12/11/2023
💥Regarding Kali Puja / Deepavali / Festivals :
🌷The Mother : (The day before ‘Kali Puja,’ the ritual festival devoted each year in India to the goddess Kali, the warrior aspect of the universal Mother) She has already been here for two days and ... Oh, yesterday especially, she was so ... in such a mood! – like a warrior.
⭐Q : (Regarding the storm that coincided with Kali Puja.)Has Kali calmed down?
🌷The Mother : Maybe she got dampened! She laughed.... She can laugh, too!
🌷The Mother : Mother Kali will be with you on this day.
🌷The Mother : (Regarding a prayer for Kali Puja Day) It is all right, my children, but it is not enough to pray; you must also make a persevering effort.
🌷The Mother : Those small packets which I give on Kali Puja day are made to be preserved for one year.
🌷The Mother : …on Kali Puja day I always distribute the flowers of “Divine’s Love”; for Kali is the most loving of all the aspects of the Mahashakti; hers is the most active and most powerful Love. And that is why every year I distribute the petals of “Divine’s Love” on Kali’s Day.
⭐Huta : …she(The Mother) went into a trance for quite some time. When she awoke, she looked at me with her shining eyes and told me gravely: 🌷“There is a danger in this world. They are killing people, bombarding and sinking boats. For the last two days I have been busy settling things. I want peace, harmony and unity in this world - I want the Divine's 149 Victory upon earth. I have been seeing Kali at night for the last two days and I have asked her to make the world conscious and open to the Supramental Light and transform it by this Light without violence, pain and destruction. I want victory of the Divine in the world. Do you know, tomorrow is Kali Puja - the day of Kali ?” ⭐And she(The Mother) smiled tenderly. Her eyes shone with love and compassion.
⭐Q : What is the origin, significance and purpose of festivals such as Deepavali, Dasera, Rakhipurnima, etc.—and also some of the western festivals? On these days do the gods respond more to human aspirations? Thirdly, what is the connection between the inner truth and the external functions of these festivals? Lastly, what should be our attitude towards these festivals?)
🌷The Mother : Men like festivals.
⭐Q : Does it then mean that they are men’s fancy and whim? Have they no meaning and no utility?
🌷The Mother : It is men who give a meaning to festivals in order to legitimate their presence.
⭐Q : Are not these festivals in any way useful to the spiritual life of a people?
🌷Sri Aurobindo : They are useful to the religious life (they develop a certain kind of Bhakti), not to the spiritual. … Thus the celebration of the birthday of Krishna – if one can take it in the right attitude it can be made of powerful spiritual significance. Then, when large numbers of people combine together in faith, a very favourable atmosphere is created for the development of bhakti.