The Ascent of Sight in Sri Aurobindo's Savitri

Fourth Element:

Obstruction to the Sight:

As in the case of an ordinary physical sight the interposition of an opaque obstacle in between the viewer of an object and the object itself is liable to prevent the vision of the object from taking place, so in the case of a subtle supraphysical vision the "seer" has to take care that no "opaque" psychological obstacle intervenes between his ' 'eye'' of vision and the reality of the object viewed. Some of these possible obstructions are well-known: (1) the insistent outward-darting action of the physical senses; (2) the turbidity and restlessness of vital desires; (3) the agitated activity of the thinking mind; (4) pronounced

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preferences and antipathies for and against anyone or anything, etc.

In the presence of any such or similar obstruction, the sight or vision of the viewer is liable to get distorted, falsified or even completely checkmated. Thus our mind's throbs and the vitals' heaving's have to be stilled before we can hope to have our inner consciousness awakened and functioning, offering us a vision pure and unclouded.

It is worth mentioning at this point that the illuminating light itself may at times act as an obstacle to a more profound vision. Just as the light of the sun shining during daytime obliterates the vision of the billions of stars present in the heavenly vault above, so a lesser but prominent and proximate light emanating from a relatively lower level of consciousness may blot out from before the seer's vision a far greater truth of the reality. Did not the Rishi of the Isha Upanishad send up his passionate appeal to Pushan, the Godhead, to remove the veil of dazzlingly golden light which was covering the face of the Truth? - Hiranmayena pātrena satyasyāpihitarh mukham. (Isha Upanishad, 15)

Here are some representative verses from Savitri referring to a few of the different types of veils and lids acting as obstacles to the spirit's vision:

(1)"Cast from thee sense that veils thy spirit's sight: In the enormous emptiness of thy mind

Thou shall see the Eternal's body in the world...'' (476)

(2)"... a curtain of bright mind

That hangs between our thought and absolute

sight..." (74)

(3)''The robes of mortal thinking were cast down

Leaving his knowledge bare to absolute sight..." (320)

(4)''Through a gleaming far-seen sky of wordless thought,

Through naked thought-free heavens of absolute

sight..." (632)

(5)"That subtle world withdrew deeply within

Behind the sun-veil of the inner sight." (527)

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