God-realisation in six months

Many years ago, some of my disciples thought that they would attain to God-realisation in six months. In the Sri Aurobindo Ashram there was the same problem. One fellow got his Master’s degree, but for his PhD he wanted to go to Oxford. He wrote to Sri Aurobindo, “How long does it take to realise God?” Sri Aurobindo did not answer, but his brother answered, “It takes only six months to realise God. If you are sincere, it takes six months.” This man said, “Six months? Let me realise God first. Then I will go to Oxford to get my degree.” Instead of only six months, for fifty or fifty-five years he lived at the Ashram. He was very scholarly and kind-hearted. His job was to wash bananas in a big container. They used to put something red into the water and then wash the bananas. My brother Chitta was another one who washed bananas. They worked together. That fellow did not realise God. He stayed at the Ashram for fifty years instead of six months and he did not go to Oxford to get his PhD.

When my eldest brother had his first meeting with the Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, he said, “Mother, I believe some people have come here after realising God and some people will realise God in this incarnation.” The Mother said to him, "I cannot tell you about the ones who have realised God, but I can tell you that you will realise God in this incarnation.” He would realise God in this incarnation! My brother was so happy. He told everybody. Then, after twenty years or so, he reminded the Mother. He said, “Mother, you told me that I would realise God.” The Mother said in writing, “There is no hope for the idle. God-realisation is not for the idle.” I cannot remember the exact words. That is how my brother’s God-realisation in this incarnation ended. My eldest brother, Hriday, used to pray and meditate seven or eight hours a day, but perhaps he did not please the Mother in the Mother’s way.