The Rákshasas

A poem by Sri Aurobindo


The Rakshasas

"Glory and greatness and the joy of life,
Strength, pride, victorious force, whatever man
Desires, whatever the wild beast enjoys,
Bodies of women and the lives of men—
I claim to be my kingdom. I have force
My title to substantiate, I seek
No crown unearned, no lordship undeserved.
Ask what austerity Thou wilt, Maker of man,
Expense of blood or labour or long years
Spent in tremendous meditation, lives
Upon Thy altar spent of brutes or men;
Or if with gold Thy favour purchasable,
I may command rich offerings to glut
Thy triumphs and Thy priests. I have a heart,
A hand for any mighty sacrifice,
A fiery patience in my vehement mood;
I will submit. But ask not this of me,
Meek silence and a pale imprisoned soul
Made colourless of its humanity,
Ask not the heart that quakes, the hand that spares,
What strength can give, not weakness, that demand.
O Rudra! O eternal Mahadev!
Thou too art fierce and mighty, wrathful, bold,
Snuffing Thy winds for blood of sacrifice
And angrily Thou rul'st a prostrate world.
O Rakshasa Almighty, look on me,
Ravan, the lord of all Thy Rakshasas,
Give me Thy high command to smite Thy foes;
But most I would afflict, chase and destroy
Thy devotees who traduce Thee, making Thee
A God of Love, a God too sweet to rule.
I have the knowledge, what Thou art I know


And know myself, for Thou and I are one."
So prayed the Lord of Lanka, and in heaven
Sri Krishna smiled, the Friend of all mankind,
And asked, "O masters of the knowledge, Seers
Who help me by your thoughts to help mankind,
Hearken what Ravan cries against the stars
Demanding earth for heritage. Advise,
Shall he then have it?" And a cry arose,
"He would root out the Brahmin from the earth,
Impose his dreadful Yoga on mankind
And make the violent heart, the iron hand
Sovereign of all." Sri Krishna made reply,
"From out Myself he went to do My will.
He has not lied, he has the knowledge. He
And I are one. How then shall I refuse?
Does it not say, the Veda that you know,
'When one knows That, then whatso he desires,
It shall be his'?" And Atri sage replied,
"Let him then rule a season and be slain."
And He who reigns, "Something you know, O Seers,
Not all my purpose. It is long decreed,
The Rakshasa shall rule the peopled earth.
He takes the brute into himself for man
Yielding it offerings, while with grandiose thoughts
And violent aspirations he controls;
He purifies the demon in the race
Slaying in wrath, not cruelty. Awhile
He puts the Vanara out of the world,
Accustoming to grandeur all mankind;
The Ifrit he rejects. Were he denied
His period, man could not progress. But since
He sees himself as Me, not Me in him,
And takes the life and body for the whole,
He cannot last. Therefore is Atri's word
Accepted." And before the Rakshasa,
Out of the terror of the sacrifice,
Naked and dark, with a blood-dripping sword
And dreadful eyes that seemed to burn the world,
Kali the Rakshasi in flames arose.


"Demand a boon," she cried, and all the gods
Trembled. "Give me the earth for my delight,
Her gods to be my slaves", the Rakshasa cried,
"Of strength and pride." "So let it be,"
She answered. "Shall it be eternal then?"
Ravan demanded and she thundered, "No,
For neither thou nor I are best nor last.
The Asuri shall arise to fill my place,
The Asura thy children shall dethrone.
An aeon thou hast taken to evolve,
An aeon thou shalt rule. But since thy wish
I have denied, ask yet another boon."
"Let this be mine then, when at last I sink,
Nor brute nor demon, man nor Titan's hand,
Nor any lesser creature shall o'erthrow,
But only God himself compel my fall."
And Kali answered, smiling terribly,
"It is decreed," and laughing loud she passed.
Then Ravan from his sacrifice arose.

The Rakshasas

"Glory and greatness and the joy of life,
Strength, pride, victorious force, whatever man
Desires, whatever the wild beast enjoys,
Bodies of women and the lives of men,
I claim to be my kingdom. I have force
My title to substantiate, and I seek
No crown unearned, no lordship undeserved.
Ask what austerity Thou wilt, Maker of man,
Expense of blood or labour or long years
Spent in tremendous meditations, lives
Upon Thy altar spent of brutes or men,
Or if with gold Thy favour purchasable
I may command, rich offerings to glut
Thy temples and Thy priests. I have a heart,
A hand for any mighty sacrifice,
A fiery patience in my vehement mood;
I will submit. But ask not this of me,
Meek silence and a pale imprisoned soul
Made colourless of its humanity;
Ask not the heart that quakes, the hand that spares.
What strength can give, not weakness, that demand.
O Rudra, O eternal Mahádev,
Thou too art fierce and mighty, wrathful, bold,
Snuffing Thy winds for blood of sacrifice,
And angrily Thou rul'st a prostrate world.
O Rákshasa Almighty, look on me,


Rávan, the lord of all Thy Rákshasas,
Give me Thy high command to smite Thy foes;
But most I would afflict, chase and destroy
Thy devotees who traduce Thee, making Thee
A God of love, a God too sweet to rule.
I have the knowledge; what Thou art, I know,
And know myself, for Thou and I are one."
So prayed the Lord of Lunca, and in Heaven
Sri Krishna smiled, the Friend of all mankind,
A smile of sweetness and divine delight,
And asked, "O Masters of the knowledge, Seers
Who help me by your thoughts to help mankind,
Hearken what Rávan cries against the stars,
Demanding earth for heritage. Advise,
Shall he then have it?" And a cry arose,
"He would root out the Brahmin from the earth,
Impose his dreadful Yoga on mankind,
And make the violent heart, the iron hand
Sovereign of all." Sri Krishna made reply,
"From out Myself he went to do My will.
He has not lied, he has the knowledge. He
And I are one. How then shall I refuse?
Does it not say, the Veda that you know,
When one knows That, then whatso he desires,
It shall be his'?" And Atri sage replied,
"Let him then rule a season and be slain."
And He who reigns, "Something you know, O Seers,
Not all My purpose. It is long decreed,
The Rákshasa shall rule the peopled earth.
He takes the brute into himself for man,
Yielding it offerings, while with grandiose thoughts
And violent aspirations he controls;
He purifies the demon in the race,
Slaying in wrath, not cruelty. Awhile
He puts the Vánara out of the world,
Accustoming to grandeur all mankind;


The Ifrit he rejects. Were he denied
His period, man could not progress. But since
He sees himself as Me, not Me in him,
And takes the life and body for the whole,
He cannot last. Therefore is Atri's word
Accepted." And before the Rákshasa,
Out of the terror of the sacrifice,
Naked and dark, with a blood-dripping sword
And dreadful eyes that seemed to burn the world,
Kálí the Rákshasí in flames arose.
"Demand a boon!" she cried, and all the gods
Trembled. "Give me the earth for my delight,
Her gods to be my slaves," the Giant cried,
"Of strength and passion let me have my fill,
Of violence and pride." "So let it be,"
She answered. "Shall it be eternal then?"
Rávan demanded and she thundered, "No!
For neither thou nor I are best nor last.
The Asurí shall rise to fill my place,
The Asura thy children shall dethrone.
An aeon thou hast taken to evolve,
An aeon thou shalt rule. But since thy wish
I have denied, ask yet another boon."
"Let this be mine, that when at last I sink,
Nor brute nor demon, man nor Titan's hand,
Nor any lesser creature shall o'erthrow,
But only God Himself compel my fall."
And Kálí answered, smiling terribly,
"It is decreed," and laughing loud she passed.
Then Rávan from his sacrifice arose.



Part IV : Calcutta and Chandernagore (1907-1910) > Poems Written in 1910 and Published in 1920-1921   




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/the-rakshasas.txt CHANGED
@@ -2,90 +2,92 @@ The Rakshasas
2
2
  "Glory and greatness and the joy of life,
3
3
  Strength, pride, victorious force, whatever man
4
4
  Desires, whatever the wild beast enjoys,
5
- Bodies of women and the lives of men
5
+ Bodies of women and the lives of men,
6
6
  I claim to be my kingdom. I have force
7
- My title to substantiate, I seek
7
+ My title to substantiate, and I seek
8
8
  No crown unearned, no lordship undeserved.
9
9
  Ask what austerity Thou wilt, Maker of man,
10
10
  Expense of blood or labour or long years
11
- Spent in tremendous meditation, lives
12
- Upon Thy altar spent of brutes or men;
13
- Or if with gold Thy favour purchasable,
14
- I may command rich offerings to glut
15
- Thy triumphs and Thy priests. I have a heart,
11
+ Spent in tremendous meditations, lives
12
+ Upon Thy altar spent of brutes or men,
13
+ Or if with gold Thy favour purchasable
14
+ I may command, rich offerings to glut
15
+ Thy temples and Thy priests. I have a heart,
16
16
  A hand for any mighty sacrifice,
17
17
  A fiery patience in my vehement mood;
18
18
  I will submit. But ask not this of me,
19
19
  Meek silence and a pale imprisoned soul
20
- Made colourless of its humanity,
21
- Ask not the heart that quakes, the hand that spares,
20
+ Made colourless of its humanity;
21
+ Ask not the heart that quakes, the hand that spares.
22
22
  What strength can give, not weakness, that demand.
23
- O Rudra! O eternal Mahadev!
23
+ O Rudra, O eternal Mahádev,
24
24
  Thou too art fierce and mighty, wrathful, bold,
25
- Snuffing Thy winds for blood of sacrifice
25
+ Snuffing Thy winds for blood of sacrifice,
26
26
  And angrily Thou rul'st a prostrate world.
27
- O Rakshasa Almighty, look on me,
28
- Ravan, the lord of all Thy Rakshasas,
27
+ O Rákshasa Almighty, look on me,
28
+ Rávan, the lord of all Thy Rákshasas,
29
29
  Give me Thy high command to smite Thy foes;
30
30
  But most I would afflict, chase and destroy
31
31
  Thy devotees who traduce Thee, making Thee
32
- A God of Love, a God too sweet to rule.
33
- I have the knowledge, what Thou art I know
32
+ A God of love, a God too sweet to rule.
33
+ I have the knowledge; what Thou art, I know,
34
34
  And know myself, for Thou and I are one."
35
- So prayed the Lord of Lanka, and in heaven
35
+ So prayed the Lord of Lunca, and in Heaven
36
36
  Sri Krishna smiled, the Friend of all mankind,
37
- And asked, "O masters of the knowledge, Seers
37
+ A smile of sweetness and divine delight,
38
+ And asked, "O Masters of the knowledge, Seers
38
39
  Who help me by your thoughts to help mankind,
39
- Hearken what Ravan cries against the stars
40
+ Hearken what Rávan cries against the stars,
40
41
  Demanding earth for heritage. Advise,
41
42
  Shall he then have it?" And a cry arose,
42
43
  "He would root out the Brahmin from the earth,
43
- Impose his dreadful Yoga on mankind
44
+ Impose his dreadful Yoga on mankind,
44
45
  And make the violent heart, the iron hand
45
46
  Sovereign of all." Sri Krishna made reply,
46
47
  "From out Myself he went to do My will.
47
48
  He has not lied, he has the knowledge. He
48
49
  And I are one. How then shall I refuse?
49
50
  Does it not say, the Veda that you know,
50
- 'When one knows That, then whatso he desires,
51
+ When one knows That, then whatso he desires,
51
52
  It shall be his'?" And Atri sage replied,
52
53
  "Let him then rule a season and be slain."
53
54
  And He who reigns, "Something you know, O Seers,
54
- Not all my purpose. It is long decreed,
55
- The Rakshasa shall rule the peopled earth.
56
- He takes the brute into himself for man
55
+ Not all My purpose. It is long decreed,
56
+ The Rákshasa shall rule the peopled earth.
57
+ He takes the brute into himself for man,
57
58
  Yielding it offerings, while with grandiose thoughts
58
59
  And violent aspirations he controls;
59
- He purifies the demon in the race
60
+ He purifies the demon in the race,
60
61
  Slaying in wrath, not cruelty. Awhile
61
- He puts the Vanara out of the world,
62
+ He puts the Vánara out of the world,
62
63
  Accustoming to grandeur all mankind;
63
64
  The Ifrit he rejects. Were he denied
64
65
  His period, man could not progress. But since
65
66
  He sees himself as Me, not Me in him,
66
67
  And takes the life and body for the whole,
67
68
  He cannot last. Therefore is Atri's word
68
- Accepted." And before the Rakshasa,
69
+ Accepted." And before the Rákshasa,
69
70
  Out of the terror of the sacrifice,
70
71
  Naked and dark, with a blood-dripping sword
71
72
  And dreadful eyes that seemed to burn the world,
72
- Kali the Rakshasi in flames arose.
73
- "Demand a boon," she cried, and all the gods
73
+ Kálí the Rákshasí in flames arose.
74
+ "Demand a boon!" she cried, and all the gods
74
75
  Trembled. "Give me the earth for my delight,
75
- Her gods to be my slaves", the Rakshasa cried,
76
- "Of strength and pride." "So let it be,"
76
+ Her gods to be my slaves," the Giant cried,
77
+ "Of strength and passion let me have my fill,
78
+ Of violence and pride." "So let it be,"
77
79
  She answered. "Shall it be eternal then?"
78
- Ravan demanded and she thundered, "No,
80
+ Rávan demanded and she thundered, "No!
79
81
  For neither thou nor I are best nor last.
80
- The Asuri shall arise to fill my place,
82
+ The Asurí shall rise to fill my place,
81
83
  The Asura thy children shall dethrone.
82
84
  An aeon thou hast taken to evolve,
83
85
  An aeon thou shalt rule. But since thy wish
84
86
  I have denied, ask yet another boon."
85
- "Let this be mine then, when at last I sink,
87
+ "Let this be mine, that when at last I sink,
86
88
  Nor brute nor demon, man nor Titan's hand,
87
89
  Nor any lesser creature shall o'erthrow,
88
- But only God himself compel my fall."
89
- And Kali answered, smiling terribly,
90
+ But only God Himself compel my fall."
91
+ And Kálí answered, smiling terribly,
90
92
  "It is decreed," and laughing loud she passed.
91
- Then Ravan from his sacrifice arose.
93
+ Then Rávan from his sacrifice arose.

NOTES FROM EDITOR

  1. This poem was intended for the first issue of the Karmayogin to be printed from the manuscript described in the above note. A corrupt version was printed in the Standard Bearer on 14 November 1920. This version was revised by Sri Aurobindo for inclusion in Collected Poems and Plays in 1942. The present version is based on the original manuscript.