The pilgrim to Jillellamudi, the land of eternal sunshine, gets down at the Delectable Mountains. He generally walks up to the place of united people’s organisation, where people work like the bees working for the beehive, giving wax and honey. Brothers born of the same family rarely love each other and pull together, parti cularly in the modern times. But it is heartening to see people of different families here moving as brothers and sisters, where they draw ineffable inspiration from Her. They all work like the sun cheerfully and perfectly. To get into this blissful world is to escape from the land of cockatrices that kill by their looks and enter into the soothing showers of Her grace. To stay here for some time is to attempt to perfect this cup, so that it will be acceptable to Him. Mother transmits her grace by Her gentle looks, soft epigrams and silence too. Where else can one find peace and good will among men? It is Carlyle who wanted to see perfection among individuals and it is Sorokin who wishes for a world of altruists to avoid global wars. It is the belief of all that such altruists will come out of this wheel of time, here, and make the world richer by their living in it. It is here we find the rich and the low, the wicked and virtuous, the sinner and the saint, the learned and the ignorant and the noble and the ignoble enjoy the same warmth of affection and grace round the clock. It is the very centre of Altruism.
Mother’s short, simple and poetic sentences contain more philosophy than many many volumes on that subject and Her silence speaks more than the sublimest thoughts of the strongest souls. One can say with confidence that she brings out dry philosophy to dwell in sparkling chat. With simple, common place metaphors, she drives home great truths. In the same way, She defines things that defy definition. To try to translate such sublime thoughts here, is no doubt a ridiculous adventure. But it is necessary for my purpose and hence an apology for my attempt. She defines that an inde pendent mau has more responsibilities. Indeed it is a paradox that our responsibilities and dependence are more after our independence. Similarly She descriles that formerly crops grew Lut now they are grown. How true it is! Our ancestors were unlettered but they reaped the richer harvests. With all the research in science and immense guidance from abroad, we are facing food crisis. It was Max Muller who said that sweet fruits grew abundantly in ancient India with which people satisfied their hunger. They quenched their thirst from the flowing waters of the sacred rivers. Now we have the same rivers but how different are the waters! How unfortunate it is that such a blessed land has to face the problems of food and water. One hopes to see such glorious times only when man becomes an altruist and certainly it is here that one can become so, with Her grace.
In yet another metaphor, Mother brings out the truth that pain and pleasure are always allied. “Our sincerest laughter with some pain is frought.” She says in her own inimitable way, that a piece of rock becomes a beautiful piece of art only when it is chiselled. Hence chiselling is essential in the process of perfection. By this she infers that the best of man comes out only in adversity. Where wealth accumulates men decay.” Prosperity may bring out the vices of man whereas adversity brings out his virtues. Thus life must be acceptable with all its pleasures and pains. In such a short sentence, She brings out the essence of all religions. Persons that are fed up with life and contemplate suicide have come to believe that life is a blessing. Acceptance of all leads to love for all beings. It mal es gods out of men; it promotes altruism which is a part of the great culture of this ancient land where the prayer is for the weal of all mankind “సర్వేజనాః సుఖినో భవంతు.”
Mother also says that life is a snare and death, which is nothing but forgetfulness, is only a change. “Life like a dome of many coloured glass stains the white radiance of eternity”. Simi. larly She assures that divinity is not to have four hands and a crown. It consists in promoting the qualities of head and heart. She says that the value of a thing depends on its necessity (I realise the value of this neglected two-inch pencil this midnight). She defines “Swarga” as that which has no “Varga” (class distinction). It is exactly for this classless society people have been striving all over the world to-day. Mother also says that it is ignorance to criticise others, but it is wisdom to criticise oneself. Apart from forming a great philosophy, Her epigrams are a practical guide for good conduct and social behaviour.
Mother tells us that our goodness consists in finding the goodness in others. In a world of bitterness we always find people criticising or scandalising others. But the straw floats on the surface and one who wants pearls must dive below. Hence we have to strive only to find goodness in others. It is also a delight to hear her saying that as long as hair is there, the difficulty of combing is inevitable. It is to say that life, after all, cannot be a bed of roses and it must be accepted with all its thorns. These are some of the priceless gems of Her unfathomable thought. One must be equipped with Her grace to assimilate a little of it. It is my hope, belief and prayer that the world will drink Her grace to the lees to make this a land of altruists.