Man, the Despot of Contraries

A poem by Sri Aurobindo


Man, the Despot of Contraries

I am greater than the greatness of the seas,
    A swift tornado of God-energy:
A helpless flower that quivers in the breeze,
    I am weaker than the reed one breaks with ease.

I harbour all the wisdom of the wise
    In my nature of stupendous Ignorance;
On a flame of righteousness I fix my eyes
    While I wallow in sweet sin and join hell's dance.

My mind is brilliant like a full-orbed moon,
    Its darkness is the caverned troglodyte's.
I gather long Time's wealth and squander soon;
    I am an epitome of opposites.

I with repeated life death's sleep surprise;
I am a transience of the eternities.



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




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

Sri-Aurobindo/books/collected-poems/man-the-despot-of-contraries.txt CHANGED
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  Man, the Despot of Contraries
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  I am greater than the greatness of the seas,
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  A swift tornado of God-energy:
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- A helpless flower that quivers in the breeze
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+ A helpless flower that quivers in the breeze,
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  I am weaker than the reed one breaks with ease.
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  I harbour all the wisdom of the wise
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  In my nature of stupendous Ignorance;

NOTES FROM EDITOR

29 July 1940. Two handwritten manuscripts, the first entitled “The Spirit of Man”.



Manuscript