr. Roger Anger, the architect of the Auroville Project arrived in March from Paris with plans and photographs of the Project, which will form the master plan. An exhibition has been arranged in the Auroville House where they are on display. There is a little story behind the plan as it has emerged at present. After many weeks of research full of doubts as to what solution should be adopted, one of the architects saw the nebula in vision. 4 Next morning the architects found the same nebula in a photograph appearing in a magazine. From then on the work developed in an extraordinary atmosphere, the architects feeling as if they were guided. The original nebula has spontaneously developed into The Mother s symbol giving shape to the township. * 2 The rectangular concept was conceived by a team led by Pierre Puccinelli and Michel Loyer who developed a system of houses with patios and superposed suspended gardens in the line of the work the firm had already produced for projects in Paris and Grenoble. The circular concept was conceived by a team led by Mario Heyman and Pierre Brastlavsky; it favoured a concentric and symbolical urbanism. Strangely, though Roger must have overseen the work of both teams, his name is neither mentioned in Anupama Kundoo s book on Roger (p. 119), nor in the article of the French architecture magazine which provided this information. 3 Note that, at that time, Mother was still saying that money would circulate in Auroville as long as human will be such and that, from 1969 onwards, She will repeatedly say that it won t. Obviously this major policy reversal will make Auroville far less open to tourists. 4 Highlighting is by the editor. Vijay Poddar (Navajata s son) and Piero told this editor independently that the architect who had this vision was Pierre Brastlavsky. (Mother will refer to him as the Russian communist.) History of Auroville Book 4 Page 4

5 In the town s centre is conceived the Park of Unity and the Sanctuary of Truth with the Matrimandir 5 surrounded by a lake. Around, four sectors have been planned: residential, cultural, international and industrial. A free spirit of architectural innovation will be used in the different types of buildings in the residential zone: apartment houses, private villas, etc. They will be laid out in various ways among gardens, around squares and along streets paved with mosaic. They will form picturesque views opening on fountains, ponds, flower beds and works of art. The cultural zone is conceived to bear witness to the cultural wealth of the world s civilisations and to favour all research that can contribute to the development of understanding and a higher consciousness in man. The academies of Arts and Sciences will permit artists and scientists from all countries to dedicate themselves to their work in full freedom and independence. Fully equipped sports installations and facilities will give a place of fundamental importance to the harmonious development of the physical body. The international zone will be composed of pavilions of all nations and of the Indian States. These will be veritable embassies of the culture, arts and handicrafts characteristic of each country. A competition is foreseen among the architects of each country for the design of the pavilions of their respective nations. Industries and handicrafts and a vast agricultural complex will be grouped in the industrial zone. This area will reflect its own forms of beauty. Functional architectural designs, landscaping and colours will play their part in shaping the face of this new town and will foster a happy and harmonious spirit in work. Information published in the Bulletin s Report on the Quarter : Bulletin, April 1966 p French & English M. Roger Anger the architect of the Auroville project arrived on the 7 th March from Paris with plans and photographs of the Project, which will form the Master Plan The original plan 6 has now been replaced with the new scheme which arose originally from a dream of a nebulus 7 and developed quite unwittingly into the form of the Mother s Symbol 8 representing the four Aspects of the Mother. The magnitude and vast range of the project could be seen in its true perspective. * A folder, Auroville the city of human unity, distributed at the Inauguration Ceremony included a sheet representing the Galaxy model and on another sheet stated in a paragraph on History : * Certain things are determined beforehand by necessity as well as by inspiration. This combination occurred in the general shape of Auroville itself. It had been decided that Auroville follow in outline the shape of an open lotus. 9 But before anything could be out down on a drawing board, one of the 5 Underlining is by the editor to point out that one finds in this report, published in June 1966, the first mention of the word Matrimandir which until then was referred to as the Truth Pavilion or as the Mother s Shrine. The word Matrimandir is also used in the brochure which depicts the Nebula model and was sent to all UNESCO Delegations prior to their General Conference in October-November Our guess is that Mother gave this name either for the first exhibition on Auroville (and the Nebula concept) which opened on 19 th March 1966, or sometime mid 1966 (before June) when this first Auroville brochure was prepared for UNESCO. 6 Unfortunately, neither of the Archives (Ashram, SAS or Auroville) have a copy of this original plan. 7 The French word nébuleuse is translated nebulus in the Bulletin and nebula in Mother s Agenda. 8 Note that, like the Information Letter of the SAS, the Bulletin also speaks of a dream (or vision) which developed quite unwittingly into the form of the Mother s Symbol. 9 This is probably a mistake for it was the Matrimandir and not the town which was to look like an open lotus. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 5

6 architects dreamed of a city as a nova. When he saw the nova in a French magazine a week later the idea took root , March 10 th : Letter to Huta: MMTL, p. 15; Spirit, p. 43; AVMW, p English My dear little child Huta, I have said nothing about Auroville this morning, because I had not yet had a talk with Roger. Yesterday, I saw only the plans and models of the town that are simply wonderful, just as I wanted them to be. They will be exhibited in the Auroville office in front of the Ashram. You can see them there, and I am sure that you will be happy as the Truth Pavilion is a kind of island in the centre of an artificial round lake and looks like an immense lotus opened towards heaven. I talked with Roger only this afternoon and he told me all his plans of action and work which are excellent. He says that the foundation stone must be laid only when the work of construction will start; and naturally things are not yet ready for that. It will take some time more, which is quite right and wise. You see, that is why the Lord did not give his answer to your prayer because the time is not yet come for it. With all my love. 1966, March 11 th : Answer to Huta who had written to say how grateful she was for the information she was given and who had also expressed her feeling about the Truth Pavilion : MMTL, p. 15. English. Fac simile available. Indeed true love is always patient. It is only desire that is impatient. * 10 Note that this dream pertained to the Nebula concept and not to the Galaxy concept. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 6

7 Answer to a question from Arindam: AV Archives (Arindam s file). English. Q.: Mother. The SAA Information Office proposes to use this copy in a pamphlet directed specifically to a limited creative-intellectual group in America. Shall we do this? The section on Auroville which you saw a few days ago and marked very good, would be included with this. 11 Let this go and touch those who are ready. Blessings. 1966, March 12 th : Answer to Huta who had written that some people did not like the idea of her being the Guardian of the Truth Pavilion : MMTL, p. 17; Spirit, p. 52; AVMW, p. 59. English. Fac simile available. My very dear little child Huta, Fear not. The Lord is not influenced by what people say or desire. You will be the guardian of the Pavilion as decided. LOVE. 1966, March 14 th : Huta reports that during the night of 13 th, she was strongly inspired to do a painting. She felt within her that Mother had sent her inspiration and vision to her, and she must do something. She got up from her bed and did the painting. But she did not know what it represented, so the next morning she sent it to Mother who writes back: MMTL, p. 18; AVMW, p. 59. English The Spirit of Auroville. 11 This document is entitled American Pavilion in Auroville and is herewith attached: Annexure 66-c. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 7

8 Letter to Huta: My very dear little child Huta, The painting is pretty and the inspiration good. Is it the spirit of Auroville that you wanted to express? When looking at the picture I had this feeling... With all my love. 1966, March: After framing her painting The Spirit of Auroville, Huta sends it to Mother, for the first Auroville exhibition. Mother comments: MMTL, p. 18; AVMW, p. 60. English The picture looks quite nice in the frame. It is already at the exhibition. 1966, March 16 th : Mother s second message for Auroville: 12 Original (in bad shape) displayed at Aspiration Cafeteria; AVMW, p. 60. French Blessings for Auroville s birth, growth, life and radiance. 1966, March 19 th : Opening of the 1 st Exhibition on Auroville 13 Bulletin, April 1966 p The opening date is mentioned by Huta p. 18 of MMTL French & English Excerpt from Report on the Quarter, in the Bulletin: Auroville Exhibition: M. Roger Anger the architect of the Auroville project arrived on the 7 th March from Paris with plans and photographs of the Project, which will form the Master Plan. An exhibition was arranged to show this to a large number of people both from the Ashram and outside who found it of much interest. * Information published in the Information Letter of the SAS: SAS Info Letter (8, June 1966) English A large number of visitors attended the Auroville Exhibition. His Excellency the Ambassador of France in India and Mr. Albert Franklin, American Consul General in Madras also saw the display. * Decades later, Vijay Poddar (Nava s son) will write in a book: GMLA, p English. In 1966 the first plans and models of Auroville were brought by the architects for showing to the Mother. Mother was very happy and directed that an exhibition should be arranged where all would be able to see them. 12 Though later kept at Aspiration cafeteria, this message cannot have been given for this community, which was not even thought of at that time. It was most probably given for this 1 st Auroville Exhibition. 13 It was displayed in the first Auroville Office, opposite the entrance of the Ashram Main Building where Pournapréma (Françoise Morisset) later lived. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 8

9 1966, March 22 nd : Answer to questions from Arindam: AV Archives (Arindam s file). CWM Vol. XIII p. 252; AVMW, p. 61. English. Q.: Will Miliana play a part in helping to organise the American pavilion [to be built in Auroville], and if so, may she start fund raising in America immediately for this? I never gave her this work officially. But if she brings money so much the better. * AV Archives (Arindam s file); CWM Vol. XIII p. 234; Gaz. Vol. 9, No 1, p. 23; AVMW, p. 61. English. Q.: May I write in answer to Miliana s letter that any copy for a brochure or pamphlet written either in America or at the Ashram regarding the American pavilion must first be approved by you? Nothing on any Auroville project can be published without my approval , March 24 th : Mother sends to Roger, for his 43 rd birthday, a card depicting Kyoto s Rokuon-ji (Golden Temple) and writes below it in French and in English: Spirit, p. 21 & 23. French & English Let this year mark the beginning of a vast and beautiful realisation which will be the first step towards the New Creation. 1966, March 26 th : Excerpt from Report on the Quarter, in the Bulletin: Bulletin, April 66 p. 100 French & English. On the 26 th March, Mr. Roger Anger, the architect from France spoke on Contemporary Architecture and Auroville. * 1966, March: Noted by Roger: AV Archives; AVMW, p. 61. French The working language in the Auroville office will be French, and those who do not know French must learn it. 1966, March 27 th : Answer to a student from SAICE who had written to ask whether he should spend more time in Auroville: Ashram Archives (Oscar s file) Gaz. Vol 9, No 1, p. 23. French Auroville is in great need of workers. It would be good if you could give more time to it. Work done in a spirit of consecration is as useful for sadhana as studies. 14 As elsewhere, this seems to be because Mother is keeping things as open as possible. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 9

10 1966, March 29 th : Notice, probably drafted by Roger, but approved by Mother: AV Archives; AVMW, p. 61. French To the Auroville office: Working notes will be maintained in French. 1966, 1 st Quarter: Bulletin August 1966, p 118 French & English Among the photographs published in this issue is an aerial view of Pondicherry in which can be seen the Main Ashram Buildings and other well known places such as Golconde etc. 15 The picture was taken while surveying for a suitable place for the Auroville Flying and Gliding Club. 16 Archaeological survey at Auroville by Mr. P. Martin The Bulletin presents also a photo of Golconde taken from a airplane. D. P. Soni: During my visit in Pondicherry in the summer of 1966, Udar [who had qualified as an aeronautical engineer from the UK in the early 1930 s] expressed a wish to fly in a small plane over Pondicherry and the Ashram. So we went to Meenambakam Airport in Madras and the Chief Flying instructor of the Madras Flying Club very kindly arranged two separate Pushpak aircraft for us to fly to Pondicherry and back. The two yellow Pushpak aircraft appeared over Pondicherry and Udar was indeed very thrilled to wave to the people of the Ashram below. (Book on Udar, p. 93) 16 Kalya (Mother s great-grandson) was very keen on this Flying and Gliding Club. 17 We do not know the reasons for this survey and in which area it took place. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 10

11 1966, April 1966, April 1 st : Answer to a question from Robert Lawlor: AV Archives (Arindam s file); CWM, Vol. XIII, p. 234; Gaz. Vol. 9, No 1, p. 23; AVMW, p. 62. English Q.: Dear Mother, Our vegetable crop has been attacked by insects. While we are studying nonpoisonous means of control, and until we have enough information to handle this problem, we thought of carefully using some insecticides. May we have permission to do this and your protection in handling them? A mild and harmless protector is often more effective than a poisonous one. * Message for the competitions (Ashram Sports) CWM, Vol. XII, p. 276; Bulletin French & English Competitions 1966 It might be better to remind you that we are here for a special work, a work which is done nowhere else. We want to come in contact with the supreme consciousness, the universal consciousness, we want to bring it down in ourselves and to manifest it. But for that we must have a very solid base; our base is our physical being, our body. Therefore we have to build up a body solid, healthy, enduring, skilful, agile and strong, ready for everything. There is no better way to prepare the body than physical exercise: sports, athletics, gymnastics, and all games are the best means to develop and strengthen the body. Therefore I call you to go through the competitions beginning today, full-heartedly with all your energy and all your will. 1966, April 11 th : Answer to two questions from Gilbert Gauché copy to Nava, Roger, Nata: AV Archives (Shyam Sunder s file); MoA, p. 83; Gaz. Vol. 3, No 3, p. 19; AVMW, p. 62. French Q.: Would it be possible for people our business group (Indians or others) unconnected with Sri Aurobindo s ideas to establish businesses in Auroville for the simple financial or commercial reasons? Q.: In general, would it be possible to establish Private Limited or Public Limited Companies in Auroville? Each case is a special one and must be considered separately. 18 No categories. 1966, April 12 th : Answer to two questions from Gilbert Gauché copy to Nava and Udar: AV Archives (Shyam Sunder s file). French (translated by Gilles G.) Q.: So that I can start having ideas on the problems of industries, I would like to have a one one and half hour conversation with Udar on this subject? I spoke with him. He agrees, but advised me to obtain Your agreement first. May I do it? Udar is a very busy man, but surely he will be very happy to help. * 18 Note that this means that Mother had not yet ruled out the possibility of privately-owned businesses operating in Auroville. On , She will speak of Aurofood Pvt. Ltd. as an Auroville business, but in 1972, She will acknowledge that it is not an Auroville business. Her rules had changed not the nature of Aurofood Pvt. Ltd.. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 11

12 Question with copy to Nava, Nata, Michel. AV Archives (Shyam Sunder s file). French (translated by Gilles G.) Q.: Can we get letters, working notes, etc. distributed through Millie to people in the Ashram with whom we work? Is it Millie herself who has offered to do it? 1966, April 18 th : Excerpt from Mother s answer to Huta who had written to know how such a large project as Auroville would be materialised without money: MMTL, p. 21; AVMW, p. 63. English When the Lord has decided something it is bound to happen, whatever are the resistances. 1966, March/April: 19 Mother names Matrimandir Auroville s central structure, which She had until then called: the Truth Pavilion and The Mother s Shrine. 1966, April: A first Auroville brochure is published. It depicts the Nebula concept and will be sent to all UNESCO Delegations prior to their General Conference in October-November 1966 when India s Delegation is expected to table a resolution in support of Auroville. This brochure s title is: Auroville Report on a Township to be constructed in South India. The title of the first page is: Auroville, the City of Dawn, named after Sri Aurobindo. It is followed by Mother s first message for Auroville: Auroville wants to be a universal town The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity. It is then followed by these quotes from Sri Aurobindo s The Human Cycle, Chapter VII, The Ideal Law of Social Development : 19 On 12 th March, Mother uses the expression Truth Pavilion in a letter to Huta. On 23 rd April She hands to Satprem an Auroville brochure which is most probably that which depicts the Nebula concept. The word Matrimandir is found in several places in it. Hence the word Matrimandir seems to date from March-April History of Auroville Book 4 Page 12

13 The second page is on the Life and Work of Sri Aurobindo. The third page is on The Teaching of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother: The Mother on Auroville, Vol. XIII of the Collected Works of The Mother as well as Vijay P. in GMLA present the second paragraph of this text as having been written by Mother though, as can be seen here, it is not presented as being a quote from Her. One has to wonder whether Mother is indeed the author of this second paragraph? 20 The next page says: The purpose of Auroville is to allow for the gathering of men from all parts of the world, who are ready to live according to the ideals of Sri Aurobindo. It then adds: Auroville: Town of beauty, of culture and research, where everyone will be allowed to live freely. Then come three excerpts from Mother s A Dream. 20 This page s first paragraph is not mentioned as being written by Mother and indeed, it doesn t seem to have been. In this brochure, Sri Aurobindo and Mother s words are clearly identified but this paragraph s author is not identified. The Mother on Auroville and Vol. XIII of the Collected Works of The Mother date this second paragraph from They are mistaken because it was published in this document which clearly dates from Pages of Mother s Agenda (1971), Vol. 12, Satprem wrote in a footnote: Sometime in August [1971, a slightly modified version/translation of this message] was circulated in the Ashram and Auroville, and published in an Ashram periodical. It is interesting to note that the text is an alteration of a much older original text that Mother had given to Satprem. (First version) The task of giving a concrete form to Sri Aurobindo s vision has been given to the Mother. (Second version) The task of completing Sri Aurobindo s vision has been given to the Mother. The creation of a new world, a new humanity, a new society expressing and embodying the new consciousness is the work she has undertaken. By the very nature of things, it is an ideal because the state of Nature that makes it necessary must be surpassed. We aspire for the time when Sri Aurobindo will no longer have to die. Hence, this second paragraph consists of two texts which do not seem to have been written at the same time: The first part: The task of implementing perfection of man seems to have been written by Mother some time earlier and to have been altered for this brochure either by Mother or by some disciple (probably with her approval). The second part: The Ashram, founded collective life of humanity. seems to have been written for this brochure. Was it also written by Mother or drafted by some disciple(s) and approved by her? Note that, in , Mother was speaking of Auroville as an attempt to achieve on earth a slightly more ideal life. It is only several years later that she will turn it into an attempt to develop a truly ideal society expressing and embodying the new consciousness [starting with that of the superman, which started to manifest on earth on ]. According to Satprem, the words more exterior were added after the next step (here: the next seeking ) in an improved translation sometime before August 1971 and not in 1972 as written in Collected Works of the Mother. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 13

14 In another page, one reads the township of Auroville will cover an area of 15 sq. miles [= km² = 3,885 ha = 9,600 acres = area comprised within a 3.5 km radius] and: An isolating zone of great natural beauty will be maintained around the city. 21 [Though it is not mentioned in this brochure the radius of the Nebula city is 1.5 km.] In the section on the Cultural Zone, one reads among other things: A gliding club, a riding school and a golf course are planned in an extension of this zone, which will be further prolonged to provide for Olympic Games. Note that this brochure (like the following ones) describes a township which wants to be ideal but it explains neither how human unity would be realised, nor where the funding for all these facilities would come from, nor what would be required from the individuals and the collective for life to be better/higher/truer here than elsewhere. This brochure does not say either that The township with all its property will belong to the Sri Aurobindo Society 22 and would therefore be managed by it unless 1966, April 23 rd : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem, which starts by Mother handing Satprem a brochure on Auroville: 23 AM, p ; MA, p ; Gaz, Vol. 8 No 1, pp. 9 & 11; AVMW, p French. Conversation. No tape-recording available. The photos are very pretty. One is quite like a nebula. It seems to be going very well. A very widespread collective response, and from the two opposite sides: the whole Communist side is moving, and the whole financial, American side is moving. There is an effervescence. It s sure to work, I KNOW it exists the city is already there (it has been for many, many years). Interestingly, my creation was with Sri Aurobindo in the centre, then when Sri Aurobindo left, I let it all rest, I didn t budge anymore. Then it suddenly started coming again, as if to say, Now is the time, it must be done. Very well. The Muslims would say, It s fated. It s fated, it s sure to exist. I don t know how much time it will take, but it seems to be going fast. The city already exists. And the remarkable thing is that I simply told Roger the broad outlines, asking him if he was interested. 24 Then he went back to France and he received my formation (my old formation, which I myself had left asleep); he received it there. I found that very interesting. He received it, he said to me, It came all at once, I seemed to be possessed by something, and in one night the whole thing was done. And the interesting point is that an architect friend of his 25 came and worked with him and participated in the creation; he is now quite enthusiastic, and he is a man who has very extensive contacts with all Communist Europe, including Russia. And he is thrilled to pieces. So, on that side, it s working well. And in America, too, it seems to be working. And that s precisely what I want that these two countries [U.S.A. & U.S.S.R.] clashing with each other should come here, and each of them have a pavilion of their culture and ideal, and that they should be here, face to face, and shake hands. 21 This is the first mention of a (3.5 km 1.5 km =) 2 km wide green belt (under some other name) around the city. 22 This wording is that which is written on all Application Form for Residence in Auroville. 23 The only early brochure which is found in the Archives is that which depicts the Nebula concept which is the reason why we reported on this brochure just before this conversation. 24 Actually, Mother had done more than giving Roger the broad outlines : in March 1965, She had offered him to design Auroville; She had briefed him after receiving her plan (June 1965) because, when he presented Her his first report, in September 1965, he was well briefed (he must have received a transcription of Her conversation with Satprem on or something on the same line) and they had discussed together his report in September Pierre Brastlavsky, who, according to Piero and Vijay Poddar, is the architect who had the vision of the Nebula. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 14

15 1966, April 24 th : Darshan message: MA, p English I have already spoken about the bad conditions of the world; the usual idea of the occultists about it is that the worse they are the more is probable the coming of an intervention or a new revelation from above. The ordinary mind cannot know it has either to believe or disbelieve or wait and see. As to whether the Divine seriously means something to happen, I believe it is intended. I know with absolute certitude that the Supramental is a truth and its advent is in the very nature of things inevitable. The question is as to the when and the how. That also is decided and predestined from somewhere above; but it is here being fought out amid a rather grim clash of conflicting forces. For in the terrestrial world the predetermined result is hidden and what we see is a whirl of possibilities and forces attempting to achieve something with the destiny of it all concealed from human eyes. This is, however, certain that a number of souls have been sent to see that it shall be now. That is the situation. My faith and will are for the now. I am speaking of course on the level of the human intelligence mystically-rationally, as one might put it. To say more would be going beyond that line. You don t want me to start prophesying, I suppose? As a rationalist, you can t. 1966, April 28 th : Answer to a question from Arindam: AV Archives (Arindam s file). English Q.: May we ask Grace Ford to take pictures of American Centre projects, and Auroville for us. (Mother underlines American Centre projects, and Auroville and writes:) All right Q.: Pictures, and picture post-cards of the Ashram we will select from those currently being sold in the Ashram. Bien. [= good] (Sri Aurobindo, ) 1965: Mrs. Anjani Dayanand who had visited the Ashram with her husband on 14 th August 1964, the day the SAS took the decision to develop a new town [Auroville], will later remember: Darshan, pp English But one major thing was: he said the Mother was keen that we should acquire all the land at least the inner circle 26 straightaway. 26 This means the area of the future city area: 3km diameter = 707 ha = 1,770 acres History of Auroville Book 4 Page 15

16 I prepared a detailed note for acquisition of the required land and took it to the Chief Minister, M. Bhaktavatsalam, 27 who was very understanding and approved the proposal. A Government Order was issued. The Collector of South Arcot District 28 was directed to initiate action for land acquisition. The Collector of Cuddalore sent a letter to the Society asking for an undertaking to pay the cost of the staff to be appointed for the work of land acquisition. The total cost for one Tahsildar, one Revenue Inspector, two Karnams (village officers), and two Talayaries (helpers), worked out to Rs.68, 000/- per annum. Navajata did not accept the proposal. When I informed the Mother about Navajata s decision She was very unhappy, Why has he taken this decision? 29 She asked. I told Her that Navajata felt that land acquisition through Government would take a long time; whereas direct purchase would be quicker. 30 Undated MMTL, p. 9. English. Years later, Huta too will remember that Mother had told her more than once that if people would not buy the land quickly at Auroville when the price was low, then surely they would have difficulty later on when the price would be much higher and many complications would arise. 27 M. Bhaktavatsalam was Chief Minister of the then Madras State from 2 nd October 1963 to 6 th March In April or May 1965 he visited the then site of Auroville (the Promesse area). It may not be in 1965 that Mr. Bhaktavatsalam signed this G.O. but in 1966, or in 1967 prior to March (end of his tenure as CM). 28 Auroville used to be in South Arcot District which was later bifurcated in two. It is now part of Villupuram District. 29 If this was correctly reported, it would mean that, at times, some very important decisions were taken by Navajata (and maybe also by some other major player) without referring the matter to Mother. We will see that, years later, Navajata will again torpedo the project he had initiated. 30 It is very possible that Navajata did not feel able to raise the amount required to this end in time and hand it to the Collector as is mandatory. He may also have been reluctant to antagonise the local land-owners. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 16

17 1966, May 1966, May 2 nd : On May 1 st, from 2 a.m. to nearly 6 a.m. Pondicherry was hit by one of the severest cyclones it has ever known. The wind, rain, thunder and lightning were terrible and great damage was caused in the town. MI, May 1966, p. 5. English This cyclone was simply a push from the Earth-Nature to wake up some of her somnolent human children to the necessity of making a progress based on Sri Aurobindo s saying materially you are nothing, spiritually you are everything , May 20 th : Guidance in yoga: Ashram Archives (Oscar s file) Do the work as it comes and it will come more and more fitted to your capacities. 1966, May 20 th : Answer to Huta who was not very convinced about Mother s supreme Vision and had expressed her feelings that everything seemed to her a dream: White roses, p. 143; MMTL, p.21; Gaz. Vol. 3, No 1, p. 15 & 3, 2 p. 15; MoA, p. 7; CWM, Vol XIII, p. 197; Spirit, p. 57; AVMW, p. 64. English My very dear little child Huta, You say that Auroville is a dream. Yes, it is a dream of the Lord and generally these dreams turn out to be true, much more true than the human so-called realities! With all my love. 31 On , Mother will write about another severe cyclone: It is a warning that the nature is giving, that those who do not have the true spirit of Auroville will have to change or to go if they do not want to change. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 17

18 1966, May 30 th : Answer to two questions from Arindam: AV Archives (Arindam s file), 2 nd question and answer only: CWM, XIII p. 252; AVMW, p. 64. English. fac-simile available. Q: Do you want us to try and intensively spread the Yoga in America? Yoga cannot be spread by any exterior means. Q.: Do you wish us to try and raise large amounts of money for both the Ashram and the Auroville Project in America? If it is at all possible for you it would be extremely helpful and in conformity with the Truth of things. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 18

19 1966, June 1966, June 16 th : Answer to a question from Charlotte (later named Shyama): AV Archives; AVMW, p. 65. English.... Always I answer your letters but I rarely have time to put my answer on paper. You are capable of receiving these answers directly, but for that you must learn to keep your mind silent this is the true meditation the brain blank, immobile and turned upward. This is the necessary condition to receive the answers... If you can hand over the care of your existence and your development to the Supreme Consciousness, then peace will enter your heart and your problems will be solved. 1966, June 23 rd : Answer to a question about setting up a workshop in Auroville: Gaz, Vol. 3 No 3, p. 19; MoA, p. 83; AVMW, p. 65. French. Verbal. At present it is preferable to undertake only what is indispensable immediately, and to leave the future to take care of itself This seems to confirm that Mother had not yet decided on the status of Auroville business units. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 19

20 1966, July 1966, July 6 th : Mother comments to Satprem the following Aphorisms of Sri Aurobindo: AM, pp ; MA, p. ; Bulletin, Aug. 1966, p.76; Gaz, Vol. 8 No 1, pp. 11 & 13; AVMW, pp Aphorisms in English. Conversation in French. Tape-recording available The love of solitude is a sign of the disposition towards knowledge; but knowledge itself is only achieved when we have a settled perception of solitude in the crowd, in the battle and in the mart If when thou art doing great actions and moving giant results, thou canst perceive that THOU art doing nothing, then know that God has removed His seal on thy eyelids If when thou sittest alone, still and voiceless on the mountaintop, thou canst perceive the revolutions thou art conducting, then hast thou the divine vision and art freed from appearances The love of inaction is folly and the scorn of inaction is folly; there is no inaction. The stone lying inert upon the sands which is kicked away in an idle moment, has been producing its effect upon the hemispheres. That s interesting! That s just the experience I ve had these last few days, yesterday and the day before. The feeling of an irresistible Power which governs everything: the world, things, people, everything... without having to lift a finger materially, and that this material hyper-activity is nothing more than a kind of foam that forms when water runs very fast a foam on the surface while the Force runs underneath it like an all-powerful current. There s nothing else to say. You always come back to that: to know is all right; to speak is good; to do is good; but to be, is the only thing which has power. [silence] That experience came in connection with Auroville. You know, people are getting nervous because it s not going quickly ; so I had that vision of the formation, the divine creation which is happening underneath, all-powerful, irresistible, and in spite of all this outer commotion. 1966, July 12 th : Flyer probably destined to UNESCO: AV Archives English INTERNATIONAL CULTURE IN AUROVILLE Auroville will be a symbol of international co-operation: an effort to promote international understanding by bringing together in close juxtaposition the values and ideals of different civilisations and cultures. This project has special relevance in the context of the celebration of the 20 th anniversary of UNESCO. The cultures of different regions of the earth will be represented in Auroville in such a way as to be accessible to all not merely intellectually: in ideas, theories, principles and languages; but also in habits and customs, art in all forms -- painting, sculpture, music, architecture, decor, dance; as well as physically through natural scenery, dress, games, sports and diet. It will be a representation in a concrete and living manner. Each nation is welcome to participate in Auroville; - History of Auroville Book 4 Page 20

21 1) by sponsoring or collaborating with us in any of the projects of Auroville as may be in consonance with its particular genius and traditions; 2) by setting up its permanent cultural pavilion on a model which most displays the habits of the country it represents. The architecture, decor, cuisine, etc., of the pavilion would be such as would create the atmosphere of the country and it may- contain the following:- i) A residential house for students, citizens of the country in permanent residence and visitors, ii) A garden with plants, flowers, vegetables and fruits from that country as can adapt themselves to the soil and the climate of Auroville, and if possible, replicas of natural beauty-spots of the country. iii) A museum or art gallery showing works of art, such painting and sculpture in the original or as reproductions. It can also exhibit handicrafts and the nation s most representative products, natural as well as industrial. iv) A library of books, recorded music, photographs and films, as well as other items which may best bring out the various aspects of the country and its cultural heritage. v) Other objects which most express its intellectual, scientific and artistic genius, spiritual tendencies and national characteristics, and emphasise the unity of man. Details can be worked out according to the requirements of the country concerned. Dated 12 th July, 1966 General Secretary Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry India 1966, July 14 th : On Auroville s Transport Department and Aurogarage : SAS Info (17, Sept. 1967): English. The transport department of Auroville was named Aurogarage by the Mother on Aurogarage has got six vehicles at present, all as gifts, three from abroad and three from 0rissa. 1966, July 23 rd : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, p. 160; MA; p. 155; Gaz. Vol. 8 No 1, p. 13; AVMW, p. 66. French. Conversation. No tape-recording available.... We re still receiving a number of letters because of the article in [the French magazine] Planète, or from people who have read your book. And there are lots of them who want to come here! That s more serious!... But anyway, we send them literature. We tell most of them that they have to prepare themselves. And I direct a large number towards Auroville; maybe that s the essential raison d être of Auroville , July 27 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, pp ; MA, p. 160; Gaz. Vol. 8 No 1, pp. 13 & 15; AVMW, p. 67. French. Conversation. No tape-recording available. We re still receiving heaps of letters. Lots of people want to come and are asking questions. There s going to be a crush of people some are arranging planes! So yesterday I said, We ll have a direct yearly flight: Paris-Auroville! And they re going to prepare an airfield. We are already in negotiations with the government for the land: it s huge, we could make four or five airfields! There will be a landing field in Auroville: Paris-Auroville! 33 This seems to show that Mother finds it useful to have a place where to direct some of those disciples who want to live close to Her but do not meet all the conditions Ashramites have to meet. In particular, She didn t want those disciples who had produced a child while living at the Ashram to remain there. (Mother s Agenda: & ) History of Auroville Book 4 Page 21

22 (Mother looks very amused.) It seems that in 1972, there will be a new plane that will fly from Paris to India (Paris-Auroville!) in four hours 34. Which means that if they leave Paris in the evening, they ll reach here at daybreak (you know that some time is lost while coming here). And if they leave here at noon, they ll reach Paris at ten in the morning two hours before they left. Satprem: They ll end up going so fast that they ll reach the day before they left! Four hours is fast. Satprem: A lot of use that ll be! I am regressive, you know. What s the use of going so fast! It s interesting. Satprem: Do you really think it s any use? (Mother laughs... silence) Some rather queer things are going on. But I ll talk about them when I have completed my observations. Another year or two, and there will be something to say. 34 Mother is obviously speaking of the Franco-British supersonic aircraft Concord. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 22

23 1966, August 1966, August 10 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, pp ; MA, p ; AVMW, p Mother s message reproduced at the end: MoA, p. 99; Gaz. Vol. 3 No 6, p. 11 (message only) French. Conversation. No tape-recording available. They ve asked me for a message to the stars. Then, Do you have a message for the Christmas issue [of the magazine =1 which was still published by World Union ] on the new man? They asked me, What message can we send? It will take two hundred years to reach its destination : the message sent from here reaches the star two hundred years later. But, of course, there s nothing to say that they ll understand French or English on the star! It s actually clear that they won t understand it... They want to send signals such as = 1, and they say they will understand they ll understand that we are intelligent beings! (Mother laughs ironically) I don t remember the message I gave them. But a message for the new man... What am I going to tell them?... Whatever is the new man? Do YOU know what the new man is?... Man is always new! Satprem: It won t be an intelligent man. Well, so much the better! So much the better. We could say: the return to instinct and impulses, but they will be divine impulses. Then another progress (which would be a true progress) would be the silent communication of consciousnesses, wordless. That would be lovely: a little silence. [ ] A Polytechnicien 35 [Pierre Garrigues] came here with Roger. There were nine who came with Roger; 36 among them is a Polytechnicien who sent me a note asking, Are you God? I had seen the man two days earlier; he is very fine. If I hadn t seen him I wouldn t have answered, but as I saw him and he happens to be fine, I suspected from the way he asked the question that he must be a gentleman born in a Catholic-family. So I answered, This question may be asked of EVERY human being, and the answer is, yes, potentially. And out of consideration for his goodwill, I added (I don t remember the exact words): This is the task everyone must accomplish. Since then, he has been quite silent. [Text of Mother s message:] For those who are afraid of a word, we call divine : all the awareness that we must acquire, all the power that we must obtain, all the love that we must become, all the perfection that we must achieve, all the harmonious, progressive equilibrium that we must manifest in light and in joy, all the new, unknown splendours that must be realised on Earth An engineer who, like Mother s brother (Mattéo) and her son (André) and Pavitra had graduated from the very prestigious engineering school Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. 36 In an , dated July 2014, Fabienne Bernard, Mother s great-granddaughter remembered: I had met Mother for the first time in 1966, after travelling from Paris through the middle-east and visiting India (Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Fathepur-Sikri) with Roger, who was bringing on that trip his first team of architects for their first acquaintance with the concept of Auroville. We all went to Mother together and one of the architects asked Her whether She was God. To which She replied We all are God. Potentially 37 Pierre Etevenon found this quote recently in the papers of his late wife, Micheline. Pierre & Micheline as well as Pierre Garrigues were among the members of the first committee of the Association pour Auroville in Paris. This message is a modified version of a message issued by Mother on and published in French & English in the Bulletin that year: This is what we mean by Divine : all the knowledge we have to acquire, all the power we have to obtain, all the love we have to become, all the perfection we have to achieve, all the harmonious and progressive poise we must make manifest in light and joy, all the unknown and new splendours that are to be realised. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 23

24 Another one [Pierre Brastlavsky] is Communist. 38 He is a Russian who lives in Paris. He asked me if all the Auroville workers shouldn t meet and talk over (Mother laughs) the necessity of a moral conduct! (I have heard he keeps them all talking away till three in the morning.) So I answered him (laughing) that morality has only a very relative value from the standpoint of the Truth; that it changes with countries, climates and ages! I also told him that discussions were generally sterile and non-productive. And so as not to be only critical, I answered him that if everyone made an effort to be perfectly sincere, straightforward and good willed, that would be enough to create quite a sufficient base to work on... The poor fellow!... [Exact text of Mother s message:] Moral laws have only a very relative value from the point of view of Truth, besides they vary considerably according to the country, the climate and the period. Discussions are generally sterile and without productive value. If each individual makes a personal effort of perfect sincerity, uprightness and goodwill, the best conditions for the work will be realised. 1966, August 13 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, p. 178; MA; p ; Gaz. Vol. 8 No 1, p. 15 & 17; AVMW, p nd Message published in MoA. French. Conversation. No tape-recording available. Message in French. You know that scores of people have come for Auroville... Instead of working, they spend their time talking and chatting! And they send me letters. Their whole mental ego is bubbling with excitement, all of them. Have you seen them? Satprem: No. I am afraid they may summon me! They ve already begun discussing what the city s political situation will be even before the first stone has been laid! And one of them [Pierre Brastlavsky], the one with a Communist creed (he is the one who has the greatest energy and power of realisation), is scandalised: he wrote to me yesterday, saying he couldn t take part in something that wasn t purely democratic!... So I answered him this (Mother hands Satprem her note): Auroville must be at the service of the Truth, beyond all social, political and religious convictions. 39 I told him many things (Mother makes a gesture of mental communication), but above all, I insisted a lot on the fact that it would be better to build the city first! 40 And that we would see afterwards. Because he told me it was important for him that we should remain in the democratic system until something better has been found. I felt like answering him, How do you know that something better hasn t been found? But I didn t say anything. 1966, August: Answer to a question from Pierre Brastlavsky: AM, p. 215; MA, p. 210; SAS info (15, March 1967); MI, Aug 1967, p. 321; Gaz Vol. 3, No 2, p. l5, MoA, p.13; CWM, XIII, p.197; AVMW, p. 68. French. The message reproduced here was exhibited under the Banyan Tree on Humanity is not the last rung of the terrestrial creation. Evolution continues and man will be surpassed. It is for each individual to know whether he wants to participate in the advent of this new species. For those who are satisfied with the world as it is, Auroville obviously has no reason to exist. 38 According to Pierre Etevenon, Brastlavsky was a member of the Comité Directeur du Parti Communiste Français 39 This message will be released on 20 th September in a modified version. 40 It is important to remember here that, at that time, Auroville was an attempt to develop within twenty years, starting from nothing, an ideal township for 50,000 not an ideal society as this would take far more time. In order to build such a town so fast, many important things needed to be decided upon at an early stage by professionals. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 24

25 1966, August 15 th : Sri Aurobindo s 94 th Birth Anniversary: Darshan Message: MA, p English. Not the blind round of the material existence alone and not a retreat from the difficulty of life in the world into the silence of the Ineffable, but the bringing down of the peace and light and power of a greater divine Truth and consciousness to transform Life is the endeavour today of the greatest spiritual seekers in India. Here in the heart of such an endeavour pursued through many years with a single-hearted purpose, living constantly in that all-founding peace and feeling the near and greatening descent of that light and power, the way becomes increasingly clear. One sees the soul of India ready to enter into the fullness of her heritage and the hour of an unparalleled greatness approaching when from her soil shall go forth the call and the leading to the highest destinies of the race. (Sri Aurobindo) 1966, August 17 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, p. 179; MA, p ; AVMW, p French. Conversation. No tape-recording available.... As for me, I can t see anymore. The way in which I see is something very interesting I can t say that I can t see anymore. It s very interesting. Something suddenly comes alive (an object or a face or a letter or...), clear, precise, almost luminous. The next minute, everything is blurred. I seem to be told, This is worth seeing. So I look at it. And (laughing) don t bother about that! On the 15 th, that boy, the Communist architect [Pierre Brastlavsky] who was here left, because he found that moral laws aren t sufficiently respected!... His very words. He left. But then, his thought keeps coming all the time not thought : something from here (the heart), it keeps coming and coming. He must be quite unhappy at having left! And he asked me... It was on the afternoon of the 15 th, it kept coming and it was tormented and it asked: How can one know the Truth? What is the Truth? How can one know?... Sri Aurobindo was there, and he said to me IN FRENCH (!): Truth cannot be put into words, but it can be lived if one is pure and plastic enough. 41 It s fine, isn t it! And the perception was so present: to let oneself be guided by the Truth all the time, like that. Pure means pure of ego, pure of all desire, all preference, all idea: all that must be gone one must be supple, like that, and let oneself be driven along. And he gave me the experience at the same time. I translated it into English so Sri Aurobindo speaks to me in French and I translate into English! It s amusing. * Answer to Vijay (Huta s nephew), who had asked about agriculture and commerce before he started working in the Auroville Office: Spirit, p. 57. English Both agriculture and commerce will have their place in Auroville. So you choose the one you like best. My blessings will always with you to prepare yourself for the Divine s work. With love and blessings. 41 La Vérité ne peut se formuler en mots, mais elle peut être vécue, si l on est assez pur et plastique. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 25

26 1966, August 18 th : In reference to the Auroville Office: AV Archives; AVMW, p. 71. French Who doesn t speak French in the [Auroville] office? Everyone speaks French now, even Navajata. * Answer to a question from Oscar: AV Archives; AVMW, p. 71. French Q.: Would it be better to adopt both English and French as working languages [in the Auroville Office]? Exchanges with the outside naturally take place in English. This means that it will be necessary to translate all important notes from French to English. I think that you could usefully take up this work. Blessings. 1966, August 19 th : Answer to a question noted down by Roger: Ashram Archives (Oscar s file, marked: Not seen by Mother for approval.); Gaz. Vol. 8 No 2, p. 15. French. English translation by Pushan. Q.: What will the political organisation of Auroville be like? There will be no politics. The town will be directed by a Municipal Council, a committee of technicians, headed (in order to avoid any arbitrariness) by two people in authority who are no longer imprisoned by the mind, who possess true knowledge. 42 Any regulations will be as liberal as possible and very flexible. Rules should arise according to the requirements. Plasticity and swiftness are needed in order to keep up with worldmovements, so as not to fall behind the universal progress. 43 Truth is a totality, not an exclusion. Future man will not be an intellectual. The rules of life within the city should comply with those of the country. 1966, August 27 th : Message for the disciples shown to Satprem: AM, 185; MA, p French. Written. Every time you act under the impulse of Falsehood, it acts as a blow on my body. 1966, August 28 th : Excerpt from a conversation tape-recorded by Pournapréma: MoA, p. 19; Gaz. Vol. 3, No 2. p. 17 & 19; MI, Jan. 1969, p Conversation in French. Tape-recording should be available. Where? In modern civilisation, men work on the surface. The mind is the surface of the existence; they work on the surface and they try to find the Truth that is behind by studying more and more deeply. Whereas the true method is to enter into direct contact with the inner Truth, and impelled by that, to make an outer construction which is not a seeking for the Truth, but a creation of the Truth, that is to say, the Truth-force realises itself outwardly through the human instrument. Men always make plans, mental constructions and attempt to create on that basis, but not one human creation is a total realisation of their mental construction. They always add something, or 42 Note that Mother does not explain here who would select and appoint the members of this Council and these two people in authority. 43 Highlighting is by the editor, to stress the importance of these sentences. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 26

27 else it is always altered by a force they do not understand; they think it is chance, fortune, circumstances, all sorts of things, but it is in fact the Truth-force which is trying to manifest on earth and which is exerting a pressure and of course this changes the mental and vital creations which are only superficial ones. In the Bulletin 44 there was a quotation from Sri Aurobindo on this subject. He said: first one must know, whereas men act and then try to know through their actions. Quotation from Sri Aurobindo: All this insistence upon action is absurd if one has not the light by which to act. Yoga must include life and not exclude it does not mean that we are bound to accept life as it is with all its stumbling ignorance and misery and the obscure confusion of human will and reason and impulse and instinct which it expresses. The advocates of action think that the human intellect and energy making an always new rush, everything can be put right; the present state of the world after a development of the intellect and a stupendous output of energy for which there is no historical parallel is a signal proof of the emptiness of the illusion under which they labour. Yoga takes the stand that it is only by a change of consciousness that the true basis of life can be discovered; from within outward is indeed the rule. But within does not mean some quarter inch behind the surface. One must go deep and find the soul, the self, the Divine Reality within us and only then can life become a true expression of what we can be instead of a blind and always repeated confused blur of the inadequate and imperfect thing we were. The choice is between remaining in the old jumble and groping about in the hope of stumbling on some discovery or standing back and seeking the Light within till we discover and can build the Godhead within and without us. 44 August 1966, p. 20. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 27

28 1966, September 1966, September: The brochure on Auroville describing the Nebula is sent to various places: SAS Info (13, Sept. 1966) English. The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO has forwarded the brochure on Auroville [which depicts the Nebula ] to all the National Commissions for Cooperation with UNESCO in the world, the Education Secretaries of the States in India and its Associate members. 1966, September: Edited conversation: Barb. p. 5; MoA p. 77; CWM, Vol XIII p ; Re-arranged: Gaz. Vol. 8 No 2, p. 15 & 17; AVMW, p. 72. French. Text based on a talk by Mother. Begging is not permitted in Auroville. Persons found begging on the road will be distributed as follows: children to school, the old to a home, the sick to the hospital, the healthy to work. A school, a home, a hospital and special work areas will be arranged for this. They will not be mixed with the others, because some people may come from outside and begin to beg in the street. There are no police. We have... we haven t found the word... a band of guards, a battalion of guards, something like the firemen in Japan, who are gymnasts and who do everything when there are accidents anything, earthquakes they do everything. They climb up into houses. Instead of police, there will be a kind of battalion of guards, who will go out regularly into the various parts of the town to see if they are needed. And if they come across people begging, they will be distributed as I said. There will be a school for the children, a home for the old, a hospital for the sick and disabled, and a place where work will be provided for all those who... there will be every possible kind of work, from sweeping to... anything, and work that is needed, they will do it, according to their abilities. This has to be organised. A special school for the children to teach them to work, to teach them the things that are indispensable for them to be able to work. No prison. No police , September: AV Archives; MoA, p.14; AVMW, p. 72. French Auroville, the free international city. No army, no police. They are replaced by a battalion of guards made up of athletes and gymnasts , September 20 th : Excerpt from a conversation: MoA, p.2; Gaz, VIII, 2. 13; AVMW, p. 73. French. Tape-recorded according to Oscar. The nations have got hold of the means to destroy everything. And they try in complete falsehood and by means of falsehood to avoid war, and instead of avoiding it, they attract it, of course; all this attracts it. So when I saw this it was suddenly shown to me: That is why there is Auroville. Auroville is the effort towards peace in sincerity and Truth. 45 Mother made very similar statements on and Considering Mother s hand-writing on the fac-simile of this note, it must be dating of 1969 or even later. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 28

29 It became clear like that. This is almost the sole and last hope of avoiding the catastrophe. This is the importance of Auroville. If Auroville is successful, that is to say, if nations consent to understand that it is a means of avoiding war, Auroville will have the power to prevent war. Message for the American Consul in Madras: SAS 15 (1 st line only); MoA, p. 2; Gaz. Vol. 3, No 3 p. 17 (1 st line only); CWM, Vol. XIII p.197 (1st line only); AVMW, p. 73. English. Verbal but approved by Mother according to Barbara. Auroville is an attempt to world peace, friendship, fraternity, unity, and I would be very happy if America could collaborate. * Improved and final version of the message given to Pierre Brastlavsky on August 13 th : SAS Info Letter (15, March 1967); Barb. p. 1; MoA, p. 2; CWM, Vol XIII, p. 197; Gaz, III, 3, p. 17 (2 nd part only) French Auroville should be at the service of Truth beyond all social, political and religious convictions. Auroville is the effort towards peace, in sincerity and Truth. * 1966, September 21 st : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem. It came about because Satprem asked Mother whether he shouldn t refuse a war pension from the French government: AM, p ; MA, p ; Gaz. Vol. 8 No 1, p ; AVMW, p Conversation in French. Tape-recording available. I had a revelation, in the sense that it was more on the order of a vision. For external reasons, I was looking at the sorry state in which all countries find themselves, the truly painful and dangerous conditions of the earth, and there was a sort of all-embracing vision showing how nations (men taken as nations) have acted and are increasingly acting in a growing Falsehood, and how they have used all their creative power to create such formidable means of destruction, with, at the back of their minds, the really childish notion that the destruction would be so terrible that no one would want to use them. But they don t know (they ought to know, but they don t) that things have a consciousness and a force of manifestation, and that all those means of destruction are pressing to be used; and even though men may not want to use them, a force stronger than they will be pushing them to do so. Then, seeing all this, the imminence of the catastrophe, there was a sort of call or aspiration to bring down something that could at least neutralise that error. And it came, an answer... I can t say I heard it with my ears, but it was so clear, so strong and precise that it was indisputable. I am obliged to translate it into words; if I translate it into words, I may say something like this: That s why you have created Auroville. And with the clear vision that Auroville was a centre of force and creation, with... (how can I explain?) a seed of truth, and that if it could sprout and develop, the very movement of its growth would be a reaction against the catastrophic consequences of the error of armament. I found this very interesting because this birth of Auroville wasn t preceded by any thought; as always, it was simply a Force acting, like a sort of absolute manifesting, and it was so strong [when the idea of Auroville presented itself to Mother] that I could have told people, Even if you don t believe in it, even if all circumstances appear to be quite unfavourable, I KNOW THAT AUROVILLE WILL BE. It may be in a hundred years, it may be in a thousand years, I don t know, but Auroville will be, because it has been decreed. So it was decreed and done quite simply, like that, in obedience to a Command, without any thought. And when I was told that (I say, I was told, but you understand what I mean), when I was told that, it was to tell me, Here is why you have made Auroville; you are unaware of it, but that s why... Because it was the LAST HOPE to react against the imminent catastrophe. If some interest is awakened in all countries for this History of Auroville Book 4 Page 29

30 creation, little by little it will have the power to react against the error they have committed. I found this very interesting, because I had never thought about it. 47 And naturally, when I was shown that, I understood; I perceived how the creation of Auroville has an action in the invisible, and what action. It s not a material, outward action: it s an action in the invisible. And since then, I have been trying to make countries understand it, of course not outwardly because they all think they re much too clever to be taught anything, but inwardly, in the invisible. It s fairly recent, it dates from two or three days ago. I had never been told this. It was said very clearly said, I mean seen, shown like this (gesture of a scene offered to the sight). So my interest in Auroville has considerably increased since then. Because I have understood that it isn t just a creation of idealism, but quite a practical phenomenon, in the hope... in the will, rather, to thwart and counterbalance the effects the frightful effects of the psychological error of believing that fear can save you from a danger! Fear attracts the danger much more than it saves you from it. And all these countries, all these governments commit blunder upon blunder because of that fear of the catastrophe. All this is simply to tell you that if nations collaborate in the work of Auroville, even to a very modest extent [such as this offer of money from the French government], it will do them good it can do them a lot of good, a good that can be out of proportion to the appearance of their actions. Satprem: You speak of the imminence of a catastrophe, but still Auroville will take some time to be realised? No! I am speaking of the countries collaboration in CREATING something. It s not when Auroville has been completed: it s the nations collaboration in creating something but creating something founded on the Truth instead of a rivalry in Falsehood s creation. It s not when Auroville is ready when Auroville is ready, it will be one town among all other towns and it s only its own capacity of truth that will have power, but that... remains to be seen. 48 No, the point is a combined interest in building something founded on the Truth. They have had a combined interest (combined without any mutual liking, of course) in creating a power of destruction built on Falsehood; well, Auroville means diverting a little of that force (the quantity is minor, but the quality is superior). It s truly a hope it s founded on a hope of doing something that can be the beginning of a harmony. No, it s RIGHT NOW, right now. The force of propagation is far greater, it s out of proportion to the transmitting centre [Mother], which, on a world scale, is so to say unknown and almost nonexistent. But the centre, the power of radiation and propagation is out of proportion, it s rather remarkable: the response [to Auroville] is everywhere, everywhere; a response from new Africa, a response in France, a response in Russia, a response in America, a response in Canada, and a response in numerous countries, in Italy... everywhere, everywhere. And not just individuals: groups, tendencies, movements, even in governments. 47 Actually, on , Mother will tell Satprem: Once I asked Sri Aurobindo (because [in the 1930 s] we had talked about [a first] Auroville a great deal, there were lots of difficulties), I asked him (because it was an idea I had not an idea but a need that expressed itself some thirty years ago more than thirty, almost forty years ago), so I asked him, and He answered me this (which I told you, I think): It is the best chance men have to avoid a general conflict. On , Mother will have a different perception of Auroville s raison d être and will tell Satprem: For some time I used to think that it [Auroville] was the only real possibility at present of preventing a war, but that seemed to me a slightly superficial explanation. But, on Mother will again tell Satprem: Auroville, as Sri Aurobindo said, is a practical means of creating a human unity that would be strong enough to fight against war. 48 Highlighting by the editor to point to two facts which Mother considers as important at that time (Cold War): Peace upon earth would be saved if countries would collaborate in building Auroville. (Mother seems to care more about countries meaning governments than about volunteers from these countries). Mother does not expect an Auroville built in this way to become an ideal/spiritualised society. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 30

31 What s proving to be the most refractory (and the irony of it is wonderful) is... the United Nations! Those people are outdated, oh!... They haven t yet gone beyond the materialistic, antireligious movement, and they made a derogatory remark about the Auroville brochure, saying it was mystic, with religious tendency. The irony is lovely! Besides, even quite outwardly, that fight between India and Pakistan 49 was clearly... (how can I put it?... The words that come to me are English) initiated and driven, that is to say, set in motion by and under the impulsion of the forces of Truth that wanted to create a great Asian Federation with the power to counterbalance Red China and its movement. It was a federation that, as a matter of fact, needed the return of Pakistan and all those regions, and which includes Nepal, Tibet, also Burma, and in the south, Ceylon. A great federation with each country having its autonomous development, perfectly free, but which would be united in a common single aspiration for peace and fight against the invasion of forces of dissolution. That was very clear, it was willed and it s the intervention of this United Nations that stopped everything 50. I am not saying anything officially; because I have said and always repeat that politics is in complete Falsehood, based on Falsehood, and I am not dealing with it, meaning that I am not in politics, I don t want to be but that doesn t stop me from seeing clearly!... People have come and asked me (from every side, by the way) for my opinion, view or advice; I said, No, I don t deal in politics. You see, all diplomacy is absolutely based on a DELIBERATE Falsehood. As long as it is like that, there s no hope: the inspirations will always come from the wrong side; inspirations, impulsions, ideas, everything will always come from the wrong side which means the inescapable blunder, for everyone. A few rare individuals feel that and are aware of it, and they are half desperate because nobody listens to them. Unfortunately, following the present tendencies, for Auroville they are trying to get UNESCO s support (!) I, of course, knew beforehand that those people couldn t understand, but... they are trying. Because everywhere people (it s a sort of superstition), everywhere people say, No, I ll open my purse strings only with UNESCO s approval and encouragement I am talking about those whose contribution matters, lots of people, so... Only, to me, all this is the crust, the quite superficial experience the crust; and things have to happen underneath, beneath that crust. It s just an appearance. I said that to those who look after Auroville, I told them, Those people [of UNESCO] are two hundred years behind the earth s march, so there s little hope they ll understand. But anyway, I didn t tell them not to deal with them I don t give any advice. 51 But tiny details such as the one we spoke of just before [the French government s offer of a pension] are an indication: it is countries collaborating in the Truth without knowing it. And it s very good, it will do them good. It s good for them. It doesn t matter if they aren t aware of it (smiling): they won t have the pleasure of having done it, that s all! (silence) But I was the first to be very interested, because it came like that (gesture of irresistible descent), with all-powerful authority: That s why Auroville has been created. (Mother goes into a contemplation, then resumes) I see all kinds of very amusing things pass by; just now, this reflection: Ah, it s a Tower of Babel in reverse. (Mother laughs) That s interesting! They united and divided in the construction, so now, they come together to unite in the construction. That s it: a Tower of Babel... in reverse! (Mother stops for an instant, as if she saw something) One suddenly sees... It s a certain region, there, a region in the earth atmosphere, vast and imperishable, where things take on a new importance, which sometimes belies appearances, and 49 Mother refers to the Indo Pakistani war of 1965 at which time she officially encouraged India to fight till the end. 50 Under United Nations pressure, India abandoned its advantage over Pakistan at peace talks held at Tashkent. 51 Kailas Jhaveri, and probably others, believe that the UNESCO can be of help. Mother is sceptical but let her do. As with the other main actors, She doesn t interfere, She encourages them to realise where their ideas lead to. Interfering would probably disempower these actors which could result in them losing interest History of Auroville Book 4 Page 31

32 one sees a sort of great, immense current carrying circumstances and events along towards a goal... always the same goal, and through very unexpected paths. It becomes very vast, and despite the horror of details, as a whole it takes on a very smiling Rhythm... Now I know, I remember, this whole experience came after I saw a book that was published quite recently in India, in English, which they entitled The Roll of Honour, and in which there is a photo and a short biography of all those who died in the fight against the British, for India s freedom. There were photos everywhere, lots of them (some were only photos the police took after they had just been killed and were lying on the ground). And it all brought a certain atmosphere: the atmosphere of those disinterested goodwilled people who meet with a tragic fate. It had the same impression on me as the horrors of the Germans during the war over there. These things are obviously under the direct influence of certain adverse forces, but we know that the adverse forces are, so to say, permitted to work through the sense of horror, in fact in order to hasten the awakening of consciousness. So then, that experience, which was very strong and was very like the one I had when I saw the photographs of German atrocities in France, put me in contact with the vision of the human, terrestrial, modern error (it s modern: it began these last one thousand years and has become more and more acute in the last hundred years), with the aspiration to counterbalance that: How to do it?... What is to be done?... And the answer: That s why you have created Auroville. There is a perception of forces the forces that act directly in events, material events, which are... illusory and deceptive. For instance, the man who fought for his country s freedom, who has just been assassinated because he is a rebel, and who looks defeated, lying there on the edge of the road he is the real victor. That s how it is, it clearly shows the kind of relationship between the truth and the expression. Then, if you enter the consciousness in which you perceive the play of forces and see the world in that light, it s very interesting. And that s how, when I was in that state, I was told, clearly shown (it s inexpressible because it isn t with words, but these are facts): That s why you have created Auroville... It s the same thing as with that photo. (With a gesture, Mother shows the victorious corpse lying by the roadside, meaning that the modest appearance of Auroville is no measure of its invisible, its true role.) 1966, September 24 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, p. 215; MA, p French. Conversation. No tape-recording available. Satprem: Is the earth responding? Is there really a response, or do you feel you are working all alone? You don t mean people? You mean the earth as the mineral, vegetal, animal world? Satprem: No, I was referring to humans, to the whole earth. Oh, humans, yes, certainly certainly, without any doubt, a very pronounced answer, strangely pronounced, from everywhere, just everywhere. A need for something, a dissatisfaction with what is, and the need for something higher. It s very, very pronounced, everywhere. I can t say the number is very large, I don t think it is, but it s everywhere. Satprem: So there is progress? Oh, a lot, quite a lot. There are signs, there are even from time to time strange signs of something awakening. I even feel an awakening among animals. Satprem: And where is the obstacle? Is there an obstacle? It s everywhere. It s like a coalition of Falsehood trying to resist. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 32

33 1966, October 1966, October 7 th : First meeting of the Auroville Flying and Gliding Club: ( Michel is Mother s only great-grandson, who would later become Kalya.) History of Auroville Book 4 Page 33

34 1966, October 14 th : Antonin Raymond, the Czech architect of the Ashram guesthouse, Golconde completes the concept drawing of his proposal for the Japanese Pavilion of Auroville and sends this plan and this model to Mother. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 34

35 History of Auroville Book 4 Page 35

36 1966, November 1966, October 25 th November 30 th : UNESCO Commends Auroville: SAS Info Letter (14, Jan. 1967): English UNESCO Commends Auroville The Government of India moved a resolution on Auroville in the UNESCO General Conference session held at Paris during 25 th October 30 th November The following resolution was adopted unanimously: The General Conference. Being apprised that in connection with the commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of UNESCO, the Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry, India, a non-governmental organisation affiliated to the Indian National Commission for UNESCO, proposes to set up a cultural township known as Auroville where people of different countries will live together in harmony in one community and engage in cultural, educational, scientific and other pursuits, Noting that the township will have pavilions intended to represent the cultures of the world, not only intellectually but also by presenting different schools of architecture, painting, sculpture, music, etc. as part of a way of living, Appreciating that one of the aims of Auroville will be to bring together in close juxtaposition the values of different civilisations and cultures, Expresses the belief that the project will contribute to international understanding and promotion of peace and commends it to those interested in UNESCO s ideals. Note that this resolution (by which UNESCO and its members were not committing themselves to anything serious) was passed unanimously just a month after Mother had explained to Satprem the need for opposite powers to build together something based on Truth. This was definitely a very positive sign. 1966, November 24 th : Darshan message: English There are these three powers: (l) The Cosmic Law, of Karma or what else; (2) the Divine Compassion acting on as many as it can reach through the nets of the Law and giving them their chance; (3) the Divine Grace which acts more incalculably but also more irresistibly than the others. (Sri Aurobindo) History of Auroville Book 4 Page 36

37 1966, December 1966, December 14 th : Answer to Huta who had written to Mother after hearing a radio programme on Auroville. MMTL, p.21; AVMW, p. 79. English. Just a word to tell you that there is no question of laying any first stone of Auroville for the moment. When the question will arise, certainly the first stone must be that of the Truth Pavilion or whatever it will be called 52 and I shall remember your offering. 1966, December 16 th : MI, Dec. 1967, p.670; Gaz, Vol. 3, No 4-5 p. 17, MoA, p.43; CWM, Vol. XIII, p. 197; AVMW, p. 79. French. Written. As long as you are for some and against others, you are necessarily outside the Truth. You should constantly keep goodwill and love in your heart and let them pour out on all with tranquillity and equality. 1966: AV Archives; AVMW, p.80 English. Written. Shyama: Who am I? The Divine under many disguises. 1966, December 25 th : Christmas Message: Gaz, Vol. 1, No 5-6, p. 17. French & English May this new Christmas be for you the advent of a new light, higher and purer. Bulletin, February 1967, p French & English A happy Christmas to all in Peace and Joy. 52 Strangely, though, as seen already, the word Matrimandir (which must have been given by Mother) has been already used in report published in the June 1966 issue of the Information Letter of the SAS and in a brochure which was definitely published prior to September 1966, Mother still calls it here the Truth Pavilion and adds: or whatever it may be called. Unfortunately, Huta doesn t provide the fac simile of this letter in either of her 2 books on Matrimandir & Auroville. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 37

38 1967, January New Year Message French & English. Men, countries, continents! The choice is imperative: Truth or the Abyss. About 1967: SAS Info Letter (2, June 1963), AM, p.196; MA,. In an interview with [Chamanlal, published in Mother India] on the 5 th March 1963 the following question was put to the Mother: Q.: Mother, on 30 th 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?" On hearing the question the Mother concentrated for a long time with closed eyes. Then opening Her eyes She said in a distinct tone: It will be settled in She emphasised the word settled and once again said: Do not change my words: It will be settled in * White Roses, Part 3, pp ; MI, June 1967, p. 279; SAS Info Letter (17, Sept.1967) Q1.: In 1967 the Supermind will enter the phase of realising power. What does realising power exactly mean? Acting decisively on the mind of men and the course of events. Q2.: What is the effect of the realising power on the Mother s own physical being and then the effect upon others and the world in general (including the outstanding problems of the world today)? We can wait with a little patience and we shall see. Q3.: Does this date (4-5-67) mark the beginning of what The Mother and Sri Aurobindo have called the New Race The Race of Superman? Since a few months the children born, amongst our people mostly, are of a very special kind. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 38

39 Letter to Huta: MMTL, introduction English To my very dear little child Huta. Welcome to all those who aspire to do the Lord s work. With all my love. 1967, January 21 st : Mother hands Satprem a message on Auroville: MI, Aug 67, p. 421; MI, Feb. 1968, p. 7; AM, p. 31; MA, p. 30; MoA, p.1; CWM, p.198 (1 st message only); Gaz, Vol. 3 No 3, p.17; AVMW, p. 83; French. Written. Auroville: at last a place where one will be able to think only of the future Other translation: At last a place where one will be able to think of nothing but the future. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 39

40 1967, February 1967, February 15 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem: AM, p. 54,55; MA, p ; AVMW, p. 83. Conversation in French. No tape-recording available. Oh, by the way, it seems the Pope was approached about Auroville and he asked if there would be a Catholic church!... They put the question to me. I said, No. No churches, no temples. But it might be funny if we put together one specimen of every religion from every country and every epoch A city of religions, can you see that?... The totem pole next to the cathedral! Oh, that would be very funny! All the ancient religions the Egyptian, the Tyrian, the Scandinavian gods... and then the new religions. Satprem: They d all quarrel with each other! It s a pity, men have too little sense of humour! Otherwise we could have great fun. It s a wonderful remedy. We could arrange guided tours, just like Cook s tours (!) We would have a tour of religions, with all the statues and monuments. The explanations could be read out by some guide or other, but they would be prepared by someone with a slightly higher vision (oh, not a supramental vision, just a slightly higher one), and they would show human creeds and how men have shed blood in the name of God. The most bloodthirsty god is the most popular, I think. All the slaughters, all the horrors, all the tortures that have been committed in the name of God... It s a subject I found very interesting, in the beginning I even wanted to give a class on it, when the School only had thirty children or so: a class on religions showing the whole course from the gods with the heads of birds or jackals to cathedrals. Oh, when I was just five, I was revolted by that God who really was a wicked character and caused bloodshed. So we could have a city of religions. But we would have to re-create the atmosphere. Satprem: A museum of religions? No, a museum is too intellectual a city of religions. We would have to re-create the atmosphere and have a temple, churches, a cathedral, a totem pole... (laughing) We d entrust the Greek temple to Ananta 54! That would be really unique on earth. But you know, there are still so many fanatics more than we think. You would think all that has disappeared with modern development not at all. The farther I go, the more I have a perception of a Harmony. A harmony, that is, a vision of the Whole in which everything is in its place: qualities, movements, even forms. It s something being worked out, a vision being worked out. Yet outwardly, it s apparent chaos... You know, an equilibrium is made out of a multitude of interlockings holding one another and creating a stability. But when you want to move on to a higher equilibrium, all that must be disintegrated, so to speak (gesture of a pyramid being flattened), then reintegrated in a broader way, and all the interlockings must be formed again on a higher level. It s the transition from one to the other that s difficult. The disequilibrium is what prepares a new equilibrium. We are in the middle of the chaos. And the only solution at such a time is to draw back, as it were (gesture of drawing within), and hang on unshakably to something higher, fasten on to it while the hurricane passes by. Then you can go through. 54 A rather eccentric American disciple, whom Mother was visiting every year for his birthday on his island (at the mouth of the first river south of Pondicherry). History of Auroville Book 4 Page 40

41 1967, February: At a place named Promesse by Mother, on the NH 66, work starts to rebuild the abandoned buildings of a former customs post of British India , February 17 th : Smt. Anjani Dayanand, I.A.S. Secretary Madras Government sends to Navajata papers pertaining to the possibility of setting up in India of a truly international university and asks him whether the SAS would be interested to create such an institution in Auroville. 1967, February 18 th : Excerpt from a conversation with Satprem on the new consciousness: AM, pp ; MA, pp. ; AVMW, pp French. Tape-recording available. And after all, what we want... we know that we need, not an artificially new language, but something supple enough to be able to adapt to the needs of a new CONSCIOUSNESS; and that s probably how that language will emerge, from a number of old languages, through the disappearance of habits. What s specific to each language (apart from a few differences in words) is the order in which ideas are presented: the construction of sentences. The Japanese (and the Chinese even more so) have solved the problem by using only the sign of the idea. Now, under the influence from outside, they have added phonetic signs to build a sentence; but even now the order in the construction of the ideas is different. It s different in Japan and in China. And unless you FEEL this, you can never know a foreign language really well. So we speak according to our very old habit (and basically it s more convenient for us simply because it comes automatically). But when I receive, for instance, it s not even a thought: it s Sri Aurobindo s formulated consciousness; then, to be expressed there is a sort of progressive approximation, and sometimes it comes very clearly; but very often it s a spontaneous mixture of French and English forms and I feel it s something else trying to be expressed. At times (he follows my notation), he makes me correct something; at other times it comes perfectly well it depends... Oh, it depends on the limpidity. If you are very tranquil, it comes very well. And there, too, I see it s not really French and not really English. It s not so much the words (words are nothing) as the ORDER in which things come up. And when afterwards I look at it objectively, I see that it s in part the order in which they come in French and in part the order in which they come in English. And the result is a mixture which is neither one language nor the other and endeavours to express... what might be called a new way of consciousness. It leads me to think that something will be worked out that way, and that any too strict, too narrow attachment to the old rules is a hindrance to the evolution of expression. From that point of view, French is a long way behind English English is much more supple. But the languages in countries like China and Japan that use ideograms seem to be infinitely more supple than our own. Satprem: Certainly! They can express new ideas and things far more easily through juxtaposition of signs. But now, with this new logic and new mathematics, a whole set of new signs is beginning to be universal, that is to say, the same signs express the same ideas or things in all countries, whatever language is used in the country, quite independently. These new thoughts and new experiences, this new logic and new mathematics, are now taught in higher classes, but all the primary and secondary studies have remained in the old formula, so I have been very seriously thinking of opening primary and secondary schools in Auroville, based on the new system as a trial. 55 Nata is managing this work with Vincenzo. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 41

42 1967, February: AV Archives (written on AV letterhead) English When one is unable to follow a discipline, one is also unable to make anything in life that is lasting and worthy. 1967, February 21 st : Mother s 89 th Birthday [Darshan Message:] When darkness deepens strangling the earth s breast And man s corporeal mind is the only lamp, As a thief s in the night shall be the covert tread Of one who steps unseen into his house. A voice ill-heard shall speak, the soul obey, A power into mind s inner chamber steal, A charm and sweetness open life s closed doors And beauty conquer the resisting world, The truth-light capture Nature by surprise, A stealth of God compel the heart to bliss And earth grow unexpectedly divine. (Sri Aurobindo, Savitri, I. IV. 63) 1967, February 22 nd : AV Archives, written on AV letterhead English Sri Aurobindo has come on earth not to bring a teaching or a creed in competition with previous creeds or teachings, but to show the way to overpass the past and to open concretely the route towards an imminent and inevitable future. The past has been a preparation and still quite a portion of humanity needs to be prepared. Sri Aurobindo gives help to all equally, but each one receives according to his fitness and receptivity. Those who are ready to overpass the past and run unloaded towards the Future will reach the goal quicker. But the help is for all, and all are welcome. History of Auroville Book 4 Page 42