The Moon: My Elder Sister

These first two juicy stories about the moon happened when I was at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. In 1947 the Ashramites were in trouble. At that time the Pondicherry people went against the Ashram. It was a long story. We were guarding the streets, ten at a time. Then we could take rest for an hour.

During one break, I went with a dear friend of mine to the end of the pier. We were looking at the moon – it was a full moon – and I saw Sri Ramakrishna there. Then Sri Ramakrishna started blessing me and chatting with me. We were talking together. My friend looked at my face, and looked at the moon. He looked at me, and looked up. He could not understand anything. He was only looking at me and looking at the moon. But inside the moon there was no Sri Ramakrishna for him.

This is another important story about the moon. In front of my house in the Ashram there was a small garden. When there was a moon, I used to go and meditate, not for five minutes but for an hour or even more. Seated on a small chair, I used to meditate there. Once I was looking at the moon in my highest meditation, deeply absorbed in the moon consciousness. Alas, then I saw three most beautiful women, beautiful apsara nymphs, coming down from the moon to destroy my meditation. They are the ones who try to ruin the concentration of the great seekers. They will come looking most glamorous in an undivine way. Three were coming down to ruin my meditation. But my Mother, Mother Kali, cut those three beautiful apsaras absolutely into pieces. This was the protection of Mother Kali. At that time I was 17 or 18 years old.

Believe it or not, I have visited the moon many, many times – I cannot count how many times. About two or three months ago, I went up to the moon on the strength of my realisation. And then she, the moon herself, brought me down in her chariot. Hers is a silver chariot, not golden. When I went up to the moon, she was so happy, so delighted, so proud. And when it was time for me to come down, she did not want me to use my concentration, meditation or contemplation to come down. She brought me down in her silver chariot.

About the moon I have said many things. I have written many, many poems about the moon and the sun, and other serious things I have written in my books about the moon. This world is so painful. By narrating some juicy stories, I get joy. Whether you get joy or not, whether you think they are mental hallucinations or not, I get joy by telling these stories.

Indian mythology is wonderful. Some will say the moon is feminine, while others will say moon is masculine. Bengalis especially say +“channa mama.” “Mama” means maternal uncle, so that makes the moon masculine. Again, some will call it _“channa ma.” Ma means mother, so then the moon becomes feminine. Some will say “di” or “didi,” which means sister. Some will say maternal uncle, while others will say mother, and still others will say sister. You can decide whether you will call the moon sister or mother or maternal uncle. With regard to the moon, you can call it anything you like, but the sun is always masculine. If you want to know my opinion, I address the moon as my elder sister. For me the moon is feminine, plus I look on her as my elder, most affectionate sister. She is not my mother, she is not my maternal uncle. She is my dearest elder sister. Again, when I say elder sister, I take her also as one of the cosmic goddesses.

16 September 2007, Aspiration-Ground, New York