Scene 1

(Motilal Roy’s residence. Aurobindo is in meditation in a small ill-lit room. Time: early in the morning. Suddenly there appears before him his familiar Figure of Vasudeva.)

VASUDEVA: I am glad that you have come over here as I wished. It is high time you plunged deeper into Yoga. You will feel more and more that it is I who am doing Yoga within you. Now I want that nothing may stand in your way. Hence my chosen place for you is Pondicherry, South India. There your concentrated Tapasya will hasten the descent of a force which will facilitate the descent of a far higher Force to consummate your work.

(The Figure disappears. Enter Motilal Roy.)

AUROBINDO: Pondicherry, Pondicherry.

MOTILAL: What do you mean?

AUROBINDO: I am to start for Pondicherry. The sooner, the better.

MOTILAL: (Token aback) But why? Anything wrong?

AUROBINDO: Nothing at all. I have just got an adesh —a higher command to move straight to Pondicherry.

MOTILAL: Adesh! Then let me make the necessary arrangements.