Savitri is the name of my most favorite of poems in the world

A very wonderful blogging friend has said somethings lately that have made me rethink how I am presenting myself and what is coming out of this blog, so with that small side note, I want to return to a more positive frame of mind and will do so through a look at some of the great minds that have influenced me in this lifetime.

The First and may be foremost, is Sri Aurobindo: He wrote one, if not 'The' favorite of all my poems,, which is really a book within a beautifully told story from the Mahabharata,, another of my favorite sacred books. Sri Aurobindo, was born in Calcutta India on August 15, 1872. He was active in the politics of the day and helped to form the Swadeshi, which was a movement geared towards the future independence of India, he was an active leader in the formation of parties that stressed the need for independance from colonial rule of England. After being arrested and incarcirated for his activities he worked almost alone trying to revive the Nationalist movement of the day. His Spiritual path lead him to forsake politics, he was asked to head the Presidency of the National Congress, and politely refused, then went into spiritual seclusion. For almost four years he practised silent yoga and developed his inner being. With his retirement to Pondicherry in French India, he developed a following that soon became the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. He wrote many wonderful things during these years, ranging from works related to the Vedas, Human Unity and Amias you will love this,,, The Future of Poetry..... which brings me to what is touching my heart right now at this moment. I am rereading this wonderful work that was a product of his life time, and The Mother said:"Savitri is a Mantra for the transformationof the world"

Savitri is the name of my most favorite of poems in the world. It is a must for anyone on the spiritual path,, no matter which 'religion' you profess. The link is to my favorite site that has the 'best' intact Internet copy in my opinion. If you are lead to read this,, please realize that one reading will not do, this is a devise for Spiritual Evolution, and I think that the reason I love it is that each time one reads it, something new and wonderful comes from the reading. So, I will be immersed again in this wonderful ray of light in the darkness of this world... Join me if you wish,, you will not regret the time spent.Here is a small sample:

Immortal Powers sweep flaming past your doors;

Far-off upon your tops the god-chant sounds

While to exceed yourselves thought's trumpets call,

Heard by a few, but fewer dare aspire,

The nympholepts of the ecstasy and the blaze.

An epic of hope and failure breaks earth's heart;

Her force and will exceed her form and fate.

A goddess in a net of transience caught,

Self-bound in the pastures of death she dreams of life,

Self-racked with the pains of hell aspires to joy,

And builds to hope her altars of despair,

Knows that one high step might enfranchise all

And, suffering, looks for greatness in her sons.

But dim in human hearts the ascending fire,

The invisible Grandeur sits unworshipped there;

Man sees the Highest in a limiting form

Or looks upon a Person, hears a Name.

He turns for little gains to ignorant Powers

Or kindles his altar lights to a demon face.

He loves the Ignorance fathering his pain.

A spell is laid upon his glorious strengths;

He has lost the inner Voice that led his thoughts,

And masking the oracular tripod seat

A specious Idol fills the marvel shrine.

The great Illusion wraps him in its veils,

The soul's deep intimations come in vain,

In vain is the unending line of seers,

The sages ponder in unsubstantial light,

The poets lend their voice to outward dreams,

A homeless fire inspires the prophet tongues.

Heaven's flaming lights descend and back return,

The luminous Eye approaches and retires;

Eternity speaks, none understands its word;

Fate is unwilling and the Abyss denies;

The Inconscient's mindless waters block all done.

Only a little lifted is Mind's screen;

posted by Scott @ 4:44 PM 13 comments

At Saturday, October 08, 2005 2:05:17 PM, ms.squiggle said... I especially love this:A specious Idol fills the marvel shrine.The great Illusion wraps him in its veils,The soul's deep intimations come in vain,In vain is the unending line of seers,The sages ponder in unsubstantial light,The poets lend their voice to outward dreams,A homeless fire inspires the prophet tongues.I take that as meaning the idol is simply our egoic projections. What we see ugly in Bush (or anyone) is every bit as much of an inner struggle as it is an outer one. No use pointing the finger "out there" to cast blame because "out there" is an illusion created by our minds - the idol we have created which keeps us from recognizing who it is we are - what keeps the Goddess caught in a net of transience.Only a little lifted is Mind's screen;Beautiful poem. I'd never read it beore. Thank you!

At Saturday, October 08, 2005 2:12:06 PM, Scott said... Beautiful Comments Ms.Squiggle very much appreciated, "out there" is a self created illusion. thanks for your insights.

At Sunday, October 09, 2005 4:52:02 AM, ms.squiggle said... I've been thinking about this all day - what does he mean by "The poets lend their voice to outward dreams, a homeless fire inspires the prophets". If the outer is an illusion, then the inner must be an illusion, too? One creates the other. Without the outer, the inner does not exist. To say one is illusory would seem to be a bit nihilisitc. But that doesn't fit the mood of the poem at all.The homeless fire would indicate that inspiration does not exactly come from "within". Right? And the fact that the poets must lend their voice (singular, which is interesting) to outer dreams does not completely dismiss the value of the outer, either. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the illusion is our inability to see where the inner and outer merge and are One (no longer an inner or outer - where there is no within and without). What do you think? I still don't quite get it, which I suppose is probably exactly the point! The poem has helped immensely with an on-going chitaqua I've been having with myself. Thank you again for posting it! I'm so glad to know about it and will likely come back to it often.(Sorry for the obsession!)

At Monday, October 10, 2005 2:49:27 AM, Scott said... Dear Ms Sqiggle, don't be sorry for an obsession that I see as a virtue. I too ponder this section very much, and is why I posted this part. I think that you are moving towards the key theme here , but it isn't nihlistic, but rather solipsic I believe. This section of the poem is: Book Four: The Book of Birth and Quest Canto III: The Call to the Quest In the second half of this Canto, Savitri finally triumphs over Death. Before this Canto he wrote:"Again the mighty yearning raised its flame That asks a perfect life on earth for menAnd prays for certainty in the uncertain mind And shadowless bliss for suffering human hearts And Truth embodied in an ignorant world" and then:"The earth you tread is a border screened from heaven;The life you lead conceals the light you are."Then for me the climax:"On the soil of the evolving universe, A godhead sculptured on a wall of thought, Mirrored in the flowing hours and dimly shrinedIn Matter as in a cathedral cave. Annulled were the transient values of the mind,The body's sense renounced its earthly look;Immortal met immortal in their gaze. Awaked from the close spell of daily use That hides soul-truth with the outward form's disguise, He saw through the familiar cherished limbs The great and unknown spirit born his child. "So, in a real sense you are correct in saying: "Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the illusion is our inability to see where the inner and outer merge and are One?" The triumph is ''the great and unknown spirit born his child'' I still ponder it all so much also, we should start a blog just for this I think....Thank you for your wonderful insights,