Nicholas Roerich

Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) was a Russian painter, theosophist and spiritual teacher who produced paintings and frescos to the World Mother. The painting reproduced above is the first such painting, dated from 1924. Roerich commented that he had not shown the face of the World Mother as She had not yet revealed Her face. 

He left Russia after the Revolution, living in New York in the 1920s. After travelling in Asia, he and his family settled in India in 1929. He gave his name to the Roerich Pact, an early international agreement on cultural property signed by members of the Pan-American Union in 1935.  

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has refered to Roerich as "a very good man" (1995-0919) but not a realised soul (1989-1022).

Bibliography

Nicholas Roerich, Writings  

Nicholas Roerich,  Selected paintings  [slide show]

Kenneth Archer, ‘Nicholas Roerich and his theatrical designs: a research survey’ Dance Research Journal 18(2) Winter, 1986-1987:3-6

Jacqueline Decter, Nicholas Roerich: the life and art of a Russian master (London: Thames and Hudson, 1989)

Jacqueline Decter, Messenger of beauty: the life and visionary art of Nicholas Roerich (Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 1997)

Kenneth Archer, Nicholas Roerich: East and West (Bournemouth, UK: Parkstone, 1999)


Queen of Heaven  

Shri Mataji painting Indian statues

Shri Mataji painting Indian statues in Brompton Square, London, 1985

(thanks to Ian P)

Jesus Christ among the Doctors

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi comments on the painting Christ among the doctors (1506) by Albrecht Dürer.

Beauty and the Artist

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi: But to a person who is a realized soul in a real way, he doesn’t see, I mean, you don’t smell anything dirty. You always smell something good. You never smell, you do not think of anything dirty. Everywhere you go, it’s beautiful. Even if you see just the sand, you see the pattern. Even if you see a barren hill ...

I saw some people who had gone I said, “Look at the beauty of these hills, in Maharashtra.”

They said, "Mother, what is the beauty? It’s not covered with trees."

I said, “That's the beauty, just see the patterns.”

They couldn’t see the patterns that I was seeing. But if you ask me, "What is this hill?” I also know that. Because I know the patterns of all the hills, how it has moved, how it has made patterns and things like that.

Because they don’t see that, you see, they cannot see the beauty because they are looking out for defects. Or relatively, you see, "English trees are better than say X, Y, Z trees. So then this is not better." The relative they start. But you are at absolute point, you are getting the absolute of everything. Everything is your own. What is there to judge?

Sahaja yogi: Mother, perhaps you can see the beauty because you are the artist.

Shri Mataji: I am the artist and I am the art. But what about you? Who are you? You are the one who is created, and you can create, and you can become the artist.

That’s what I am saying: that you are not only the light, but the light that will give light to others. And also you will sustain that light which you have given light. This is the difference now, between you and other people. Not that only you will be the artist, but you'll enjoy the art of the artist. This is what you have got, you don’t know, you are not aware of your powers. It’s a dynamic thing which has happened to you, which you should take to.

(Q+A session, London, 6/8/82)

Shri MahaSaraswati

When you live in the MahaSaraswati tattwa you start seeing in your daily life that you are the Whole, and we are one. So when an artist creates he makes some such things that one accepts from the heart. All the works that we do of Saraswati should be dedicated and surrendered to the Divine. If this happens then all such works will be immortal. All poems, music, songs, art forms which were offered in the name of God are still living today. Like today's film music comes and dies down. But the songs of Kabir, Jnaneshwara are still remembered. Through their self-realization they obtained the MahaSaraswati Shakti and whatever they wrote or created that light was of a unique kind. These were creations that united the world into one. One should not only move on Saraswati tattwa as this limits you. One should move on the MahaSaraswati tattwa. If Saraswati tattwa is the seed then the tree is MahaSaraswati. Till you do not make this seed into the MahaSaraswati till then you cannot merge with MahaLakshmi. The gift of MahaLakshmi within you is that you get your self-realization. All the three, MahaLakshmi, MahaSaraswati, and MahaKali, meet at Agnya.

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Shri MahaSaraswati Puja, Calcutta, India, 3/2/92

Michelangelo

"Those people who have been realized souls have created eternal art. Like we can say, Michelangelo was a realized soul. So his work is eternal art. And, they produce art which creates vibrations. You can feel vibrations from him. In the whole church if you go you feel horrid, but when you go to Sistine Chapel and see his work, the whole thing fills you up with vibrations."

(H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Radio Interview, Santa Cruz, USA, 1/10/83)

The dignity of Art

"Artists have to raise the public eye to their standards of taste; and not to stoop down to the cheap demands of the public, thus surrendering their freedom. This can be done by contacting of educational and social institutions, by the enlightened artists. Through articles in magazines and newspapers, the ideas of such artists can be propagated. Through dramas, films and radio talks, people can be educated for the understanding of real art. Thus the dignity of art can be maintained.
By coming into contact with the public at large through these societies, the social-self of an artist will develop into a keener and more sensitive being. It will react to the slightest unrest in the nation; to the slightest imbalance in the society. If he sees a leper on the street, his heart will go out with such sympathy that, through his art, he can create an atmosphere by which social workers, doctors, scientists, and the people in charge of the state will be forced to think of some solution to the problems of leprosy. If an artist finds his countrymen being unpatriotic or cowardly, he can, through others, create a deep respect in their minds. Such is the motivating power of an artist. They are the loveliest flowers of the creation, the sweetest dreams of the Creator, and the dearest parts of the human society.
Perhaps they do not know how they are loved, worshipped and followed by their spectators..."

Mrs.Nirmala Srivastava, extract from the souvenir for the launch of  'Youth Society For Films' in India in 1961.

Source: Yogi Mahajan, The Face of God (1999)   chapter 6

Handicrafts

“Now I have found out a solution for Sahaja Yogis, what they should do. They should try to encourage handicrafts. Every country I went to, I bought handicrafts, whether it was Czechoslovakia or England or anywhere. I cannot understand – how can you go and buy this rubbish of plastic, of this useless things?”
(H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Evening before Navaratri, Cabella, 4/10/97)

See also www.sahaja-yoga-arts.org