Sri Aurobindo's Savitri (An Approach and a Study)

approaches the poem on several different levels. His book is meant to help readers enter into the spirit and sense of the poem, respond to its poetic appeal, and open themselves to its expression of "an integral and cosmic truth beginning with the origin of the world and rising towards man’s ultimate divine fulfilment on earth".

In addition to explaining the general idea, the legend, and the symbols behind the poem and studying its content in canto-by-canto summaries, the author provides thought-provoking chapters that look at Savitri’s status as a modern epic and its spiritual affinity with the poetry of the Veda and the Upanishads. And it is when describing the power of Savitri’s poetic expression that the author best conveys a sense of the sublime intensities of the poem: its power of truth- ‘vision, its vast life-throb, its incandescent beauty and delight, and its apotheosis of the inspired rhythmic word.

The first edition of this book was published in 1952. In this book I have taken the opportunity of bringing under one cover the whole of the epic, Savitri. Three or four topics have been added before the story of the second part of Savitri: Yoga of Aswapathy and the Yoga of Savitri. A short story of ‘‘Overhead planes and aesthetics’’ has also been included so that the reader may see all poetry from another view-point.

Even though readers of poetry in England have not as yet come to realise the value of Sri Aurobindo’s contribution, I believe that time will come when that will happen. Savitri is a great epic which ushers in a new age in poetic creation. Being a masterpiece of the greatest mystic of our times it does not lend itself easily to mere intellectual under- standing. Its meaning, rather its Reality, is to be felt. One has to allow the vibration of it to sink into oneself, one has to arouse in himself the power of vision and see what the Master is showing.

In course of reading Savitri with some friends I tried to make it better and more easily understood by acquainting them with the general idea, the symbols, the legend etc.

This book is the result of putting all that material for the general reader. It is hoped that the book will fulfil its purpose of encouraging and helping earnest students to enter into the Master’s great vision.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages