Preparing for the Miraculous

the kalki avatar 253Sri Aurobindo only as the inexhaustible source of Love andPeace, which he was and is for anyone turning towards him,and not as the great warrior who had to fight, together withthe Mother, the decisive battles for the new world. Of thesebattles the three 20th century wars – the First and SecondWorld War and the so-called Cold War (actually one war inthree parts) – were partial externalizations.“My life has been a battle from its early years and is stilla battle; the fact that I wage it now from a room upstairsand by spiritual means as well as others that are externalmakes no difference,” wrote Sri Aurobindo in the middle ofthe 1930s, 47 when dark clouds gathered over the world andhe himself was soon to be attacked in his physical person.... Each enemy slain revives,Each battle for ever is fought and refoughtThrough vistas of fruitless lives.My gaping wounds are a thousand and oneAnd the Titan kings assail,But I cannot rest till my task is doneAnd wrought the eternal will. 48In Savitri, his spiritual autobiography and testament, wefind reports of his avataric battles on many pages, such as:But though to the outward eye no sign appearsAnd peace is given to our torn human hearts,The struggle is there and paid the unseen price;The fire, the strife, the wrestle are within. ...A million wounds gape in his secret heart. ...Antagonist forces crowd across his path;A siege, a combat is his inner life. ...47 Sri Aurobindo: On Himself, p. 153.48 Sri Aurobindo: Collected Poems, p. 100.