In 1956,
André
established the Sri Aurobindo Study Centre; this organization sent teaching materials,
class textbooks and other objects to the
In the
same letter, Janine writes about her father: “His concern was to extend all his
efforts to the service of the Mother in
However,
the Mother did not quite always appreciate the methods undertaken by André to spread the message of
Sri Aurobindo’s teachings. For instance, when Pavitra informed the Mother (on
25 April 1961) that André had
been bitten by the “propaganda bug” (as he had preached that the goal of the
Sri Aurobindo Study Centre was to steer people towards
André’s name would be
mentioned several times in the Agenda
in various circumstances. Let’s quote a few of them.
On 15
February 1963, we find the Mother saying (regarding a passage from the Agenda at the time of her first “great
turning point”, which she wanted to show to one of the persons of her entourage
in order to make him understand her work): “I had asked Sujata [Nahar] for two
copies, but then I realized it wasn’t at all necessary. When I told you I would
give it to André for him
to read, and when André came, I
showed him one or two of the latest [Agenda
conversations] typed by Sujata—and soon lost any desire.” [4]
On 3
June 1967, the Mother said: “André writes that he received in
On 20
September 1969, the Mother said: “André told me that when he has some pain, he just has to
put his hand and concentrate—and it goes away. As for me, I’ve been doing it
for… (I was going to say for centuries!), even when I was small I used to do
it. I always found it something quite natural.” [6]
On 22
July 1972, there was a discussion between the Mother, André and Satprem on the fact
that SABDA was not giving Satprem any details regarding the sales of his books.
Similar charges arose regarding the printing and distribution of Sri Aurobindo’s
books as well. During the course of the conversations, the Mother remarked (in
André’s
presence): “But André isn’t
combative.” André agreed
that he wasn’t so and explained: “I try to see through their eyes, and then I
don’t know who’s right any more.” He said to the Mother: “I’ll tell frankly
what bothers me. What bothers me is that I know from experience that you’re
always right because you always see things from a higher plane than we. Also I
know from experience that even if at the time I feel you say something that
doesn’t match my own thinking, well, you’re still right. And that’s why I have
a lot of trouble being ‘combative.’ ” [7]
But André had become an important
and integral figure in the Ashram and he helped the members of the Ashram in whatever
ways were possible for him. When the associate editor of Mother India, the Ashram magazine, Soli Albless had planned to go
to a philosophical conference at
André arrived at
After
the passing of Pavitra, André became the de facto Director
of the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education and the Mother gave all
her directions through him. When Auroville was established in 1968, he became a
channel of communication between Auroville and the Mother. Nirodbaran remembers
André holding
several meetings with the Aurovilians whenever he was in
Years
passed by. André
suffered a stroke and a heart attack. The stroke affected one of his legs and
the Mother was deeply concerned about his health. Whenever Nirodbaran went to
the Mother’s room to read out the manuscripts of his books Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo,
Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo and
Talks with Sri Aurobindo to her with
André, he did
not miss her eye of concern. The Mother enquired about André’s health and asked
whether the seat taken by him was comfortable or not and sometimes she drew his
attention to some remarks of Sri Aurobindo in Nirodbaran’s books and both would
appreciate them together. Nirodbaran adds: “Later on the Mother suggested to me
that if I had no objection I could come to her on alternate days since André had to leave soon for
Amal
Kiran also writes that all communication from and to the Mother was at its best
and clearest through André as his
way of speaking seemed to be on a wavelength most attuned to the Mother who was
a little hard of hearing in her old age.
The
Mother’s health deteriorated towards the end of March 1973. From 20 May, all
meetings with her were ceased and nobody was allowed to meet her except her
attendants and doctors and of course, André who went to see her every evening. In his
biography of the Mother, Georges Van Vrekhem writes: “ ‘Bonsoir, maman,’ one could hear him saying in the courtyard, for he
had to raise his voice a little; and on her inquiring about his wellbeing: ‘ça va bien, maman.’ ” [9]
Nirodbaran
used to inquire about the Mother’s health from André but the answers he
received were not hopeful. Probably André had realized that the Mother would leave her body
soon. He told Nirodbaran that the Mother seemed to have “given up the fight.”
To Sujata Nahar, he had said: “People must be prepared.”
On 17
November in the evening, the Mother’s condition grew worse. André went to her room at
around 6.30-6.45 pm. It was then noticed by Kumud, the Mother’s assistant, that
certain sounds were coming from her throat and her head was moving in a strange
manner. After consulting Champaklal, Dr. Prabhat Sanyal and Pranab were sent
for. Pranab arrived at five past seven.
Dr. Sanyal had come before him. He started examining the Mother
immediately after his arrival. But at 7.25 pm the Mother left her body. André took Pranab aside and
told him that the Mother had once said that if she left her body, Pranab would
be affected the most; so André assured him that he and others would take good care of him. He told
Pranab not to worry and added that he and others would see to it that
everything was in order. Pranab was deeply touched. He told André that he would like to
wait for some time before taking the Mother’s body down to the Meditation Hall,
as she had instructed all those who were close to her not to disturb the body
if it appeared that she had left her body. André agreed to it. He expressed his desire to
stay back but since the condition of his own health (he was unable to bear much
strain) was not good, he was advised by Pranab to retire for the night and come
on the following day. André came
downstairs and left for his house. Nirodbaran saw him coming down, “grave
silent picture of sadness”, he observed. He wondered why was he leaving “with a
heavy countenance” but got his answer after a few hours.
What
follows is a report published in Mother
India (joint issue of November-December 1973) regarding the Mother’s
physical departure:
The
body was then prepared for being kept in state and the Mother was brought down
from Her room to the Meditation Hall downstairs and She was laid in state
there. By almost 3.00 a.m. of the 18th the members of the Ashram were informed
of Her passing and they began to come to the Meditation Hall for a last
Darshan. The government departments were informed and All India Radio. The
public were admitted to have Her last Darshan by 4.30 am From 4.00 am onward,
the news was sent to around
The
message that was sent to everyone was as follows:
The
Mother left Her Body, on 17.11.73 at 7.25 pm. The immediate cause of Her
passing away was heart failure. The body is kept in state for the last Darshan
of the disciples, devotees and the general public. It will remain in state as
long as it is possible to keep it. Her message is well known in Her loving
utterance: “A New Humanity shall arise.” Let Her will be done.
The
doctors examined the body twice a day. On the morning of the 19th they felt
that it would not be advisable to keep it in state beyond the morning of the
20th. So it was decided to have the samadhi on the 20th morning and to lay the
body of the Divine Mother in a casket at 8.00 am of the 20th November. The news
was circulated all around and preparations began to be made for the samadhi.
The Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo was opened.
A casket
was made of one-inch-thick rosewood and the inside was lined with a pure silver
sheet and over this was a lining of felt and then white silk satin. On the lid
of the casket was fixed a symbol of the Mother in pure gold.
At 8.00
am on the 20th November, the Mother’s body was laid in the casket, which was
then covered and sealed hermetically.
The
casket was carried to the Samadhi and lowered into the chamber just above the
vault in which Sri Aurobindo’s body had been laid in 1950. Nolini and André scattered some rose
petals over the casket and concrete slabs were placed to cover the chamber.
There was then a meditation for about ten minutes.
A
running commentary on the event was given by All India Radio. After the
meditation, wreaths and bouquets of flowers were laid on the Samadhi by the
Government of Pondicherry, the French Consul and others…
André had noted in his diary a
decision taken by the Mother in May 1973 to submit entirely to the Divine’s
Will and give up her attempt to transform her body. He wrote that there was a
marked difference from that day onwards. But André never published it because since it was an
oral conversation, he was reluctant to put it in print lest it created
unnecessary controversy.
[1] Ibid., p. 36
[2] Ibid., p. 35
[3] Mother’s Agenda,
Vol. II
[4] Mother’s Agenda,
Vol. IV
[5] Mother’s Agenda,
Vol. VIII
[6] Mother’s Agenda,
Vol. X
[7] Mother’s Agenda,
Vol. XIII
[8] Selected Essays
and Talks of Nirodbaran, p, 148
[9] The Mother: The
Story of Her Life, p. 595
André at the Samadhi; also are
seen Udar, Nolini and Dyuman