July 17, 1971 Day before yesterday I was almost cured, I thought it was over, but then yesterday there was an avalanche of things ... oh, bad will, quarrels and ... it was so dreadful that the cold started up again. That's why it won't go away. I see that when things quiet down here and I can get back into my normal atmosphere, it's as if everything vanished -- I don't have a cold anymore, I am not in pain anymore. But back it comes from outside like a ferocious attack: people quarreling, squabbling, circumstances going awry, everything. And all that is thrown on me, so.... So it started up again last evening. It was over, you know: my nose and throat were clear, it was all gone. It r

December 18, 1971 Good morning! Here, I was going through my handkerchiefs the other day, and kept three for you! How are you? What's news? Well, they've stopped fighting in the west....[[On the Kashmir and Rajasthan front, that is, the road to West Pakistan, the heart of the trouble. ]] (Mother nods her head) Which means it's not the end of the problem. Again it won't be for this time. It won't be done that way. I've seen how. It won't be done through a battle: the different parts of Pakistan will demand separation. There are five of them. And by separating, they'll join India -- to form a sort of confederation. That's how it will be done. It will break up from

July 28, 1971 (Mother sits looking long at Satprem, her eyes open, then she smiles.) Ooh!... When you were sitting here [in front of Mother] and I looked at you, you took your body and opened it like this (gesture as if Satprem were ripping his body in half from the stomach down), all, all the way. Were you in pain? No, Mother, I wasn't in pain, but I'm fighting a lot with my nature. (Mother laughs) You opened it up wide, like this. (silence) But it's funny, it was as if ... here [lower abdomen] there were a black spot like this (gesture), something like a black spot. It was as if you wanted to show me that black spot.... Now, the spot has gradually faded away. It

June 2, 1971 (Concerning Satprem's difficulties) I myself had felt that something in you, some part of the consciousness -- a very external and superficial part -- was pulling. Yes, that's right. And I was wondering how come?... When it came, I went on saying: things are guided, therefore this has a reason and I have something to learn. But I see this thing is really untransformable. It must be rejected from the nature. You see, it's something that has to be transformed from life to life -- it must be eliminated from your personality. (Satprem puts his head on Mother's knees, Mother bends down to kiss him) I've suffered a lot.... May I be capable of serving you

October 9, 1971 Did you send your letter to ... what's his name, in France? My letter?... You mean to Malraux. Yes, yes, I sent it. With whom? Directly, to an address in Paris. Registered? No, Mother. The mail works very poorly these days.... Did you keep a copy? (Mother goes within for 25 minutes) Do you have a question? You know, I think I've seen Malraux's inner being. Really! Yes, just the day before I received his card, at night I saw abeing dressed in golden clothes, all golden, and he was even wearing a golden turban. And he came to me and offered me something on a tray.... But the clothes were very important! Page 259 And he was

May 29, 1971 (Mother receives Satprem nearly two hours late. Mother apolo gizes! The conversation starts with the Russian translation of "Supermanhood." The translator is asking for 2,000 francs.) I don't know if I have the right to spend the money! There are nothing but rules, rules.... (silence) Anything else? No, Mother.... And what do you have to say? Oh, lies, lies, lies -- everybody is lying, oh!... It's horrible. And then the government has taxed EVERYTHING. The price of the least thing has doubled.... People aren't giving me money anymore, or they give much less, saying: our expenses have increased. And my expenses have more than doubled. So you see. And l

September 29, 1971 (Last day of the Durga festivals, Vijaya dashami, marking the Victory of the Universal Mother over an Asura.) Do you want a [blessing] packet? You had Sujata give me one yesterday. Another one! If you like! It's not the same! It was clear, very clear today, a sort of Pressure to say: Victory is Harmony; Victory is the Divine; and for the body, Victory is good health. Any, any discomfort, any disease is a falsehood. It came this morning. It was very CLEAR. It was convincing, you know. So it's all right. Page 249 It's as if, through the Pressure, all the Falsehood had been brought out (gesture surging up from below). The most unexpected

April 28, 1971 (On the occasion of the laying of the first stone of the Matrimandir on February 21, Satprem had written a letter to the architect of Auroville.) I saw your letter (I saw it in English), the letter you wrote to R. for the "Matrimandir".... It's interesting, it's good.... They have a bulletin, a "Gazette," it will be published there.[[Satprem's letter was misunderstood and published abridged to suit the comprehension of the editors. ]] I get a lot of requests from all sorts of people, either to say Page 108 something or do something or comment on something or.... I feel it's not so good. What do they ask you? One thing or another, a commentary

January 1, 1971 (On this day all the disciples filed silently past Mother, who is still unwell, sitting in her chair.) 1971 Blessed are those who take a leap towards the Future Page 17.

May 15, 1971 What do you bring? The idea came to me to write an article on "Sri Aurobindo andBangladesh...." But I don't know whether it would be helpful, or whether anything should be said at all. But where could it be published? I think in one of the newspapers in India, that's easy. What did you write? I am curious. (Satprem reads the article. At one point in the text, he briefly mentions what he thinks each country represents: France = clarity of intellect; Germany = ingenuity; Russia = the brotherhood of man.... Mother interrupts:) You said nothing for the United States. What is it? Practical organization. (Satprem finishes his reading