March 13, 1971 There's a question of C.S. [a German translator]. Because thereare differences between C.S. and T.K. [another translator] over the vocabulary to use. Three or four years ago already, when C.S. translated my first book, there was a whole discussion and you made certain suggestions. You said in particular that the word "mental" [mind] and the word "esprit" [spirit] should not be translated by the same word. Of course not! So various words were suggested for "mental" and "esprit,"and finally we had chosen two words: the word "Geist" for "mental" (if I remember correctly) and the word "Spirit" for "esprit," although "Spirit" isn't German. And now C.

July 14, 1971 My cold hangs on doggedly, it won't leave me.... So, what have you brought? A question asked by Z. She has a friend in Calcutta who wroteher about the clandestine guerilla organization in Bangladesh. He told her that they need money for the training of the guerillas, for arms, clothing and other requisites, and he is ask ing her to write her friends in Switzerland, France, Germany, etc., to raise money. But she is wondering if she should do it. She doesn't want to do anything without your permission. She can do it, only she shouldn't mention my name. I am not asking for anything. You see, if she asks, and then by chance.... She can do it in her o

May 12, 1971 I don't know if you've seen these.... (Mother hands Satprem several sheets of paper) "I disapprove totally of violence. Each act of violence is a step back on the path leading to the goal to which we aspire. The Divine is everywhere and always supremely conscious. Nothing must ever be done that cannot be done before the Divine." That's for someone rather primary, but anyway.... (some more papers) All that is for Auroville. I am giving them to you so you'll know. * * * How is the situation? Oh, horrible! A mess! Page 129 Stories to make your hair stand on end. It's like a concentration of adverse forces wanting to create as much confusion as p

April 7, 1971 We need a message for the Darshan of the 24th. (after a silence) I don't know if it's any good.... It's my experiences these last few days. (Mother writes with her eyes closed) Human blindness is such that many people expect to attain the Truth while keeping the habit of lying. At least 4 or 5 people around me are lying -- lying to me! Just these last few days. Shall I put that?... You're not happy! Oh yes, yes! I completely agree.... Because Falsehood has many levels. [[Satprem was thinking of the subconscious level. ]] Page 82 Well, anyway I say "the habit of lying," I don't say "the Falsehood." Yes, Mother, I know, I was speaking f

May 26, 1971 (Mother had asked a young Indian disciple, M., a mathematics teacher in the School, to read the English translation of "Supermanhood" and to give his opinion.) Well then? (M.:) My first reaction was this: I found the book very poetic,very lovely -- I mean the French. It's good, isn't it? Yes. The English seemed less poetic to me. It's a translation,but it didn't give me the same impression as the French. So, what's to be done? Another translation? I don't know, Mother, I am unable to say. I can't say if it's agood translation or a bad one, but when I read it, I felt it was a translation. And it was less poetic -- the French is much more po

Undated (Sometime in August the message that follows was circulated in the Ashram and Auroville, and published in an Ashram periodical. It is interesting to note that the text is an alteration of a much older original text that Mother had given to Satprem. The original text is included afterwards.) "The task of giving a concrete shape to Sri Aurobindo's vision has been entrusted to the Mother. The creation of a new world, a new humanity, a new society, expressing and embodying the new consciousness, is the work undertaken by her. In the nature of things, it is a collective ideal calling for a collective effort to realize it in terms of an integral human perfection. The Ashram,

December 22, 1971 This is my Christmas message: Page 342 "The time has come for the rule of falsehood to end. In the Truth alone is salvation." So, what have you brought? I have received a brief note from P.L. You had said that thepeople at the Mission should be "calmed down," they were creating a lot of difficulty, and you said we could ask P.L. to do something. So he's done something. Aha! He says this: "I spoke to Cardinal Tisserant [[The Cardinal of France. ]] about the problemyou mentioned. He is writing this very day to the bishop of Pondicherry along the lines you gave me -- he is indignant to learn that you are the object of such un-Chr

October 16, 1971 So, what's new? I have something here.... Some time ago I received a letterfrom a man who had worked with Théon.[[Mr. Benharoche-Baralia, who didn't really "work" with Théon, but later became a member of the "cosmic groups." ]] Oh, really! So he asked about you, if you were still alive, and also he haswritten a book on the "cosmic tradition." He wanted to send you a copy of the book as an expression of his "respectful admiration." And finally he sent the book by air. Here it is: it's called "In the Shadow of the Cosmic Tradition." (Mother laughs) Have you looked at it? I didn't read it, but I looked at it. (Laughing) It's very fantastic!

January 11, 1971 (This fragment was noted from memory by a disciple following the long physical ordeal Mother went through for nearly a month and a half.) Physical vision requires a much more continuous concentration. The physical vision serves to stabilize. It gives continuity to things. The same with hearing. So when neither of them are there, you become conscious of the thing directly, which gives you the true knowledge of it. That is probably how the Supermind will work. My physical vision and hearing have been pushed into the background to be replaced by identity through consciousness -- for the growth of consciousness. The way of relating to things, of knowing

September 4, 1971 What do you have?... You don't have anything?... Some people came to see you? No, aside from one or two exceptions, I refuse to see anybody. Idon't know, but I've found that now it is better for me to remain quiet. Because I was told about someone who came to see you. The only person I've seen is E. Oh, he's a nice man![[Quite a number of the tapes used to record these conversations were procured thanks to this very nice German man. We would also like to mention an American couple, M.R., who gave the majority of the tapes, and a few others, with gratitude. ]] Page 233 But otherwise I refuse to see people. It's better that way. At one t