The Mother

The Mother and the Expression of Beauty

Q: Pourquoi la Mère s'habille-t-elle avec des vêtements riches et beaux?

A: Avez-vous donc pour conception que le Divin doit être représenté sur terre par la pauvreté et la laideur?¹

Beauty is as much an expression of the Divine as Knowledge,

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Power or Ananda. Does anyone ask why does the Mother want to manifest the divine consciousness by knowledge or by power and not by ignorance and weakness? It would not be a more absurd or meaningless question than the one put by the vital against her wearing artistic and beautiful dress.

27-2-1933

Q: Does it make any difference to the Mother's consciousness whether she puts on the best saris or the old ones, whether she lives in a palace or in a forest? What do these outer things add to the inner reality? More probably they may be causing its diminution.

A: Outer things are the expression of something in the inner reality. A fine sari or a palace are expressions of the principle of beauty in things and that is their main value. The Divine Consciousness is not bound by these things and has no attachment, but it is also not bound to abstain from them if beauty in things is part of its intended action. The Mother, when the Ashram was still unformed, was wearing patched cotton saris; when she took up the work, it was necessary to change her habits, so she did so.

22-10-1935