At last we ( Kantilal (brother of Vasudha), Natwarlal and myself. ) arrived, all three of us, at Pondicherry at 6 a.m. on April 1, 1921. We walked the distance from the railway station to the residence of our host Narandas (a C.I.D. man!); though it should have taken only ten minutes to cover, we actually needed half an hour to do so as we did not know the proper direction. We presented to him, on reaching his house, the letter of introduction given by Motilal Mehta. We had our bath after which we were blandly informed that there was a measles case in the house and so no meals could be served there. I cooked my own food, as I always did, but my companions went to a hotel, Amnivas by name. We then wanted to go out. But we were asked not to stir out between 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. as it was scorching hot. We came to know that even stray dogs were not allowed to run about in the streets during that period. However, we could not stay in the house for long and started out at 1 p.m. Arriving at the Guest House, where Sri Aurobindo was then staying, we sent for Amrita and informed him that we had come from Broach in Gujarat. "Babuji is sleeping", he replied and asked us to come a little before 5 p.m. We said we would sit there and wait. But he told us that we couldn't sit there and must go back and come at the specified time. We lingered and then asked for some water to drink. This was duly given and we eagerly quenched our thirst. And I may mention here that though it was true we had felt thirsty due to the climate, what made us ask for water was the desire to taste the tirtha in Sri Aurobindo's house. After Amrita had gone back we sat on and later in the afternoon sent for Amrita again. "Babuji is busy", he said and added, "I will call you". The call came at 10 minutes to 5.
  Before that as we were sitting in the downstairs verandah someone came down the stairs and proceeded to the courtyard. I recognised that it was Sri Aurobindo and rushed towards him and made a quick pranam at his feet just when he reached the verandah it the bottom of the staircase. Later I was to learn from the Mother that it was precisely at a corresponding spot on the first floor that she had met Sri Aurobindo.
  When we went upstairs Sri Aurobindo was seated there. I saw nothing except him and when I prostrated before him I lay here for one full hour. Nobody disturbed me. At the end of the hour Sri Aurobindo placed his hand on my head, blessed me and said "tomorrow", and I got up.
 A number of chairs had been placed in the hall where Sri Aurobindo was sitting and we were asked to sit there, but we did not sit on chairs. We preferred to squat on the floor by his side.
 He asked us our names, enquired of Dikshit and Punamchand. He asked looking at me: Do you know English ? I said I did not. He began in Hindi and asked how we all had come. I answered that we had walked from Broach to Palghar and thence we were sent by train.
    How long do you want to stay ? he asked.
    As long as you keep us, I replied.
    He started looking round and smiled. He told us to come the next day and added that he was free at 4.30 p.m.
    It was 6.10 by then and Amrita told us to leave. When we went out of the compound we were in a trance-like condition. Our eyes would not remain open. No wonder we lost our way on the road.
   You ask me what was my first reaction on seeing Sri Aurobindo. Well, when I made pranam to him and got up I felt that I had nothing more to do in my life. There was an evident sense of having arrived.
   The next day we sat quiet the first fifteen minutes. Then the following conversation took place.
   SRI AUROBINDO: How many are there at Kashibhai's ?
   CHAMP AKLAL : Twenty and a family associated with the Ashram there.
   SRI AUROBINDO: What are Dikshit and Punamchand doing ? C: Why do you ask ? You know everything !
   Sri Aurobindo suddenly smiled and spoke almost in whispers : "Yes, I know." And then looked round laughing uproariously.
   SRI AUROBINDO: What are you doing in yoga ?
   C: I don't know what is yoga. I am practising something taught by Dikshit and Punamchand.
  SRI AUROBINDO: What is the practice you are doing?
  C: Whatever work I do I offer to the Lord and I offer through you.
  SRI AUROBINDO: How many practise yoga there? Names.
  I gave them.
  SRI AUROBINDO: Do you feel anything during this practice ?
  C: Yes, sometimes peace; I see at times light also.
  Sri Aurobindo smiled beautifully.
  SRI AUROBINDO: Yes, but has Dikshit explained to you how to dedicate everything ?
  C: No, no. He has only told us that we must be complete instruments.
  SRI AUROBINDO: How?
   c: I don't know.
   SRI AUROBINDO: You see, the peace which you feel shows that God is near you. Light shows that you can meet him in that peace and light. Slowly, slowly you will be able to stay in this.
   C: Sometimes I feel that the light is inside me.
   SRI AUROBINDO: It means that God is within you. Are you practising this ?
   C: Yes.
   Sri Aurobindo remained quiet for some time.
   SRI AUROBINDO: What made you come here ?
   I answered in some detail.
   SRI AUROBINDO: Do they read any papers there?
    C: I don't know.
    SRI AUROBINDO: Do you read the Standard Bearer?
    C: At times. If I find anything worth practising I note it down also.
    SRI AUROBINDO: How long did you stay in Bombay?
    C: Four days.
    SRI AUROBINDO: Where did you stay?
    C: Near Motilal Mehta's bungalow.
    SRI AUROBINDO: Now, what are you going to do at your  place?
    C: We have not yet decided; we are thinking of doing some farming.
     SRI AUROBINDO: Someone went to Chandernagore with Dikshit. Who was that ?
     C: Dwarkanath who lived in Gandhi Ashram.
     SRI AUROBINDO: Who is he ?
     C: A Maharashtrian.
     It was 6.05 p.m. by now and Sri Aurobindo went into his room saying: Now tomorrow.
     Now the third day. It was with difficulty that we waited till 5 when we were called up. After pranam when Sri Aurobindo started speaking, I said: Speak in Gujarati please.
     He laughed and said: I knew Gujarati when I was in Baroda but now I have forgotten.
      C: You know everything.
 He laughed and laughed.
    C: You can speak at least in Hindi.
    SRI AUROBINDO: That too I don't know.
    c: You know Hindi.
    And then he spoke in Hindi explaining what is meditation.

    During our stay of eight days in all, some more things happened. I remember Sri Aurobindo telling me to try to see the Divine Shakti of the Lord that is at work everywhere, in everything. When I asked him what books I should read, he told me to read two books: Prakrti Rahasya (Secret of Nature) in Gujarati and Bhakti Sutras of Shandilya. I was then eighteen. When I read the Prakrti Rahasya as told by Sri Aurobindo, I found something awoke in me perceiving Beauty everywhere.
    I asked Sri Aurobindo when I would have Realisation. In reply he told me the story of Narada: Two devotees were living in a forest and doing sadhana for many years. Once while Narada passed by them one of the devotees asked him, "Bhagavan, you are going to the Lord. Would you kindly ask Him on my behalf when I shall see Him ?" A little further on Narada met the second devotee. He also entreated him to ask the Lord the same question.
    On his return Narada told the first devotee, "You will see the Lord after as many births as there are leaves on the tree under which you are doing penance." He was very much disappointed to hear it and gave up his sadhana. When Narada met the second devotee and told him the same words, he felt unbounded joy and began to dance in delight. "Oh, at last I shall see the Lord!" This thought filled him with such an intense joy that he lost all sense of the self and he saw the Lord that very instant.
   Thus Sri Aurobindo explained to us that the time when we shall see the Divine depends on the one-pointedness of our intensity.
I told him once that we wanted to see his room. He smiled, said 'Yes' and showed his hand towards his room. We went in- side all by ourselves. I noticed an old pocket-watch on the table. A thought crossed my mind that if I had the means I would have got a better watch for use there and taken the old one for myself. But this thought was a fleeting one and passed somewhat like a phantasy. (This had an interesting sequel later on when I came to stay here for good and started working with Mother. For, one day Mother brought that watch and asked me if I would like to have it. I was amazed but I did not answer her question because it was a fixed principle with me not to take things from Sri Aurobindo and Mother but to give what I could. All the same she gave it to me.)
      We had not decided on which day we would leave Pondicherry. On the eighth day of our stay, we all felt it to be the last day. Every day, when we were taking our leave of Sri Aurobindo after being near him for one hour, he used to say, "Now, tomorrow". But this day instead of saying, "Now, tomorrow", he said, "If you have any difficulty, you remember me", -and after a pause -"write to me." So we understood it to be the last day.