PROF.
R. V. KULKARNI
“Mysticism”
is a term which denotes an intuitive approach to Reality. It is in direct
contrast to rationality. Reason or Intellect and Intuition are the two main
approaches to Reality. The age of science is characterized by its absolute
reliance on the rational faculty of Man for exploring the ultimate reality. But
the saints and the visionary poets in the East and the West have regarded
Intuition as the reliable and the infallible guide to man on his way towards
Truth.
Sri
Aurobindo believes that Reason, with its limited range and power cannot give us
an insight into the divine reality. He contends that, “The reason cannot arrive
at any final truth because it can neither get to the root of things nor embrace
the totality of their secrets; it deals with the finite, the separate, the
limited aggregate and has no measure for the all and the infinite.” (Sri
Aurobindo: Reason and Beyond Reason, P. 29) He expresses this in Savitri when he describes Aswapathy’s
ascent through the kingdom of the Spirit. During his spiritual journey through
the “kingdoms and godheads of the little mind,” Aswapathy
meets the power of Reason at the last stage. She has
her “narrow house upon a ridge in Time,” and strives to,
“….reduce
to rules the mystic world,
Nothing
she knew but all things hoped to know.
In
dark inconscient realms once void of thought,
Missioned by a supreme
Intelligence
To
throw its ray upon the obscure Vast,
An
imperfect light leading an erring mass
By
the power of sense and the idea and word...”
(Savitri, P. 251)
The
poet develops the same thought further and indicates clearly the futility of
reason in the domain of “supramental truth.” The
following lines support this view.
“For
not by Reason was creation made
And
not by Reason can the truth be seen
Which
through the veils of thought, the screens of sense
Hardly
the spirit’s vision can descry
Dimmed by the imperfection of its means.”
(Savitri, P. 257)
In
other words, the faculty of Reason cannot give the knowledge by which the
“knower” and the “known” are seen as “one.” The truth revealed in Savitra belongs to the “supra-rational” world. It,
therefore, belongs to the tradition of mystic poetry which has come down from
the Vedas and the Upanishads to Jnaneswari.
The supra-rational truth embodied in it can be experienced only through
“intuition.”
Broadly
speaking, there are three aspects of the mystic vision of life in Savitri. The first explores the mystery of cosmic
creation. The second is concerned with the potential divinity in
The
mystery of the cosmic creation in Savitri is unravelled as the vision of “Unity in diversity.” It
reminds one of the prophetic utterances of the ancient sages
in the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Cosmos is seen as the “Lila” or the “play”
of the Self and the Mother. The “Self” or the “Purusha”
remains passive and allows the “Prakriti” to weave
her dreams, conceive the thoughts and objects. The enigma of the creation is
conveyed as
“The
Two who are one are the secret of all power,
The
Two who are one are the might and right in things.
His
soul silent, supports the world and her,
His
acts are her commandment’s registers…..
His
works, his thoughts have been devised by her,
His
being a mirror vast of hers:” (Savitri,
P. 63)
The same note of unity is revealed in the description of the changes brought about by the cycle of seasons. At the end of the downpouring rains, a “musing trance”, a “meditative silence” spreads over the Earth. The advent of Spring is not only the arrival of sensuous joy and thrill but also a call from the “Transcendent” to the principle of eternal bliss in human heart.
“His
voice was a call to the Transcendent’s sphere
Whose
secret touch upon our mortal lives
Keeps
ever new the thrill that made the world,
Remoulds an ancient sweetness
to new shapes
And
guards intact unchanged by death and Time
The
answer of our hearts to Nature’s charm” (Savitri,
P. 357)
Savitri,
thus, presents the picture of Cosmos as a harmonious
relationship among Man, Nature and Universe. It is manifestation of “One”
in the “Many.”
Consequently, Man is
shown as a creature who contains in himself the
seed of divinity. His soul can neither be fettered by the
laws of Matter nor can be destroyed by Death. For him, it is possible to be one
with Eternity by widening his consciousness and enjoy eternal bliss. Savitri’s answer
to Death points out clearly her own and Satyavan’s
role in the destiny of
“For
I the Woman am the force of God,
He
the Eternal’s delegate soul in man.
My
will is greater than thy law, O Death;
My
love is stronger than the bonds of Fate:
Our
love is the heavenly seal of the Supreme.”
(Savitri, P. 639)
The
“supra-sensuous” experiences of God-realization form an integral part of Savitri.
In
fact, Aswapathy’s ascent on the heights and Savitri’s descent into the depths of the spiritual kingdom
abound in such experiences. These experiences are common to the saints and the
spiritual seekers from the East as well as the West. In his penetrating study
of the mysticism in Maharashtra, Prof. R. D. Ranade
defines Mysticism as “that attitude of mind which involves a direct, immediate,
first-hand, intuitive apprehension of God.” Further, in his chapter on Jnanadeva, he notes down the various mystic experiences
described by Jnanadeva. According to him, the eight Sattvica emotions–Colour, Form, Sound, Light, etc.,–are
some of the outstanding experiences described by Jnanadeva.
The
description of Aswapathy’s transformation at the
approach of “A Boundless Heart” is remarkable from this point of view. “Aswapathy’s mortal body was enveloped by a mystic Form. His
spirit and body were linked in the joy beyond words. All his physical and
mental organs were intoxicated with the shower of nectar. They grew limitless
and were drawn towards the mystic power just as a sea drawn towards the Moon. A
divine stream began to flow through his veins. The cells in his body awoke to
the spiritual touch. All his nerves became a burning thread of joy.” (Savitri, P. 334)
The
reference to “nectar” in the passage is not merely metaphorical. It describes
the divine sweetness experienced by Aswapathy. The
“Sea” and “Moon” suggest the widening of consciousness and the union between
the Self and God. “The burning thread of joy” brings out the “light
experience.”
A
still more characteristic passage which describes Savitri’s
metamorphosis is worth analysing. The gradual awakening
in the centres of consciousness takes place in Savitri.
“The
Power, thus, came down from the summit to the ‘lotus’ in brow. As a result,
‘the mysterious eye capable of looking at the invisible vision’ was opened.
This brought about a complete identification of Savitri
with the Eternal Will. She became an instrument in the hands of the Eternal
Light. After this, the lotus in throat was kindled. Savitri’s
speech and thoughts echoed the immortal word and sounded in harmony with the
world-Soul. Next, the lotus in heart which could change Fate was awakened. The
lotus in the navel was, then, touched and the earthly desire was transformed
into celestial flame. Finally, the Power broke into the ‘thousand hooded
serpent Force’. This resulted into the union between Matter and Spirit,” (Savitri, P. 665)
The process
of awakening described in the passage is known as “Kundalini
Yoga.” The word “Kundalini” literally means “coiled
up.” The Yogis describe it as “a coiled serpent” and believe that it is the
root in which the divine energy remains latent. As Swami Prabhavananda
explains, “There are, asserts the Tantra, seven centres of consciousness, the seventh of which is located
in the brain. These centres, resembling lotuses, are
technically known as Chakras. Through certain
prescribed exercises the Kundalini or the Divine
Energy, rises through the centres until it reaches
the seventh and in this seventh occurs a mystic union with the Supreme Lord,
who there resides. Then it is that one ‘attains transcendental’ consciousness.”
(Swami
Prabhavananda: The Spiritual Heritage of India, P.
150)
The
above explanation gives us a clear idea about the mystic transformation in Savitri. However, the process of awakening in
Savitri takes place in a different manner. According
to Kundalini Yoga, it begins from Kundalini
and rises slowly upwards to the seventh centre
located in the brain. In Savitri’s case, however, it
descends slowly from the seventh to the first centre.
This is in keeping with Sri Aurobindo’s idea of
“Descent” of the Divine energy into the mortal being.
Thus
the aspects of mystical vision in Savitri are
many and varied. They are not, of course, separate entities in themselves but
are integral parts of the experience embodied in the poem. To put it into Sri Aurobindo’s own words:
“In
fact Savitri has not been regarded by
me as a poem to be written and finished, but as a field of experimentation to
see how far poetry could be written from one’s own Yogic consciousness and how
that could be made creative.” (Savitri, P.
736)