Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo

(Darshan Day) - August 15, 1872

The birthday of Sri Aurobindo, celebrated as one of the four traditional Darshan Days and also India's Independence Day.

The Eternal Presence ◆

You spoke of Sri Aurobindo's birth as "eternal" in the history of the universe. What exactly was meant by "eternal"?

"The sentence can be understood in four different ways on four ascending planes of consciousness:

1) Physically, the consequence of the birth will be of eternal importance to the world.

2) Mentally, it is a birth that will be eternally remembered in the universal history.

3) Psychically, a birth that recurs for ever from age to age upon earth.

4) Spiritually, the birth of the Eternal upon earth."

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: Sri Aurobindo > Eternal Presence

Birth Anniversary of The Mother

(Darshan Day) - February 21, 1878

The Mother's Birthday. She was born on February 21st, 1878 at 10:15 AM in Paris to a Sephardic Jewish bourgeois family. Her father was Moïse Maurice Alfassa, a Turkish Jewish banker who migrated from Adrianople via Egypt, and Mathilde Ismalun, an Egyptian Jewish mother from Cairo. She is named Blanche Rachel Mirra Alfassa.

"Since the beginning of the earth, wherever and whenever there was the possibility of manifesting a ray of Consciousness, I was there."

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: The Mother > The Mother

"I am on earth because it is on earth that the divine work must he done, and for no other reason."

CWM Vol. 17: More Answers from the Mother: Series One (1931 - 1949) > 24 August 1935

Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo's Arrival in Pondicherry

April 4, 1910

Sri Aurobindo arrived at Pondicherry on 4th April, 1910 at 4:00 P.M. by the steamer 'S. S. Dupleix'. His assumed name for the ticket to Colombo was Jyotindranath Mitra. It was in this year, when Sri Aurobindo was in the thick of the activities for the regeneration and liberation of India, that he left Calcutta and came to Pondicherry.
On his arrival Sri Aurobindo was taken to Shankar Chetty's house. It is interesting to note that in this very house Swami Vivekananda had also stayed during his tour of South India.

The Adeśa ◆

From a letter wrote to Charu Chandra Dutt:

"...I suddenly received a command from above, in a Voice well known to me, in three words: "Go to Chandernagore". In ten minutes or so I was in the boat for Chandernagore.

I remained in secret entirely engaged in Sadhana.... Afterwards, under the same "sailing orders" I left Chandernagore and reached Pondicherry on April 4, 1910.

...I had accepted the rule of following the inner guidance implicitly and moving only as I was moved by the Divine. The spiritual development during the year in jail had turned this into an absolute law of the being. This accounts for my immediate action in obedience to the adeśa received by me."

CWSA Vol. 36: Autobiographical Notes and Other Writings of Historical Interest: Autobiographical Notes > Corrections of Statements Made in Biographies and Other Publications > The Departure from Calcutta (1910) > To Charu Chandra Dutt

The Ashram New Year ◆

"The 4th April is the Ashram New Year, date of Sri Aurobindo’s arrival in Pondicherry."

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: Sri Aurobindo Ashram > Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Anniversary of The Mother's First Arrival and Meeting with Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry

March 29, 1914

The day The Mother first arrived in Pondicherry and physically met with Sri Aurobindo.

The First Meeting... ◆

"I came here..... I had an appointment for the afternoon. He was living in the house that's now part of the second dormitory, the old Guest House. I climbed up the stairway and he was standing there, waiting for me at the top of the stairs…. EXACTLY my vision! Dressed the same way, in the same position, in profile, his head held high. He turned his head towards me… and I saw in his eyes that it was He. The two things clicked (gesture of instantaneous shock), the inner experience immediately became one with the outer experience and there was fusion - the decisive shock."

Mother's Agenda Vol. 02: 1961: December > December 20, 1961

He whom we saw yesterday is on earth... ◆

On 30th March, 1914, the day after The Mother first met Sri Aurobindo, she noted these two passages in her diary:

"It matters little that there are thousands of beings plunged in the densest ignorance, He whom we saw yesterday is on earth; his presence is enough to prove that a day will come when darkness shall be transformed into light, and Thy reign shall indeed be established upon earth.

O Lord, Divine Builder of this marvel, my heart overflows with joy and gratitude when I think of it, and my hope has no bounds.

My adoration is beyond all words, my reverence is silent."

CWM Vol. 01: Prayers and Meditations: 1914 > March 30, 1914

Anniversary of The Mother's Final Arrival in Pondicherry

(Darshan Day) - April 24, 1920

On 24th April, 1920, Mirra finally returned at Pondicherry from Japan for good.

The Aura of Sri Aurobindo - A Physical Experience ◆

On returning to Pondicherry, the Mother was accompanied by an English lady, Miss Dorothy Hodgeson, whom she had already known in France. When their boat was approaching Pondicherry, the Mother had a remarkable experience. She experienced Sri Aurobindo's aura through 'a physical change in the air' while her ship is still several nautical miles away.

"...as I had when I came from Japan: I was on the boat, at sea, not expecting anything (I was of course busy with the inner life, but I was living physically on the boat), when all of a sudden, abruptly, about two nautical miles from Pondicherry, the quality, I may even say the physical quality of the atmosphere, of the air, changed so much that I knew we were entering the aura of Sri Aurobindo. It was a physical experience and I guarantee that whoever has a sufficiently awakened consciousness can feel the same thing."

CWM Vol. 04: Questions and Answers (1950 - 1951) > 1951 > March > 17 March 1951

Later Sri Aurobindo uttered:

"...the Sadhana and the work were waiting for the Mother's coming."

CWSA Vol. 35: Letters on Himself and the Ashram: His Sadhana or Practice of Yoga > Sadhana in Pondicherry (1910-1950) > The Early Years in Pondicherry (1910-1926) > Sitting on the Path?

Victory over the Adverse Forces ◆

"The anniversary of my return to Pondicherry, which was the tangible sign of the sure Victory over the adverse forces."

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: The Mother > General

Siddhi Day / The Day of Victory

(Darshan Day) - November 24, 1926

Commemorating Sri Aurobindo's attainment of the Spiritual Experience: The Descent of Sri Krishna into His body, marking the beginning of a new phase in his spiritual work.

Victory over the Adverse Forces ◆

It was in the late afternoon that the Mother had all the disciples called for a special gathering. At about 6 o’clock all had gathered on the verandah in front of Sri Aurobindo’s room.

Whilst there was a deep silence, the disciples felt the pressure in the atmosphere. Some saw a flood of Light rushing down from above. Then Sri Aurobindo and the Mother came and a meditation was held. Thereafter the two avatars blessed their disciples, and again there was a short meditation. They all felt distinctly that something special had happened, the atmosphere was so much charged with vibrations of Light. When Sri Aurobindo and the Mother withdrew, Datta spoke in a moment of inspiration, “The Lord has descended into the physical today.”

Later on, Sri Aurobindo explained the significance of this descent:

"The 24th November, 1926 was the descent of Krishna into the physical. Krishna is not the supramental light. The descent of Krishna would mean the descent of the Overmind Godhead preparing, though not itself actually bringing, the descent of Supermind and Ananda. Krishna is the Anandamaya, he supports the evolution through the Overmind leading it towards his Ananda."

CWSA Vol. 35: Letters on Himself and the Ashram: His Sadhana or Practice of Yoga > Sadhana in Pondicherry (1910-1950) > The Realisation of 24 November 1926 > The Significance of the 24th November

Sri Aurobindo's Mahaprayan

December 5, 1950

Sri Aurobindo's Withdrawal from His Physical Body.

Until Earth is Transformed... ◆

"Lord, this morning Thou hast given me the assurance that Thou wouldst stay with us until Thy work is achieved, not only as a consciousness which guides and illumines but also as a dynamic Presence in action. In unmistakable terms Thou hast promised that all of Thyself would remain here and not leave the earth atmosphere until earth is transformed. Grant that we may be worthy of this marvellous Presence and that henceforth everything in us be concentrated on the one will to be more and more perfectly consecrated to the fulfilment of Thy sublime Work."

(7 December 1950)

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: Sri Aurobindo > Mahasamadhi

Sri Aurobindo's Mahasamadhi

December 9, 1950

Sri Aurobindo's Physical Body was laid to rest.

To Thee... ◆

"To Thee who hast been the material envelope of our Master, to Thee our infinite gratitude. Before Thee who hast done so much for us, who hast worked, struggled, suffered, hoped, endured so much, before Thee who hast willed all, attempted all, prepared, achieved all for us, before Thee we bow down and implore that we may never forget, even for a moment, all we owe to Thee."

(9 December 1950)

CWM Vol. 13: Words of the Mother - I: Sri Aurobindo > Mahasamadhi

Golden Day / Day of the Supramental Manifestation

(Every Leap Year) - February 29, 1956

The Mother had the concrete experience of the descent of the Supramental Consciousness on Earth, marking a pivotal moment in the spiritual evolution of humanity.

The Descent of the Supramental Consciousness on Earth ◆

During the common meditation on Wednesday (29.Feb.1956):

"This evening the Divine Presence, concrete and material, was there present amongst you. I had a form of living gold, bigger than the universe, and I was facing a huge and massive golden door which separated the world from the Divine. As I looked at the door, I knew and willed, in a single movement of consciousness, that "the time has come," and lifting with both hands a mighty golden hammer I struck one blow, one single blow on the door and the door was shattered to pieces. Then the supramental Light and Force and Consciousness rushed down upon earth in an uninterrupted flow."

CWM Vol. 15: Words of the Mother - III: Letters, Messages and Other Short Written Statements > Transformation and the Supramental > The Supramental Manifestation upon Earth

The Mother's Mahaprayan

November 17, 1973

The Mother's Withdrawal from Her Physical Body.

The Mother's Mahasamadhi

November 20, 1973

The Mother's Physical Body was laid to rest.