Arulamudham

Arulamudham literally means "flow of grace by God over people".

Chapter I - “Thiruvullam (inner mind or soul Athma)

- As we all know, God is everywhere, he wants our inner spirit to turn towards him, find
him at the midst of all works. He showers blessing, love towards us, in turn wants us to
see him and call him every time. But what we do, when we are in trouble we remember
him, call him, get our troubles cleared and then forget him.
- But he is waiting for us very near to us. So we need to call him often.
- Just once when we call God and show our faith, he feels very happy and gifted too.

“He who chooses the Infinite has already been chosen by the Infinite – Sri Aurobindo”

- Karmayogi sir has compared this concept to a hide and seeks game played by a
MOTHER and a child. A MOTHER hides and wants the child to find her, to see how the
child loves her. The child will start tracing her MOTHER, as soon as the child finds the
MOTHER both will be happy, they will hug each other and enjoy, but when the child
doesn’t find the MOTHER, it will start crying and after that MOTHER will not hide
inside, she will run to the child and hug and say that she is there. That is what our Divine
MOTHER too does to us. When we cry, she will run to us and console us, pour down the
grace to us. First we should call MOTHER at all times.

Chapter – II - "Calling MOTHER into our deep soul (spirit)"

Different ways of calling MOTHER is dealt in detail here. We should call MOTHER
before every action we do, initially by words, but as we grow into MOTHER, words
should stop and just our inner mind should call MOTHER deeply. As this happens many
amazing things would happen in our life. Before any action we do, we should first think
of MOTHER, not the outcome of at the action first. When we do this we need not worry
for the outcome at all. Every thing will be in the hands of MOTHER.

For this to happen first we need to control our wandering thoughts so that there will be no
disturbance in remembering MOTHER alone. Continuous efforts in doing this would
help.

Karmayogi Sir has given 27 points in this chapter which deals with the benefits that
would happen on calling MOTHER constantly.

Some are:
• After calling MOTHER in our life, each and everyone in the family will get salary
similar to the salary received by the head of the family.
• Everyone in the family will feel their role in the family and act accordingly.
• Everyday we will have a grand dinner
 • We will wear high quality clothes everyday (eg. silk dress)
• We will have high importance wherever we go
• Our hands will exchange one pound coin like a change.
• We will have good relations around us.
• We will meet only good people in our life
• House will be a peaceful place to live in.
• Whatever we think others will act accordingly. Our orders will become laws.
• We will have sweet smile and glorified face.
• Everyday will be Diwali to us.

Method of calling MOTHER:

1) We should first allot a time everyday it can be a half an hour or one hour. Sit
before MOTHER, call her as “MOTHER, ANNAI, OR AMMA” with your
mouth. It can be aloud also as you wish.
2) Then stop uttering by mouth, call by mind.
3) Then stop calling by mind, call by heart.
4) Stop that too.
5) The word MOTHER would come out from your soul naturally without any effort.

This method needs continuous practice.

This would help us all to remember MOTHER in all our steps, ask her guidance.

Chapter 3 – Give (Surrender) your burdens to MOTHER to get relief from

Problems:

- Each and everyone face problems in life, it may vary accordingly (eg) you may have
problems with your husband, MOTHER inlaw, you need a job for ur son etc..).
- Whatever the problem is, it may be anything, may be small or big, if we surrender the
whole problem to MOTHER, MOTHER will solve it.
- But what should we do here is; first think of MOTHER, even before thinking of the
problem (if problem appears in the mind, just set aside, try to concentrate on MOTHER
alone)

To illustrate this, Shri Karmayogi has given a small instance for us to follow.
- When you think of any problem in your life, say 40 times, try to think of MOTHER, say
10 times, try to change your thinking towards MOTHER, as days goes by, you will be
able to think of MOTHER only (more than 40 times) and not the problem at all. So it is
understood that you have given the problem to MOTHER fully without any reservation.
On that day you will get full relief from the problem and it will get solved.
Try it yourself.

Chapter 4 – “Devotees Ritual worship" (The acts of admiration of the divine,

expressed in many practices and ways.)

Once a question was raised among the Sadhaks, “How to worship Mother? This question
was discussed in different angle. A Frenchman asked the same question to MOTHER,
MOTHER answered, why do you want to worship the divine? Why don’t you become the
divine?
A Sadhak with his yogic power can transform into a divine, also become
MOTHER. This is the gift by the MOTHER. She wanted all of us to become the divine,
that is feel the divine within us and glorify ourselves.
Belief and faith are basic for the prayer. It’s enough as it is the best and highest
pillar for a prayer. Even if we have these two basics followed in a prayer, we need to
follow certain other methods in a prayer, as we shake in our thoughts every now and then.
Many have claimed that we are faith towards MOTHER, but the interest that we show
during darshan days is not found in all other days. So there is gradual increase or
decrease in faith among these in following MOTHER’s principles in life.
- Other than belief and faith we need to show interest and effort in following her.
- We have to analyse ourselves, to what type I belong and what methods are best
suited for me
- How much time I can spend everyday in meditation (duration)?
- How much self control do we have?
- Which method we can adapt so that we follow that till last?

Karmayogi sir has quoted certain methods and ways to be followed in our life so
that we last till long in MOTHER’s principles…
1) Meditating every Morning and evening regularly
2) Chanting Prayer
3) Calling MOTHER often
4) Surrendering our soul to MOTHER
5) Complete consecration of one type of acts
6) Surrendering major work
7) Surrendering the troubling problems totally
8) Surrendering the opportunities
9) Going to Ashram for darshan days
10) Sending monthly offering to Ashram
11) Thinking prayer
12) Cleanliness
13) Discipline
14) Polite speech
15) Avoid fights
16) Prevent talking ill about others
17) Looking every act with MOTHER’s perspective
18) Think about others opinion for every issue
19) Installation of MOTHER’s presence in every room of our house
20) Installation of MOTHER in the mind of every member in our family
21) Read Aurobindo’s books regularly
22) Reading and feeling the benefits of Parasakthi Annai’s essays
23) Chanting prayer
24) Feeling the outward action as our mind’s reflection
25) Showing interest in the duty allotted to us
26) Taking a good decision of not talking rumours and do anymore childish acts
 27) Taking one step towards MOTHER everyday
28) Be thankful always
29) Meaningful relation between action
30) Research towards thinking and thinking towards research

These are ways of reaching MOTHER. Not everyone can follow all these steps.
Only people who can take sincere efforts and have interest in following these in their
day-today life can follow more than one step. Do not fear as Karmayogi sir has discussed
all these ways in detail in this chapter. I will come out all these methods soon..

We can try selecting two to three methods, and try our best to follow in our day-today
life. Surely with MOTHER’s grace we too can follow.

Meditating every Morning and evening regularly

Whoever chooses this method and having the will power to concentrate on Meditation
can surely follow this method.
Before 6 o or 5.30o clock in the morning we have to get up and take bath. Clean the
meditation room and get ready. Just like mental calmness the surrounding circumstances
should also be calm.
Every method quoted by Sri Karmayogi needs us to have the inner spirit in following in
our life. Unlike other methods, Meditation has to have the spirit.
When we compare a dog with a table, we could surely say the difference, dog is a lively
creature. Just like that we have to make the meditation a lively act in our life. It needs to
have the inner spirit within us.

Certain steps can help us in meditation:

• We can know more about meditation when we read “Meditation book” sold by Sri
Aurobindo society or read any other book on Meditation.
• We have to grow a relationship with meditation within us.
• In every action we have to think & remember about Meditation, which will help
in that day’s Meditation.
• Most comfortable sitting posture best suited for us have to be selected
• We have to avoid any thoughts that are interrupting during Meditation. Finish that
job first and then sit in Meditation.
• If any problem interrupts in between Meditation. First pray for that problem and
then sit in Meditation.

When we follow all these steps, we will become very efficient in getting MOTHER’s
grace more and more in our life.

Chanting Prayer:
This is the easiest method; we can easily follow this method and obtain big results. We
should fully use our energy in doing this. Our mind should be calm and shouldn’t wander
around worldly things. It’s difficult for the early followers to keep their mind calm, but as
we practice again and again we would be able to keep it calm. This is the highest step.
There are procedures to follow this:
 - What we usually do is, we just do chanting but our mind will have other thoughts
in it. This will not give any result.
- It’s enough at least for 5 to 6 minutes we could keep our mind in control and do
chanting prayer. If mind gets disturbed we can just stop chanting. Again after
sometime we can begin and let it go around 7 to 8 minutes. Later after many trials
we can pray for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This is the first stage where we can pray
with undisturbed mind even during meditating every morning and evening.
- Second stage, whenever we are free, we can pray for at least 3 minutes without
thinking other things. This is wise because we can use our free time in a best way.
If we try this practice for 7 to 10 days, we can do the prayer for more than an hour
every morning and evening.
After all these practices, we can just pray for half an hour or one hour, that is enough.
Because our inner mind will always be in prayer. Then we can be very sure that we have
taken a big step towards MOTHER.

Calling MOTHER often:

This portion is already explained in the second chapter…

Surrendering our soul to MOTHER:

This is Athma (Soul) Surrender to the divine. Before doing any act, we should surrender
the whole thing to MOTHER, who leads us the path. It is totally different from other
surrenders which Karmayogi’s sir has explained in other methods.
For instance, if we have exam this week and also football match at the same day.
We will think what to attend; we will have two thinking’s, whether to follow the
knowledge or else the game, or else the character. In this instance before thinking all
these and confusing our minds, we should first think of MOTHER. She will decide our
path.
There is one method, which is later explained, “Thinking prayer”. Wherever we
are we can do this. When we think of MOTHER before any act, we will automatically
surrender that act to MOTHER.
For example; if we plan to go to Post office, we should first think of MOTHER
and then the post office, when we think of our brother, first try to think of MOTHER and
think of your brother. When we do this we surely can surrender our act to MOTHER
before even think of that act.
But after surrendering, we should follow our inner spirit only and shouldn’t act
according to our own will. Also we need not to worry or think about it later. Just keep
mum.
Surrendering, thinking and thoughts all these develop in our soul. So the Soul is
given the important place in our body, where MOTHER is dwelling and guiding us.

Complete consecration of one type of acts:-

Consecration means surrender. When we surrender all our day-to-day activities to
MOTHER, it means that we are accepting yoga in our life.
Karmayogi sir has tried to give us the concept of complete consecration.
All our lives are full of activities; it may differ, either in the type or in the amount. It may
be divided as per house activities, office and other place activities. Or else the activities
may be related to money, man or any other celebrity. The activities may be eating,
drinking, bathing, sleeping, talking, leaning, house maintenance, office work, buying or
anything of this sort.

For example: When we have to travel in a bus, we have surrender this activity and its
related activities like what all to take to travel etc etc…to MOTHER (Thoughts, feelings
and activities have to be surrendered). When we surrender a particular activity to
MOTHER full heartedly, then we can feel MOTHER’s grace in it.

Surrendering the important problem to MOTHER:-

When we completely surrender the problem to MOTHER, how many of us say this “God
whatever the result you give I will surely accept and follow it”. Many of us wanted the
result according to our own wish and not by God’s wish. There was one great Yogi
Gnanadhar, he had a faithful disciple, once the disciple had to arrange for his son’s
wedding, there was problem in arranging things, he asked his guru Gnanadhar about the
problem and its cause. The guru said him to arrange the wedding according to the son’s
wish as he was correct only. But the disciple couldn’t accept it, he said that how will the
Guru know about these matters as he his Yogi. Likewise we accept God’s wish only
when we could accept it if not we will disagree with it. That’s why nowadays elders give
suggestion according to Youngster’s taste.
When we accept MOTHER as worshipping God then we should accept to follow
critical paths too. Karmayogi’s sir has cited many stories which we have read in
“Annaiyin Dharisanam”. All these stories will show how a devotee has to accept
MOTHER and leave the matter to her only so that they could feel MOTHER’s grace in
their life.
All of us are facing many kinds of problems in life; it may be big or small.
Before surrendering the important activity that is causing problem to us, we need to find
out what is the main behaviour in us which stimulated this problem, when we could find
it, we can surrender this to MOTHER. We can see the gradual reduction in the problem.
For example, our anger may cause problem to us, we should surrender this character to
MOTHER and then the problem, when we control anger, then the problem gets
controlled by us.
Sometimes our good character also causes problems. For example, our good
nature like, belief, honesty, love, care, friendship may cause problems to us. One Big
Industrialist had many friends, he gave all his friends good position in his own office, but
all his friends were jealous of him and played all types of trick to him and cheated him,
his office was drowning. He was very sad, he knew it was all due to his friends, but he
couldn’t say anything because of his nature. Once on his way to his place he visited
Ashram and had Samathi Dharshan, he did this often. Later all his friends left his office
one by one. He also grew so well that his company had grown from 10 crores to 100
crores.

Surrendering the disturbing problem:

When a person gets disturbed by a problem, he forgets MOTHER but instead thinks of
the problem deeply, and feels too much and gets exhausted. If at all he remembers
MOTHER, he or she doesn't open up everything to MOTHER. But there are people who
believe in MOTHER and does say everything to MOTHER, in that case the problem gets
reduced to a larger extent. If one is able to remember MOTHER in spite of the problem
density, that itself is a victory to him/her.

Surrendering the opportunity:

Before getting the opportunity we think of MOTHER often and pray to attain a higher
level. But soon after getting the opportunity, we seldom think of MOTHER, we forget
her at the instance, but once we remember her after the opportunity comes, then we will
meet the biggest opportunities to come to us...Then we are the best devotee to
MOTHER..
The opportunities may be for eg) When a bank agent says to a customer that he can be
given more money than he expected, or when a passerby gets the lift in a car, a writer
gets his story selected to be published in a famous magazine, a PM's close friend comes
to see you voluntarily etc..etc..In all these cases these devotees may forget MOTHER
who is the very cause for all these opportunities...She will give us more if we remember
her...
Also we should surrender all the activities related to the opportunity to MOTHER so that
opportunity grows bigger and bigger and doesn't leave us anymore...

Going to Ashram:
For a devotee the important place is Ashram and the important days are darshan days.
Every devotee should know the important days and its significance. When we go for
darshan on the important days, it’s equal to meditation done for a year. To practice this
method, there are certain ways, they are:
- According to us, going to Ashram for darshan days should be very important.
- If we first accept this full heartedly, then there will be no obstacle on the way.
- We should consider going to Ashram to be very important than any activity or
work, and surrender it to MOTHER, so that automatically there will be no
obstacle on the way, we will be made to go to Ashram…
- It will be certainly graced by MOTHER..

Monthly Offering:
It is otherwise called as prosperity offering.
In our history it is said that we should pray to God with our body, thing and spirit. We
usually pray by our mouth, which comes out from our soul. Faith involves our spirit.
There comes a question how we involve our body in it, it’s by rendering our work. How
many of us work for God, putting up our body in it? So only we pay offering which is our
salary at work generated from our work. This is the basic for giving offering to God
which means we are paying our hard work.
According to MOTHER, January 1 is the Prosperity day. MOTHER gives all the
necessities to Sadhaks at the Ashram on that day. So only devotees consider the first of
every month to pay their offering to MOTHER. Offering can be small or big amount
according to our wish. There are certain ways to follow this:
1) We should consider offering as a lively one and not as a common duty.
2) We should consider this as MOTHER’s service.
 3) The amount can be either small or big, it doesn’t matter. But after deciding the
amount to be sent as offering we shouldn’t reduce it.
4) It should be our first expense after getting the monthly Salary.
5) We should send the offering ourselves, all activities related to sending the
offering, for eg) getting the money order form, filling it and going to the post
office.
6) We should consider this act as holy thing and not just money that we are sending.

Surrender everything to MOTHER and follow the steps in offering...

Thinking prayer:
Once a Sadhak who lived with Sri Aurobindo for nearly 30 years asked Aurobindo to say
something to him, Aurobindo said to him that he should pray for having God’s thinking
throughout the day and night without even leaving a second.
This method is really an easiest, a common and important method too…
Whatever we do, we should first think of MOTHER and do, so that it gives completeness
in every action. Also MOTHER can act in every part of our life.

Ways to have continuous thinking of MOTHER:

1. We shouldn’t let any word come from our mouth, first think of MOTHER and
then talk.
When we think about MOTHER, speaking automatically cuts down. This doesn’t mean
MOTHER wants us to be calm; instead MOTHER wants us to have controlled speech.
When we surrender this act to MOTHER, she will control our speech, letting us to speak
only at relevant situations.

2. If he hear a sound, even before the sound reaches your ear, we should think of
MOTHER.
As we hear a sound, we should first awaken our soul, and tell the soul to meet MOTHER
first and then go out to find out the sound. So after thinking of MOTHER, we should let
the sound enter the mind…

3. When our body moves, we should see MOTHER in our movement.

As we notice our body, it always moves, either we move our hand or leg or adjust
something in our body or blink etc. etc… So its difficult to stop these acts and think of
MOTHER, instead we can make our body itself think of MOTHER. As we make this
happen in a second, our body will feel a great force and it will find the biggest strength in
us.

4.Before touching any object, we should see MOTHER in that object.

5.Before the object that we see touch our mind, MOTHER’s picture should touch
our mind.
6.If any thought crosses our mind, we should set aside the thought and think of
MOTHER and transform that thought.
Karmayogi sir has beautifully explained the difference between our soul (Athma) and
mind. Our thoughts generate in the mind and it travels and wanders so fastly that we
couldn’t control it.
MOTHER lives in our soul. Soul is bigger and stronger than the mind.
We are all conscious of our mind, so only thoughts arise.
We should try to be conscious of our soul so that even before thoughts arise, our soul
generates MOTHER thinking. Follow everything that a soul states you, so that it comes
out from our MOTHER who guides us in our path. This is very essential for a devotee.

7. Before any thought touches our soul, MOTHER’s light should touch our soul.
We know about 5 senses. Thoughts and worry doesn’t come under this category.
Thoughts belong to our mind and worry belongs to the feelings. Karmayogi sir has
explained about how we get worry and how to control it? Worrying is a usual feeling, as
it generates, it catches hold of our feelings; from there it reaches our mind. Then our
mind will justify that it is true to be sad. When our mind gets into this sought of position,
then it’s very hard to control our feelings. So we have to control over the feelings and let
not our thought touch our soul first. Even before this we should think of MOTHER who’s
light in us bring us such a happiness that worry just flies off.

8. If we have any sad feelings, we should first install MOTHER’s picture in our
heart and forget that feeling.
Like above mentioned we have install MOTHER’s picture in our heart so that we forget
the sad feeling which erodes our peace.
Thinking is a group of our thoughts. Before we do any activity we think whether to do or
not. When we give that freedom to our thoughts it begins to act and gets more strength
and after that it’s difficult to control our thought and think of MOTHER. Before thinking
of anything we have to consider that MOTHER is all above our thoughts, and consider
MOTHER’s suggestions to have real value in our life. For this to happen, we have to
believe MOTHER only, so that MOTHER can act on us.

9. When we have suggestions in our mind, we should forget that and think of MOTHER
so that all the result that would come out of your suggestion in the mind would come
automatically.

10. Before doing any action, we have to divide the activity into different parts, even
before thinking of a single part, we should think of MOTHER.

11. When we think of any good thing happened to us, we should think of MOTHER
and say thank you.
Everybody have past thoughts, it may be good or bad. Good thoughts bring happiness to
us at that time we have to think of MOTHER and thank MOTHER. So that we have that
feeling life long.

12. When we think of bad thing happened to us, we should first surrender that
thinking to MOTHER so that MOTHER will take over.
If any bad thought comes to the mind, we feel too much and make the feeling strong. So
we shouldn’t think of bad thing at all, only think of good things.
We should accept the fact that Bad thing happens for reasons:
To avoid very bad thing to happen in future
To make us feel the real facts
To avoid contact with those who needs to be avoided.
So we should thing of us these three reasons and forget our sadness. Even after this if we
happen to remember the bad thing, we need to surrender the history of the problem to
MOTHER.

13. We should prevent our thinking towards a person, and feel that thinking about
MOTHER is the greatest task in our life.
If we think of someone, that leads to thoughts related to them and it goes on and on. So in
that case we forget MOTHER. So inspite of thinking of someone else, we should feel that
thinking of MOTHER alone is great, so convert our thinking towards MOTHER.

14. When we gets tensed, we should feel that we are moving away from MOTHER
and try to forget the tension and think of MOTHER feel happy.
When we control anger, we get tension, if we control tension we get, so we get fits. In
different angle we get irritation, annoyance, irksomeness, pinpricks, tension and
listlessness and impatience. So we have to avoid all these and think of MOTHER and
turn that to happiness.

15. Before doing any activity, find out what will MOTHER think and act in that
matter and act accordingly.
When we face new situations in our life, we think about it and discuss it with others. Its
good but we should try to find out whether MOTHER has said something related to this
and think how will MOTHER act in this situation.

16. Love, Care, Aspiration, Work aspiration, energetic – All these attitudes gets
converted to Faith in GOD.
Love flows normally, care comes out sometime, aspiration (interest) always flows out, all
of us have commitment and interest over our job. But after accepting MOTHER, we
should show our full interest over MOTHER only. When we show our affection to a
child, love to wife/husband, liking over dresses, commitment to work we are only human.
But above that we should accept MOTHER from our inner soul (Athma).

17. When we hear some news and feel sad, upset, emotional or happy, just forget
those expressions, and think of MOTHER and be calm.
Some news carries Worries and some creates craving, some gives burden to mind, and
some happiness. Anything of this sort, we have to leave this to MOTHER and forget the
matter. Just think of MOTHER and turn that to happiness.

18. Praying and thinking MOTHER at all times should grow and result in strong
belief in MOTHER
Whatever we have done, if there is any lack in it, we often think that and feel sad, Lets try
to think why we have done this fault and what is lacking in it and so that we could correct
that first. If the belief over MOTHER is less, increase it by MOTHER’s thinking.

19. Anger and love shown to others is not that much good than MOTHER’s
thinking.
Often we get anger, this may lead to lack of affection. If we get angry, it is a great loss to
ourselves only than to others. So think this first and reduce our anger. Think of
MOTHER and forget getting tensed. Also we should understand that when we get tensed,
we are moving away from MOTHER. As such if we think of someone else on getting
tension, our thinking narrows done to that aspect only. So we forget MOTHER. So first
try to forget that thought and think about MOTHER only.

20. Forget revenging a person because as we do that we are moving away from
MOTHER and so change that attitude and think of MOTHER only…
We should understand that when we think of revenging a person, we are moving away
from MOTHER. So forgetting about this act is important. Surrender the revenge attitude
and activities related to that act to MOTHER so that we forget it very soon.

Continuous Thinking
Continuous thinking of MOTHER leads us to the next stage, “Continuous Darshan”.
When we have Athma darshan, that gives Moksha to us. Our living soul unites with
Paramathma and this full yoga spirit. For that to happen continuous Darshan of
MOTHER is the basis.

Inseparable Spiritual consciousness:

Everyone have some continuous thoughts in our mind everyday that rules us very
commonly. But we do not know it. For example, student who is interested in playing,
often talks very commonly regarding his play that he had for just 2 hrs, likewise a young
man always dream about his wouldbe, and working man always thinks about his family
and upliftment steps in his life. This is what we say as “Occupation” that means our mind
occupied with some event or activity. If we have some problems with that thing, then our
mind thinks about that only and that is called preoccupation.
When we think about something we do act relating to that only. For example: a
married women when she is asked to write some sentences in English while learning the
language, she will write likewise “My uncle is tall, Uncle has come, Uncle is eating”
More than 50 sentences she may write like this only. This shows that she is always
thinking about him only.
If we our body grows, activity related to that fills our mind. When our feeling
grows, desire fills our mind. When mind grows, thoughts fill, when Athma (Soul) grows,
God’s faith fills. This gives continuous non-stop thinking of MOTHER. Beyond all our
other thinking, when our Athma grows alone, our soul gets filled with MOTHER
thoughts alone. When we are able to do that then we have done an achievement. This is
the big stage in yogic life.