காரடையான்நோன்பெனும் சாவித்திரி விரததின் ஆன்மீகமகிமை (kāraṭaiyāṉṉōṉpeṉum cāvittiri viratatiṉ āṉmīkamakimai - spiritual glory of Savitri resolve known as Karadaiyan nonbu)

 

காரடையான் (kāraṭaiyāṉ) is a kind of food wherein कैदार (kaidāra – paddy) is threshed, ground into a पिष्टम् (piṣṭam - flour) and then prepared by  गुड  (guḍa - jaggery) and इक्षुरस (ikṣurasa – sugarcane juice). The पतिभक्तिव्रत (patibhaktivrata - husband devotion resolve) observed by offering காரடையான் (kāraṭaiyāṉ) as the नैवेद्य (naivedya - food offering) is called காரடையான் நோன்பு (kāraṭaiyāṉ nōṉpu - karadaiyan resolve) more formally known as “सावित्रीव्रत / சாவித்ரிவிரதம் (sāvitrīvrata / sāvitriviratam – savitri resolve)”. It is religiously observed for the आयुः आरोग्यं च भर्तृणां पुण्यपत्नीभिः (āyuḥ ārōgyaṁ ca bhartr̥ṇāṁ puṇyapatnībhiḥ - long life and health of husbands by their pious wives).

    The सत्यवान्सावित्री उपख्यान (satyavānsāvitrī upakhyāna – Satyavan Savitri episode) originally occurs in the वनपर्व श्रीमद् व्यासमहभारतस्य  (vanaparva śrīmad vyāsamahabhāratasya – forest section of vyasa’s sacred mahabharata)  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 देवभक्ति (devabhakti- - devotion towards God).  The सत्यवान्सावित्री उपख्यान (satyavānsāvitrī upakhyāna – Satyavan Savitri episode) also showcases as to how pure पतिभक्ति (patibhakti – 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 पतिव्रतमहात्म्यपर्व (pativratamahātmyaparva - section on resolve of fidelity to husband) in the वनपर्व (vanaparva - forest section) of the original scripture describes it thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
युधिष्ठिर उवाच | नात्मानमनुशोचामि नेमान्भ्रातॄन्महामुने | हरणं चापि राज्यस्य यथेमां द्रुपदात्मजाम् || द्यूते दुरात्मभिः क्लिष्टाः कृष्णया तारिता वयम् | जयद्रथेन च पुनर्वनादपहृता बलात् || अस्ति सीमन्तिनी काचिद्दृष्टपूर्वाथ वा श्रुता | पतिव्रता महाभागा यथेयं द्रुपदात्मजा || मार्कण्डेय उवाच | शृणु राजन्कुलस्त्रीणां महाभाग्यं युधिष्ठिर | सर्वमेतद्यथा प्राप्तं सावित्र्या राजकन्यया || आसीन्मद्रेषु धर्मात्मा राजा परमधार्मिकः | ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च सत्यसंधो जितेन्द्रियः || यज्वा दानपतिर्दक्षः पौरजानपदप्रियः | पार्थिवोऽश्वपतिर्नाम सर्वभूतहिते रतः || क्षमावाननपत्यश्च सत्यवाग्विजितेन्द्रियः | अतिक्रान्तेन वयसा संतापमुपजग्मिवान् || अपत्योत्पादनार्थं स तीव्रं नियममास्थितः | काले परिमिताहारो ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः || हुत्वा शतसहस्रं स सावित्र्या राजसत्तम | षष्ठे षष्ठे तदा काले बभूव मितभोजनः || एतेन नियमेनासीद्वर्षाण्यष्टादशैव तु | पूर्णे त्वष्टादशे वर्षे सावित्री तुष्टिमभ्यगात् | स्वरूपिणी तदा राजन्दर्शयामास तं नृपम् || अग्निहोत्रात्समुत्थाय हर्षेण महतान्विता | उवाच चैनं वरदा वचनं पार्थिवं तदा || ब्रह्मचर्येण शुद्धेन दमेन नियमेन च | सर्वात्मना च मद्भक्त्या तुष्टास्मि तव पार्थिव || वरं वृणीष्वाश्वपते मद्रराज यथेप्सितम् | न प्रमादश्च धर्मेषु कर्तव्यस्ते कथंचन || अश्वपतिरुवाच | अपत्यार्थः समारम्भः कृतो धर्मेप्सया मया | पुत्रा मे बहवो देवि भवेयुः कुलभावनाः || तुष्टासि यदि मे देवि काममेतं वृणोम्यहम् | संतानं हि परो धर्म इत्याहुर्मां द्विजातयः || सावित्र्युवाच | पूर्वमेव मया राजन्नभिप्रायमिमं तव | ज्ञात्वा पुत्रार्थमुक्तो वै तव हेतोः पितामहः || प्रसादाच्चैव तस्मात्ते स्वयंभुविहिताद्भुवि | कन्या तेजस्विनी सौम्य क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति || उत्तरं च न ते किंचिद्व्याहर्तव्यं कथंचन | पितामहनिसर्गेण तुष्टा ह्येतद्ब्रवीमि ते || मार्कण्डेय उवाच | स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय सावित्र्या वचनं नृपः | प्रसादयामास पुनः क्षिप्रमेवं भवेदिति || अन्तर्हितायां सावित्र्यां जगाम स्वगृहं नृपः | स्वराज्ये चावसत्प्रीतः प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् || कस्मिंश्चित्तु गते काले स राजा नियतव्रतः | ज्येष्ठायां धर्मचारिण्यां महिष्यां गर्भमादधे || राजपुत्र्यां तु गर्भः स मालव्यां भरतर्षभ | व्यवर्धत यथा शुक्ले तारापतिरिवाम्बरे || प्राप्ते काले तु सुषुवे कन्यां राजीवलोचनाम् | क्रियाश्च तस्या मुदितश्चक्रे स नृपतिस्तदा || सावित्र्या प्रीतया दत्ता सावित्र्या हुतया ह्यपि | सावित्रीत्येव नामास्याश्चक्रुर्विप्रास्तथा पिता ||	yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | nātmānamanuśocāmi nemānbhrātṝnmahāmune | haraṇaṃ cāpi rājyasya yathemāṃ drupadātmajām || dyūte durātmabhiḥ kliṣṭāḥ kṛṣṇayā tāritā vayam | jayadrathena ca punarvanādapahṛtā balāt || asti sīmantinī kāciddṛṣṭapūrvātha vā śrutā | pativratā mahābhāgā yatheyaṃ drupadātmajā || mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | śṛṇu rājankulastrīṇāṃ mahābhāgyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | sarvametadyathā prāptaṃ sāvitryā rājakanyayā || āsīnmadreṣu dharmātmā rājā paramadhārmikaḥ | brahmaṇyaśca śaraṇyaśca satyasaṃdho jitendriyaḥ || yajvā dānapatirdakṣaḥ paurajānapadapriyaḥ | pārthivo'śvapatirnāma sarvabhūtahite rataḥ || kṣamāvānanapatyaśca satyavāgvijitendriyaḥ | atikrāntena vayasā saṃtāpamupajagmivān || apatyotpādanārthaṃ sa tīvraṃ niyamamāsthitaḥ | kāle parimitāhāro brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ || hutvā śatasahasraṃ sa sāvitryā rājasattama | ṣaṣṭhe ṣaṣṭhe tadā kāle babhūva mitabhojanaḥ || etena niyamenāsīdvarṣāṇyaṣṭādaśaiva tu | pūrṇe tvaṣṭādaśe varṣe sāvitrī tuṣṭimabhyagāt | svarūpiṇī tadā rājandarśayāmāsa taṃ nṛpam || agnihotrātsamutthāya harṣeṇa mahatānvitā | uvāca cainaṃ varadā vacanaṃ pārthivaṃ tadā || brahmacaryeṇa śuddhena damena niyamena ca | sarvātmanā ca madbhaktyā tuṣṭāsmi tava pārthiva || varaṃ vṛṇīṣvāśvapate madrarāja yathepsitam | na pramādaśca dharmeṣu kartavyaste kathaṃcana || aśvapatiruvāca | apatyārthaḥ samārambhaḥ kṛto dharmepsayā mayā | putrā me bahavo devi bhaveyuḥ kulabhāvanāḥ || tuṣṭāsi yadi me devi kāmametaṃ vṛṇomyaham | saṃtānaṃ hi paro dharma ityāhurmāṃ dvijātayaḥ || sāvitryuvāca | pūrvameva mayā rājannabhiprāyamimaṃ tava | jñātvā putrārthamukto vai tava hetoḥ pitāmahaḥ || prasādāccaiva tasmātte svayaṃbhuvihitādbhuvi | kanyā tejasvinī saumya kṣiprameva bhaviṣyati || uttaraṃ ca na te kiṃcidvyāhartavyaṃ kathaṃcana | pitāmahanisargeṇa tuṣṭā hyetadbravīmi te || mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | sa tatheti pratijñāya sāvitryā vacanaṃ nṛpaḥ | prasādayāmāsa punaḥ kṣipramevaṃ bhavediti || antarhitāyāṃ sāvitryāṃ jagāma svagṛhaṃ nṛpaḥ | svarājye cāvasatprītaḥ prajā dharmeṇa pālayan || kasmiṃścittu gate kāle sa rājā niyatavrataḥ | jyeṣṭhāyāṃ dharmacāriṇyāṃ mahiṣyāṃ garbhamādadhe || rājaputryāṃ tu garbhaḥ sa mālavyāṃ bharatarṣabha | vyavardhata yathā śukle tārāpatirivāmbare || prāpte kāle tu suṣuve kanyāṃ rājīvalocanām | kriyāśca tasyā muditaścakre sa nṛpatistadā || sāvitryā prītayā dattā sāvitryā hutayā hyapi | sāvitrītyeva nāmāsyāścakrurviprāstathā pitā ||	Yudhishthira said, 'O mighty sage, I do not so much grieve for myself or these my brothers or the loss of my kingdom as I do for this daughter of Drupada. When we were afflicted at the game of the dice by those wicked-souled ones, it was Krishna that delivered us. And she was forcibly carried off from the forest by Jayadratha. Hast you even seen or heard of any chaste and exalted lady that resembles this daughter of Drupada?'" 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 Asvapati. 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 Brahmacarya 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 your Brahmacarya practices, your purity and self-restraint and observance of vows, and all your endeavours and veneration! Do you, O mighty king. O Asvapati, ask for the boon that you desirest! You ought, however, by no means show any disregard for virtue.' Thereat Asvapati said, 'It is with the desire of attaining virtue that I have been engaged in this task. O goddess, may many sons be born unto me worthy of my race! If you are pleased with me, O goddess, I ask for this boon. The twice-born ones have assured me that great merit lies in having offspring!' Savitri replied, 'O king, having already learnt this your intention, I had spoken unto that lord, the Grandsire, about your sons. Through the favour granted by the Self-create, there shall speedily be born unto you on earth a daughter of great energy. It behoves you not to make any reply. Well-pleased, I tell you this at the command of the Grandsire.' Markandeya said, 'Having accepted Savitri’s words and saying, 'So be it!' the king again gratified her and said, 'May this happen soon!' On Savitri vanishing away, the monarch entered his own city. And that hero began to live in his kingdom, ruling his subjects righteously. And when some time had elapsed, that king, observant of vows, begat offspring on his eldest queen engaged in the practice of virtue. And then, O bull of the Bharata race, the embryo in the womb of the princess of Malava increased like the lord of stars in the heavens during the lighted fortnight. And when the time came, she brought forth a daughter furnished with lotus-like eyes. And that best of monarchs, joyfully performed the usual ceremonies on her behalf. And as she had been bestowed with delight by the goddess Savitri by virtue of the oblations offered in honour of that goddess, both her father, and the Brahmanas named her Savitri. -translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Sanskrit Reference: श्रीमद् व्यासमहाभारत (śrīmad vyāsamahābhārata) (3.277.1-24)

In fact, to this end, he is known to have performed the sacred सावित्रीयज्ञ (sāvitrīyajña – Savitri sacrifice) which again, is like the esoteric नचिकेतविद्या (naciketavidyā – Nachiketa science) underlying the नचिकेताग्नि (naciketāgni – nachiketa fire) as described in the कठोपनिषद् (kaṭhopaniṣad). Thus, here the सावित्रीयज्ञ (sāvitrīyajña – Savitri sacrifice) encapsulates the सावित्रीविद्या (sāvitrīvidyā – Savitri science) in the सावित्री उपनिषद् (sāvitrī upaniṣad), which is a सामान्यवेदान्तोपनिषद् (sāmānyavedāntopaniṣad – common final gnosis upanishad) belonging to the सामवेदसंहिता (sāmavedasaṃhitā – Samaveda corpus)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
कः सविता का सावित्री अग्निरेव सविता पृथिवी सावित्री स यत्राग्निस्तत्पृथिवी यत्र वै पृथिवी तत्राग्निस्ते द्वे योनी तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सवित्री वरुण एव सवितापः सावित्री स यत्र वरुणस्तदापो यत्र वा आपस्तद्वरुणस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री वायुरेव सविताकाशः सावित्री स यत्र वायुस्तदाकाशो यत्र वा आकाशस्तद्वायुस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री यज्ञ एव सविता छन्दांसि सावित्री स यत्र यज्ञस्तत्र छन्दांसि यत्र वा छन्दांसि स यज्ञस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री स्तनयित्रुरेव सविता विद्युत्सावित्री स यत्र स्तनयित्रुस्तद्विद्युत् यत्र वा विद्युत्तत्र स्तनयित्रुस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री आदित्य एव सविता द्यौः सावित्री स यत्रादित्यस्तद्द्यौर्यत्र वा द्यौस्तदादित्यस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री चन्द्र एव सविता नक्षत्राणि सावित्री स यत्र चन्द्रस्तन्नक्षत्राणि यत्र वा नक्षत्राणे स चन्द्रमास्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री मन एव सविता वाक् सावित्री स यत्र वा मनस्तद्वाक् यत्र वा वाक् तन्मनस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥ कः सविता का सावित्री पुरुष एव सविता स्त्री सावित्री स यत्र पुरुषस्तत्स्त्री यत्र वा स्त्री स पुरुषस्ते द्वे योनिस्तदेकं मिथुनम् ॥	kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī agnirēva savitā pr̥thivī sāvitrī sa yatrāgnistatpr̥thivī yatra vai pr̥thivī tatrāgnistē dvē yōnī tadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā savitrī varuṇa ēva savitāpaḥ sāvitrī sa yatra varuṇastadāpō yatra vā āpastadvaruṇastē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī vāyurēva savitākāśaḥ sāvitrī sa yatra vāyustadākāśō yatra vā ākāśastadvāyustē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī yajña ēva savitā chandāṁsi sāvitrī sa yatra yajñastatra chandāṁsi yatra vā chandāṁsi sa yajñastē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī stanayitrurēva savitā vidyutsāvitrī sa yatra stanayitrustadvidyut yatra vā vidyuttatra stanayitrustē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī āditya ēva savitā dyauḥ sāvitrī sa yatrādityastaddyauryatra vā dyaustadādityastē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī candra ēva savitā nakṣatrāṇi sāvitrī sa yatra candrastannakṣatrāṇi yatra vā nakṣatrāṇē sa candramāstē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī mana ēva savitā vāk sāvitrī sa yatra vā manastadvāk yatra vā vāk tanmanastē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥ kaḥ savitā kā sāvitrī puruṣa ēva savitā strī sāvitrī sa yatra puruṣastatstrī yatra vā strī sa puruṣastē dvē yōnistadēkaṁ mithunam ॥	Who is Savitar, who is Savitri? Who is Savitar, who is Savitri? Agni is Savitar, earth is Savitri. Where there is Agni there is earth and where is earth there is Agni. The two are causes forming one pair. Varuna alone is Savitar, water - Savitri. When there is Varuna etc., -- they are the sources, forming a pair. (Again) Air alone is Savitar, ether is Savitri. Where there is air there is ether (and vice versa) - they are twin sources, forming a pair. Sacrifice alone is Savitar and metres are Savitri - where there is sacrifice there are metres (and vice versa). Thunder is Savitar and lightning is Savitri; where there is lightning (and vice versa). These two are twin sources. The moon is Savitar and stars are Savitri. Where there is the moon, there are the stars (and vice versa) - these two are twin sources. Man is Savitar, woman is Savitri. Where there is a man there is a woman and vice versa. They form one pair of sources. -translation by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Sanskrit Reference: सावित्री उपनिषद् (sāvitrī upaniṣad) (1-9)

    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 सत्यवान्सावित्री उपख्यान (satyavānsāvitrī upakhyāna – Satyavan Savitri episode) 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 श्री अश्वपति महाराज (śrī aśvapati mahārāja), श्री 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 highlighted 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 श्री अश्वपति महाराज (śrī aśvapati mahārāja), we have already touched upon his esoteric त्रियोगभावन (triyoga bhāvana – triple yogic attitude), as summarized by Sri Aurobindho himself. The अग्निहोत्र (agnihotra – fire ritual) he performed, as we saw, yogically corresponds to प्राणग्निहोत्रयज्ञ (prāṇagnihotrayajña - vital-fire ritual sacrifice). In fact, his name which literally अश्वपति (aśvapati – lord of the horse) esoterically symbolizes him as the Lord of the अश्वमेधयज्ञ (aśvamedhayajña – horse essence sacrifice) which again, as we have earlier discussed, refers to the occult निभृतार्थ योगसाधन (nibhṛtārtha yogasādhana – occult yogic rite) of taming the spiritual horsepower called कुण्डलिनीशक्ति (kuṇḍalinīśakti – magnetic energy/ serpent force).  Sri Aurobindho very emphatically hints about the कुण्डलिनीयोगसाधन श्री अश्वपतेः (kuṇḍalinīyogasādhana śrī aśvapateḥa – coiled energy practice of Sri Ashvapati) 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 receiving the downstream flow of  Supra-mental 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) as a disguised incarnation of Holy Mother श्री गायत्री / सवित्री देवी (śrī gāyatrī / savitrī devī),  who is the  धर्मपत्नी श्री सवितृदेवस्य (dharmapatnī śrī savitṛdevasya – virtuous consort of sacred sun god) is technically called as “शक्तिनिपात /சத்தினிபாதம் (śaktinipāta/sattinipādam– descent of grace)”  in the philosophy of शुद्धाद्वैतशैवसिद्धान्तदर्शन /சுத்தாதுவைத்த சைவசித்தாந்த தரிசனம் (śuddhādvaitaśaivasiddhāntadarśana / suddātuvaitta saivasiddānta taricaṉam – pure non-dualistic final accomplishment auspicious philosophy). 

For example, the doctrine of शक्तिनिपात /சத்தினிபாதம் (śaktinipāta/sattinipādam– descent of grace) is explained by ஸ்ரீ சிவஞான முனிவர் /श्री शिवाग्रयोगिन् (srī sivajñāna munivar / śrī śivāgrayogin) in his famous சிவஞானமாபாடியம் / शिवज्ञानमहाभाष्य (sivajñānamāpāḍiyam / śivajñānamahābhāṣya – grand commentary on Shiva Gnosis) which is a famous भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on the சிவஞானபோதம் / शिवज्ञानबोध (sivajñānamābōdam / sivajñānamābōdha - benign wisdom revelation) written by ஸ்ரீமெய்கண்டார் (sri meikaṇḍār).

Original	Transliteration	Translation
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.	init tavam ivvāṛu sariyai mutal nāl vagaippaṭṭu avaṛṛuḻḻūṃ palavtṛuvagaippaṭṭu nigahṭṭaṛkktṛppa, pakkuvamātar poruṭṭu malaṭṭiṛkku anukkūlamāi ninṛu nadāṭṭiya tirōtanasakṭṭi malam paribāga meitiyavahi akkaruṇaimaṛa māgiya seigai mārik karuṇai yenappadum munnai parāsakṭṭi rūpamtyāi ānmākkaṇmāṭṭup patitalāgiyap saṭṭi nipātamunj sōpāna muṛaiyān mantam, mantataram tīviramena nālvagaipaṭṭu avaṛuḻḻum palavtṛu vagaippaṭṭu nigahumenak koḻga। enavt saṭṭinipātatiṛkku kāraṇam malaparibāgam enbatūūm। atuvum avvāṛu palavtṛu vagaippaṭṭu nigahumenanbatūūm peṛappaṭṭana।	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 for 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
Tamil Reference : சிவஞானமாபாடியம் (sivajñānamāpāḍiyam)

The preparatory step by step transformation, explained above by சிவஞான முனிவர் (sivajñāna munivar), of the aspiring soul to receive the शक्तिनिपात /சத்தினிபாதம் (śaktinipāta/sattinipādam– descent of grace) is very beautifully personalized as the “अभिन्नयोग श्री अश्वपतेः (abhinnayoga śrī aśvapateḥ - integral yoga of Sri Ashvapati)” in the poetic masterpiece of Sri Aurobindo.

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 Aurobindo explains as to how श्री अश्वपति महाराज (śrī aśvapati mahārāja) ascends the विश्वसोपानम् (viśvasōpānam  - world-stair) climbing through different realms of consciousness including the उच्चत्तर प्रातिभमनः (uccattara prātibhamanaḥ – higher intuitive mind), अतिमनः (atimanaḥ – overmind), महामनः (mahāmanaḥ – supermind) and finally reaches the निरपेक्ष अवस्था शिखरचैतन्यस्य (nirapekṣa avasthā śikharacaitanyasya - 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 committed to पवित्रप्रेरणारूपेण अधः अवतरन्तु (pavitraprēraṇārūpēṇa adhaḥ avatarantu – descend down as the sacred inspiration), personalized here in this episode as श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī). 

श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) flows down to the स्थलीयचेतनायाः लौकिकक्षेत्राणि (sthalīyacētanāyāḥ laukikakṣētrāṇi - mundane realms of terrestrial consciousness) in order to liberate the बद्धजीवात्मनः (baddhajīvātmanaḥ - bound corporeal souls), again, personalized here as श्री सत्यवान् (śrī satyavān), from the viscous clutches of death to the state of  अमृतानन्द  (amṛtānanda - blissful  immortality).

Yes, in occult terms, “अश्वपति (aśvapati - galloping soul)” represents the मनकाम प्राणग्नि (manakāma prāṇagni – aspiring vital-fire) while “सवित्री (savitrī – solar ray)” is the ऋषिकृत् कुण्डलिनीशक्ति (ṛṣikṛt kuṇḍalinī śakti – inspiring spiritual energy) streaming down within the मुमुक्षु साधक (mumukṣu sādhaka – liberation seeking practitioner) who is symbolized as श्री सत्यवान् (śrī satyavān). In other words, स्पृहा (spṛhā – aspiration/evolution) & प्रेरण (preraṇa – inspiration) are two sides of the same coin viz. योगमुक्तिसाधन (yogamuktisādhana – yogic liberation process); the former is yogic cause (effort) while the latter is its spiritual effect (result).

The अधोप्रवाह सावित्री (adhōpravāha sāvitrī – downward streaming solar ray) is none other than the Goddess Incarnate who out of Her Infinite Compassion, grants to अश्वपति (aśvapati – galoping soul) the sacred boon of descending to the earthly plains and bringing with her the सोम अमृत (soma amṛta – ambrosial nector) to liberate humanity by enabling their 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 भौतिकचेतनायाः लौकिकक्षेत्राणि (bhautikacētanāyāḥ laukikakṣētrāṇi – mundane realms of material consciousness), and for all practical purposes, have lost track of their spiritual potencies. In other words, his death symbolizes the आध्यात्मिकमृत्युः सकलात्मनस्य (ādhyātmikamṛtyuḥ sakalātmanasya – spiritual death of a mundane soul) who is bound by the पाश त्रिमलानाम् (pāśa trimalānām – bondage of triple fetters) viz. आणव / ஆணவம் (āṇava / āṇavam – atomicity / minuteness), कर्म /கன்மம் (karma / kanmam – action / fate) & माया /மாயை (māyā / māyai - 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 (de-active) 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 त्रिकाग्न्यः (trikāgnyaḥ - triple fires).    

श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī – sacred solar ray) has come to revitalize and resurrect the dead spirituality in श्री सत्यवान् (śrī satyavān – sacred 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 of Sri Aurobindo,  श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī – sacred 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, श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī – sacred solar ray), on a sacred अमावस्यतिथि ज्येष्ठमासे  (amāvasyatithi jyeṣṭhamāse – no-moon day in mid of May-June month), four days prior to the fateful date which was  श्री सत्यवानस्य मृत्योः पूर्वनिर्धारितः (śrī satyavānasya mr̥tyōḥ pūrvanirdhāritaḥ - predestined for the death of Sri Satyavan)  religiously began her famous त्रिरात्रस्य व्रतः (trirātrasya vrataḥ – resolution of three nights) 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 காரடையான் நோன்பு (kāraṭaiyāṉ nōṉpu - karadaiyan resolve) on the last day of மாசி மாதம் (maasi madam – mid of February – mid of March) and the beginning of பங்குனி மாதம் (panguni madam – mid of March to mid of April). In esoteric terms, the त्रिरात्रस्य व्रतः (trirātrasya vrataḥ – resolution of three nights) corresponds to त्रिषु लोकेषु ध्यानम् (triṣu lōkēṣu dhyānam- meditation on three worlds) viz. 

#	ब्रह्माण्डलोक (brahmāṇḍaloka- macrocosmic universe)	शब्दब्रह्मव्याहृति (śabdabrahmavyāhṛti – theosonic utterance)
1	भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial world)	भुः (bhuḥ)
2	भुवर्लोक (bhuvar loka – mid world)	भुवः (bhuvaḥ)
3	स्वर्लोक (svar loka – sky world)	स्वः (svaḥ)

    Please remember that these three correspond to the त्रिक व्याहृत्यः (trika vyāhṛtyaḥ – triple utterances) associated with the sacred सूर्यगायत्रि / सवित्री महामन्त्र (sūrya gāyatri / savitrī mahā mantra).  Please remember that actually श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī – sacred solar ray) is none other than श्री गायत्रीदेवि (śrī gāyatrīdevi – Goddess Sri Gayatri) who in turn is the शब्दब्रह्मन् / परनाद स्पन्दन (śabdabrahman / paranāda spandana – sonic divinity / super-sonic vibration). She is the streaming river (inspiration) of श्री विद्या (śrī vidyā - spiritual wisdom) who in terms of वेदशास्त्र (veda śāstra - Vedic scripture), is theologized as the sacred श्री सरस्वतीदेवि (śrī sarasvatīdevi) and in the महापुराणशास्त्राणि mahāpurāṇaśāstrāṇi – grand mythological scriptures) as श्री गङ्गनदी (śrī gaṅganadī – sacred Ganga river). For, example, just as श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī – sacred solar ray) was brought down to the earthly realms by the महायोगतपस् श्री अश्वपतेः (mahāyogatapas  śrī aśvapateḥ – yogic askesis of Sri Ashvapati), similarly the श्री गङ्गनदी (śrī gaṅganadī – sacred Ganga river), according to the ancient legend of गङ्गावतरण (gaṅgāvataraṇa – Ganges descent), was brought down to the भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial world) by the श्री भगीरथ महर्षि के अत्यन्त योग तपः (śrī bhagīratha maharṣi kē atyanta yōga tapaḥ - extreme yogic penance of Sri Bhagiratha Maharishi), of course under the controlled divine guidance of श्री परमशिव (śrī paramaśiva  - Lord Sri Parama Shiva), who is therefore called श्री गङ्गाधर (śrī gaṅgādhara – Holy Ganges supporter).

Of course, as already mentioned, according to the laws of mother nature (endorsed in modern physics as well), every force should have its counter-force. In other words, for the दैवस्य अवरोह (daivasya avaroha – descent of divine) demands a corresponding आत्मस्य आरोह (ātmasya āroha – ascent of soul). In other words, while the अवरोह (avaroha – descent) is symbolized as the प्रवाह जलस्य (pravāha jalasya -  flow of water), the आरोह (āroha – ascent) is by the प्रवाह अग्नेः (pravāha agneḥ - flow of fire). This is because, even according to modern physics water naturally flows down from an higher to lower altitude  by default, while fire always raises up from lower to higher altitude. Of course, this is a bi-polar ying-yang circuit of heat-exchange wherein flow in one direction feeds the other. The following मन्त्र (mantra - hymn) from the ऋग्वेदसूक्त (ṛgvedasūkta) originally revealed to महऋषि विश्वामित्र गाथिनः (mahaṛṣi viśvāmitra gāthinaḥ) testifies thus:

Original	Transliteration	Translation
सोमस्य मा तवसं वक्षि अग्ने वह्निं चकर्थ विदथे यज्ध्यै। देवान् अच्छा दीद्यत् युञ्जे अद्रिं शमाये अग्ने तन्वं जुष्स्व॥ प्राञ्चं यज्ञं चकृकम वर्धतां गीः समिद्भिः अग्निं नमसा दुवस्यन्। दिवः शशासुः विदथा कविणां गृत्साय चित्तवसे गातुम् ईशुः॥ मयो दधे मिधिरः पूतदक्षो दिवः सुबन्धुः जनुषा पृथिव्याः। अविन्दन्नु दर्शसम् अपसु अन्तः देवासो अग्निम् अपसि स्वसॄणाम्॥ अवर्धयन्त्सुभगं सप्त यह्वीः श्वेतं जज्ञानमरुषं महित्वा । शिशुं न जातमभ्यारुरश्वा देवासो अग्निं जनिमन्वपुष्यन् ॥ उरौ महान् अनिबाधे ववर्ध आपो अग्निम् यशसः सं हि पूर्वीः। ऋतस्य योनौ अवशयद् दमूना जामिनाम् अग्निः अपसि स्वसॄणाम्॥	sōmasya mā tavasaṁ vakṣi agnē vahniṁ cakartha vidathē yajdhyai। dēvān acchā dīdyat yuñjē adriṁ śamāyē agnē tanvaṁ juṣsva॥ prāñcaṁ yajñaṁ cakr̥kama vardhatāṁ gīḥ samidbhiḥ agniṁ namasā duvasyan। divaḥ śaśāsuḥ vidathā kaviṇāṁ gr̥tsāya cittavasē gātum īśuḥ॥ mayō dadhē midhiraḥ pūtadakṣō divaḥ subandhuḥ januṣā pr̥thivyāḥ। avindannu darśasam apasu antaḥ dēvāsō agnim apasi svasr̥̄ṇām॥ avardhayantsubhagaṁ sapta yahvīḥ śvētaṁ jajñānamaruṣaṁ mahitvā । śiśuṁ na jātamabhyāruraśvā dēvāsō agniṁ janimanvapuṣyan ॥ urau mahān anibādhē vavardha āpō agnim yaśasaḥ saṁ hi pūrvīḥ। r̥tasya yōnau avaśayad damūnā jāminām agniḥ apasi svasr̥̄ṇām॥	O Agni, bear with me that I may be strong to hold the Soma-delight. You have made me a carrier of sacrifice for obtaining knowledge. I shine towards the gods, I put the stone to its work, I accomplish the labour; O agni take delight in my body. We have made the sacrifice with its forward movement. May the word increase in us; with the fuel, with the obeisance, they have set agni to its work. The heavens have declared the discoveries of the knowledge of the seers. They have willed a path for the string and wise. Full of understanding, pure in descernment, close kin from his birth from earth and heaven, he has founded the Bliss. The gods discovered the seeing Fire within in the waters, in the work of the sisters. The seven mighty rivers increased the blissful flame, white in his birth, ruddy glowing in his brightness. The horses went up to him as a new born child. The gods gave body to agni in his birth. Vast was he in the unobstructed wideness, and he grew many and glorious, for the waters fed the flame. In the native seat of Tuth, agni laydown and made his home in the work of companions, the sisters. -translation by R.L. Kashyap
Sanskrit Reference: ऋग्वेद (ṛgveda) (3.1.1-4,11)

Once again, Sri Kapali Shastri in the सिद्धान्जन ऋग्भाश्य भूमिक (siddhānjana ṛgbhāśya bhūmika) which is his famous ऋग्वेद भाष्य (ṛgveda bhāṣya – rig veda commentary) summarizes the concept thus

“These seven (rivers) are the sevenfold Divine Waters of Truth. The Divine Waters brought Agni from the High above to set him here. This Agni, a divine secret, is set in plants on the earth, he is to be manifested by the pressure (friction) of the two tinders of heaven and earth. Hence he is called the child of the Heaven and Earth, and the Consciousness of the Pure Mind of Heaven is itself called the dyauḥ. The waking consciousness of the physical mind is symbolised by the Earth. And it is by the strength of the interaction of these two that man has to achieve with effort that secret thing called—Agni. In the Divine Waters he is found visible, easily born in all his strength, knowledge and enjoyment and easily approached. White in birth he grows ruddy m his action when he increases At his very birth the Gods give him splendour, force and body. The seven great rivers (Cows) nourish him. The rivers usually named dhenavaḥ, fostering Cows, are here described as Horses This is the reason m the Veda the Cow (termed dhenu) is the symbol of the power of knowledge, while the Horse is the symbol of form of action Here Horse is the dynamic force of Life, the dhenavaḥ, Waters labouring over Agni on earth, m his birth (and sustained) become the waters of the vital dynamis. And this Prana—the life-force—breathes, acts, desires, and enjoys Agni himself begins first as the material heat, then becomes life-force, Prana and m the end becomes heavenly Fire The sevenfold waters thus rise upwards and become the Pure luminous Mind, the Mighty Ones of Heaven They all take their rise and flow from the highest, the One Truth-Consciousness. The seven Words are the fundamental creative expressions of the Supreme Lord. The Father of all things is the Lord and Male, he is hidden m the secret source of things, that is the supreme (plane of) consciousness. Agni with his companion-gods and with the sevenfold Waters ascends to that plane. This ascent to Heaven by Agni in us, mortals, the Sacrifice is effected without leaving the existence which is the field of the waking state indicated by the term Earth. By this ascent Agni finds the source of the honeyed plenty of the Father of things and collecting them pours them out into our lives He beais and himself becomes the Son. That is why he is the eternal Youth—Kumara, pure Light, pure Male, Immortal m the mortals, is perfected as the one Soul m man revealed m its universality The Seer-Will, the Divine child, the Son of God—his birth here, growth, nourishment by the Waters, the rivers that are Waters, the Cows, they again are the Mares—all these do not make coherent sense unless lead in their secret symbolic meaning. To construe these without admitting the symbolic imagery would involve us in utter fanciful imagination or lead us to impute incoherent prattles to the seers of the Mantras. Such symbols with their inner meaning unveiled of their own accord, are to be seen m other hymns also. Can there be doubt that Vamadeva’s hymn (IV 58) brings into the open the secret of the Veda? From passages such as, ‘The name of ghrta that is secret, ‘Tongue of the Gods, navel of immortality, ‘These from heart-ocean, ‘Streams of clarity, ghrta. rivers like cows purified by the Mind in the inner Heart, ‘Auspicious maidens Agni’, ‘Thy Home the entire universe’ and ‘In the inner Ocean, m the life-span in the Heart’ etc., we see beyond doubt that ghrta, honey, Cow, Waters, Maidens, Heart, inner Ocean, etc., reveal their great symbolic significances, of their own accord. Some of these symbolic images are clearly seen to be preserved in the Puranas.”

Now, these तापिय योन्यः (tāpiya yonyaḥ - thermal sources) are what are eulogized as तृथीय भ्रातरः अग्नेः (tṛthīya bhrātaraḥ agneḥ - three brothers of fire) in the above cited ऋग्वेद मन्त्र (ṛgveda mantra) (1.164.1). Now let us understand as to why they are referred as भ्रातरः (bhrātaraḥ - brothers) here and that is because they wanted to drive home the fact that they all share the same blood (blood-relatives). Their fundamental essence is the same. In other words, they are not water-tight compartments but are of essentially of same origin, referred in the ऋग्वेदमन्त्र (ṛgvedamantra)(1.164.39) as “परमेव्योमिन् (paramevyomin – supreme ether)” and as चिताकाश / चिदंबर (citākāśa / cidaṃbara – gnostic vacuum / wisdom consciousness) in the शैवागम शास्त्र (śaivāgama śāstra). Sri Aurobindo in his magnum-opus mastepiece Life-Divine explains thus:

 “If we suppose this soul to take its poise, its centre in the consciousness of the individual Divine living and acting in distinct relation with the ‘others’, still it will have in the foundation of its consciousness the entire unity from which all emerges and it will have in the background of that consciousness the extended and the modified unity and to any of these it will be capable of returning and of contemplating from them its individuality. In the Veda all these poises are asserted of the gods. In essence the gods are one existence which the sages call by different names; but in their action founded in and proceeding from the large Truth and Right Agni or another is said to be all the other gods, he is the One that becomes all; at the same time he is said to contain all the gods in himself as the nave of a wheel contains the spokes, he is the One that contains all; and yet as Agni he is described as a separate deity, one who helps all the others, exceeds them in force and knowledge, yet is inferior to them in cosmic position and is employed by them as messenger, priest and worker,—the creator of the world and father, he is yet the son born of our works, he is, that is to say, the original and the manifested indwelling Self or Divine, the One that inhabits all.” Sri M.P. Pandit, in his famous commentorial lecture-talk on the above passage from the Life-Divine, further explains thus: “All existences in the One Self and one Self in all existences – these are two distinct things. Our existence in the one Self gives us the feeling and the experience of oneness in spite of apparent variations. And one Self being in all existences, pervading all existences, justifies our experience of the truth of each individual in the universe. Sri Aurobindo illustrates this truth by citations from the Veda. There it is said: There is One Existence, the wise ones name it in various ways. The Gods are the becomings of One Existence; that corresponds to the first status of the Self becoming all existences. And then they take up different Gods, for instance God Agni, the mystic flame; this God is celebrated as containing all the Gods behind him, within him; this corresponds to the truth of all existences in the Self. Agni is the Truth, all other truths are inherent in it. And yet in another context, he is the summoner of the Gods, messenger of the Gods, he is mouth of the Gods and he is the son of man, everywhere he has his own individuality. Now these cosmic truths are strewn as it were in a number of hymns emphasising this triple character of the Truth in manifestation. One God is not in conflict with Other Gods. Now that truth which obtains in the higher planes is intended to be actualised even on earth where each one has to arrive at a stage of culmination when there will be no conflict among each of the myriad and each one is directly related to God."

According to tradition, as testified by श्री सायनाचार्य (śrī sāyanācārya) in his famous भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on the above मन्त्र (mantra - hymn), आदित्य /सूर्य देव (āditya / sūrya deva – sun god),वायु देव (vāyu deva – wind god) &अग्नि देव (agni deva – fire god) are the तृतीयाधिकार देवताः (tṛtīyādhikāra devatāḥ - triple presiding deities) corresponding to the त्रिलोकाः/व्याहृतित्रय (trilokāḥ / vyāhṛtitraya – triple worlds / trifold utterances). From occult spiritual terms, प्राज्ञ (prājña), तैजस (taijasa) & वैश्वानर (vaiśvānara) are the respective कारण अवस्थाः आत्मस्य (kāraṇa avasthāḥ ātmasya – causal states of the soul), as testified by श्री आत्मानन्दाचर्य (śrī ātmānandācarya) who also wrote an independent according to भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on this same मन्त्र (mantra - hymn). The following table summarizes these mappings: 

#	Category	Level – 0	Level -1	Level -2	Level -3
1	अधिकार देवत (adhikāra devata – presiding deity)	परब्रह्म (parabrahma – supreme divinity)	आदित्य /सूर्य देव (āditya / sūrya deva – sun god)	वायु देव (vāyu deva – wind god)	अग्नि देव (agni deva – fire god)
2	समष्टिकारण अवस्था आत्मस्य (samaṣṭikāraṇa avasthā ātmasya – collective-causal state of soul)	परमात्मन् (paramātman)	ईश्वर (īśvara)	हिरण्यगर्भ (hiraṇyagarbha)	वैश्वानर (vaiśvānara)
3	व्यष्टिकारण अवस्था आत्मस्य (vyaṣṭikāraṇa avasthā ātmasya – individual-causal state of soul)	जीवात्मन् (jīvātman)	प्राज्ञ (prājña)	तैजस (taijasa)	विश्व (viśva)
4	कार्य अवस्था आत्मस्य (kārya avasthā ātmasya – effectual state of soul)	तुरियातीत अवस्था आत्मस्य (turiyātīta avasthā ātmasya – transcendent state of soul)	सुषुप्ति तुरीये/सांनिपातनिद्री कार्यावस्था आत्मस्य (suṣupti turīye/sāṃnipātanidrī kāryāvasthā ātmasya – sleep in fourth / trance  effectual state of soul)	स्वप्न  तुरीये /सांनिपातनिद्री कार्यअवस्था आत्मस्य (svapna turīye / sāṃnipātanidrī kāryāvasthā ātmasya – dream in fourth / trance effectual state of soul)	जाग्रत् तुरीये /सांनिपातनिद्री कार्यअवस्था आत्मस्य (jāgrat turīye / sāṃnipātanidrī kāryāvasthā ātmasya – waking in fourth / trance effectual state of soul)
5	लोक (loka - world)	ब्रह्म / महस् लोक (brahma / mahas loka – divine world)	स्वर्लोक (svarloka – heaven world)	भुवर्लोक (bhuvarloka – middle world)	भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial world)
6	व्याहृति (vyāhṛti - utterance)	ॐ (oṃ)	स्वः (svaḥ)	भुवः (bhuvaḥ)	भूः (bhūḥ)
7	वाक् (vāk - logos)	परवाक् (paravāk – abstract logos)	पश्यन्ती वाक् (paśyantī vāk – visual logos)	मध्यम वाक् (madhyama vāk – interim logos)	वैखारी वाक् (vaikhārī vāk – articulate logos)
8	उपमिति (upamiti - anology)	चिताकाश (citākāśa – gnostic sky)	धर्ममेघ  (dharmamegha – virtue cloud)	कृपा वृषा   (kṛpā vṛṣā – grace-rain)	सिद्धि नदी  (siddhi nadī – fulfilment river)
9	यज्ञसाधन (yajñasādhana – sacrificial ritual)	ज्ञानग्नि (jñānagni – wisdom fire)	आहवनीयाग्नि (āhavanīyāgni – sacrificial fire)	दक्षिणाग्नि (dakṣiṇāgni – southern / prophylactic fire)	गार्हपत्याग्नि / पाकाग्नि (gārhapatyāgni / pākāgni  – domestic / cooking fire)
10	स्थान (sthāna - locus)	அகம்/अन्तर (agam – inner)	அகப்புறம்/अन्तर्बाह्य (agappuṟam / antarbāhya - internal outer)	புறம் / बाह्य (puṟam / bāhya – outer)	புறப்புறம்/बाह्यबाह्य (puṟappuṟam / bāhyabāhya – external outer)

The sacred सवितृ / सूर्य गायत्री मन्त्र (savitṛ / sūrya gāyatrī mantra) in the ऋग्वेद  (ṛgveda) originally revealed to श्री विश्वामित्र महऋषि (śrī viśvāmitra mahaṛṣi) eulogizes such लवण शक्तिपात (lavaṇa śaktipāta – graceful descent of power)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
ॐ भूः। भुवः। स्वः। तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं। भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि। धीयो यो नः प्रचोदयात्॥	oṁ bhūḥ। bhuvaḥ। svaḥ। tat saviturvarēṇyaṁ। bhargō dēvasya dhīmahi। dhīyō yō naḥ pracōdayāt॥	Salutations to physical, astral and celestial planes. We medidate upon the Divine Light of that adorable Sun of spiritual consciousness which stimulates our power of spiritual consciousess. -translation by I.K. Taimini
Sanskrit Reference: ऋग्वेद (ṛgveda) (3.62.10)

According to another mythological legend, sage श्री अगस्त्य  महऋषि / ஸ்ரீ அகதிய மகரிஷி (śrī agastya mahaṛṣi / srī agatiya makariṣi) was instrumental in bringing southwards the श्री गङ्गनदी (śrī gaṅganadī – sacred Ganga river) from कैलाश (kailāśa - kailash) in the Northern India to South India where she flows in the name of காவேரி (kāveri).  Interestingly, just as the name अश्वपति (aśvapati) has a deeper yogic symbology viz. “galloping soul”, there is an esoteric significance underlying the name of ஸ்ரீ அகதிய மகரிஷி (srī agatiya makariṣi) as well. For example, according to esoteric தமிழ் சித்தர் இலக்கியம் (tamiḻ siddar ilakkiyam – Tamil Siddha literature), the name “அகதியர் (agathiyar)“ is a காரணப்பெயர்  (kāraṇappeyar –causal-name). It refers to a யோகசித்தர் (yōgasiddar- accomplished yogi)  who has accomplished the art of conquering his அகத் தீ   (agat tī – inner fire) also known as பிராணாக்னி  / प्राणाग्नि (pirāṇāgṉi/ prāṇāgni – vital fire) i.e., in other words one who has awakened and controlled his कुण्डलिनीशक्ति (kuṇḍalinīśakti – coiled energy)
    Moreover, if we apply the law of correspondence: “यथा उपरि, तथा अधः; यथा अधः तथा उपरि (yathā upari, tathā adhaḥ; yathā adhaḥ tathā upari - as above, so below; as below so above)” which in Indian philosophy, is referred as அண்டமே பிண்டம், பிண்ட்மே அண்டம் (aṇṭamē piṇṭam, piṇṭmē aṇṭam – 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 त्रिलोकाः (trilokāḥ – triple worlds) viz. भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial world), भुवर्लोक (bhuvar loka – mid world) & स्वर्लोक (svar loka – sky world) 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 सुषुंणानडी  सूक्ष्मशरीरे (suṣuṁṇānaḍī sūkṣmaśarīre – sushumna channel in the subtle body)  through which the कुण्डलिनी शक्ति (kuṇḍalinī śakti – coiled energy) flows. Interestingly, even in the earlier discussed legend of नचिकेता (naciketā), as part of his योगतपस्य (yogatapasya – yogic askesis) it is said that he had observed त्रिरात्रस्य व्रतः (trirātrasya vrataḥ – resolution of three nights) in the यमलोक (yamaloka – yama’s kingdom) waiting to meet and challenge श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja)

Original	Transliteration	Translation
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.
Sanskrit Reference : 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 योगतपः उपायाः (yōgatapaḥ upāyāḥ – 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, श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī)  as part of her त्रिरात्रस्य व्रतः (trirātrasya vrataḥ – resolution of three nights) acquires the needed योगसिद्धि (yogasiddhi – yogic potencies) of listening to the पवित्रवाक् (pavitravāk – 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 depths of herself to discover her spiritual self and in this journey she learns from  the triple soul-forces of divinity corresponding to त्रिलोकाः (trilokāḥ – triple worlds)

#	माता  (mātā  - madonna)	ब्रह्माण्डलोक (brahmāṇḍaloka- macrocosmic universe)	शब्दब्रह्मव्याहृति (śabdabrahmavyāhṛti – theosonic utterance)	शक्ति (śakti – energy)
1	दुःकस्य माता (duḥkasya mātā  - Madonna of Suffering)	भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial world)	भुः (bhuḥ)	इच्छाशक्ति (icchāśakti – desire power)
2	पराक्रमस्य माता (parākramasya mātā  - Madonna of Might)	भुवर्लोक (bhuvar loka – mid world)	भुवः (bhuvaḥ)	क्रियाशक्ति (kriyāśakti – volition power)
3	प्रकाशस्य माता (prakāśasya mātā  - Madonna of Light)	स्वर्लोक (svar loka – sky world)	स्वः (svaḥ)	ज्ञानशक्ति (jñānaśakti – gnostic power)

Each of these divine forces repeatedly reiterate to श्री सवित्री (śrī 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, श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) returns 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 classical epic of महाभारत (mahābhārata), the exoteric reference of त्रिरात्रस्य व्रतः श्री सावित्रेः (trirātrasya vrataḥ śrī sāvitreḥ – resolution of three nights of Sri Savitri) is expanded into the yogic realms of योगतपः उपायाः (yōgatapaḥ upāyāḥ – 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 श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja) strikes श्री सत्य्वान् (śrī satyvān) and initiates the transmigratory journey of the departed soul’s to यमलोक (yamaloka – yama world), श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) ’s boldly confronts with श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja)and enters into a very serious debate justifying her cause and claims back the life of her beloved husband, who esoterically symbolizes the सकलावस्था बद्धजीवात्मनस्य (sakalāvasthā baddhajīvātmanasya – mundane state of bound corporeal soul). With her spiritually gained wisdom, श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) realizes that might of அன்பு (anbu – 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 श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja), the wise श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) leverages the அன்பின்மகிமை (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  - श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja), 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)

श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja) with the desperate aim of discouraging the initiatives of श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja), the Divine श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) wisely defended her goals against every, ammunition fired by श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja). 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī)  retorts back to श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja)      

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 मृत्युदेवेन सह सावित्रीयाः धर्मयुद्धः (mr̥tyudēvēna saha sāvitrīyāḥ dharmayuddhaḥ – Savitri's battle of righteousness with the god of death) further continues with greater vigour and the rich philosophical wisdom underlying, her dialogue with death is very beautifully captured in the rest of the epic poetry by the mystic poet saint Sri Aurobindo. Slowly yet surely, श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī)  could be no ordinary human but disguised Divinity and even directly requests her to reveal her true identity and as requested, the विश्वरूपमहादर्शन सावित्रेः (viśvarūpamahādarśana sāvitreḥ - revelation of the grand cosmic form of Sri Savitri)   was revealed to श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja) . Finally, श्री सवित्री (śrī savitrī) now in her original capacity of Supreme Divinity, commanded श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja) for the immediate release of श्री सत्यवान् (śrī 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)

श्री यमधर्मराज (śrī yamadharmarāja – Sri Yamadhara Raja) in spite of realizing the real spiritual identity of श्री सवित्री (śrī 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 श्री सत्यवान् (śrī 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)