Savitri Fascicle: Book Two, Canto One (1947)

7/24/2019 Savitri Fascicle: Book Two, Canto One (1947)

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S R I U R O B I N D O



S A V I T R I

egend and a Symbol

[ Book U Canto I ]

SRI UROBINDO



P U B L I S H E R :

S R I A U R O B I N D O C I R C L E B O M B A Y

Na i r H o spi tal Co mp oun d near Bombay C entra l Stati on

i l R i g h t s Re se r v ed

F i r s t Ed ition 1947

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

Pondichery

93 47 500



BOOK T W O

The Book of the Traveller of the W orlds



S VITRI

ook

II—The

ook of the Traveller of the Worlds

C A N T O

ONE

T H E WO RL D STAIR

A

LONE he moved watched by the i n f i n i t y

A r o u n d him and the Unknowable above.

A l l

was now

seen

that

m o r t a l eyes

ignore:

A

limitless movement

filled

a Umitless

peace.

I n a profound existence beyond earth s

Parent or kin to our ideas and dreams

Where

Space

is a

vast

experiment of the soul.

I n a deep

oneness

of a l l things that are.

The universe of the Unknown

arose.

A

self-creation w i t h o u t end or

pause

Revealed

the grandeurs of the

I n f i n i t e .

I t f lung

i n t o the hazards of its play

A m i l l i o n moods, a myriad energies.

The world-shapes that are fancies of its T r u t h

A n d

the formulas of the freedom of its Force.

I t

poured

i n t o

the

Ever-stable s

flux

A bacchic rapture and revel of Ideas,

A passion and

m o t i o n

of everlastingness.

There rose unborn i n t o the Unchanging s

surge

Thoughts that abide in their deathless consequence.

W o r d s

that

i m m o r ta l

last though fallen mute.

Acts that brought out f rom

Silence

its dumb

sense.

Lines that convey the inexpressible.

The Eternal s stillness saw in unmoved joy

H i s universal Power at work display

I n plots of pain and dramas of deUght

The wonder and beauty of her w i l l to be.



S A V I T R I

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

A l l , even p ain , was the sot il s pleasure here;

He r e a l l experience was a s ing le plan.

T h e th ousandfold express ion o f the On e.

A l l

came

at once i n t o h is s ingle view;

N o t h i n g

escaped

h is

vast

i n t u i t i v e

s ight .

N o t h i n g dr e w near he could not fee l as k in :

He was one spir i t w i t h t h a t i m m e n s it y .

Images

in a supernal

consciousness

E m b o d y in g t h e U n b o r n w h o never dies.

T h e structure d v is ions o f the cosmic Se l f

A l i v e w i t h

t h e t o u c h o f

being s

e t e r n i t y

L o o k e d a t h i m Hke fo r m - b o u n d sp i r i t u a l t h o u g h t s

F i g u r i n g

the movements of the Inef fable .

Aspects

o f b e i n g d o n n e d

w o r l d - o u t l i n e ;

forms

T h at o pe n m o v i n g do o r s o n t h i n g s d i v i n e .

Became

famiUar to h is h ou r ly s ight ;

T h e symbols o f the Sp ir i t s reaUty ,

T h e l i v i n g bodies of the

Bodiless

G r e w near t o h i m , h is d a i ly

associates.

T h e exhaustless

seeings

o f t h e u n s l e e pi n g

M i n d ,

Letter ings of i ts contact w i t h t h e i n v i s i b l e ,

S u r r o u n d e d h i m

w i t h coundess p o i n t i n g

signs;

T h e

voices

o f a thousand realms of L i fe

M i ss io n e d t o h i m h er m i g h t y

messages.

T h e heaven-hints th at invade our earth ly l ives .

T h e d i r e i m ag i n at i on s dr eam e d b y

H e l l ,

W h i c h

i f enacted an d experienced here

O u r du l led capaci ty soon would cease to feel

O r o u r m o r t a l

f ra i l t y

c o u l d n o t l o n g e n du r e ,

Were set in the ir subl ime proport ions there .

T he re l ived ou t i n th e ir se l f -born atmosphere .

T h e y r e s u m e d t h e i r topless p i tch and nat ive power;

T h e i r for t i fy ing stress upon the soul

B i t deep i n t o t h e g r o u n d o f consciousness

The pass ion and

p u r i t y

o f

t he i r

extremes.

T h e

absoluteness

o f t he i r s ingle cry

A n d the sovereign sweetness or v io lent poetry

O f the ir beaut i fu l or terr ib le deUght .

A l l thought can know or widest s ight perceive

A n d

a l l that thought and s ight can never k n o w .

A l l th ings occul t and rare , remote and strange

W e r e

near

to heart s con tact , fe l t by spiri t-sense.

A s k i n g

for e n try at h is nature s

gates

T h e y c r o w d e d t h e w i d e n e d spaces o f h is m i n d .

[ P a g e Two ]



S A V I T R I

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

H i s self-discovery s

f l aming

witnesses,

Offering

t h e i r m a r ve l a n d t h e i r

m u l t i t u d e .

These

n o w

became

n e w po r t i o n s o f h i m se l f

A n d

f igures o f his sp ir i t s greater l i fe .

T h e m o v i n g

scenery

o f h i s l a r g e t i m e - w al k

O r

the embroidered t i ssue of h is

sense:

T h e y t oo k t h e

place

o f i n t i m a t e h u m a n t h i n g s

A n d

moved as

close

co m pan i o n s o f h is t h o u g h t s .

O r

were h is

soul s

n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t .

T h e

endless

k in g do m s o f t h e Spi r i t s

bhss.

U n n u m b e r e d t o n e s s t r u c k f r om o n e h a r m o n y .

Each

to i ts wide-winged universal poise .

T o i t s f at h om l e ss f e e li n g o f t h e A l l i n o n e ,

Brought notes of

some

per fect ion yet unseen.

I t s

s ingle retreat i n t o T r u t h s

secrecies.

I t s h appy s i de l i g h t o n t h e I n f i n i t e .

A l l

w as fo u n d t h e r e t h e Un i q u e h ad dr e am e d an d m ade

T o t i n g e

w i t h ceaseless

rapture and surpr ise

A n d an o pu l e n t b e au t y o f passionate difference

T h e r e c u r r in g be at t h a t m o m e n t s G o d i n T i m e .

O n l y

was miss ing the

sole

t imeless W o r d

T h at c ar r i e s e t e r n i t y i n i t s l o n e l y so u n d.

T h e Ide a se l f- lu m i n o u s k e y t o a l l

ideas.

T h e i n t e g e r o f t h e Spi r i t s pe rfe ct su m

T h a t

equates

t h e u n e q u a l A H t o t h e e qu a l O n e ,

T h e s i n g l e s i g n

i n t e r p r e t i n g every

s ign .

The absolute index to the Absolute .

There wal led apart by i ts own innerness

I n

a m yst i c a l

barrage

o f d y n a m i c l i g h t

H e saw a l o n e i m m e n se h i g h - c u r v e d w o r l d - p i l e

Er e ct l i k e a m o u n t a i n c h ar io t o f t h e

Gods

Motionless under an inscrutable sky .

A s i f

f r om

M a t t er s

p l i n t h

a carved sea of worlds

C l i m b i n g

w i t h

foam-maned

waves

to the Suprem e,

I t

swel led upw ards bu t none could see i ts to p:

A

h u n d r e d

levels

r aise d i t to t h e U n k n o w n .

So i t

arose

i n a h u sh ed

conscious Vast

As c l imbs a storeyed temple-tower to heaven

B u i l t b y t h e asp i r i n g so u l o f m an t o l i v e

Near t o h i s dr e am o f t h e In v i s i b l e .

I n f i n i t y

calls

to i t as i t

dreams

an d c l i m b s ;

I t s

spire touches the

apex

o f t h e

w o r l d ;

M o u n t i n g i n t o great

voiceless stillnesses

[ P a ^ e T h r e e }



S A V I T R I

B O O K I I C A N T O 1

I t

marr ies the earth to screened e te rni t ies .

A m i d t h e m a n y systems o f the One

M ade b y an in te rpre t in g c re ative j o y

Alone i t points us to our journey back;

Planted on earth i t i s a l l rea lms in One.

This was the s ingle stair to being s goal .

A s u mmary o f th e stages o f th e sp ir i t .

I t s copy of the cosmic hierarchies

Refashioned i n our secret a ir of sel f

A subt le pat tern of the universe .

I t is w i t h m , b e l o w , w i t h o u t , above.

A c t i n g upon th is vis ib le N ature s

scheme

I t

wakens ou r earth-m atter s

heavy

doze

T o

t h i n k

and feel and to react to joy;

I t

models in us our div iner parts .

L i f t s

m o r t a l m i n d i n t o a greater air.

Makes yearn th is l i f e o f f lesh to intangible a ims .

Lin ks the body s death w i t h i m m o r t a l i t y s c a l l :

O u t o f the swoon of the Inconscience

I t

labours towa rds a superconscient L ig h t .

I f e ar th w e re a l l an d th is w e re n o t in h e r .

T h o u g h t could n ot be n or Hfe-delight s

response:

O n l y mater ia l forms could then be her guests

D r i v e n

b y an in an imate w o r ld- f o rc e .

Earth by th is go lden superf lu i ty

Bore t h i n k i n g m a n a n d m o r e t h a n m a n s h a l l bear;

T h i s h i g h e r scheme of being is our source

A n d holds th e key to our ascending fate.

T h e l i v i n g s ymb o l o f

these

conscious planes,

I t s

inf luences and godheads o f the unseen.

I t s

i m t h o u g h t l og ic o f ReaUty s acts

A ris e n f rom the unspoken t r u t h i n t h i n g s .

Have f ixed our inn er l i fe s

slow-scaled

degrees.

I t s

steps are paces o f th e soul s r e t u r n

F r o m th e

deep

adventure o f mater ia l b i r t h ,

A l adder o f def iver ing ascent

A n d ru n g s th at N atu re c l imb s to de i ty .

O n c e in th e v i g i l o f a deathless

gaze

These grades

h ad mark e d h e r g ian t do w n w ard p lu n g e .

T h e w i d e a n d p r o n e leap o f a

godhead s

fa l l .

O u r

l i fe is a holocaust o f the Suprem e.

T h e g re at W o r ld - M o t h e r b y h e r sacrif ice

Has made her soul the body of our state;

Accept ing sorrow and

unconsciousness

l P a§e Fou r }



S A V I T R I B O O K

I I C A N T O I

D i v i n i t y s

lapse f ro m i t s own splendours wove

T h e m a n y - p a tt e rn e d g r o u n d o f a l l w e a re .

A n i d o l o f s e l f is o u r m o rta l i t y .

O u r

earth is a f ragment and a res idue;

Her power is packed

w i t h

the stuf f of greater worlds

A n d

steeped

i n th e i r c o lo u r-lu st re s d im m e d b y h e r drow s e ;

A n a tavism o f h ighe r b ir th s is he rs,

H e r sleep i s s t i rred by the ir buried memories

Recal l ing the los t spheres

f ro m

w h i c h t h e y fe l l .

Unsatis f ied forces in her bosom move;

T h ey are partners o f her greater g row in g fate

A n d h er

r e t u r n

to

i m m o r t a l i t y ;

T h e y c o n s e n t to share h er d o o m o f

b i r t h

and death;

T h e y k i n d l e p a r ti a l

gleams

o f th e A l l an d dr iv e

H e r

b l i n d

laborious

spir i t

to compose

A

meagre

im a g e o f t h e t h e m i g h t y W h o l e .

T h e c a l m a n d l u m i n o u s I n t i m a c y w i t h i n

Approves her work and guides the unseeing Power,

H i s

vast

design accepts a puny s tart .

A n a t te m pt , a draw in g h a lf -do n e i s th e w o r ld s l i fe ;

I t s

lines do ubt th ei r concealed s ignificance,

I t s

curves

jo in

n o t t h e i r h i g h - i n t e n d e d close.

Ye t some first imag e o f greatness t rembles there ,

A n d

w h e n th e amb ig u o u s c ro w de d par ts

have

m e t

T h e m a n y - t o n e d

u n i t y

t o w h i c h t h e y m o v e d ,

T h e A rt i s t s jo y s h a l l l au g h a t reason s ru les ;

T h e d i v i n e i n t e n t i o n suddenly shal l be seen.

T h e e n d v i n d i c a t e

i n t u i t i on s sure

t e c h n iq u e .

A g raph s h a l l b e o f man y me e t in g w o r lds ,

A cube an d u n io n c rys ta l o f th e gods;

A

M i n d

shal l

t h i n k

b e h in d N a tu re s min dle ss mas k,

A conscious Vast i l l t h e o l d d u m b b r u t e Space.

T h i s f a i n t a n d

fluid

sketch of soul cal led man

S h a l l s tan d o u t o n th e b ac k g ro u n d o f lo n g T ime

A g l o w i n g ep it o m e o f e t e r n i t y ,

A

l i t t l e

po in t rev ea l th e in f in i tu de s .

A M y s te r y s process is the universe.

A t

first

was l ai d a strange anom alous base;

A vo id appeared, c ipher o f some secret W h o l e ,

Where zero he ld

i n f i n i t y

i n i t s s u m

A n d A l l a n d N o t h i n g w e re a sin g le t e r m ,

A n e te rn a l n e g at iv e , a matr ix N o u g h t :

I n t o i t s f o rms th e C h i ld i s

ever

b o r n

W h o l ives for ever i n t he vasts o f G o d .

[ P age F i v e ]



S A V I T R I

B O O K

I I C NTO I

A slow reversars movement then took place:

A gas belched out

f rom

some invisible Fire,

O f

its

dense

rings were formed these

m i l l i o n

stars;

U p o n earth s new-born soil God s tread

was

heard.

As through

th ick

smoke

a

M i n d

began

to see,

A n d

in

a b l i n d

stone-grip

Force

worked its plan

A n d

made in

sleep

this huge mechanical w o r l d .

T h a t

Matter might grow conscious

of

its soul

A n d

l ike

a

busy midwife the life-power

Deliver the zero carrier

of

the A l l .

Because

eternal

eyes

turned on earth s gulfs

The lucent clarity

of

a pure regard

A n d saw a

shadow

of

the Unknowable

M i r r o r e d

in the Inconscient s boundless

sleep,

Creation s search

for

self began its stir.

A spir i t

dreamed in the crude cosmic

w h i r l .

M i n d

flowed unknowing in the

sap of

hfe

A n d

Matter s

breasts

suckled the divine Idea.

A miracle

of

the Absolute

was

bom.

I n f i n i t y put on

a

finite soul.

A l l ocean lived w i t h i n a wandering drop,

A time-made body housed the

I l l u n i t a b l e .

To live this Mystery out our

souls

came

here.

A Seer w i t h i n who knows the ordered plan

Concealed behind our momentary

steps.

Inspires our

ascent to viewless

heights

As once the abysmal leap

to b i r t h

and

fife.

H i s

call had reached the Traveller in Time.

A p a r t

in

an

unfathomed loneliness.

He travelled in his mute and single strength

Bearing the burden of the world s desire.

A

formless Stillness called,

a

nameless

Light.

Above him

was

the white immobile

Ray,

A r o u n d

him the eternal Silences.

N o t e r m

was

fixed

to

the high-pitched attempt;

W o r l d

after

w o r l d

disclosed

its

guarded powers.

Heaven after heaven its

deep

beatitudes,

B u t s t i l l the invisible Magnet drew

his

soul.

A figure

sole

on Nature s giant stair.

He mounted towards

an

indiscernible end

O n

the bare summit

of

created things.

age ix]



Documents

Savitri Fascicle: Book Two, Canto One (1947)