with Sri Ganesh

have been present even then under the name of Brihaspati or Brahmanaspati; neither was he directly mentioned in the Upanishads; and so Sri Aurobindo did not offer any comment or explanation on him in his renderings of both the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Mother has reportedly referred a few times to Lord Ganesh; mainly in the context of Her receiving his help, before the 2 nd World War, in bringing funds to the Ashram, and later being told by him that it had become too difficult… She also referred as well to his friendly presence, and She had extended Her help and practical contribution to the large Manakular Vinayaka Temple situated very near to the Ashram. But in a more general and essential way, I understood from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother that what are called “Gods”, such as in the Hindu approach to the Divine, are independent realities: they exist on their own planes, and represent distinct aspects and truths of the Supreme, and one can best learn from them by meeting them with one’s soul, or psychic being. Not in any subservient or religious manner, nor for any personal gains, but as an evolving or serving soul seeking to open to the particular truth or aspect they each stand for and seeking their help in realizing it. Mother did however confirm explicitly that Lord Ganesha indeed bore the form which is attributed to him, as he had come directly to Her, in the early period of Her return to Pondicherry, to show himself to Her. The story of Her giving some of the Ashram property, as recounted by Priti Das Gupta and by Madanlal Himatsingka independently, goes as follows: In the Manakular Vinayaka Temple near the Ashram, which attracted a growing number of devotees, there was not quite enough room for people to do Parikrama (circumambulation) around the deity, in the early sixties. At that time one day Mother saw Lord Ganesh before Her; he had come to seek Her help and explained the matter to Her. Then Mother sent some of Her people to see how it was, for one of the sadhaks, Madanlal Himatsingka, had just concluded the purchase of the property adjacent to that temple, the “Montbrun House”. Having ascertained the actuality of Lord Ganesh’s need, Mother then called Madanlal and informed him of the same and instructed him to meet the temple trustees and see with them how much land they required and which wall should then be demolished, and to do at once the needful, as a gift to the temple; thus a plot of 12’ x 120’ was given over to the temple of Lord Ganesha and everyone was happy.

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