Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 1. 1934
X was coming from the Ashram at 9 p.m. and was molested by a ruffian in front of Nolini’s room. She called him and then the boy disappeared.
I am simply dumb-founded by the news. To think that someone – maybe a fuffian or a devil – should attack a Sadhika under your very roof – is it not surprising? I hear and believe too that you give a veil of protection around us. Is it so ineffective that even when one doesn’t go out of one’s way, some hostile beings should attack the very physique and especially that of ladies? Then each lady must stop walking alone or each must have somebody by her. I wonder how long it’ll take to free the atmosphere from these seen vital forces.
When the sadhaks get rid of the unseen ones in themselves and in the atmosphere of the Ashram.
I am afraid there will be now an apprehension and a nervousness among all the sadhikas.
The Mother has constantly told the sadhikas who approached her 
about it that they should not be out alone or without a sadhak to accompany them after 8 o’clock – even after dusk it is not so very safe. After 9 o’clock any woman out alone can easily be taken for a bad character and even questioned by the police. The reason is that when the streets are otherwise deserted, it is largely drunkards, bad characters that come abroad or people like the Topa boys who are little better than criminals. Pondicherry is not a place where women can walk about alone at night. Only two or three days ago S asked whether they could not go out to enjoy the moonlight at 9 if there were 2 or 3 sadhikas together and Mother forbade it unless there was a sadhak with them, so they are going with the Doctor.
I do not know why you should consider that a sadhak or Sadhika can count, whatever he does and whatever the conditions, on an absolute protection and immunity. There are conditions under which there is an absolute safety – if the sadhaks are sadhaks through and through, if they have a pure and complete faith etc. Or if a Sadhika has got rid of sex impulses and sex appeal and lives in the Mother or with the Mother in her, or even if she has a perfect fearlessness, inner strength and courage, then she would be able to walk about unchallenged even in Pondicherry. But conditions are not like that here – as yet at least – the wrong forces are here inside the Ashram as well as outside – under such circumstances, the protection, though it can still act, acts on conditions and within limits.