Darshan

9

No VIP Treatment (N. K. Krishnamurti)

N. K. Krishnamurti

Fifty-three years ago, in 1950, as a teenager I came to Pondicherry for the first time and had the Darshan of the Lord. I did not know much about Pondicherry. I went to my friend's house in Cuddalore (a town close to Pondicherry) and was escorted to Pondicherry on 23^rd November, evening. I stayed overnight and the next day was the Darshan day. In those days one had to get prior permission (of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother) for the Darshan. It was very difficult to get the permission. My friends at Madras tried many times; they could not get any answer. I was very much discouraged but some friends told me, "You must try. You must be open to it. It is they who decide it, not you." So I wrote a letter—on 1^st week of November, 1950—just a letter; "I am very keen to have the Darshan of Sri Aurobindo; please permit me." That was all. After a few days I received a postcard—it was by M.P. Pandit, signed by Nolini Kanta Gupta—informing me my number etc. for the Darshan. I had that card with me on the Darshan day morning and I was thinking: "I don't know anything about Sri Aurobindo!" Yet, at 2 o' clock or 1.45 pm I was standing in the queue for Darshan. Those days the Darshan was in the afternoon. It was very surprising for me to see that the Governor of Madras, the Maharajah of Bhavanagar and his family were standing behind me. I wondered, "No VIP treatment!" As a man coming from Madras, one knew the politics; the VIP's were always received first. And here there was nothing like that! They were surprised at this.

Slowly the queue moved to the Meditation Hall, up the staircase and then turned right; straight we went to Sri

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Aurobindo's Darshan. I saw a g6lden Purusha! Sri Aurobindo had a big towel on his left shoulder and his right hand finger had a ring; he had a kerchief on that right hand. He looked straight and one went into His eyes. I was a little surprised. [overwhelmed by emotion, halts the narration shortly] Excuse me, recalling things... I felt something going in but could not open for it— it was.... but I was thrilled completely. And through the next room, the middle room, we came out. I had experienced something unusual which was unexpected; I told many people in Madras. All these years whenever friends ask me, "Have you seen Sri Aurobindo?" and I say, "Yes," they exclaim: "Really?" I say, "Yes, very much really—because I could see the golden Purusha. I cannot forget it." The same thing had been told by Kapali Sastri. "When I saw you,"—he wrote in his correspondence with Sri Aurobindo—"you were very dark and thin. Now I see you golden. Is it due to Yoga?" Sri Aurobindo replied, "Yes." So by his Yoga he had completely turned the complexion of the body into a golden one (and white beard). He was more like a Rishi. That is always in my mind. I think Krishnalal has drawn a picture of Sri Aurobindo—Hiranmaya Purusha. He had the same concept; it is really a remarkable one. I think I am fortunate to have had that—nothing more. It was a rare opportunity. Many people tried, they could not get it. They were more religious than me! And no recommendation those days—every individual had to write for the permission. I had not read much except that I knew that Sri Aurobindo was a very great person. That made me try. And for that sincerity He answered me with the permission for Darshan. I was told that the letters requesting for permission were taken to the Mother or Sri Aurobindo. He must say, nod 'yes'; then only the permission was given.

After the Darshan, in the evening, I went for the meditation at the Playground—not much crowd, those days. There were Ashramites, about 500 or so. Totally the number of visitors on that day must have come to about a thousand.

And later on I found that, out of the 24 persons who had had Darshan on the important day of 24^th November 1926, (the day when the Overmental consciousness descended into the physical—celebrated as Victory day in the Ashram) I saw at

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least seven persons: Nolini, Amrita, Pavitra, K. Rajangam, Champaklal, Pujalal, and Purani—many of those people. There must be some significance of 24th November and 24 people; two and four add up to six. Sri Aurobindo's symbol has two triangles and together they have six sides—so there must be some significance in that. But I in fact was very fortunate to have Darshan on that day which was the Siddhi day (Victory day). It was also the last Darshan given by Sri Aurobindo before his retirement.

Those days I was helping in small things for Ashram. There were no communications between Pondicherry and Madras. There were just a train and two buses; the travel cost was just three rupees. Coming and going was difficult. There was no telephone in the Ashram; only telegram. I had to bring stamps, coins... everything from Madras. Repairing the Mother's pen, wrist watches—everything—I had to do there. Two or three of us were doing it—I, Anantaraman and others. Later on Varadarajan also joined us.

Some years ago, Aster's mother entrusted me some work -to bring silver vessels from Madras for Nehru's birthday celebration on 14^th. (Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India—his birthday is celebrated as Children's day) On the thirteenth of November I brought those things and gave to her. In the evening I saw a lot of people going to the Playground, to the Mother. I asked M.P. Pandit what it was. "It is only 'birthday people' who are going." He casually asked me, "When is your birthday?" I said, "Today, 13^th." He said, "Are you kidding? Are you sure?" I replied, "Yes, yes very much so." Then they took me. The Mother knows my name already because I was doing Her work. She smiled and put a lot of toffee in my shirts and gave me a bunch of flowers. Then I told somebody, "My birthday was discovered only in the playground; nowhere else." Birthdays, particularly, we people don't celebrate. We do it only in the first two or three years and after that it is forgotten. But here in the Ashram, it's celebrated in grand scale. It is amazing that I was there on that particular day which was my birthday and received blessings of the Mother! From that day, I have been coming regularly to Ashram for my birthdays. That day was in a way another new birth for me. Even if I am sick and

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cannot come I would get the card from here.

For Auroville Foundation day lot of invitation cards were printed and I had a hundred cards which I distributed some years afterwards, I also put some soil in the Matrimandir foundation.... Nobody will believe. I say this without egoism: It is Her Grace.

In 2001, November 24, we were taken to a room in the Ashram in which Sri Aurobindo had the overmind realization. (If you go to Bansidar's room, just turn left—where stamp collections are kept—that's the room.) In fact last year, the 75^th anniversary of the descent of the overmental consciousness was commemorated and a memento was given to all the people. It is said that, after Sri Aurobindo's birthday, this was a very important day in the history of the Ashram. Krishna's descent had come on that day. That was the day when Dutta, a disciple was instructed by the Mother to call every one, "all" of Sri Aurobindo's disciples for an immediate gathering for blessings. From that day onwards, from that moment onwards, there is a continuous progress in the Ashram's welfare, growth and everything.

In 1972 (Sri Aurobindo's Birth Centenary Year) the Shankaracharya of Sharadha peetham went to Calcutta and gave a talk. Sri Aurobindo has criticized Shankaracharya many times and so people were wondering how the Shankaracharya could come forward to talk about Sri Aurobindo! Many people attended the talk. He had come to Calcutta, for a simple reason those days: Sarojini (Sri Aurobindo's sister) had appealed for funds to fight the case (made by the colonial British Government) against Sri Aurobindo. (Known famously as The Alipore Bomb Case) He had brought some money and given to her. Afterwards he stayed on along with the other boys to see Calcutta, the Port and all. Mysteriously a letter came the next day morning. He opened it but could not make head or tail of it—it was all legal points. They went to C.R. Das who was the Lawyer for Sri Aurobindo and gave him the paper. He saw that and said, "I cannot dream that such things can happen. It would have taken 15 days for me to get the whole thing done; thank you very much." The case was won and Sri Aurobindo was acquitted.

The boys were very happy and they went to Judge's house -

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those days it was easy. The English Judge, Mr. Beechcroft smiled and said: "What boys, what do you want?" They replied, "We are very happy that you have acquitted Sri Aurobindo; we are here in admiration of yourself." He responded, "Yes, yes, very good." "One small doubt", queried the boys, "Is it by any chance that it was you who typed two pages of legal points and sent to us?" The judge smiled. This has been published in 'Mother India' also.

The Shankaracharya said, "In my purvashram I was a student of Tilak, (a revolutionary leader who struggled alongside Sri Aurobindo in the early days of India's Independence Movement) Tilak told us very clearly: 'Sri Aurobindo and Krishna are identical.'" He kept Brahmacharya and was reading Gita and wherever Bhagavan uvacha appeared, (meaning 'Bhagavan said') that word 'Bhagavan' was removed and substituted with Sri Aurobindo's name.

Recently I wrote an article on this in a Tamil magazine as the Tamil people may not know these things. It has just appeared in the Deepavali issue (of the Tamil magazine) last week. (Deepavali is associated with Lord Krishna in southern parts of India.) After seeing this coincidence, I felt that there must be a plain Truth underlying all these things.

Those days, some people knew Sri Aurobindo Himself as Krishna. When Sri Aurobindo Study Circle arranged to celebrate Sri Aurobindo's birthday in 1949 (or 1950) in Madras that day happened to coincide with Janmashtami day. The birthday of Sri Krishna does not fall on the same date every year but varies according to Hindu Almanac The man who presided over the birth anniversary function, Sri Rajah Iyer, the Advocate General of the Government of Madras remarked, "Today is Janmashtami day. Why this day was chosen!" It can be had on any day, why should it be on Janmashtami day? That was a rare coincidence. Some significance is there for everything.

* * *

And all the emotions gave themselves to God.

Book VII, 5

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The Supramental Manifestation upon Earth

On 25 September, 1914 the Mother addressed the Divine and adorable Mother in her Prayers and Meditations thus:

The Lord has willed and Thou dost execute:

A new Light shall break upon the earth,

A new world shall be born,

And the things that were promised shall be fulfilled.

* * *

29 February 1956

During the common meditation on Wednesday

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.

The Mother

***

On 23 April, 1956 the Mother wrote the following note:

29 February -29 March

Lord, Thou hast willed and I execute:

A new Light breaks upon the earth,

A new world is born.

The things that were promised are fulfilled.

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