The story of सत्य्वान् & सवित्री (satyvān & savitrī) originally occurs in the उपाख्यान वन पर्व (upākhyāna vana parva) of the sacred महाभारत इतिहास शास्त्र (mahābhārata itihāsa śāstra) wherein the eminent sage मार्कण्डेय महऋषि (mārkaṇḍeya mahaṛṣi) narrates to श्री युधिष्टिर (śrī yudhiṣṭira) highlighting as to how sincere efforts of a pious and chaste woman has the potential of even resurrecting her dead husband. In fact, that is why this section of the epic is also called पतिव्रता माहात्म्य (pativratā māhātmya – greatness of virtuous wife). Interestingly, this story is narrated by मार्कण्डेय महऋषि (mārkaṇḍeya mahaṛṣi) whose life itself as just seen above, is a perfect case study of how one can triumph death by one’s sheer देव भक्ति (deva bhakti- - devotion towards god). The story of सवित्री (savitrī) also showcases as to how pure पति भक्ति(pati bhakti – devotion towards husband) can help in securing his life from the fateful clutches of death.
According to the story महाराज अश्वपति (mahārāja aśvapati), similar to मृकण्डु महऋषि (mṛkaṇḍu mahaṛṣi) was a issueless (without a child) for a long time and hence was religiously observing several years (18 years to be precise) of intense तपस् (tapas - penance) praying to Sun God सवितृ (savitṛ) seeking from Him the boon of begetting a child. The following lines from the पतिव्रत महात्म्य पर्व (pativrata mahātmya parva) in the वन पर्व (vana parva) of the original scripture describes it thus,
"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O king, how the exalted merit of chaste ladies, O Yudhishthira, was completely obtained by a princess named Savitri. There was a king among the Madras, who was virtuous and highly pious. And he always ministered unto the Brahmanas, and was high-souled and firm in promise. And he was of subdued senses and given to sacrifices. And he was the foremost of givers, and was able, and beloved by both the citizens and the rural population. And the name of that lord of Earth was Aswapati. And he was intent on the welfare of all beings. And that forgiving (monarch) of truthful speech and subdued senses was without issue. And when he got old, he was stricken with grief at this. And with the object of raising offspring, he observed rigid vows and began to live upon frugal fare, having recourse to the Brahmacharya mode of life, and restraining his senses. And that best of kings, (daily) offering ten thousand oblations to the fire, recited Mantras in honour of Savitri 1 and ate temperately at the sixth hour. And he passed eighteen years, practising such vows. Then when the eighteen years were full, Savitri was pleased (with him). And O king, issuing with great delight, in embodied form, from the Agnihotra fire, the goddess showed herself to that king. And intent on conferring boons, she spoke these words unto the monarch, 'I have been gratified, O king, with thy Brahmacharya practices, thy purity and self-restraint and observance of vows, and all thy endeavours and veneration! Do thou, O mighty king. O Aswapati, ask for the boon that thou desirest!
--Translation by K.M. Ganguly
In fact, to this end, he is known to have performed the sacred सावित्री यज्ञ (sāvitrī yajña) which again, similar to the esoteric नचिकेत विद्या (naciketa vidyā) described in कठोपनिषद् (kaṭhopaniṣad), underlying the नचिकेताग्नि (naciketāgni), encapsulates the सावित्री विद्या (sāvitrī vidyā) in the सावित्री उपनिषद् (sāvitrī upaniṣad). In fact, according to the scripture, this सावित्री यज्ञ (sāvitrī yajña) is technically a form of the famous अग्निहोत्र यज्ञ (agnihotra yajña) from which the God सवितृ (savitṛ) appeared before the king and granted him the requested boon. We have already seen that esoterically अग्निहोत्र यज्ञ (agnihotra yajña) corresponds to प्राणग्निहोत्र यज्ञ (prāṇagnihotra yajña) which in occult yogic terms corresponds to the வாசி யோக சாதனை (vaasi yOga saadhanai) for awakening the sacred कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti – magnetic energy). According to Sri Aurobindo, अश्वपति (aśvapati) practices a three pronged योग साधन (yoga sādhana – yogic rituals) about which he explains in one of his famous letters to Amal Kiran: “As to the title of the three Cantos about the Yoga of the King (1), I intended the repetition of the word ‘Yoga’ to bring out and emphasise the fact that this part of Aswapati’s spiritual development consisted of two yogic movements, one a psycho-spiritual transformation and the other, a greater spiritual transformation with an ascent to a supreme power. The omission which you suggest would destroy this significance and leave only something more abstract. In the second of these three Cantos there is a pause between the two movements and a description of the secret knowledge to which he is led and of which the results are described in the last Canto, but there is no description of the Yoga itself or of the steps by which this knowledge came. That is only indicated, not narrated; so to bring in ‘The Yoga of the King’ as the title of this Canto would not be very apposite. Aswapati’s Yoga falls into three parts. First, he is achieving his own spiritual self-fulfilment as an individual and this is described as the Yoga of the King. Next, he makes the ascent as a typical representative of the race to win the possibility of discovery and possession of all the planes of consciousness and this is described in the second book: but this too is as yet only an individual victory. Finally, he aspires no longer for himself but for all, for a universal realisation and new creation. That is described in the Book of the Divine Mother”.
We shall discuss more about this shortly. Now back to the story. I would like to reproduce here the quick summary by R.Y. Deshpande, of the original महाभारत (mahābhārata) version of story: “King Aswapati of Madra is issueless and performs, over a period of eighteen years, Savitri-Yajna and receives a boon of a radiant daughter from the Goddess. The girl grows into full and beautiful maidenhood in due time, but no noble prince of heroic valour approaches her to claim her in marriage. The King suggests to the Princess to seek a husband of her own choice, and she sets out on the missioned task, accompanied by the elderly counsellors of the royal Court. Savitri travels to distant lands, and visits several ashramas, and holy shrines, and proud capital cities on river banks. She offers her prayers to the deities in pilgrim-centres, and gives away great charities to the learned and worthy ones as she moves in her quest from place to place. Finally, she comes to the deep Shalwa Woods where she meets Satyavan and at once chooses him as her life's partner, as does Satyavan too in regard of Savitri. In the meanwhile, sage Narad visits Aswapati and, as they are engaged in conversation, returns Savitri to the Palace after accomplishing her mission. On being asked by her father, Savitri discloses that it is in Satyavan that she has made her choice. But immediately Narad, as if to make it firmer, speaks of it as unfortunate; for, Satyavan is destined to die one year after the marriage. Aswapati advises his daughter to make another choice, but she is unswerving in her resolve. Savitri's choice is made only once and not again. Narad sees and knows that her determination is in conformity with the Dharma and that there is hence a heavenly sanction for it; he in fact blesses the marriage and wishes it to pass off without any ill-happening. Then Aswapati, following the age-old tradition, makes a formal proposal to Satyavan's father Dyumatsena, and the wedding of Satyavan and Savitri is solemnised in the presence of the Rishis of the Forest. One year is about to end, and Savitri is greatly afflicted when only four days are left in the life of her husband. She decides to undertake an austere vow of standing at a given place, continuously for three days, without taking food. On arrival of that fated day she worships the Fire-God and, after receiving benedictions from the elders, accompanies Satyavan to the wood where he has to go for his usual work. But, while engaged in the work, he suddenly feels tired and begins to perspire profusely. Savitri takes him in her lap and, as foretold by Narad, reckons the coming of the appointed moment. Soon Savitri sees in front of her a bright God snatching the soul of Satyavan and carrying it away with him, even as he started moving in the southerly direction. Savitri follows him, and offers great eulogies to the shining divinity in Yama, and in the process receives several boons from him; finally, she wins back the soul of Satyavan. Returning to earth, the young couple realise that it has already grown dark in the evening. They decide to make haste, and get back to the hermitage where the elders must be waiting for them with all anxiety in their heart. In fact, Dyumatsena is very much disturbed and is appropriately consoled by the wise sages of the ashramas. Then, not too long after that, arrive at the premises Satyavan and Savitri, and there is great jubilation. On the insistence of Rishi Gautama Savitri reveals to them the several details, beginning with Narad's prophecy of Satyavan's death on that particular day, Yama's arrival and taking away his soul, and his granting her five boons, including a long life of four hundred years for Satyavan to live with her”.
Let us now listen to Swami Vivekananda’s famous lecture highlighting the crux of Savitri’s dialogue with the Lord of Death and eventual triumph of salvaging back the life of her beloved husband, who was under the clutches of death: “Then came Yama, the God of Death, the Judge of the dead. He was the first man that died - the first man that died on earth - and he had become the presiding deity over all those that die. He judges whether, after a man has died, he is to be punished or rewarded. So he came himself. Of course, he could go inside that charmed circle, as he was a god. When he came to Savitri, he said, “Daughter, give up this dead body, for know, death is the fate of mortals, and I am the first of mortals who died. Since then, everyone has had to die. Death is the fate of man.” Thus told, Savitri walked off, and Yama drew the soul out. Yama having possessed himself of the soul of the young man proceeded on his way. Before he had gone far, he heard footfalls upon the dry leaves. He turned back. “Savitri, daughter, why are you following me? This is the fate of all mortals.” “I am not following thee, Father,” replied Savitri, “but this is, also, the fate of woman, she follows where her love takes her, and the Eternal Law separates not loving man and faithful wife.” Then said the God of Death, “Ask for any boon, except the life of your husband.” “If thou art pleased to grant a boon, O Lord of Death, I ask that my father-in-law may be cured of his blindness and made happy.” “Let thy pious wish be granted, duteous daughter.” And then the King of Death travelled on with the soul of Satyavan. Again the same footfall was heard from behind. He looked round. “Savitri, my daughter, you are still following me?” “Yes, my Father; I cannot help doing so; I am trying all the time to go back, but the mind goes after my husband and the body follows. The soul has already gone, for in that soul is also mine; and when you take the soul, the body follows, does it not?” “Pleased am I with your words, fair Savitri. Ask yet another boon of me, but it must not be the life of your husband.” “Let my father-in-law regain his lost wealth and kingdom, Father, if thou art pleased to grant another supplication.” “Loving daughter,” Yama answered, “this boon I now bestow; but return home, for living mortal cannot go with King Yama.” And then Yama pursued his way. But Savitri, meek and faithful, still followed her departed husband. Yama again turned back. “Noble Savitri, follow not in hopeless woe.” “I cannot choose but follow where thou takest my beloved one.” “Then suppose, Savitri, that your husband was a sinner and has to go to hell. In that case goes Savitri with the one she loves?” “Glad am I to follow where he goes, be it life or death, heaven or hell,” said the loving wife. “Blessed are your words, my child, pleased am I with you, ask yet another boon, but the dead come not to life again.” “Since you so permit me, then, let the imperial line of my father-in-law be not destroyed; let his kingdom descend to Satyavan”s sons.” And then the God of Death smiled. “My daughter, thou shalt have thy desire now: here is the soul of thy husband, he shall live again. He shall live to be a father and thy children also shall reign in due course. Return home. Love has conquered Death! Woman never loved like thee, and thou art the proof that even I, the God of Death, am powerless against the power of the true love that abideth!””
Sri Aurobindho further expanded on this beautiful original storyline and developed it into a magnum opus epic poetry beautifully rendered in English language, titled Savitri. In the महाभारत (mahābhārata) which is one of the longest epics in the world, the story of Savitri was like a little droplet in a ocean; and in fact, it is narrated (using around 300 Sanskrit verses), as a उपाख्यान (upākhyāna – minor episode) within the वन पर्व (vana parva – forest book) in the overall literary text. Sri Aurobindho took this small theme, the size of an atom, expanded it and zoomed it up to the scales of epic proportions (around 24000 lines), yes an atom blown up to the size of a massive giant star in his magnum opus mystic masterpiece. According to him, Savitri is both a yogic symbol and legend and he summarizes the esoteric gist underlying the story by explaining thus: “The tale of Satyavan and Savitri is recited in the Mahabharata as a story of conjugal love conquering death. But this legend is, as shown by many features of the human tale, one of the many symbolic myths of the Vedic cycle. Satyavan is the soul carrying the divine truth of being within itself but descended into the grip of death and ignorance; Savitri is the Divine Word, daughter of the Sun, goddess of the supreme Truth who comes down and is born to save; Aswapati, the Lord of the Horse, her human father, is the Lord of Tapasya, the concentrated energy of spiritual endeavour that helps us to rise from the mortal to the immortal planes; Dyumatsena, Lord of the shining' Hosts, father of Satyvan, is the Divine Mind here fallen blind, losing its celestial kingdom of vision, and through that loss its kingdom of glory. Still this is not a mere allegory, the characters are not personified qualities, but incarnations or emanations of living and conscious Forces with whom we can enter into concrete touch and they take human bodies in order to help man and show him the way from his mortal state to a divine consciousness and immortal life”.
In fact, according to him, the story of सवित्री (savitrī) is both legend and a symbol at once. In other words, one the one hand, it is a historic (or mytholgical) account of specific events in the life of some individual souls अश्वपति (aśvapati), सवित्री (savitrī), सत्यवान् (satyavān) etc., who lived in ancient India; but at the same time the story reflects a deeply esoteric अन्तर्योग साधन (antaryoga sādhana – inner yogic practice) ventured by a human born soul seeking liberation from the vicious clutches of death to a state of deathless bliss. Almost each stakeholder is a योगिन् (yogin – yogi) in some respect and that is why as Sri Aurobindho rightly highligted their names are esoteric symbols indicating his or her spiritual role in the yogic pilgrimage; rather they represent a specific कल्याण गुण / सिद्धि (kalyāṇa guṇa / siddhi – auspicious functioanity/ potency) expressed or manifested during the soul’s योग भावन (yoga bhāvana – yogic role playing). Take the case of अश्वपति (aśvapati), we have already touched upon his esoteric त्रियोग भावन (triyoga bhāvana), as summarized by Sri Aurobindho himself. The अग्निहोत्र (agnihotra) he performed, as we saw, yogically corresponds to प्राणग्निहोत्र यज्ञ (prāṇagnihotra yajña) . In fact, his name which literally अश्वपति (aśvapati – ‘lord of the horse’) esoterically symbolozes him as the Lord of the अश्वमेध यज्ञ (aśvamedha yajña) which again, as we have earlier discussed, refers to the occult योग साधन (yoga sādhana – yogic rituals) of taming the spiritual horse-power called कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti – magnetic energy/ serpent force). Sri Aurobindho very emphatically hints about the कुण्डलिनी योग साधन (kuṇḍalinī yoga sādhana) of अश्वपति (aśvapati) at several places in his poetic masterpiece. For example, the following verses verly clearly testifies the same
The first writhings of the cosmic serpent Force
Uncoiled from the mystic ring of Matter’s trance;
It raised its head in the warm air of life.
It could not cast off yet Night’s stiffening sleep
Or wear as yet mind’s wonder-flecks and streaks,
Put on its jewelled hood the crown of soul
Or stand erect in the blaze of spirit’s sun.
As yet were only seen foulness and force,
The secret crawl of consciousness to light
Through a fertile slime of lust and battening sense,
Beneath the body’s crust of thickened self
A tardy fervent working in the dark,
The turbid yeast of Nature’s passionate change,
Ferment of the soul’s creation out of mire.
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (3.1)
The eminent scholar A.B. Purani, in his famous book ‘Savitri: An approach and a study’, summarizes the Yogic role of Ashwapati: thus, “Aswapati acquired this secret knowledge [see Book I Canto IV] that had come down by tradition and attained to the freedom of the spirit by cutting the cord of the mind which ties it to the earth... The entire second Book is, in fact, Aswapati's travel over worlds heaped upon worlds in a complex cosmogony mounting from the plinth of the plane of Matter right up to levels of higher Mind and the plane of the Cosmic Being leading to worlds of greater Knowledge. Aswapati represents the aspiring human soul down the millenniums of evolution in his search for the truth of himself, of the world and of God. He acquires by his tapasya immense knowledge of the possibilities of the human consciousness, its deeper depths and its higher and the highest heights. In his heart bums the flame of aspiration to create here on earth an image of the perfection which his soul feels is possible for man and earth to attain. The third Book describes Aswapati's entry into and experience of Supracosmic planes of consciousness and his meeting face to face with the Supreme Creatrix, the power of the omnipotent Divine.” In fact, in his epic poetry, Sri Aurobindo introduces the Yoga of King अश्वपति (aśvapati) as “the thinker and toiler” and “a colonist from immortality “ who played the role of a yogic catalyst to uplift the whole of human race into the higher realms of spiritual realms. He prepared the conditions in the terrestrial plane to make it suitable for reciving the downstream flow of Supramental Grace of Divine Mother.
A WORLD’S desire compelled her mortal birth.
One in the front of the immemorial quest,
Protagonist of the mysterious play
In which the Unknown pursues himself through forms
And limits his eternity by the hours
And the blind Void struggles to live and see,
A thinker and toiler in the ideal’s air,
Brought down to earth’s dumb need her radiant power.
His was a spirit that stooped from larger spheres
Into our province of ephemeral sight,
A colonist from immortality.
A pointing beam on earth’s uncertain roads,
His birth held up a symbol and a sign;
His human self like a translucent cloak
Covered the All-Wise who leads the unseeing world.
Affiliated to cosmic Space and Time
And paying here God’s debt to earth and man
A greater sonship was his divine right.
Although consenting to mortal ignorance,
His knowledge shared the Light ineffable.
A strength of the original Permanence
Entangled in the moment and its flow,
He kept the vision of the Vasts behind:
A power was in him from the Unknowable.
An archivist of the symbols of the Beyond,
A treasurer of superhuman dreams,
He bore the stamp of mighty memories
And shed their grandiose ray on human life.
His days were a long growth to the Supreme.
A skyward being nourishing its roots
On sustenance from occult spiritual founts
Climbed through white rays to meet an unseen Sun.
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (600)
The human birth of सवित्री (savitrī) as a disguised incarnation of Holy Mother श्री गायत्री / सवित्री देवी (śrī gāyatrī / savitrī devī) the Divine consort of सवितृ देव (savitṛ - sun god) is technically called as சத்தினிபாதம்(saththinipaadham – descent of grace) in the philosophy of சைவ சித்தாந்தம் (saiva sidhdhaantam). சிவஞான முனிவர் (sivagnaana munivar) in his famous மாபாடியம் (maapaadiyam – grand commentary) on சிவஞானபோதம் (sivaGnaana bOdham) by ஸ்ரீமெய்கண்டார் (sri meikaNdaar) defines சத்தினிபாதம் (saththinipaadham – descent of grace) as
இனித் தவம் இவ்வாறு சரியை முதல் நால்வகை பட்டு அவற்றுள்ளும் பல்வேறுவகைப்பட்டு நிகழ்தடற்க்கேற்ப்ப மபக்குவமாதர் பொருட்டு மலத்திற்க்கு அனுகூலமாய் நடத்திய திரோதனசக்தி மலம் பரிபாகமெய்தியவழி அக்கருணைமறமாகிய செய்கை மாரி கருணை யெனப்படும் முன்னை பராசக்த்தி ரூபமேயாய் ஆன்மாகண்மாட்டுப் பதிதலாகியச் ச்த்தினிபாதமுஙஞ்சோபான முறையான் மந்தம் மந்ததரம் தீவிரம் என நால்வகை பட்டு அவற்றுள்ளும் பல்வேறு வகைப்பட்டு நிகழுமெனக்கொள்க. எனவே சத்தினிபாதத்திற்க்கு காரனம் மலபரிபாகம் என்பதாகும். அதுவும் அவ்வாறு பல்வேறு வகைப்பட்டு நிகழுமென்பதாகவும் பெறப்பட்டன.
(
inith thavam ivvaaRu sariyai mudhal naal vagaippattu avaRRuLLUM palavERuvagaippattu nigazhthtaRkkERppa, pakkuvamaadhar poruttu malaththiRkku anukkUlamaai ninRu nadaaththiya thirOthanasakththi malam paribaaga meidhiyavazhi akkaruNaimaRa maagiya seigai maarik karuNai yenappadum munnai paraasakththi rUpamEyaai aanmaakkaNmaattup padhithalaagiyap saththi nipaadhamunj sOpaana muRaiyaan mandham, mandhatharam thIviramena naalvagaipattu avaRuLLum palavERu vagaippattu nigazhumenak koLga. enavE saththinipaadhathiRkku kaaraNam malaparibaagam enbadhUUm. adhuvum avvaaRu palavERu vagaippattu nigazhumenanbadhUUm peRappattana.
The grace of the supreme at first works through the root impurity as screening potency (Tirobhava Sakti). Now it has been stated that the austerities are of four different kinds and when they affect and act on the selves they may be of various kinds even among these four divisions. As these are adopted by the various selves as their means, according to the means adopted, the screening power acts at first favorable to the impurity when the impurity becomes mature, it transforms itself into grace itself. This is called the fall of grace (Saktinipada). This transformation takes place, step by step, like the stairs of steps between two floors. These steps may broadly be divided into four, slower, slow, quick and quicker (Mandatara, manda, Tivra and Tivratara) even though there may be many intervening divisions. Thus the cause foi the fall of grace is the ripeness of impurity and so it follows that the latter also will take place in a number of ways
Translation by K. Vajravelu Mudaliyar
)
The preparatory step by step transformation, explained above by சிவஞான முனிவர் (sivagnaana munivar), of the aspiring soul to receive the சத்தினிபாதம் (saththinipaadham – descent of grace) is very beautifully personalized as the integral yoga of अश्वपति (aśvapati) in the poetic masterpiece of Sri Aurobindho.
This was the single stair to being’s goal.
A summary of the stages of the spirit,
Its copy of the cosmic hierarchies
Refashioned in our secret air of self
A subtle pattern of the universe.
It is within, below, without, above.
-Sri Aurobindho’s Savitri (3.1)
Sri Aurobindho explains as to how अश्वपति (aśvapati) ascends the “world stair” climbing through different realms of consiousness including the higher intuitive mind, overmind, supermind and finaly reaches the absolute state of summit consciousness wherein he experiences the दिव्य महादर्शन (divya mahā darśana – Grand vision of Divinity) theologized as the पराशक्ति (parāśakti – supreme energy) who commited to descend or flow down as the sacred inspiration सवित्री (savitrī), to the mundane realms of terrestrial consciousnesss through him in order to salvage the mankind (personalized as सत्यवान् (satyavān)) from the viscous clutches of death to the state of अमृतानन्द (amṛtānanda - blissful immortality).
Yes, in occult terms अश्वपति (aśvapati – galoping soul) represents the मनकाम प्राणग्नि (manakāma prāṇagni – aspiring vital fire) while सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) is the ऋषिकृत् कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (ṛṣikṛt kuṇḍalinī śakti – inspiring spiritual energy) in the जीवात्म साधक (jīvātma sādhaka – embodied practitioner) who is symbolized as सत्यवान् (satyavān – self-becoming). In other words, स्पृहा (spṛhā – aspiration/evolution) & प्रेरण (preraṇa – inspiration/involution) are two sides of the same coin viz. योग मुक्ति साधन (yoga mukti sādhana – yogic liberation process); the former is yogic cause (effort) while the latter is its spiritual effect (result).
The downward streaming सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) is none other than the Goddess Incarnate who out of her Infinite Compassion, grants अश्वपति (aśvapati – galoping soul) the sacred boon of descending down to the earthly plains and bringing with her the सोम अमृत (soma amṛta – ambrosial nector) in order to liberate humanity by enabling thier मृत्युञ्जय (mṛtyuñjaya – conquest of death). According to Sri Aurobindo, she is “an incarnation of the Divine Mother to ‘hew the ways of Immortality”. In fact, in his sacred epic he narrates thus,
His prayer sank down in the resisting Night
Oppressed by the thousand forces that deny,
As if too weak to climb to the Supreme.
But there arose a wide consenting Voice;
The spirit of beauty was revealed in sound:
Light floated round the marvellous Vision’s brow
And on her lips the Immortal’s joy took shape.
“O strong forerunner, I have heard thy cry.
One shall descend and break the iron Law,
Change Nature’s doom by the lone spirit’s power.
A limitless Mind that can contain the world,
A sweet and violent heart of ardent calms
Moved by the passions of the gods shall come.
All mights and greatnesses shall join in her;
Beauty shall walk celestial on the earth,
Delight shall sleep in the cloud-net of her hair,
And in her body as on his homing tree
Immortal Love shall beat his glorious wings.
A music of griefless things shall weave her charm;
The harps of the Perfect shall attune her voice,
The streams of Heaven shall murmur in her laugh,
Her lips shall be the honeycombs of God,
Her limbs his golden jars of ecstasy,
Her breasts the rapture-flowers of Paradise.
She shall bear Wisdom in her voiceless bosom,
Strength shall be with her like a conqueror’s sword
And from her eyes the Eternal’s bliss shall gaze.
A seed shall be sown in Death’s tremendous hour,
A branch of heaven transplant to human soil;
Nature shall overleap her mortal step;
Fate shall be changed by an unchanging will.”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (3.4)
Thus, सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) incarnated as a human crusader, with a specific spiritual mission i.e. to liberate सत्यवान् (satyavān – self-becoming) who symbolizes an ordinary जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) who is typically operating on the mundane realms of material consciousness and for all practical purposes have lost track of their spiritual potencies. In other words, his death symbolizes the spiritual death of a typical शकलकला पशु भावन (śakalakalā paśu bhāvana – attitude of a mundane soul) bound by the पाश (pāśa - noose) of முமலங்கள் (mummulangaL – triple fetters) viz. ஆணவம் (aaNavam - ego), கன்மம் (kanman - karma) & மாயை (maayai - ignorance) .To recollect Sri Aurobindo’s symbolism “Satyavan is the soul carrying the divine truth of being within itself but descended into the grip of death and ignorance”; Please remember that each जीवात्मन् (jīvātman – corporeal soul) is potentially Divine and that is why it is symbolized by the name सत्यवान् (satyavān – self-becoming). However, such divinity is typically latent, docile and seemingly dead (deactive) which needs to be awakened from its deep sleep and as already discussed सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) and अश्वपति (aśvapati – galloping soul) are as already discussed are the bi-directional catalysts triggering the त्रिग्नि (triagni - triple fires).
सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) has come to revitalize and resurrect the dead spirituality in सत्यवान् (satyavān – self-becoming) back to life and to this end, she embarks on two-fold struggle as explained by K.D Varma in the following words: “In Sri Aurobindo”s treatment of the Mahabharata legend of conjugal love, Savitri”s struggle is twofold. On the one hand, in human form she undertakes the process of realizing her inner unity through a rigid discipline of yoga, such that this divine energy reveals itself in her. This revelation of the divine in her signifies her own infinitely expanded consciousness , the virat form, the transcendent wisdom , the gnosis, with the help of which she wages an all-out war against Yama, the god of death and of a lower order in nature”. In the epic poetry, सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray) very strongly pledges thus,
One day I will return, a bringer of strength,
And make thee drink from the Eternal’s cup;
His streams of force shall triumph in thy limbs
And Wisdom’s calm control thy passionate heart.
Thy love shall be the bond of humankind,
Compassion the bright key of Nature’s acts:
Misery shall pass abolished from the earth;
The world shall be freed from the anger of the Beast,
From the cruelty of the Titan and his pain.
There shall be peace and joy for ever more
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (7.4)
For example, on a sacred अमावस्य तिथि (amāvasya tithi - no moon day) in the month of ज्येष्ठ (jyeṣṭha – may - june), four days prior to the fateful date of सत्य्वान् (satyvān)’s destined death, सवित्री (savitrī) religiously began her famous त्रिरात्र व्रीत (trirātra vrīta – triple night penance) which involved complete fasting for three days and nights accompanied by other austerity rites. She observed this for the long and healthy life of her beloved husband, who was destined to die shortly. Interestingly, this rite is religiously practised by millions of Hindu women,even today, for the well-being and long life of their beloved husbands. In Tamil Nadu, this is celebrated as காரடயான் நோன்பு (kaaradaiyaan nOnbu) on the last day of மாசி மாதம் (maasi maadham) and beginning of பங்குனி மாதம் (panguni maadham). In esoteric terms, the त्रिरात्र व्रीत (trirātra vrīta – triple night penance) corresponds to ब्रह्म उपासन (brahma upāsana- spiritual contemplation) on the त्रिलोक (triloka – triple worlds) viz. भुः (bhuḥ - earth), भुवः (bhuvaḥ - heaven) & स्वः (svaḥ - sky).
Please remember that these three correspond to the त्रिव्याहृति (trivyāhṛti – triple utterances) associated with the sacred सूर्य गायत्रि / सवित्री महा मन्त्र (sūrya gāyatri / savitrī mahā mantra). Please remember that actually सवित्री (savitrī) is none other than वाक् देवी / गायत्रि (vāk devī / gāyatri - Logos) who in turn शब्द ब्रह्मन् / परनाद स्पन्दन (śabda brahman / paranāda spandana). She is the streaming river (inspiration) of श्री विद्या (śrī vidyā - spiritual wisdom) who in terms of वेद शास्त्र (veda śāstra - Vedic scripture), is theologized as the sacred सरस्वती (sarasvatī) and in the महा पुराण (mahā purāṇa śāstra – mythological scriptures) as गङ्गा (gaṅgā). For, example, just as सवित्री (savitrī) was brought down to the earthly realms by the योग तपस्य (yoga tapasya – yogic askesis) of अश्वपति (aśvapati – galloping soul), according to another mythological legend, sage अगस्त्य महऋषि / அகதிய மகரிஷி (agastya mahaṛṣi / agathiya magarishi) was instrumental in bringing the sacred downstream the sacred गङ्गा (gaṅgā - ganges) from कैलाश (kailāśa - kailash) in the Northern India to South India where she flows in the name of காவேரி(kaaveri). Interestingly, just as the name अश्वपति (aśvapati) has a deeper yogic symbology viz. “galoping soul”, there is a esoteric significance underlying the name of அகதிய மகரிஷி (agathiya magarishi) as well. For example, according to esoteric தமிழ் சித்தர் இலக்கியம் (thamizh siththar ilakkiyam), the name அகதியர் (agathiyar) is a காரணப்பெயர் (kaaraNap peyar – causal name) . It refers to a யோக சித்தர் (yOga siththar- accomplished yogi) who has accomplished the art of conquering his அக தீ / பிராண அக்னி (aga thI / piraaNa agni – inner/ vital fire) i.e., in other words one who has awakened and controlled his कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti – magnetic energy/ serpent force)
Moreover, if we apply the law of correspondence: “as above, so below; as below so above” which in Indian philosophy, is referred as அண்டமே பிண்டம், பிண்ட்மே அண்டம்(aNdamE piNdam; piNdamE aNdam – as is the micrcosm, so is the macrocosm; as is the macrocosm, so is the micrcosm) in this context, we can understand that according to the school of sacred geography, Indian peninsula maps to the Macro Cosmic Personality, the त्रिलोक (triloka – triple worlds) viz. भुः (bhuḥ - earth), भुवः (bhuvaḥ - heaven) & स्वः (svaḥ - sky) corresponds to the triple mountain ranges, horizontally cutting across India viz. பொதிகை மலை (pothigai malai) in the दक्शिणा (dakśiṇā –south), விந்திய மலை (vindhiya malai) in the मध्य (madhya - middle) & கைலாய மலை (kailaaya malai) in the उत्तरा (uttarā - north) respectively. This correspondence can further me internalized within one’s own micro-cosmos viz. these three mountain ranges correspond to ब्रह्म / भग ग्रन्थि (brahma/ bhaga granthi – brahma’s/ perineal knot), विष्णु / नाभि ग्रन्थि (viṣṇu / nābhi granthi – Vishnu / navel knot) & रुद्र / ललाट ग्रन्थि (rudra / lalāṭa granthi – rudra / forehead knot) respectively, along the सुषुंणा नडी (suṣuṁṇā naḍī) in the सूक्षम शरीर (sūkṣama śarīra) through which the कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti – biomagneitc energy) flows. Interestingly, even in the earlier discussed legend of नचिकेता (naciketā), as part of his योग तपस्य (yoga tapasya – yogic askesis) it is said that he had observed त्रिरात्र व्रीत (trirātra vrīta – triple night penance) in यमलोक (yamaloka – yama’s kingdom) waiting to meet and challenge यमधर्मराज (yamadharmarāja)
तिस्त्रौ रात्रीर्यदवात्सीगृहे मे अनश्ननब्रह्मनातिथिर्न्नमस्यः।
नमस्तेऽस्तु ब्रह्मन्स्ववस्ति मेऽस्तु तस्मात्प्रति त्रीन्वरान्वृणीष्व॥
(
tistrau rātrīryadavātsīgṛhe me anaśnanabrahmanātithirnnamasyaḥ|
namaste'stu brahmansvavasti me'astu tasmātprati trīnvarānvṛṇīṣva||
O Brahmana, since though, a worshipful guest, has dwelt in my house for three nights without food, let me make salutation to thee. O Brahmana, may peace be with me. Therefore ask for three boons in return..
-Translation by V.Panoli.
) कठोपनिषद् (kaṭhopaniṣad) (1.1.9)
Again, Sri Aurobindo, for example, in one of his famous talks, hints about the esoteric nature of नचिकेताग्नि (naciketāgni – nachiketa fire) thus: “One is the fire in the heart. Another is above, and the two ends of the third are not known but only the middle term. This middle term is the physical, vital and mental – Bhur, Bhuvar and Swar — including the highest mind regions.” . Thus, from the above testimonies, it must be clear that such योग कृच्छ् साधन (yoga kṛcch sādhana– yogic austerity measures), prepares the साधक (sādhaka - practitioner) holistically from all fronts viz. physically, mentally, as well as spiritually, to face the final onslaught of the battle against death. In fact, the sincereity and dedication with which one pursues one’s तपस् (tapas - penance) impresses the inner Divinities, and their Grace further accelerates the cause of realizing the spiritual desitines. For example, सवित्री (savitrī) as part of her त्रिरात्र व्रीत (trirātra vrīta – triple night penance) acquires the needed योग सिद्धि (yoga siddhi – yogic potencies) of listening to the पवित्र वाक् (pavitra vāk – sacred voice) echoing from the innermost depths of her अन्तर्यामि ब्रह्म आज्ञ (antaryāmi brahma ājña –indwelling Divine command)
The Voice replied: “Remember why thou cam’st:
Find out thy soul, recover thy hid self,
In silence seek God’s meaning in thy depths,
Then mortal nature change to the divine.
Open God’s door, enter into his trance.
Cast Thought from thee, that nimble ape of Light:
In his tremendous hush stilling thy brain
His vast Truth wake within and know and see.
Cast from thee sense that veils thy spirit’s sight:
In the enormous emptiness of thy mind
Thou shalt see the Eternal’s body in the world,
Know him in every voice heard by thy soul,
In the world’s contacts meet his single touch;
All things shall fold thee into his embrace.
Conquer thy heart’s throbs, let thy heart beat in God:
Thy nature shall be the engine of his works,
Thy voice shall house the mightiness of his Word:
Then shalt thou harbour my force and conquer Death.”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (7.2)
Obeying her अन्तर्यामि ब्रह्म आज्ञ (antaryāmi brahma ājña –indwelling Divine command) she deep dives to voyage within the secret depth’s of herself to discover her spiritual self and in this journey she learns from the triple soul-forces of divinity corresponding to त्रिलोक (triloka – triple worlds)
# | Triple Madonna | त्रिलोक (triloka – triple worlds) | त्रि शक्ति (tri śakti – triple energies) |
1 | Madonna of Suffering | भुः (bhuḥ - earth) | इच्चा शक्ति (iccā śakti) |
2 | Madonna of Might | भुवः (bhuvaḥ - heaven) | क्रिया शक्ति (kriyā śakti) |
3 | Madonna of Light | स्वः (svaḥ - sky) | ज्ञान शक्ति (jñāna śakti) |
Each of these divine-forces repeatedly reiterate to सवित्री (savitrī) that they are integral part and parcel of her own holistic self and assured her of their support in her sacred mission of establishing deathless imortality to the whole of mankind. She realizes that all her inner spiritual faculties are silently supporting and awaiting her complete transformation. With such self-discovery of her hidden spiritual strengths, सवित्री (savitrī) returns back to her terrestrial state next to her beloved husband सत्य्वान् (satyvān). She is now fully prepared to face the final onslaught with यमधर्म (yamadharma). I am reminded of the following verses,
Then Savitri sat under branches wide,
Cool, green against the sun, not the hurt tree
Which his keen axe had cloven,—that she shunned;
But leaned beneath a fortunate kingly trunk
She guarded him in her bosom and strove to soothe
His anguished brow and body with her hands.
All grief and fear were dead within her now
And a great calm had fallen. The wish to lessen
His suffering, the impulse that opposes pain
Were the one mortal feeling left. It passed:
Griefless and strong she waited like the gods.
-Sri Aurobindho’s Savitri (2.8.3)
It is simply amazing to realize how in the classica epic of महाभारत (mahābhārata), the exoteric refernce of त्रिरात्र व्रीत (trirātra vrīta – triple night penance) of सवित्री (savitrī) is expanded into the yogic realms of योग कृच्छ् साधन (yoga kṛcch sādhana– yogic austerity measures) by the mystic genius of Sri Aurobindho’s poetic masterpiece.To quote K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar “In the Mahabharata when the first year of wedded life is about to draw to a close, Savitri undertakes a three-nights` vow (triraāra), fasting praying and keeping vigil throughout. This is transformed in Sri Aurobindho’s poem Savitri’s Yoga – her journey into the ‘inner countries’, her search for her soul and her coalescent of herself with the Infinite.”
Let’s resume back with the story now. On the fateful day, as already destined, when यमधर्म (yamadharma) strikes सत्य्वान् (satyvān) and initiates the transmigratory journey of the departed soul’s to यमलोक (yamaloka), सवित्री (savitrī)’s boldly confronts with यमधर्म (yamadharma) and enters into a very serious debate justifying her cause and claims back the life of her beloved husband, who esoterically symbolizes the शकलकला पशु भावन (śakalakalā paśu bhāvana – attitude of a mundane soul). With her spiritually gained wisdom, सवित्री (savitrī) realizes that might of «ýÒ (anb – love) is her greatest armour in her battle against death. True love which knows no bounds, has the infinite potential to break open any barrier to immortality.
Hence in her one to one combat with यमधर्म (yamadharma), the wise सवित्री (savitrī) leverages the «ýÀ¢ý ÅÄ¢¨Á (anbin valimai – power of love) as her greatest trump-card to defend her case. In fact, it appears to be a debate between the power of love, symbolized by the woman, on one hand, and the Universal God - यमधर्म (yamadharma), the effective governor of the laws of nature. The latter rationally explain the volatile and transient nature of phenomenal life & love and tries to establish the indisputable inevitability fate and death in the lives of ordinary mortals.
Then a sound pealed through that dead monstrous realm:
Vast like the surge in a tired swimmer’s ears,
Clamouring, a fatal iron-hearted roar,
Death missioned to the night his lethal call.
“This is my silent dark immensity,
This is the home of everlasting Night,
This is the secrecy of Nothingness
Entombing the vanity of life’s desires.
Hast thou beheld thy source, O transient heart,
And known from what the dream thou art was made?
In this stark sincerity of nude emptiness
Hopest thou still always to last and love?”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (2.9.2)
यमधर्म (yamadharma) with the desperate aim of discouraging the initiatives of सवित्री (savitrī), persuades her by trying to bribe her with attractive materialistic and personal benefits.
Scourged like a beast by the infinite desire,
Bound to the chariot of the dreadful gods.
But if thou still canst hope and still wouldst love,
Return to thy body’s shell, thy tie to earth,
And with thy heart’s little remnants try to live.
Hope not to win back to thee Satyavan.
Yet since thy strength deserves no trivial crown,
Gifts I can give to soothe thy wounded life.
The pacts which transient beings make with fate,
And the wayside sweetness earth-bound hearts would pluck,
These if thy will accepts make freely thine.
Choose a life’s hopes for thy deceiving prize
…
Go, mortal, to thy small permitted sphere!
Hasten swift-footed, lest to slay thy life
The great laws thou hast violated, moved,
Open at last on thee their marble eyes.
…
Hast thou god-wings or feet that tread my stars,
Frail creature with the courage that aspires,
Forgetting thy bounds of thought, thy mortal role?
Their orbs were coiled before thy soul was formed.
I, Death, created them out of my void;
All things I have built in them and I destroy.
I made the worlds my net, each joy a mesh.
A Hunger amorous of its suffering prey,
Life that devours, my image see in things.
Mortal, whose spirit is my wandering breath,
Whose transience was imagined by my smile,
Flee clutching thy poor gains to thy trembling breast
Pierced by my pangs Time shall not soon appease.
Blind slave of my deaf force whom I compel
To sin that I may punish, to desire
That I may scourge thee with despair and grief
And thou come bleeding to me at the last,
Thy nothingness recognised, my greatness known,
Turn nor attempt forbidden happy fields
Meant for the souls that can obey my law,
Lest in their sombre shrines thy tread awake
From their uneasy iron-hearted sleep
The Furies who avenge fulfilled desire.
Dread lest in skies where passion hoped to live,
The Unknown’s lightnings start and, terrified,
Lone, sobbing, hunted by the hounds of heaven,
A wounded and forsaken soul thou flee
Through the long torture of the centuries,
Nor many lives exhaust the tireless Wrath
Hell cannot slake nor Heaven’s mercy assuage.
I will take from thee the black eternal grip:
Clasping in thy heart thy fate’s exiguous dole
Depart in peace, if peace for man is just
…
What is thy hope? to what dost thou aspire?
This is thy body’s sweetest lure of bliss,
Assailed by pain, a frail precarious form,
To please for a few years thy faltering sense
With honey of physical longings and the heart’s fire
And, a vain oneness seeking, to embrace
The brilliant idol of a fugitive hour.
And thou, what art thou, soul, thou glorious dream
Of brief emotions made and glittering thoughts,
A thin dance of fireflies speeding through the night,
A sparkling ferment in life’s sunlit mire?
Wilt thou claim immortality, O heart,
Crying against the eternal witnesses
That thou and he are endless powers and last?
Death only lasts and the inconscient Void.
I only am eternal and endure.
I am the shapeless formidable Vast,
I am the emptiness that men call Space,
I am a timeless Nothingness carrying all,
I am the Illimitable, the mute Alone.
I, Death, am He; there is no other God
….
Man has no other help but only Death;
He comes to me at his end for rest and peace.
I, Death, am the one refuge of thy soul.
The Gods to whom man prays can help not man;
They are my imaginations and my moods
Reflected in him by illusion’s power.
That which thou seest as thy immortal self
Is a shadowy icon of my infinite,
Is Death in thee dreaming of eternity.”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (2.9.2)
However, the noble सवित्री (savitrī) the human epitome of Universal Love is in no way influenced by any of these discouragements, reasoning, brainwashing by showing the power of might. On the other hand, her faith in her love grows even stronger. Addressing the mighty यमधर्म (yamadharma), the Divine सवित्री (savitrī) demands thus,
At last she spoke; her voice was heard by Night:
“I bow not to thee, O huge mask of death,
Black lie of night to the cowed soul of man,
Unreal, inescapable end of things,
Thou grim jest played with the immortal spirit.
Conscious of immortality I walk.
A victor spirit conscious of my force,
Not as a suppliant to thy gates I came:
Unslain I have survived the clutch of Night
My first strong grief moves not my seated mind;
My unwept tears have turned to pearls of strength:
I have transformed my ill-shaped brittle clay
Into the hardness of a statued soul.
Now in the wrestling of the splendid gods
My spirit shall be obstinate and strong
Against the vast refusal of the world.
I stoop not with the subject mob of minds
Who run to glean with eager satisfied hands
And pick from its mire mid many trampling feet
Its scornful small concessions to the weak.
…
Who is this God imagined by thy night,
Contemptuously creating worlds disdained,
Who made for vanity the brilliant stars?
Not he who has reared his temple in my thoughts
And made his sacred floor my human heart.
My God is will and triumphs in his paths,
My God is love and sweetly suffers all.
To him I have offered hope for sacrifice
And gave my longings as a sacrament.
Who shall prohibit or hedge in his course.
The wonderful, the charioteer, the swift?
A traveller of the million roads of life,
His steps familiar with the lights of heaven
Tread without pain the sword-paved courts of hell;
There he descends to edge eternal joy.
Love’s golden wings have power to fan thy void:
The eyes of love gaze starlike through death’s night,
The feet of love tread naked hardest worlds.
He labours in the depths, exults on the heights;
He shall remake thy universe, O Death”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (2.9.2)
And so the argument between the two giants of wisdom continued सवित्री (savitrī) wisely defended her goals against every, ammunition fired by यमधर्म (yamadharma). He desperately tries to demotivate her by warning against the futility of mortal conjugal love in bringing immortality and even tries to persuade her to seek her own personal liberation and immortality than trying to resurrect her dead husband.
One endless watches the inconscient scene
Where all things perish, as the foam the stars.
The One lives for ever. There no Satyavan
Changing was born and there no Savitri
Claims from brief life her bribe of joy. There love
Came never with his fretful eyes of tears,
Nor Time is there nor the vain vasts of Space.
It wears no living face, it has no name,
No gaze, no heart that throbs; it asks no second
To aid its being or to share its joys.
It is delight immortally alone.
If thou desirest immortality,
Be then alone sufficient to thy soul:
Live in thyself; forget the man thou lov’st.
My last grand death shall rescue thee from life;
Then shalt thou rise into thy unmoved source
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (2.9.2).
Again, as expected of a noble soul, in the likes सवित्री (savitrī), was not content with her own personal liberation or even if one promises her the highest state of immortal bliss. The whole of her life and in fact her father’s as well was to bring collective liberation to entire humanity (symbolized by सत्य्वान् (satyvān)) by practising the yoga of love. In fact, Divinity descended down as सवित्री (savitrī) only to demonstrate to mankind the immense power of true love. It is effective shield protecting one from the noose of death and even provides the needed escape velocity from the vicious cycle of संसार कर्म चक्र (saṁsāra karma cakra). Hence, accordingly सवित्री (savitrī) retorts back to यमधर्म (yamadharma)
But Savitri replied to the dread Voice:
“O Death, who reasonest, I reason not,
Reason that scans and breaks, but cannot build
Or builds in vain because she doubts her work.
I am, I love, I see, I act, I will.
…
When I have loved for ever, I shall know.
Love in me knows the truth all changings mask.
I know that knowledge is a vast embrace:
I know that every being is myself,
In every heart is hidden the myriad One.
I know the calm Transcendent bears the world,
The veiled Inhabitant, the silent Lord:
I feel his secret act, his intimate fire;
I hear the murmur of the cosmic Voice.
I know my coming was a wave from God.
For all his suns were conscient in my birth,
And one who loves in us came veiled by death.
Then was man born among the monstrous stars
Dowered with a mind and heart to conquer thee.”
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (2.9.2).
The धर्म युद्ध (dharma yuddha – righteous battle) of सवित्री (savitrī) with the God of Death further continues with greater vigour and the rich philosophical wisdom underlying, her dialogues with death is very beautifully captured in the rest of the epic poetry by the mystic poet saint Sri Aurobindo. Slowly yet surely, सवित्री (savitrī) wins over every argument and gradually begins to convince her opponent. In fact, at one point of time, observing the unparalleled wisdom in her arguments and begins to suspect that सवित्री (savitrī) could be no ordinary human but disguised Divinity and even directly requests her to reveal her true identity and as requested, the विश्वरूप महा दर्शन (viśvarūpa mahā darśana) of सवित्री (savitrī) was revealed to यमधर्म (yamadharma). Finally, सवित्री (savitrī) now in her original capacity of Supreme Divinity, commanded यमधर्म (yamadharma) for the immediate release of सत्यवान् (satyavān) thus,
“I hail thee, almighty and victorious Death,
Thou grandiose Darkness of the Infinite.
O Void that makest room for all to be,
Hunger that gnawest at the universe
Consuming the cold remnants of the suns
And eatst the whole world with thy jaws of fire,
Waster of the energy that has made the stars,
Inconscience, carrier of the seeds of thought,
Nescience in which All-Knowledge sleeps entombed
And slowly emerges in its hollow breast
Wearing the mind’s mask of bright Ignorance.
Thou art my shadow and my instrument.
I have given thee thy awful shape of dread
And thy sharp sword of terror and grief and pain
To force the soul of man to struggle for light
On the brevity of his half-conscious days.
Thou art his spur to greatness in his works,
The whip to his yearning for eternal bliss,
His poignant need of immortality.
Live, Death, awhile, be still my instrument.
One day man too shall know thy fathomless heart
Of silence and the brooding peace of Night
And grave obedience to eternal Law
And the calm inflexible pity in thy gaze.
But now, O timeless Mightiness, stand aside
And leave the path of my incarnate Force.
Relieve the radiant God from thy black mask:
Release the soul of the world called Satyavan
Freed from thy clutch of pain and ignorance
That he may stand master of life and fate,
Man’s representative in the house of God,
The mate of Wisdom and the spouse of Light,
The eternal bridegroom of the eternal bride
-Sri Aurobindho’s Savitri (10.4)
यमधर्म (yamadharma) in spite of realizing the real spiritual identity of सवित्री (savitrī), did not immediately oblige to her divine command. He continued resisting and as a last resort tried to seek the help of other forces in nature and fight back till he had no choice but to accept defeat and finally withdraw back his clutches on सत्यवान् (satyavān)
He called to night but she fell shuddering back,
He called to hell but silently it retired;
He turned to Inconscient for support,
From which he was born, his vast sustaining self,
It drew him back towards boundless vacancy
As if by himself to swallow up himself;
He called to his strength, but it refused his call,
His body was eaten by light, his spirit devoured.
At last he knew defeat inevitable
And left crumbling the shape that he had worn,
Abandoning hope to make man’s soul his prey
And force to be mortal the immortal spirit.
Afar he fled shunning her dreaded touch
And refuge took in the retreating Night.
In the dream twilight of that symbol world
The dire universal Shadow disappeared
Vanishing into the Void from which it came.
As if deprived of its original cause,
The twilight realm passed fading from their souls,
And Satyavan and Savitri were alone.
One whom her soul had faced as Death and Night
A sum of all sweetness gathered into his limbs
And blended her heart to the beauty of the suns.
Transfigured was the formidable shape.
His darkness and his sad destroying might
Abolishing for ever and disclosing
The mystery of his high and violent deeds,
A secret splendour rise revealed to sight
Where once the vast embodied Void had stood.
-Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri (10.4)
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