The State of the Nation: The Mother Answers — A Questionnaire from The Illustrated Weekly of India, Republic Day issue of 1964

Dear Friends,

In November 1963, The Illustrated Weekly of India had put a set of questions before the Mother. The questions and the Mother’s answers were published in the Republic Day issue of the said weekly in 1964 under the title of The State of the Nation: The Mother Answers—A Questionnaire. During the course of a conversation with Satprem, the Mother had remarked about this questionnaire on 7 August 1965: ‘The Illustrated Weekly asked questions on where India stood, and in their questionnaire they had asked for the answers to be put in as few words as possible. Very well. As for me, I answered with one word, two words, three words, because things can be put in very few words. They published it in a box in the middle of people’s answers, which were columns long! Mon petit, it seems it had more effect than all the rest. They said to themselves, “It has forced us to think.”’

We are happy to publish the questionnaire The State of the Nation: The Mother Answers in the website of Overman Foundation.

With warm regards,

Anurag Banerjee

Founder,

Overman Foundation.

The State of the Nation: The Mother Answers — A Questionnaire

1. If you were asked to sum up, just in one sentence, your vision of India, what would be your answer?

India’s true destiny is to be the Guru of the world.

2. Similarly, if you were asked to comment on the reality as you see it, how would you do it in one sentence?

The present reality is a big falsehood — hiding an eternal truth.

3. What, according to you, are the three main barriers that stand between the vision and the reality?

i) Ignorance ii) Fear iii) Falsehood.

4. Are you satisfied with the overall progress India has made since Independence? (Yes or No)

No.

5. What is our most outstanding achievement in recent times? Why do you consider it so important?

Waking up of the yearning for Truth — because without Truth there is no real liberty.

6. Likewise, can you name the saddest failure? On what ground do you regard it as so tragic?

Insincerity. Because insincerity leads to ruin.

26 January 1964, The Illustrated Weekly of India.

5 Replies to “The State of the Nation: The Mother Answers — A Questionnaire from The Illustrated Weekly of India, Republic Day issue of 1964

  1. Dear Anurag ji

    Thanks for sharing such wonderful thoughts!
    The brevity of words and the in-depth wisdom in the marvelous thoughts of the Mother are eye-openers….
    “Ignorance, fear, falsehood – the three barriers between reality and vision…”
    “without Truth there is no real liberty….”
    “insincerity leads to ruin…”

    The Mother’s vision of viewing India as the Guru of the world places upon us a huge responsibility to keep ourselves on the right path and never to deviate from the path of Truth and Nobility which has been shown to us by the Lord Sri Aurobindo and the ever-loving Mother.

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