Sri Aurobindo's Savitri - An Approach And A Study

SUMMARY OF BOOK SIX

CANTO I

THE WORD OF FATE

Narad, the sage, from Paradise came chanting through the air "bordering the mortal's plane". He came attracted by the golden summar-earth that lay like a bowl "tilted upon a table of the Gods" He came from happy paths of the immortals "to a world of toil and quest and grief and hope", of death and life. From Mind he passed to Matter. He passed through a sea of ether and then through "primal air", from there he went through the "creative fire" and saw its triple power "to build and form". "He beheld the cosmic Being at his task" and "the eternal labour of the Gods".

Then a change of mood came over Narad:

"A rapture and a pathos moved his voice". Uptil now his theme was adoration of the Supreme. But now he did not sing "of light that never wanes", of unity of being, "everlasting bliss", and "deathless love". He sang of Ignorance and Fate. "He sang the Inconscient and its secret self" working blindly and yet bringing definite results. He chanted of the "darkness yearning towards the eternal Light".

"And Love that broods within the dim abyss

"He sang of the Truth that cries from Night's blind deeps"

and "of the glory and marvel still to be born".

Narad, who had conquered the immortal's seat "came down to men on earth, the Man divine". He came down like lightning "where arose King Aswapathy's palace to the winds."

He was welcomed by the King and Queen. For one hour they talked while Narad spoke of "the toils of men and what the gods strive for", "the marvel and mystery of pain". "He sang to them

Page 290

of the lotus-heart of love" which "sleeps veiled by apparent things". One day that love will bloom "in the garden of the Spouse", "when she is seized by her discovered lord."

Even as he was singing Savitri arrived and "her radiant tread glimmered across the floor". She was not the same Savitri now, she was changed by the halo of Love like

"One carrying the sanction of the gods

To her love and its luminous eternity"

Savitri noticed the presence of Narad with his "fiery sweetness".

Narad flung "on her his vast immortal look".

The speech of Narad here is one of the rarest poetical passages in world's literature. It has chiselled classicism of the Greeks, and romanticism rarely equalled in its exuberance and intensity and colour. And yet it is convincingly real. It is the yogic vision revealing a picture of absolute Beauty perceived impersonally and yet with an intensity not possible to a personal view. It is rich, it throbs with life, and is overflowing with delight. Beauty is revealed here in its most impersonal and universal aspect, in its utmost intensity. This once for all shatters the current notion that yogic consciousness is divorced from a sense and perception of Beauty.

Narad says: "Who is this that comes, the bride, the flame-born' with lights flashing about her? "From what green glimmer of glades, bringest thou this glory of enchanted eyes"? There are in Nature expanses, hills and woods where felicity reigns undisturbed. "There hast thou paused", "thou hast not drunk from an earthly cup" but hast wondered through "brighter countries than man's eyes can bear". Thou hast been in the Gandhamadan mountain sporting divinely, "and in god-haunts thy human footsteps strayed. Thy mortal bosom quivered with god-speech." And what kind of divine melody "still surprised thou nearest?"

"The empty roses of thy hands are filled

Only with their own beauty and the thrill

of a remembered clasp".

Thus Narad discerns in his yogic vision the truth of Savitri's experience and expresses it in terms of exquisite beauty.

Page 291

Then he sees another aspect: "Thou hast not spoken with the kings of pain", never known pain. Thou seemest always to feel life like music, like a song,—harmonious, rapid, grand. "Thou livest in thy inner bliss" undisturbed by pain. Thou art like a silver deer "O ruby-eyed and snow-winged dove!", flitting m the unwounded beauty of thy soul. Thou hast come to this world "where hardly love and beauty can live safe"—"Thyself a being dangerously great". Thou hast lived safe in thy dreams "leaving doom asleep" and thou couldst have a very happy earthly life "if for all time doom could be left to sleep".

Narad "spoke but held his knowledge back from words". But in the non-committal words of Narad Aswapathy had "marked the dubious close" and "an ominous shadow felt behind his words". So he answered him with guarded speech: from what you say I am led to believe that Savitri would have a god-like life as she has divine elements in her inner being. In this world hardly a being is able to keep up the heavenly note, the joy and the light. "Behold this image cast by light and love

"...a pillared ripple of gold !

Her body like a brimmed pitcher of delight

"Dream-made illumined mirrors are her eyes"

"Even as her body, such is she within".

Then he requested Narad to give his blessings so that Savitri's joy would last and pain would not throw its bronze note in her days: behold her and give her your blessings that this fair child shall pour nectar of a sorrowless life around her and "heal with her bliss the tired breast of earth". Her dawns are "like jewelled leaves of light; so casts she her felicity on men." He said "Doom surely will see her pass and say no word". But such a good fortune is rare in human life, the Mother of the World is careless and the fire of suffering tests even great souls. He at last requested Narad: "Once let unwounded pass a mortal life."

"But Narad answered not; silent he sat". He evaded answering and diverted the topic by asking: On what high mission did Savitri

Page 292

go? Aswapathy replied: She had gone to "find her lord". Then he turned to Savitri and asked:

"Virgin who comes and perfected by joy

"Whom hast thou chosen kingliest among men?"

Savitri calmly replied:

"The son of Dyumatsena, Satyavan

I have met on the wild forest's lonely verge

My father, I have chosen. This is done."

The king saw a heavy shadow float above the name but it was chased by a sudden and stupendous Light. He approved of her choice saying it would all end well, whether good or evil in appearance ultimately the Good would triumph. Through contraries of Nature we draw near to God. Then Narad might have spoken but the King intervened and asked him not to give "the dire ordeal that foreknowledge brings". Men are not like the Gods; their life is full of trials and difficulties. "To light one step in front is all his hope." If thou canst loose her grip—the grip of Fate—then only speak.

But "Narad answered not the king".

Now the queen raised her voice: As your arrival coincides with the chance of a happy married life

"Let the speech benign of griefless spheres".

"Confirm this blithe conjunction of two stars."

There is no reason for not rejoicing nor any for inviting fear. Bless their union and push away the ominous shadow from their days. Man is already a frail being, his heart "dares not be too happy Upon earth". If you really think that their union is doomed to suffer "then also speak", so that "we may turn aside" and rescue our lives from it.

Narad answered: what help can foreknowledge render to men who are driven by Fate? "Safe doors cry opening near" but "the

Page 293

doomed pass on"—they do not see the doors of escape. The knowledge of the future to such ignorant men "is an added pain". Fate has fixed everything. Man is an unconscious being, he moves compelled by forces he does not know.

"None can refuse what the stark force demands

No cry or prayer can turn her from her path".

Narad spoke as one who knows not grief.

The queen—"as a common man beneath the load... breathes his pain",—spoke in ignorant words: what doom took the form of Satyavan and attracted Savitri? Is he an enemy from the past? "The gods make use of our forgotten deeds". Man himself is the creator of his doom—it is love that makes him suffer the most. There are other elements that compel us to suffer; our own sympathy increases the range of our suffering—"our sympathies become our tortures". I am able to bear my own suffering, but the suffering of others gives me unbearable pain.

"We are not as the gods who know not grief

"We keep the ache of breasts that breathe no more

"We have sorrow for a greatness passed away

And feel the touch of tears in mortal things".

She requested Narad to speak out, if there was the doom; suspense is worse than suffering. "To know is best, however hard to bear".

Then Narad spoke setting free destiny in that hour, "piercing the mother's heart", "forcing to steel the will of Savitri." Satyavan whom Savitri has chosen is marvellous,

"His figure is the front of Nature's march,

His single being excels the works of Time". He is

"A living knot of golden Paradise

"A star of splendour or a rose of bliss".

Page 294

In him Soul and Nature are perfectly balanced. There is in him an aspiration for the immortals air. He is a "godhead quarried from the stones of life."

But there is an adverse Fate,

"Twelve swift-winged months are given to him and her;

This day returning Satyavan must die."

The queen then complained to Narad that the Grace of Heaven, in that case, would be in vain. If the Divine showers grace with one hand and smites the human being with the other then I would reject both of them.

She then addressed Savitri: Go forth, O Savitri! and "choose once again". Do not plead that you have made a choice "for death has made it vain."

Savitri calmly but firmly replied:

"Once my heart chose and chooses not again."

It is like a Truth once uttered which always remains and "sounds immortally" "in the memory of Time."

"My heart has sealed its troth to Satyavan.

"Its seal nor Fate nor Death nor Time dissolve.

"Fates law may change, but not my spirit's will."

But the queen thought that Savitri was ignorantly denying every avenue of escape and fixing her own doom. She said to Savitri "O child, in the magnificence of thy soul" "thou lendest eternity to a mortal hope". In this world that is constantly changing there is no lover and no friend. Everything in life is passing. Someone comes into our life, plays his part and departs. But nothing really happens to our souls, they join and separate according to the need of the great Dancer. Man has only the capacity to call, he can only aspire for

Page 295

"an unseized bliss." But when he attains the bliss, when the hope is fulfilled the charm melts away, the heavenly music ceases. Would you follow the uncontrolled passion of your mood and defy the Law? "Only the gods can speak what now thou speakest". But thou art human, "think not like a god." Calm reason alone must be your guide, neither the furious march of the giant to capture heaven, nor the fall into the abyss of Hell is proper to the human being. "The middle path is made for thinking man." Love can be eternal not on earth but only on the higher levels of being.' In life one has to march slowly towards timeless peace. ,

But Savitri replied:

"My will is part of the eternal will

"My strength is not the titan's, it is God's.

"My spirit has glimpsed the glory for which it came."

"I will have joy only in union with Satyavari."

Compared to that joy "the riches of a thousand fortunate years, are a poverty".

"I shall walk with him like gods in Paradise.

" If for a year, that year is all my life"

"...I know now why my spirit came on earth

And who I am and who he is I love.

I have looked at him from my immortal Self,

I have seen God smile at me in Satyavan,

I have seen the Eternal in a human face."

After that none could say anything:

"Silent they sat and looked into the eyes of Fate."

Page 296

CANTO II

THE WAY OF FATE AND THE PROBLEM OF PAIN

The great problem "why pain at all in a world created by God" is represented here in the actual situation of life, and Narad, the Man divine, answers these questions and suggests correct attitude to be taken with regards to pain. The presence of Ignorance and pain can no more keep out the possibility of man attaining knowledge and delight than the existence of night prove that the sun does not exist. The divine Presence is behind the outer appearances, it is behind each one's heart. Through chequered experiences of life—of pleasure and pain—man marches towards the birth of divinity in life.

Even world-saviours have to suffer pain in order to help mankind. The reason is that there is an adversary Force which opposes any move towards Light. Escape from the world of pain would not solve the problem. The Light must descend into the Inconscient which is the basis of Ignorance and therefore of pain.

Such a world-saviour may come and he would bring the Light down into the Inconscient and then only the law of Pain will end.

Pain and suffering help men to grow towards God. They have their divine utility in the scheme of life. Man should patiently bear pain if it comes but he should not invite it.

Also he should follow the way of ordinary Nature which takes him through joy and sorrow—and not follow the Titan's way which is dangerous.

Rightly seen pain, joy and indifference are only garbs of universal Delight.

As to the origin of pain: Man himself has created his pain. The original Absolute Consciousness felt attracted by a negative Absolute and so the descent came, then duality and the world was created.

Aswapathy then asks whether the divine Power that is in Savitri is capable of controlling Fate., Narad says that with the higher Truth everything that happens here on earth is foreseen. Man sees with his limited Mind and therefore cannot see. It is true Satyavan must die; but death is not the end. The Fate of the Spirit is not the events but the goal and the path he chooses. The Fate of the

Page 297

Spirit is to march from Matter to Spirit. Many great spirits have worked at this goal and of these Savitri is a master builder.

Then Narad asked the Queen not to interfere with the Savitri's decision, nor to take it in the ordinary human way. It is an issue too big for such human feelings and should be left to God. So saying Narad disappeared.

In the previous Canto Narad's word of Fate seemed to fix the doom of Satyavan and Savitri affirmed her choice: two affirmations stand opposing each other: Fate on one side, the soul's divine choice' on the other. But the Fate is not unchallenged by the world; one voice, over and above Savitri's soul, from the silence "questioned changeless destiny." It is the queen who felt the leaden, inevitable hand of Fate and her quietude was disturbed. She became, for the time being, the voice of human grief: "She bore the common lot of men," "Passionate like sorrow questioning heaven" she spoke. She brought in her utterance the full burden of suffering that is in the world's dumb heart: "By what pitiless adverse Necessity", "by what random accident or governed Chance", came "the dire mystery of grief and pain?" Is God who created the world, cruel? or is there some antidivine power that thwarts the work of God? How did this duality, these pairs of opposites,—pleasure and pain.; good and evil etc.,—gain first entry into human life? The animals though inferior to men have a frank simplicity and are not subject to this kind of suffering. But man has lost the instinct, has twisted his being and created duality and is subject to suffering. The very birth of man is "in pain and with a cry". Even though birth of life is welcomed by earth, still life on earth is precarious. Our very bodies are an engine cunningly made and superior in many ways but the body is at the same time very vulnerable. Diseases, "purveyors of death and torturers of life", enter the body and we, human beings, "make our own enemies our guests". Even Ids mind which is free from physical ailments, "suffers lamed by the world's disharmony"

"And the unloveliness of human things."

Man is like a "fort besieged", "a marvel missed," "An ill-armed warrior facing dreadful odds", an "imperfect worker", "an ignorant judge of problems Ignorance made." Even when life tries to fly

Page 298

high,—"Its heaven-ward flights reach closed and keyless gates." Whatever man does is always inflicted by this duality, he is not able to attain perfection. He does not know from where his actions spring —his "fount of action", comes from some darkness. Many of his actions are subconscious in their origin. Man's past history is "a growing register of calamities." History of man is full of "man's follies and man's crimes." There are countless ills of Nature around him, but over and above them, "the centuries pile" "upon the countless crowd of Nature's ills." Man makes wars, brings ruin and massacre. In his frenzy he destroys what beauty and grandeur he has created: "An idiot hour destroys what centuries made." Man sows misery with his own hands and reaps the results: "He walks by his own choice into hell's trap", "Nothing has been learnt from time and its history". Man's life "is an episode in a meaningless tale". Why and wherefore are we here?—This is an unanswered question.

If man is really divine in his origin and his destiny is to return to his divinity then from where comes this present state of imperfection and suffering? "Whence rose the strange and sterile interlude", "lasting in vain through interminable Time?" Does all this suffering and travail lead to anything? Is there any significance of this suffering? "What need had the soul of ignorance and tears ?" And "What power forced the immortal spirit to birth", or, who "persuaded it to fall from bliss?" why at all this "will to live"? If there is no Spirit, then "What hard impersonal Necessity compels the vain toil of brief living things?" If the explanation is that all this is an illusion then where is the security for the human soul? Also, "where begins and ends Illusion's reign?" Or, is it really that soul is only a dream and the Eternal a mere fiction?

To the Queen Narad made reply by putting a counter question: Was then the sun a dream because there is night?,"—just as behind the dark veil of the night the sun is hidden; so is the Eternal secret here in life and its appearances:

"Hidden in the mortals heart the Eternal lives"

"He lives secret in the chamber of thy soul."

A veil hides Him, so you do not see, or feel or hear the divine Guest. You speak only from your human mind and therefore, ignorantly:

Page 299

for Thought is "a light of Ignorance". You can see the world but cannot know the meaning of God in the world. '

"Thy mind's light hides from thee the eternal's thought"

"Its brilliant curtain hides from thee God's face."

As to suffering—"Where ignorance is, there suffering too must come." "Thy grief is a cry of darkness to the Light." "Pain is the hammer of the gods to break" "a dead resistance in the mortal's heart." It is this suffering that makes possible man's ascension to divine heights. The whole earth-consciousness is, as it were, in birth- pang to deliver the divine Being: "and yet the godhead in her is not born". Before that great event takes place all the gods and human beings have to work hard to bring it about: "with pain and labour all creation comes." Pain is the hand of Nature sculpturing man "to greatness" and "an inspired labour chisels with heavenly cruelty an unwilling mould." Sometimes, when the outer being seems to suffer the inner spirit takes delight as it feels that suffering leads it to its goal.

Besides, it is not only ordinary mortals who suffer pain, even the great spirits who come to "save the race must share its pain." For example Christ, "The Son of God, born as a Son of man", who came to save mankind "has drunk the bitter cup" and by his suffering "he has opened the doors of his undying peace".

"His knowledge immortal triumphs by his death

Hewn, quartered on the scaffold as he falls

His crucified voice proclaims 'I, I am God.'

'Yes, all is God,' peals back Heaven's deathless call

When God's messenger comes to help the world

"He too must bear the pang that he would heal;

"How shall he cure the ills he never felt?"

Even if there be no outward participation in the world's suffering still "he carries the suffering world in his own breast". "A siege, a

Page 300

combat is his inner life", because he has to meet "an ancient adversary Force". 'In the fight against the antidivine Force "the weeping of the centuries visits his eyes", "the poison of the world has stained his throat". "He is the victim of his own sacrifice", because he voluntarily invites suffering—"he dies that the world may be new-born and live."

There is in human nature a secret enmity to the Divine that impedes Gods' work on earth. "Till it is slain peace is forbidden on earth." Man is, in a way, an instrument of those hostile forces: "forces intangible besiege", "thoughts not our own," "touches from alien realms" come to man. This adversary Force hides from man "the straight immortal path". It twists everything divine and turns it into evil.

"It is the origin of our suffering here."

"It binds earth to calamity and pain."

"This hidden foe lodged in the human breast

Man must overcome or miss his higher fate.

This is the inner war without escape."

The task of the world-redeemer is hard because "the world itself becomes his adversary." "His enemies are beings he came to save." why is this so? Because "This world is in love with its own ignorance," "It gives the cross in payment for the crown".

There is an easier and a sun-lit path to God. But few can tread that path. Even if a few souls can escape from ignorance the world cannot be saved.

"Escape, however high, redeems not life

''Escape cannot uplift the abandoned race.

Or bring to victory and the reign of God."

The labour to bring the Light into life has to be continued till the adversary Force is "stain in its own home," "And Light invades the world's inconscient base."

There is hope for mankind, for, "One yet may come armoured, invincible" and "the ineffable planes already have felt 1-ds tread." "He has seized life's hands, "he has mastered his own heart." "He

Page 301

too must grapple with the riddling sphinx." He has known the constitution of Matter and the laws of its workings, the lower life

"He must call light into its dark abysms

"He must enter the eternity of Night

And know God's darkness as he knows his Sun."

And

"for this he must go down into the pit"

"For this he must invade the dolorous Vasts."

When he comes out victorious then the "secret Law of each thing is fulfilled."

"Then shall be ended here the Law of Pain," and then even

"The body's self taste immortality".

Narad addresses the human being:

"O, Mortal! bear this great world's law of pain

"Turn towards high Truth, aspire to love and peace".

"Make of thy daily way a pilgrimage." You progress towards God through your small joys and griefs. The Titan's way is not good for man. "Heavenward he clambers on a stair of storms". He does not rely on the Divine's help. He wants to grab everything, he wants to make "his own estate of the earth's air and light". He wants to dominate over all. He inflicts suffering on himself and on others. He resorts to hurry, riot, excess, hate and violence in order to be equal to the Divine. And the Divine to him is only Power. He feels his own strength by pain of others. He wants to "stamp his single figure on the world." "He sees his little self as very God."

"Take not that stride, O growing soul of man !

"O mortal, bear, but ask not for the stroke.

Too soon will grief and anguish find thee out."

Page 302

And yet in spite of all the limitations of thy nature the Divine that is within thy heart is thy spirit's goal. It is the imprisoned Divinity in thee that make thee feel pain.

"Pain is the signature of the Ignorance.

Attesting the secret god denied by life:

"Until life finds him pain can never end."

It is Bliss that is the secret self of all that lives, "even pain and grief are garbs of world-delight". It is the inability of the separated little self to bear the "world's tremendous touch" that translates itself into pain. Indifference, pain and joy are a triple disguise of bliss. By the strength of the Spirit within thee thou wilt attain the divine goal— the calm and the bliss.

As to the origin of pain and the question who created pain? Narad makes the following reply:

"Thou art thyself the author of thy pain." Originally the spirit was in the state of perfection. It became "curious of a shadow thrown by Truth." It sensed "a negative infinity" which became the ground for Nature's ignorant birth of Matter, unconsciousness and from it Mind rose. Thus,

"The eternal Consciousness became the home

Of some unsouled almighty Inconscient".

This was the result of the Silent One turning to manifestation, the Immortal turning towards mortality. The lure to it was the hazards of the adventure: the "music of ruin", "savour of pity", "gamble of love", "toil and battle", "the vast incertitude", "strange meetings on the roads of Ignorance", "solitary greatness"—were some of the elements that called it from "its too safe eternity".

As a result of this choice of the lure of adventure "a huge descent began, a giant fall". "For what the spirit sees, creates a truth"; the vision of the Spirit is charged with the power of self-realisation. Thus "a Thought that leaped from the Timeless" can become "a cyclic movement in eternal Time." Thus came from a "blind tremendous choice"

"This great perplexed and discontented world".

"This haunt of Ignorance, this home of Pain."

Page 303

Here in our world "A vast disguise conceals the Eternal's bliss."

Aswapathy then asked Narad: "Is then" the spirit bound to be governed by "an outward world?" "Is there no remedy within?" I had thought that a "mighty Power" had come down with Savitri: "Is not that Power the high compeer of Fate?"

To his question Narad did not give a straight reply. He said Nothing is accidental or casual in this world. Everything is determined above—"foreseen above".

..."But of this high script

"How shall my voice convince the mind of earth?"

It is the superior wisdom of the Divine that rejects the mortal's prayers dictated by his ignorant desires and hopes. It is true, "a greatness in thy daughter's soul resides." But even she "must cross on stones of suffering to its goal". She has got to go through suffering. Man is unable to see the integral, infinite Truth because he is a limited being. He looks at the Reality through the veil of Thought which cuts the boundless Truth in sky-strips and "every strip he takes for all the heavens." Man does not feel this a living universe,— it is mechanical, driven by chance or Necessity. Even when he perceives a law at work, it is to him a lifeless law—not a living heart. But the Self is there, behind the machine. If man could identify his nature with God's, if he could surrender to God their all can change here. Then can "the mind of man receive God's light"

"It is decreed that Satyavan must die;

The hour is fixed, chosen the fatal stroke."

But "What else shall be is written in her soul." The determination of Fate goes up to the death of Satyavan but Narad does not see any Fate beyond. He implies—and makes it explicit later on to the queen—that Savitri is the Power that can determine Fate. "Fate is Truth working out in Ignorance". Man is free in spite of Fate, in the sense that he can accept or reject his Fate, for, "doom is not a close." The events of life, happy or otherwise, "are not thy fete". "Thy goal, the road thou choosest are thy fate." In this sense "fate is a long sacrifice to the gods" till they have made "thee one with the indwelling God". Thus Fate is intimately connected

Page 304

.with the destiny of man. "Thy spirit's Fate is a battle and cease- less march",—"a passage from Matter into timeless Self." In this long battle man has to pass through—in fact, mankind has passed through—many vicissitudes: he goes forward alone and separated, he marches on earthly plains, fights on dangerous fronts, has to effect slow retreats, make frontal assaults, hold on forts, fight with the odds in lonely posts, keep watch in camps at night, wait for the tardy trumpet of the dawn.

Thus "Through peril and through triumph and through fall", through "green lanes" and "desert sands" of life

"Led by its nomad vanguard's signal fires,

Marches the army of the waylost God".

Man, the waylost God, marches towards his goal through all these. He will have to continue his march and battle till he "forces the last passes of the Ignorance", "till climbing the mute summit of the world,

"He stands upon the splendour-peaks of God." "In vain thou mournst that Satyavan must die", because "His death is a begin- ning of greater life".

"Death is the spirit's opportunity." There is a purpose behind the, working of this world, "And love and death conspire towards one great end". Many great souls have contributed to make possible the realisation of the goal. "And of its master-builders he is one."

Narad then addressed the Queen: do not try to change the secret will, do not bring in your human tears between Savitri and the Fate. She. feels her "single will and God's as one" She is armed and alone ready to face her Fate.

"Her lonely strength facing the universe,

Affronting fate, asks not man's help nor god's".

When she is prepared to meet her Fate, there is no use your interfering, for, "sometimes one life is charged with earth's destiny". "Alone she is equal to her mighty task". Do not intervene in a strife "too great for thee."

Page 305

"As a star, uncompanioned, moves in heaven

Unastonished by the immensities of space,

Travelling infinity by its own light,

The great are strongest when they stand alone."

Narad says: "The soul that can live alone with itself meets God". Savitri may have to stand alone "carrying the human hope in a heart left sole".

"To conquer or fail on a last desperate verge.

"Where all is won or all is lost for man."

She may be the one who is destined to carry out some great spiritual change for man. Narad here actually says:

"For this the silent Force came missioned down;

In her the conscious Will took human shape"

Savitri no longer is a woman—she is the embodiment of that silent Force and conscious Will on earth. Therefore, says Narad, "leave her to her mighty self and Fate".

So saying Narad disappeared "like a receding star" and yet

"A high and far imperishable voice"

"Chanted the anthem of eternal love."

Page 306