The Mother and Her Spiritual Guide Sri Aurobindo

Our union territory has got deep roots of spiritualism in its soil. The Aurobindo ashram marks the peak of the spiritualism in the city. The ashram was established by Sri Aurobindo and his most nearest spiritual disciple Mother. This article throws light upon the spiritual relationship between Mother and Sri Aurobindo along with few facts of Mother’s early life.

Mother’s name is Mira Alfassa and she was born in Paris on 21st February 1878. She was a child with a difference. She used to spontaneously meditate while she was very young and was conscious that she had a special mission on the earth. In her vision she used to see a spiritual guide. Herself being a profound genius, she had made a sketch of her spiritual guide. In 1914 when she saw Sri Aurobindo, she at once realized that it is whom she used to see in her vision. Mother spent few years in Algeria, exploring occult truths under the guidance of a couple: Theon, a polish adept and his French wife.

M. Paul Richard, Mother’s husband had visited Pondicherry soon after Sri Aurobindo’s arrival here and had been so deeply moved by him that he spoke to the audience in Japan soon thereafter. In 1914, the Mother, accompanied by her husband, came to Pondicherry and met Sri Aurobindo on 29th march. She at once realized that Sri Aurobindo was her spiritual collaborator. The Mother had to return to France due to exigencies of the First World War, in 1915, on 22 February. For the first time her birthday was celebrated in Pondicherry on the day before her departure i.e on 21 February.

Before she left her body, she launched Arya, a philosophical review. The first issue appeared on Sri Aurobindo’s birthday on 15th August 1914. It had French edition too, which was named as, Revue de la Grande Synthe’se. The French edition could not continue for long due to the First World War. The Arya serialized the major works of Sri Aurobindo and it continued till 1920. Thus, these are the most important facts that mark the start of the spiritual relationship between the Mother and the Aurobindo.