Meditations on Savitri Book 7 Canto 4

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

Here from a low and prone and listless ground
The passion of the first ascent began;
A Woman sat in a pale lustrous robe.... ||122.1||
The Mother of the seven sorrows bore
The seven stabs that pierced her bleeding heart... ||122.4||
In soft sweet training words slowly she spoke:
“O Savitri, I am thy secret soul. ||122.6||
To share the suffering of the world I came,
I draw my children’s pangs into my breast.... ||122.7||
I am the hope that looks towards my God,
My God who never came to me till now;
His voice I hear that ever says `I come’:
I know that one day he shall come at last.” ||122.22||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

She ceased, and like an echo from below
Answering her pathos of divine complaint
A voice of wrath took up the dire refrain, ||122.23||
“I am the Man of Sorrows, I am he
Who is nailed on the wide cross of the universe;
To enjoy my agony God built the earth,
My passion he has made his drama’s theme.... ||122.24||
I am the doer of demoniac deeds;
I was made for evil, evil is my lot;
What Nature made me, that I must remain. ||122.37||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

And Savitri heard the voice, the echo heard
And turning to her being of pity spoke:
Madonna of suffering, Mother of grief divine,
Thou art a portion of my soul put forth
To bear the unbearable sorrow of the world.... ||122.39||
But thine is the power to solace, not to save. ||122.41||
One day I will return, a bringer of strength,
And make thee drink from the Eternal’s cup... ||122.42||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

On passed she in her spirit’s upward route.... ||123.1||
A Woman sat in gold and purple sheen,
Armed with the trident and the thunderbolt,
Her feet upon a couchant lion’s back. ||123.4||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

Aspired the harmony of her puissant voice:
“O Savitri, I am thy secret soul.... ||123.9||
I am Durga, goddess of the proud and strong,
And Lakshmi, queen of the fair and fortunate;
I wear the face of Kali when I kill,
I trample the corpses of the demon hordes.... ||123.16||
I shall hear the silver swing of heaven’s gates
When God comes out to meet the soul of the world.” ||123.27||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

She spoke and from the lower human world
An answer, a warped echo met her speech... ||123.28||
The voice rose up and smote some inner sun:
“I am the heir of the forces of the earth,
Slowly I make good my right to my estate... ||123.33||
When earth is mastered, I shall conquer heaven;
The gods shall be my aids or menial folk,
No wish I harbour unfulfilled shall die:
Omnipotence and omniscience shall be mine.” ||123.54||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

And Savitri heard the voice, the warped echo heard
And turning to her being of power she spoke:
Madonna of might, Mother of works and force,
Thou art a portion of my soul put forth... ||123.55||
Thou hast given men strength, wisdom thou couldst not give. ||123.58||
One day I will return, a bringer of light,
Then will I give to thee the mirror of God;
Thou shalt see self and world as by him they are seen
Reflected in the bright pool of thy soul. ||123.59||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

Ascending still her spirit’s upward route
She came into a high and happy space... ||124.1||
Here, living centre of that vision of peace,
A Woman sat in clear and crystal light: ||124.5||
A low music heard became her floating voice:
O Savitri, I am thy secret soul. ||124.6||
I have come down to the wounded desolate earth
To heal her pangs and lull her heart to rest... ||124.7||
I shall save earth, if earth consents to be saved. ||124.25||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

She spoke and from the ignorant nether plane
A cry, a warped echo naked and shuddering came.... ||124.27||
I am the mind of God’s great ignorant world
Ascending to knowledge by the steps he made; ||124.40||
If God is at work, his secrets I have found. ||124.51||
But still the Cause of things is left in doubt, ||124.52||
I know not and perhaps shall never know.... ||124.53||
Human I am, human let me remain
Till in the Inconscient I fall dumb and sleep. ||124.63||

Savitri Book 7 Canto 4 - The Triple Soul-Forces

And Savitri heard the voice, the warped answer heard
And turning to her being of light she spoke:
Madonna of light, Mother of joy and peace,
Thou art a portion of my self put forth
To raise the spirit to its forgotten heights
And wake the soul by touches of the heavens.... ||124.67||
Even if thou rain down intuition’s rays,
The mind of man will think it earth’s own gleam,
His hunger for the eternal thou must nurse...
And bring God down into his body and life. ||124.70||
One day I shall return, His hand in mine,
And thou shalt see the face of the Absolute. ||124.71||