Morality and War
Morality
You have no right to dispense with morality unless you submit yourself to a law that is higher and much more rigorous than any moral law.
28 May 1947
*
You can break the moral rules only when you observe the Divine Law
*
Moral laws have only a very relative value from the point of view of Truth. Besides, they vary considerably according to country, climate and period.
Discussions are generally sterile and without productive value. If each one makes a personal effort of perfect sincerity, uprightness and good-will, the best conditions for the work will be realised.
August 1966
*
Never judge on appearances, still less on gossip.
What is moral in one country is immoral in another.
Service to the Divine exacts a sincerity of self-sacrifice unknown to any morality.
26 February 1969
*
43War and Violence
Not so long ago, at the beginning of this century, during what was perhaps the most murderous war of all, the fate of millions of men was decided many a time by the financial speculations of the contending heads of state
*
O men! How can you utter the sublime word “Peace” when there is no peace in your hearts?
The War is over, so you say, and yet everywhere man is slaying man and Cain still sheds his brother's blood!
*
In the Bible, God calls Cain and asks him: “What have you done with your brother?”
Today I call man and ask him: “What have you done with the earth?”
*
For all those whom the Divine Grace has kept far from the horrible conflict which is tearing men apart, the only way to express their gratitude is by a complete consecration of their whole being to the divine work.
May 1940
*
Don't worry about Hitler. No asuric force can stand eternally against the divine force and the hour of his defeat is bound to come.
27 May 1940
*
44
The Victory has come, Thy Victory, O Lord, for which we render to Thee infinite thanks-giving.
But now our ardent prayer rises towards Thee. It is with Thy force and by Thy force that the victors have conquered. Grant that they do not forget it in their success and that they keep the promises which they have made to Thee in the hours of danger and anguish. They have taken Thy name to make war, may they not forget Thy grace when they have to make the peace.
15 August 1945
*
The Atomic Bomb
The Atomic bomb is in itself the most wonderful achievement and the sign of a growing power of man over material nature. But what is to be regretted is that this material progress and mastery is not the result of and in keeping with a spiritual progress and mastery which alone has the power to contradict and counteract the terrible danger coming from these discoveries. We 45cannot and must not stop progress, but we must achieve it in an equilibrium between the inside and the outside.
30 August 1945
*
Violence is never a good way to make a cause triumph. How can anyone hope to obtain justice by injustice, harmony by hatred?
9 October 1951
*
Tell him that I refuse to be a prophet.
3 February 1962
*
This old idea of the necessity of the catastrophe to make the power effective is a limitation that has to be overcome
*
There is no question of welcoming destruction, but of learning the lesson it gives
*
I disapprove totally of violence. Each act of violence is a step back on the path leading to the goal to which we aspire.
The Divine is everywhere and always supremely conscious. Nothing must ever be done that cannot be done before the Divine.
6 May 1971
*
46So long as you are capable of giving somebody a beating, you open the door to the possibility of being given a beating yourself
*
Popular outbursts: the monstrous cruelty of the mud that hates and despises the light
*
There is a difference between violence and cruelty. In a violent mood one can do a very dreadful act, but afterwards one feels very sorry for it. Whereas a cruel person does the thing in a cold-blooded way—everything is prearranged and is done for its own sake.§
*
Safety and Protection
During the bombardments, to those who fear for their skins and flee:
Why should you be in safety when the whole world is in danger? What is your special virtue, your special merit for which you should be so specially protected?
In the Divine alone is there safety. Take refuge in Him and cast away all fear.
26 May 1942
*
[About persons who asked permission to come to Pondicherry during India's conflict with Pakistan in September 1965]
They can come to Pondicherry, but those who are afraid are afraid everywhere and one who has faith is in safety everywhere.
9 September 1965
*
47The best protection is an unshakable faith in the Divine Grace
*
Protection is active and can be effective only with faith on your side, absolute and constant
*
Let us give ourselves entirely and sincerely to the Divine and we shall enjoy His protection
*
Integral protection: that which can be given only by the Divine
*
Psychic protection: the protection resulting from surrender to the Divine
*
Physical protection is possible only with a total surrender to the Divine and the absence of all desires
*
Concentrate more constantly on the Divine Presence and the protection will be more spontaneous
*
Exclusive turning of all movements towards the Divine: the sure means of having security
*
Nothing is in safety except what is given to the Divine.