Leaves for Pondicherry

Several weeks after arriving in Chandernagore, this same voice commands: Go to Pondicherry. Before leaving, Sri Aurobindo writes his last article in the Karmayogin: “In all the events of the last year and a half the voice of the divine Teacher can be heard crying to us, “Abandon that you may possess; do my will and know yourselves, purify yourselves, cease to follow your fancies.” He that has ears, let him hear. Knowledge will not come without self-communion, without light from within, not even the knowledge of the practical steps that can lead to success. Every step that is taken in the light of a lower wisdom will fail until the truth is driven home.

The work that was begun at Dakshineshwar is far from finished, it is not even understood. That which Vivekananda received and strove to develop, has not yet materialised. The truth of the future that Bijoy Goswami hid within himself, has not yet been revealed utterly to his disciples. A less discreet revelation prepares, a more concrete force manifests, but where it comes, when it comes, none knoweth.”

April 4th 1910 – Lands in Pondicherry

Being a French enclave, Pondicherry had become a resort of many political figures who needed to escape the attentions of the British police. Pondicherry now becomes Sri Aurobindo’s final destination, for he remains here for the rest of his life. A new chapter of his journey is about to begin – a new exploration into the future of mankind is about to take place: the discovery of a new world and a luminous future for man and the earth. In Pondicherry, his vision of the future grows clearer, he sees that the eventual independence of India is assured by the march of forces of which he becomes aware, that Britain will be compelled by the pressure of Indian resistance and pressure of international events to concede independence. His own personal intervention in politics would therefore no longer be indispensable. However, he continues to keep a close watch on all that is happening in the world and in India and actively intervenes whenever necessary, but solely with a spiritual force and silent spiritual action.