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Introduction
Visions are like seedlings that could sprout into an experience of Reality. In the highest vision of the soul, an angel is awake. Sri Aurobindo has said,
Examples from History
The educated man. of today with his thinking mind would tend to ask the question whether visions can be real. We have heard of great saints like Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and such supreme spiritual personalities as Sri Aurobindo, who had "seen God face to face" or "talked with Him" and had the divine experience. Arjuna had to be granted the divine sight so that he could "see" the truth which was invisible to his human eyes. Even the Vedas, the core of the Hindu religion, are based on the rules and regulations governing the cosmos and beyond it as "seen" by the sages who were the "Seers". Here, the term "Seeing" is not confined to a mere physical act of perception. It is used in its scriptural meaning to confirm that the experience of Reality through visions can be as factual and intimate as would be the experience of seeing any object with our own normal eyes in the visible spectrum.
Similarity with Science
The word "Seeing" is to be taken in its metaphorical sense, . since the experience of Reality is an essentially non-sensory experience. It is a direct intuitive insight that produces an extraordinary sense of awareness without the screening by the thinking mind. Thus, the direct experience of Reality transcends the re- gions of thought and language, hence all verbal descriptions of XIX Reality are inadequate and incomplete. So also in Science. Einstein's theory of relativity leads us to speak of space-curvature, expanding universe, four-dimensional continuum, light's finite speed which yet cannot be exceeded. Quantum physics drives scientists to declare that the sub-atomic realm is not only stranger than we have thought but also stranger than we can ever think. Then there is the famous Big Bang in which from an infinitesimal spark of energy there comes into existence both space and time as well as the entire repertory of elements in a cosmos in which all the galaxies are moving away from one another. As an alternative to the Big Bang hypothesis we have the steady state hypothesis in which to balance the endless disappearances of galaxies in an expanding universe there is a continuous creation of matter in empty space. Nothing in fundamental physics can be properly visualised or made a mechanical model of. Only abstract mathematics can deal with these indescribable wonders. Yes, Science too escapes verbal description. Still, there is an essential difference between realising the ultimate elusiveness of physical reality and the contact with the mystery that is beyond the range of matter and even of mental phenomena. In Science the marvellous bedrock of physical events is reached. The secret basis of all existence is not yet touched. Even the great scientist Einstein has acknowledged. "As far as the laws of Mathematics refer to reality, things are not certain, and as far as they are certain, they do not completely refer to reality".
Need for the Eye Within
The quest for reality and truth requires the development of spiritual vision and the conversion and lifting of the soul to higher and still higher levels of consciousness where is "seen" the divine radiance. But the question is, "Can the human mind with its superficial nature and preoccupation with sense objects know with certainty what reality is?" The mind seeks to under- stand the cosmos, in which it exists, by dividing and analysing the mass of data and facts observed in day-to-day life and then forming ideas and beliefs about life in the universe. However, if XX life is so simple as to be understood through the surface existence only, why do we see so much of inner conflict, divided personalities, mental and physical breakdown of individuals? There is, often, an opposition between logical analysis by the mind and actual experience. This opposition usually deprives a person of having a sense of harmony between himself and the world at large. We often confront a situation where our intellectual concepts are distinct from our actual life. There is, therefore, the need for the subtle "third eye" within the individual to know whether there is any reality behind the world we know and beyond the meaning we give to life. Man must learn to handle and combine the facts generally observed and the values gained through experience. A rigorous analysis with- out any vision can only be at the cost of spiritual insights. On the other hand, a vision that is not disciplined or properly investigated can become a source of possible superstition and fanaticism. There is the eye within all of us, which, during the long and silent hours of contemplation and deep meditation, can lead us to develop our inner being, purify our emotions and thoughts. The discordant elements of mind and heart can be harmonized allowing the seed of spirit to grow.
"True Child" of The Mother - Champaklal
Our normal consciousness is at such a low level that it becomes a hindrance to the growth of the Psychic Being, the soul. The "true child" of the Mother, Champaklal, as the Mother herself has called him, is a creative, living symbol of the growth of the Psychic Being - without any interference from mental thinking. In this case, the journey of his soul to the higher levels of consciousness became possible by penetrating prayer, deep meditation and continuous contact with Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, who are, to Champaklal, manifestations of God. Champaklal was born in Patan, Gujarat, on 2-2-1903. Even as a young boy he lost interest in everything except God. He did not like going to a school for formal education. Perhaps his mind, even at that young age, did not want to be conditioned by XXI the standards of the text books and wanted to soar above the ordinary phenomena of the world; it wanted wisdom and "the Light that illumines" and the knowledge of eternal Truth. At the age of 15, Champaklal met a devotee of Sri Aurobindo, who asked him to follow the Yoga of Sri Aurobindo. His desire to see Sri Aurobindo grew very strong and along with a few other devotees he first arrived at Pondicherry on April 1, 1921. During his stay of eight days in Pondicherry, he met Sri Aurobindo every day and he used to have very interesting conversations with him. Champaklal told Sri Aurobindo during one conversation that he sometimes felt peace and saw light also at times, to which Sri Aurobindo replied, "You see, the peace which you feel shows that God is near you. Light shows that you can meet him in that peace. Gradually, you will be able to stay in this." The forecast came true and finally in 1923 Champaklal came to Pondicherry to offer himself in the service of the Divine. He dedicated himself to the practice of Integral Yoga under the guidance of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The Integral Yoga as developed by Sri Aurobindo aims to enhance the experience of God-Consciousness in men, matter and nature. . He served both Sri Aurobindo and the Mother for over five decades in a manner that is unprecedented. He had the rare privilege of living with them as their attendant. He won the hearts of many people with his sincerity, straightforwardness, humility and love. He endeared himself so much to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother that be became their blessed child. They poured their Grace on him not only during the five decades when he untiringly served them but even after they had left their physical bodies Champaklal has been breathing their Grace always and ever. The Mother had affectionately called him, besides "My True Child", "My Lion" and "a part of my being". For Champaklal, art has a spiritual value as a process and a discipline that can lead to the attainment of the Divine. The training, the constant living immersed in the atmosphere sur- charged with the presence of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother XXII and the single-minded practice of spiritual disciplines under their direct supervision resulted in awakening more keenly his subtle perceptions and in his flowering as an artist. His paintings, which are given in this book and on the cover page, are born out of his visions reflecting his consciousness and inner perception of Reality. The Mother wrote about his drawing of the lotus, "Full of light... There is a luminosity in it, in the colouring."
Visions of Champaklal
Champaklal has been seeing fascinating dreams and visions ever since 1929. These 'visions can be read at various levels of meaning depending on the level of consciousness of the reader. Some readers may consider them as naive and mythical types of representation; some may see in them a mere reflection of ' various physical forces, figures and symbols at work; some may see here an absurd mental life of an individual, yet some may regard these visions as a spiritualised journey of a highly developed soul. We feel that these visions are not just a series of imaginative descriptions. They are essentially a force from beyond the human range, producing an effect directly on the more subtle substance of our being and can bring in a fine attunement of the reader to the spiritual consciousness from which these experiences of Champaklal are born. What do these visions indicate? The growth of the Psychic Being dominating the whole consciousness can develop visions, till it penetrates the inconscient and rebuilds the entire being. As in the case of Champaklal, the soul gets perfected by the process of life itself and the very sincerity of the effort will carry it forward, until one synthesizes the conscious with the superconscious. The entire being is then filled with one idea, one consciousness - the consciousness of the Divine Presence and it even tends to lose all distinction from the surroundings and to feel one with them. This is the principal difference between those who believe in XXIII God with their intellect and those who believe in God with their whole being — between knowing from outside and knowing with an inner self-identification with the Divine. The difference between ordinary people and the Mother's Child Champaklal lies here. It is a very difficult thing to believe in God with the entire being. It requires a true hero and an inner warrior to do so. One must let a single consciousness ripen and take possession of one's entire being by means of steady contemplation. It is a very personal, intimate and inevitable process, which can be a "native act" to individuals like Champaklal, by which the being that holds an object before it, becomes held by it. Some of these visions reveal the cardinal principles of Sadhana that Champaklal has practised all along with stead- fastness and unceasing devotion. These values have permeated every cell of his being and manifested themselves in various forms in the visions. Following are some of the revealed Imperatives that remain unchanged even in the fast-changing society of today and show "The way" in which these disciplines if practised with the requisite earnestness can lead to the vision of God. In the words of the Mother, "The generosity of your absolute self-giving will bring to you the revelation of the Divine's Love." The simple secret is that one must have the faith of a child, boundless and absolute, in the Divine Grace. The best offering to God is love, single-minded devotion and complete self- surrender that knows no complaint. Sincerity and unselfishness to the last particle of one's being are essential so that conse- cration to the Divine becomes the breath of life. Practice of Yoga demands that one must hold hard to one's spade and make an untiring personal effort, with a calm and steady aspiration, tremendous will and fearlessness. This requires a strong, courageous and at the same time peaceful and God- oriented vital being to develop during the sadhana. The visions also show in general for man, as seen and experienced in particular by Champaklal, the existence and aspects of the Divine in relation to man. As a physical being man may be seen as a child of God. (Champaklal saw his Father and Mother in Sri Aurobindo and the Mother respectively.) XXIV This is the first aspect, whereby according to the devotee's attitude, need, development and philosophy, God manifests Himself in various forms of beauty and holiness to the purified vision of the devotee. In the second aspect, as a soul, man can be looked upon as a part of the Cosmic Being or Universal Soul (Virat Purusha). In the third, the transcendental aspect, everything culminates in "Sachchidananda", or Absolute Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. Knowing Champaklal, it can be concluded that the vision of God dawns only in a heart in which unselfishness, the spirit of renunciation of "I-am-the-Doer" sense and the intensity of aspiration have reached their peak. There is, an assurance that the manifestation of God can be visualised by an inner sight in a spiritualized body, in short, by a purified human soul. Thus, with the help of sadhana and the grace of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Champaklal has not only gone from near to nearer God but has reached constant communion with Him. Sri Aurobindo said once that Realisation consists of three successive movements, internal vision, complete internal experience and total identity. The spiritual vision can take on mental forms of itself that can help towards this identification, each in its own way. Visions and experiences of Champaklal indicate that every cell of his being responds to the Divine Conscious- ness and he has attuned himself completely to the Conscious- ness of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, and in turn continuously knows how, in the Mother he has worshipped, "Immortal rhythms swayed in her time-born steps." These visions are records of the struggles, victories, wonder, hopes, wisdom, knowledge, depth and magnificence of the high level of consciousness attained by Champaklal, revealing his quality, substance and his proximity to the divine form which would be "A golden temple door to things beyond." , Glory be to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. ROSHAN APURVA XXV |