In the Battle

A poem by Sri Aurobindo

In the Battle

Often, in the slow ages' long retreat
On Life's thin ridge through Time's enormous sea,
I have accepted death and borne defeat
To gain some vantage by my fall for Thee.

For Thou hast given the Inconscient the dark right
To oppose the shining passage of my soul
And levy at each step the tax of Night:
Doom, her august accountant, keeps the roll.

All around me now the Titan forces press;
This world is theirs, they hold its days in fee;
I am full of wounds and the fight merciless.
Is it not yet Thy hour of victory?

Even as Thou wilt! What still to Fate Thou owest,
O Ancient of the worlds, Thou knowest, Thou knowest.

+ − CWSA > COLLECTED POEMS

sonnet 25 September 1939 Published posthumously Different versions

In the Battle

Often, in the slow ages' wide retreat
On Life's long bridge through Time's enormous sea,
I have accepted death and borne defeat
If by my fall some gain were clutched for Thee.

To this world's inconscient Power Thou hast given the right
To oppose the shining passage of my soul:
She levies on each step the tax of Night.
Doom, her unjust accountant, keeps the roll.

Around my way the Titan forces press;
This earth is theirs, they hold the days in fee,
I am full of wounds and the fight merciless:
Is it not yet Thy hour of victory?

Even as Thou wilt! What still to Fate Thou owest,
O Ancient of the worlds, Thou knowest, Thou knowest.

Part VII : Pondicherry (Circa 1927-1947) > Sonnets from Manuscripts (Circa 1934-1947)

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How to read the color-coded changes below? 1. SABCL version : lines with any changes & specific changes 2. CWSA version : lines with any changes & specific changes

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Sri-Aurobindo/books/collected-poems/in-the-battle.txt +10 -10

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@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 In the Battle
-Often, in the slow ages' long retreat
-On Life's thin ridge through Time's enormous sea,
+Often, in the slow ages' wide retreat
+On Life's long bridge through Time's enormous sea,
 I have accepted death and borne defeat
-To gain some vantage by my fall for Thee.
-For Thou hast given the Inconscient the dark right
-To oppose the shining passage of my soul
-And levy at each step the tax of Night:
-Doom, her august accountant, keeps the roll.
-All around me now the Titan forces press;
-This world is theirs, they hold its days in fee;
-I am full of wounds and the fight merciless.
+If by my fall some gain were clutched for Thee.
+To this world's inconscient Power Thou hast given the right
+To oppose the shining passage of my soul:
+She levies on each step the tax of Night.
+Doom, her unjust accountant, keeps the roll.
+Around my way the Titan forces press;
+This earth is theirs, they hold the days in fee,
+I am full of wounds and the fight merciless:
 Is it not yet Thy hour of victory?
 Even as Thou wilt! What still to Fate Thou owest,
 O Ancient of the worlds, Thou knowest, Thou knowest.