One brother replaces another at the ashram

When my eldest brother came back to Chittagong for a few months, another brother went to replace him at the ashram. This is how it happened. My eldest brother, Hriday, had promised to my mother that if she or our father died, he would come back for a few months. When my father passed away, Hriday returned for eight or ten months with the permission of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. They gave permission so that my brother could keep his promise.

When Hriday arrived, my mother was very sick. The family knew that she would soon follow my father to the other world. However, Chitta wanted to go and join the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

My mother said, “I am dying. It is only a matter of months. Will you not feel sad if I die in your absence?”

Chitta immediately said, “All right, I will not go.”

She asked him, “Did you buy the ticket?”

He said, “I bought the ticket to go on such and such a date, but definitely I am not going. I don’t want you to die in my absence.”

My mother was so happy that Chitta had postponed his departure, but she knew that after she passed away, all her children would go to the Ashram.

So Chitta totally forgot about the date on which he had planned to leave, and he did not mention it again. But my mother did not forget. When the day came, she said to my brother, “Please listen to my request.”

Chitta asked, “What is your request?”

She said, “You were supposed to leave for the Ashram today. I asked you not to go. I am your physical mother, but I know your Divine Mother has to take care of all of us.”

My brother said, “I have returned the ticket.”

She said, “You must buy another ticket and go.”

That was her heart’s wish. She said, “Now that your eldest brother is here, this is the time for you to go and be in the physical presence of the Divine Mother.” My mother compelled my brother Chitta to go to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. So he went on that day. A few months later she passed away.