France... The First Meeting
Mirra Alfassa was born on February 21, 1878, in Paris, the year following the installation in France of her father, Moise Maurice Alfassa, of Turkish origin born in Adrianople, and of her mother, Mathilde Ismalun, born in Alexandria in Egypt. He, a banker and mathematician, of Muslim faith, and she, a follower of Karl Marx, of the Jewish faith, were atheistic and materialistic. In itsef, his parents already formed an extraordinary couple through their cofession of origin, their atheism and their freedom to think.
Like all great beings, certain experiences and situations foreshadow an exceptional destiny from childhood.
Extrect from Volume 13 of the Words of the Mother, p.38 - Pondicherry, 1920:
How1 Became Conscious of My Mission When and how did I become conscious of a mission which I was to fulfil on earth? And when and
how I met Sti Aurobindo? These two questions you have asked me and l promised a
short reply. For the knowledge of the mission, it is difficut to say when it came to me. It is as though I were born with it, and following the growth of the mind and brain, the precision and
completeness of this consciousness grew also.
Between 1l and 13 a series of psychic and spintual experiences revealed to me not only the existence of God but man possibility of uniting with Him, of realising Him integrally in
consciousness and action, of manifesting Him upon the earth in a life dhvine. This, along with a practical discipline for its fulfilment, was given to me during my bodys sleep by several
teachers, some of whom Imet afterwards on the physical plane. Later on, as the interior and exterior development proceeded, the spinitual and psychic relation with one of these beings
became more and more clear and frequent, and although I knew little of the Indian philosophies and religions at that time I was led to call him Krishna, and henceforth I was aware that it was with him (whomI knewI should meet on earth one day) that
the divine work was to be done.
In the year 1910 my husband came alone to Pondicherry where, under very interesting and peculiar circumstances,
ne
made the acquaintance of Sri Aurobindo. Since then we both strongly wished to return to india-the cOuntry which
T had always cherished as my true mother-country. And in 1914 this joy was granted to us.
As soon asI saw Sri Aurobindo I recognised in him the well-known being whom I used to cal Krishna… And this is
enough to explain why I am fully convinced that myplace and my work are near him, in India
This first meeting turned Mirra Afassa’s life upside down.
Extracts from "Mother's Diaries" and "Prayers and Meditations
Before I even came, to leave to meet Sri Aurobindo, I had done all that was necessary to be able to start yoga. It was
all ready and filed, organized beautiful! With a superb mental construction that in five minutes, he threw to the
ground. Oh! How happy l was! Phew!.
It was really a reward for all my efforts.. I sat next to him, just like that, on the floor
All of a sudden, I felt in myself like a great Force and a Peace! A silence! Massive… And I realized that I no longer had
a thought, that I was
in a complete blank. So, Igave thanks to the Lord and
Sri Aurobindo in my
heart
it does not matter that there are thousands of beings plunged in the thickest ignorance.. ts presence is enough to
prove that a day wil come when the shadow will be transformed into light and where, indeed, Your reign will be
established on the Earth
The second meeting... the installation
After an eleven-month stay with Sri Aurobindo, she was forced to retum to France because of the autbreak of the First Worid War. A year later, she went to Japan for a period of four years,
following her husband sent by the minister of the colonies, on a trade mission to Japan.
On April 24, 1920, they returmad to Pondicherry.
From that date, Mirra Alfassa settled permanently in the ashram. Her important collaboration with Sri Aurobindo is difficult to bear for her husband. He filed for divorce two years later.
In August 1926, Sri Aurobindo entrusted Mirra Alfassa with the management of the Ashram, officially founded on that date. On November 24, 1926, he publicly recogized her as “the Mother
and her Shakti. From then on, Sri Aurobindo retired to his room for twelve years. Shortly after, Sri Aurobindo published a little book called The Mother
Extracts from "The Mother by Sri Aurobindo
The supra-mental change is decreed and inevitable in the evolution of the terrestrial consciousness because this
consciousness has not finished its ascent and the mind is not its final summit. But for change to happen, take
shape and last, there needs to be a cll from below anda willingness to recognize, not deny, light when it comes,
and there has to be, from above Supreme sanction.
Divine life
Extract from Volume 2 of the Words of the Mother, p.166 – Japan, 1920:
I belong to no nation, no civilization, no society, no race, but to the Divine.
obey no master, no ruler, no law, no social convention, but the Divine.
To Him I have surrendered al, wil, life and self, for Him, I am ready to give all my blood, drop by drop, if such is His
Wil, with complete joy, and nothing in His service can be a sacrifice, for all is a perfect delight.
For forty-seven years, Mira Alfassa is the Mother of the Ashram.
The second meeting.. the installation
After an eleven month stay with Sri Aurobindo, she was forced to retum to France because of the outbreak of the First World War. A year later, she went to Japan for a period of four years,
following her husband sent by the minister of the colonies, on a trade mission to Japan.
On April 24, 1920, they returned to Pondicherry.
From that date, Mirra Alifassa settled permanently in the ashram. Her important collaboration with Sri Aurobindo is difficult to bear for her husband. He filed for divarce two years later
In August 1926, Sri Aurobindo entrusted Mirra Alfassa with the management of the Ashram, officially founded on that date. On November 24, 1926, he publicly recognized her as “the Mother”
and her Shakti. From then on, Sri Aurobindo retired to his room for twelve years. Shortly after, Sri Aurobindo published a little book called “The Mother
Extracts from "The Mother by Sri Aurobindo
The supra-mental change is decreed and inevitable in the evolution of the terrestrial consciousness because this
consciousness has not finished its ascent and the mind is not its final summit. But for change to happen, take
shape and last, there needs to be a call from below and a willingness to recognize, not deny, light when it comes,
and there has to be, from above Supreme sanction.
The power that mediates, between sanction and appeal, is the presence and the power of the Mother. Only the power
of the Mother, and not some human effort or aUsterity, can break the cover, tear the veil, shape the vessel and bring
down into this world of darkness, lies, death, and suffering, the truth, the light, divine life and the bliss of the
immortals.
Divine life
Extract from Volume 2 of the Words of the Mother, p.166-Japan, 1920:
I belong to no nation, no civilization, no society, no race, but to the Divine.
obey no master, no ruler, no law, no s0CIal convention, but the Uvine
To Him I have surrendered ail, wil ife and self; for Him, 1 am ready to gve all my blood, drap by drop, if such is His
Wil, with complete joy; and nothing in His service can be a sacrifice, for allis a perfect delight.
For Forty-Seven years, Mira Altassa is the Mother ot the Ashram.
Extract from Volume 13 of the Words of the Mother, p.43- Pondichey, 1954:
I want to mark this day by the expression of a long-cherished wish; that of becoming an Indian citizen. From the first time I came to India-in 1914-1felt that India is my true country,
the country of my soul and spirit. I had decided to realize this wish as soon as India would be free. But I had to wait still longer because of my heavy responsibilities for the Ashram here in
Pondicnerry. Now tne time nas come wnen I can deciare myseit.
But, in accordance with Sri Aurobindo’s ideal, my purpose is to show that truth lies in union rather than in division. To reject one nationality in order to obtain another is not an ideal solution.
Sol hope I shall be allowed to adopt a double nationality, that is to say, to remain French while I become an Indian.
am French by birth and early education, I am Indian by choice and predilection. In my consciousness there is no antagonism between the two, on the contrary, they combine very well and
complete one another.I know also that I can be of service to both equally, for my only aim in life is to give a concrete form to Sri Aurobindo’s great teaching and in his teaching, he reveals
that all the nations are essentially one and meant to express the Divine Unity upon earth through an organized and harmanious diversity.
15 August 1954
Auroville
In 1968, she founded Auroville, “The City of Davn’, a few kilometers from Pondicherry, a city that does not belong to
any country, under the aegis of Unesco.
Auroville aims to be a place of universal community life, where men and women of all countries learn to live in peace
and harmony, as much as possible, beyond all beliefs, political opinions, and nationalities.
Auroville’s founding charter says:
- Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. But, to live in Auroville, one
must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness. - Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages.
- Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without
and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realizations. - Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of actual human unity.
The Mother left her body in 1973, during the last concreting of the four pillars of the Matrimandir, the cupola-shaped
temple, with the golden roof, of Auroville.
