A tribute to uncle Patel

‘They who have looked on me shall grieve no more’
–Sri Aurobindo in ‘Savitri’

When I first saw Uncle’s body after he had passed on, I was overcome with sorrow. Then I prayed to the Mother to help me understand what has happened and to react from truth rather than falsehood. I knew the Mother has said that it is selfish to cling on to the departed soul and hence it was wrong to be steeped in sorrow and even harmful to the departed soul. I also remembered she had said the body is a protection and when we leave our body, we lose the protection and thus it is important to send love to the soul as a protection. When I recalled these words of the Mother, what I felt was peace and love rather than sorrow and I could thus send Uncle peace and love. Interestingly, what I subsequently perceived was Uncle didn’t even need that peace and love; rather he seemed to be sending us peace and love from his new home too!

So, as I write this, I recall his great life on earth and the equally great passing on. My parents, my brother, my husband and I are recipients of his love and generosity, like all of us at the centre. My parents were always touched by how he frequently enquired, “How is my dear Vignesh?” even when he was himself not keeping well. In fact, a few days before he passed on, they were telling me how touched they were by his love and concern for Vignesh. We have much to learn from Uncle’s life. The most sincere tribute is to let his spirit and qualities live on: we need to love one another as Uncle loved us.

Love is the hoop of the gods
Hearts to combine.
Iron is broken, the sword
Sleeps in the grave of its lord;
Love is divine. Love is the hoop of the gods
Hearts to combine.
….
When Love desires Love,
Then Love is born.
- Sri Aurobindo in his play ‘Eric’

- Ramya, Ram, Suryanarayanan, Lalitha & Vignesh