savitri fascicle: book three, canto one (1946)

7/24/2019 Savitri Fascicle: Book Three, Canto One (1946)

1/11

SRI UROBINDO


2/11

S A V I T R I

Legend

and a

Symbol

S R I

A U R O B I N D O


3/11

P u b l i s h e r :

S R I A U R O B I N D O A S H R A M

P O N D I C H E R R Y

ll Rights Reserved

F i r s t E d i t i o n 1946

7 3 ^ 3 s -

I m p r i m e r i e

d e S r i A u r o b i n d o A s h r a m

P o n d i c h e r y

W . D . N o . 1 7 7 1 0 9 4 6 5 0 0


4/11

BOOK

THREE

The Book of the Divine Mother


5/11

S VITRI

B O O K T H R E E

CANTO I

T H E

P U R S U I T O F T H E U N K N O W A B L E

A L L is t o o

l i t t l e t h a t

t h e w o r l d ca n g i v e :

I t s p o w e r a n d k n o w l e d g e a r e t h e g i ft s o f T i m e

A n d

c a n n o t

f i l l

t h e s p i r i t s

s a c r e d th i rs t .

A l t h o u g h

o f One

th e se

f o rm s of greatness are

A n d

b y i t s b r e a t h o f

grace

o u r l i v e s a b i d e .

A l t h o u g h , m o r e n e a r t o u s t h a n nearness-se l f .

I t is

some u t t e r t r u t h

o f w h a t w e a r e ,

H i d d e n

b y i t s o w n w o r k s i t

seemed

far o f f .

I m p e n e t r a b l e , o c c u l t , voiceless,

obscure

T h e Presence w a s l os t b y w h i c h a l l t h i n g s h a v e c h a r m .

T h e G l o r y l a c k e d o f w h i c h t h e y a r e d i m s ig n s.

T h e w o r l d l i v e d o n

m a d e

e m p t y of i t s

cause,

L i k e

L o v e w h e n t h e

Beloved s face

is

gone.

T h e l a b o u r t o k n o w

seemed

a v a i n s t r i f e o f

M i n d ;

A l l

k n o w l e d g e

e n d e d

i n t h e U n k n o w a b l e :

T h e e f f o r t t o r u l e

seemed

a v a i n p r i d e o f

W i l l ;

A t r i v i a l

a c h i e v e m e n t s c o r n e d b y T i m e ,

A l l

p ow e r r e t i r e d i n t o t h e O m n i p o t e n t .

A

cave o f d ar kn es s gu ar d s t h e e t e r n a l

L i g h t .


6/11

S A V I T R I

B O O K I I I C A N T O

I

A s il ence s e t t l e d on h i s s t r i v i n g h e a r t ;

A b s o l v e d f r o m t h e

voices

o f t h e w o r l d s d e s ir e

H e

t u r n e d

t o t h e I n e f fa b l e s tim e l e s s

c a l l .

A

B e i n g

i n t i m a t e

a n d u n n a m e a b l e ,

A w i d e co m p e l l i n g e c sta s y a n d peace

F e l t

i n h i m s e l f a n d a l l a n d y e t t m g r a s p e d ,

A p p r o a c h e d a n d f a d e d f r o m h i s s ou l s p u r s u i t

As i f f o r ev er l u r i n g h i m b e y o n d .

N e a r , i t r e t r e a t e d ; f a r , i t c a l le d h i m s t i l l

N o t h i n g c o u l d s a t is fy b u t i t s d e l i g h t :

I t s

absence

l e f t

t h e g r e a t e s t a c t i o n s

d u l l .

I t s presence

m a d e t h e s m a l l e st seem

d i v i n e .

W h e n

i t w a s th e r e , t h e h e a r t s abyss w a s f i l l e d ;

B u t w h e n t h e u p l i f t i n g D e i t y

w i t h d r e w .

E x i st e n c e l o st i t s a i m i n t h e I n a n e .

T h e o r d e r o f t h e im m e m o ri a l p l a n e s .

T h e g o d l ik e f u l ln e s s o f t h e i n s t r u m e n t s

W e r e t u r n e d t o p ro p s fo r a n i m p e r m a n e n t

scene.

B u t w h o t h a t m i gh t i n e s s w a s h e k n e w n o t y e t .

I m p a l p a b l e ,

y e t f i l l ing a l l t h a t is ,

I t

m a d e a n d b l o t t e d o u t a

m i l l i o n

w o r l d s

A n d

t o o k a n d l o st a t h o u s a n d

shapes

a n d n a m e s .

I t

w o r e t h e gu ise o f a n in d i s c e r n i b l e V a s t ,

O r w a s a su b t l e k e r n e l i n t h e s o u l :

A d i s t a n t g r ea tness

l e f t

i t h u ge a n d d i m ,

A

m y s t i c

closeness

s h u t i t sw e e t l y i n :

I t seemed s om e t im e s a f ig m e n t o r a r o b e

A n d

seemed s om e t im es h i s ow n col ossa l sha de .

A g i a n t d o u b t o ve r s h a d o w e d h i s a d v a n c e .

Across a n e u t r a l a l l - s u p p o r t i n g V o i d

Whose b l a n k n e s s n u r s e d h is lo n e i m m o r t a l s p i r i t ,

A l l u r e d

t o w a r d s

some

r e c o n d i t e S u p r e m e ,

[

a ge

T w o ]


7/11

S A V I T R I

B O O K I I I C A N T O

I

A i d e d ,

coerced

b y e n i g m a t ic P o w e r s,

A s p i r i n g a n d h a l f - s i n k i n g a n d u p - b o r n e .

I n v i n c i b l y

h e ascended

w i t h o u t

pa use .

A l w a y s a s i g n l e s s v a g u e I m m e n s i t y

B r o o d e d ,

w i t h o u t

a p p r o a c h , b e y o n d r e sp on se ,

C o n d e m n i n g f in it e t h i n g s t o n o t h i n g n e s s .

F r o n t i n g

h i m

w i t h

t h e i n c o m m e n s u r a b l e .

T h e n

t o t h e a s c e n t t h e r e

came

a m i g h t y t e r m :

A

h e i gh t w a s re a c h e d w h e r e n o t h i n g m a d e c o u l d

l i v e ,

A

l ine

w h e r e e v e r y hope a n d s e a r c h m u s t

cease

N e a r e d some

i n t o l e r a n t

b a r e R e a l i t y ,

A

zero f or m e d p r e g n a n t w i t h bound l ess cha ng e .

O n a d i z z y v erge wh e re a l l d isgu is es

fai l

A n d h u m a n

m i n d

m u s t a b d i ca t e i n

L i g h t

O r d ie

l i k e

a m o t h i n t h e n a k e d bl a ze o f T r u t h ,

H e s t o o d c o m p e l l e d t o a t r e m e n d o u s choice.

A l l h e h a d been a n d a l l t h a t s t i l l h e w a s

M u s t n o w b e

l e f t

b e h i n d o r

else

t r a n s f o r m

I n t o a se l f o f T h a t w h i c h h a s n o n a m e .

A l o n e a n d f r o n t i n g a n i n t a n g i b l e Force

W h i c h o ffe r e d n o t h i n g t o t h e g ra s p o f T h o u g h t ,

H i s sp ir i t f a ce d t h e a d v e n t u r e of t h e I n a n e .

A b a n d o n e d b y t h e w o r l d s o f f o r m h e s t r o v e .

A f r u i t f u l w o r l d - w i d e I g n o ra n c e fo u n d e r e d t h e r e ;

T h o u g h t s l o n g f a r - c i r c l i n g j o u r n e y t o u c h e d i t s close

A n d i n e f fe c t iv e p a u s e d t h e a c to r W i l l .

T h e s y m b o l

modes

o f b e i n g h e l p e d n o m o r e ,

T h e s t r u c t u r e s Nescience b u i l d s c o l l a p s i n g f a i l e d .

A n d e v e n t h e sp i r i t tha t h o l d s t h e u n i v e r s e

F a i n t e d i n l u m i n o u s i n s u f f i c i e n c y .

I n a n a b y s m a l la p se o f a l l t h i n g s b u i l t

T r a n s c e n d i n g e v e r y p e r is h a b l e s u p p o r t

[ age T h r ee ]


8/11

S A V I T R I

B O O K I I I C A N T O I

A n d j o i n i n g a t l a s t i t s m i g h t y o r ig in ,

T he s e p a ra t e s e l f m u st m e l t o r be r e born

I n t o

a

T r u t h

b e y o n d t h e m i n d s a p p e a l .

A l l g l o r y o f o u t l i n e , sweetness o f h a r m o n y ,

R e j e c t e d l i k e a grace of t r i v i a l not es .

E x p u n g e d f r o m B e i n g s

s i l ence

nu d e , a u s t e r e ,

D i e d i n t o a f ine a n d bhss f u l N ot h i ng ne ss .

T h e D e m i u r g e s l o s t

t h e i r n a m e s

a n d f orm s .

T h e g r e a t schemed w o r l d s t h a t t h e y h a d p l a n n e d

a n d w r o u g h t

Passed,

t a k e n a nd a bo l ishe d one b y one .

T h e u n iv e rs e r e m ov e d i t s co l ou re d v e i l .

A n d a t t h e u n i m a g i n a b l e e n d

O f th e h u g e r i d d l e o f cr e a t e d t h i n g s

A p p e a r e d t h e fa r -s e e n G o d h e a d o f t h e w h o l e .

H is fe e t fi rm-ba se d on Li f e s s tupe ndous w ings ,

O m n i p o t e n t o r l o n e l y

seer

o f T i m e ,

I n w a r d ,

i n s c r u t a b l e w i t h d i a m o n d gaze.

A t t r a c t e d

b y t h e u n fa t h o m a b l e r e g a rd

T he u nso l v e d s l ow cycles t o t h e i r f o u n t r e t u r n e d

T o r i s e a g a i n f rom t h a t i nv i s i b l e s e a .

A l l f r o m h i s pu issance b o r n w a s n o w u n d o n e ;

N o t h i n g r e m a i n e d t h e

cosmic M i n d conceives.

E t e r n i t y p r e p a r e d t o

f ade

a n d seemed

A

h u e a n d i m p o s i t i o n o n th e V o i d ,

Space was the f l u t t e r i n g o f a d re a m t h a t sank

B e f o re i t s e n d i n g i n t o N o t h i n g s

deeps.

T h e

sp ir i t

t h a t

d i e s

n o t a n d th e Godhead s se l f

Seemed m y t h s p r oje c t e d f r o m th e U n k n o w a b l e ;

F r o m I t a l l s p r a n g , i n I t is c a l le d t o cease.

B u t

w h a t T h a t w a s , n o t h o u g h t o r s ig h t c o u l d

t e l l .

O n l y

a f ormless Form of se l f was l e f t ,

[

age

o u r ]


9/11

S A V I T R I

B O O K I I I C A N T O I

A t enuous g hos t o f som eth i ng t h a t h a d

b e e n ,

T h e l a s t e x p e r ie n c e o f a l a ps i ng wa v e

Be fore i t s ink s i n to a

b o u r n e l e s s

sea,

A s i f i t k e p t e v e n o n t h e b r i n k o f N o u g h t

I t s ba re f e e l i ng o f the ocean w h e n c e i t came.

A V a s t n e s s b r o o d e d

f r e e f rom

sense

of Space,

A n E v e r l a s t i n g n e s s c u t o f f f r o m T i m e ;

A s t r a n g e s u b l i m e u n a l t e r a b l e Peace

S i l e n t

r e j e c t e d f r o m i t w o r l d a n d s o u l .

A s t a r k c o m p a n i o n l e s s R e a l i t y

A n s w e r e d a t l a s t t o h i s

s o u l s

pass ionate se ar ch :

Passionless ,

word l ess ,

a b s o r b e d

i n f a t h o m l e s s peace,

K e e p i n g t h e m y s t e r y

no ne

w o u l d e v e r p i e r c e ,

I t b r o o d e d

i n s c r u t a b l e a n d i n t a n g i b l e

F a c i n g h i m

w i t h

i t s d u m b tr e m e n d ou s c a l m .

I t h a d n o k i n s h i p w i t h t h e u n i v e r s e ;

T h e r e w a s n o a c t , n o m o v e m e n t i n i t s V a s t :

L i f e s qu e s ti on m e t b y i t s

s i l ence

d i ed on h er l i ps ,

T h e w o r l d s e f f or t ceased con v icte d o f ignorance

F i n d i n g no sa nct i on o f superna l L i g h t :

T h e r e w a s n o m i n d t h e r e

w i t h

i t s

n e e d

t o k n o w .

T h e r e w a s n o h e a r t t h e r e

w i t h

i t s

n e e d

t o l ov e .

A l l p e rson pe r ishe d i n i t s namelessness.

T h e r e w a s n o second, i t h a d n o p a r t n e r o r

p e e r ;

O n l y

i t se l f w a s r e a l t o it s e l f .

A p u r e

e x is t e nce

safe f r o m t h o u g h t a n d m o o d ,

A consciousness o f u n s h a r e d i m m o r t a l b l is s,

I t

dw e l t a l oo f i n i t s ba re

i n f i n i t e .

O ne a n d u n i q u e , u n u t t e r a b l y

sole.

A Be i ng form less , f ea ture l e ss a nd m ute

T h a t

k ne w i t s e l f by i t s own t im e l ess s e l f .

A w a r e f o r

e v e r

i n i t s m ot i on l ess de pth s .

[

age i v e

]


10/11

S A V I T R I B O O K I I I

C A N T O

Z

U n c r e a t i n g , u n c re a t e d a n d u n b o r n .

T h e O n e b y w h o m a l l l i v e , w h o l i v e s b y n o n e ,

A n i m m e a s u r a b l e l u m i n o u s

secrecy

G u a r d e d b y t h e v e i l s o f t h e U n m a n i f e s t ,

Above t h e c h a n g i n g cosmic i n t e r l u d e

Abode s u pre m e , i m m u t a b l y t h e

s a m e ,

A s i l e n t

Cause

o c c u l t, i m p e n e t r a b l e ,

I n f i n i t e ,

e t e r n a l , u n t h i n k a b l e , a l o n e .

E N D O F

C A N T O

O N E

[ age S i x ]


11/11

savitri fascicle: book three, canto one (1946)

Documents