621. The Divine Mother’s Protection

A moment's reflection will reveal how the divine protection is ever present, even as breathing is constant. Because that is taken for granted, we are in the presence of such Protection only when we escape a serious catastrophe.  Workers from Gujarat used to come to Pondicherry every December to have Mother's Darshan. None of the fixed four darshans fell in December. They used to arrive by a special train, stay here for a week, have the darshan of the Mother when She appeared on the terrace, and return leisurely home. Sadhaks and devotees used to take it as a Special Grace, as it was a non-scheduled Darshan for the sake of the Gujarat workers. Mother used to say that it was useless to see Her physically, even if one met Her in Her room. Darshan is a special occasion of the human soul meeting the Divine Soul emerging out of its psychic cave out of aspiration that wells up. Without such an aspiration, the darshan is pointless. There is a difference between having a book physically and reading it.

In 1964 when the special train of the Gujarat workers arrived at the Madras Central Station, the railway authorities advised them not to proceed to Pondicherry, but to go back to Gujarat as the anticipated anti-Hindi agitation might be announced any day. Their train might be attacked or they might be held up indefinitely anywhere. This was a real grave warning, as the agitation broke out early in February 1965 in all its virulence. Life and property were not safe. The workers took a different view, that they would be safe, as they had come for Her darshan. They had faith in Her innate Protection. They came. Mother changed Her scheduled Darshan from Dec. 26th to Dec. 24^th. She advised them to return at once, which they did. Mother, who extends Her Protection to the aspiring souls that live in faith, also advises all of us to take all common sense precautions.

She Herself exhausted all She could in providing against exigencies. An impulsive move, especially out of vanity to defy common sense She did not countenance. A Tamil writer, in the late eighties, decided to celebrate his sixtieth birthday in Pondicherry. He came in a taxi on a day when hartal was announced. The bandh was violent. The writer decided to return to Madras against the unanimous advice of everyone. He was asked to speak to the Tindivanam police station to know the situation there. They were aghast at his desire to travel, especially at night through areas that set fire to passing vehicles. They said he could travel if he had no love of his life.   He was still stubborn. It was a thing Mother would vehemently disapprove of. He was set on it, saying Mother's protection was there. With an enormous amount of the "protection" flowers, he travelled safely. No one here was at ease until his phone call arrived late at night. One should not act against Her advice.