Perspectives of Savitri - Part 1

A Short Bibliographical Note

Sri Aurobindo: On the occasion of the birth centenary in 1972 Sri Aurobindo's works were brought out in 30 volumes under the title Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library (SABCL). Since then, however, a number of unpublished writings had been discovered amongst his papers. All these have now been thoroughly scrutinised and reorganised for publication in 35 volumes as Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo. Most of the references to his writings are with resped to the SABCL volumes. The three letters reproduced here (pages 1-43) are from SABCL, Vol. 26, pp. 237-65 and Vol. 29, pp.802-16.

THE MOTHER: The birth centenary edition of the Mother's work comprises 17 volumes entitled Collected Works of the Mother published by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry. There are also 13 volumes of her work called Mother's Agenda brought out by the Institut de Recherches Evolutives Paris. On Savitri-A Talk to a Young Disciple (pages 44-49) has been taken from Sweet Mother-Harmony of Light ( 1978) as reported by Mona Sarkar.

NOLLINI KANTA GUPTA: Collected Works in 8 volumes in English have been published by the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education Pondicherry. The two articles included here, Savitri-The Wont of Sri Aurobindo and The Opening Scene of Savitri (pages 50-67), are from Vol. 4.

NIRODBARAN: Savitri-A Factual Account of its Composition (pages 68- 86) is from Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo, published by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1972. Besides several other published writings, Correspondence with Sri Aurobindo (2 volumes) and Talks with Sri Aurobindo (3 volumes) are his other important works.

A. B. PURANI: Sri Aurobindo 's Savitri: An Approach and a Study, first published in 1952, is one of the earliest introductions to the epic. Savitri-The Epic of the Spirit (pages 87-123) has been taken from this work. His Evening Talks presents the sessions the disciples used to have with Sri Aurobindo.

DILIP KUMAR ROY: The Message of Savitri (pages 124-44) forms an important chapter in the author's Sri Aurobindo Came to Me, one of the few books bearing the stamp of direct contact with the Master.

He whom Sri Aurobindo "cherished like a friend and a son" had received more than 2000 letters from him.

M. P. Pandit: An author of about 150 books, he has written extensively on Savitri

AMAL KIRAN (K. D. Sethna): Is a polymath knowing many arts and sciences. But he stands tall above everyone as a literary critic, particularly English poetry. The Poetic Genius of Sri Aurobindo

V. K. Gokak: A recognised literary critic and poet, his Sri Aurobindo— Seer and Poet, his Sri Aurobindo Seer and Poet, from which Diction of Savitri (pages 222-40) has been taken, is an excellent presentation of Sri Aurobindo's poetry to the world of literature.

RAVINDRA KHANNA: A Study of Similes in Savitri (pages 241-56) was published in Mother India, September 1968, pp. 605-620. He was professor of English at the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry.

SISIRKUMAR GHOSE: Poetry of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Aurobindo: Poet are two of his significant literary works connected with Sri Aurobindo. Affiliated with the Department of English in Visva Bharati, Santiniketan, he was an internationally known figure. Savitri-A Subjective Poem (pages 257-73) is taken from Poetry of Sri Aurobindo.

K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar: An eminent prose writer, critic and poet, his two monumental biographies of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother will remain for long time to come as standard reference works. A Survey of Savitri (pages 274-313) is from Sri Aurobindo: a Biography and a History.

ROMEN: A poet, a musician and a painter combined in one; he joined the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in his teens and received guidance from the Master. Savitri and Paradise lost-Method and Style (pages 314-53) was serialised in Mother India during 1965-66.

RAJANIKANT MODY: Poetic Imagery in Savitri (pages 354-392) was one of the earliest works discussing the poetic aspects of Savitri. It was serialised in Mother India during 1950-51 when this review was a fortnightly.

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RUUD LOHMAN: The Rhythm of Savitri (pages 393-404) appeared in Sri Aurobindo Circle thirty-second number, 1979, pp. 118-26. He stayed for some time in Auroville.

RAKHALDAS BOSU: An Approach to Sri Aurobindo's Savitri (pages 405- 418) was published in Mother India, November 1985, pp. 733-43; later it also appeared as an independent booklet. He was an Ashramite.

JUDITH TYBERG (Jyotipriya): Sanskritist and an accomplished scholar, she was the founder of the East-West Cultural Center at Los Angeles. This is one of the first places in the USA where Sri Aurobindo's relics are installed. The Drama of Integral Self-Realisation (pages 419-28) was published in Mother India, August 1976, pp. 664-70. Jyotipriya, meaning a Lover of Light, was the name given to her by Sri Aurobindo.

V.-MADHUSUDAN REDDY: The Yoga of Savitri-The Finding of the Soul (pages 429-442) is taken from Savitri-Epic of the Eternal. His elaborately conceived three-volume Vedic Epiphany is a magnificent piece of interpretative work on the Vedas. He wrote and lectured extensively on Sri Aurobindo's philosophy.

ROHIT MEHTA: The Eternal Bridegroom (pages 443-66) is from the author's Dialogue with Death the cover of which has the Mother's blessings on it. A theosophist and a mystic, he lectured at several places, particularly introducing Savitri to general audiences.

RAMESHWAR GUPTA: Professor of English, he studied Sri Aurobindo and Tagore and has publications both in English and in Hindi. Savitri in World Literature (pages 467-83) has been taken from Eternity in Words: Sri Aurobindo s Savitri.

A. N. Dw1VEDI: Savitri as an Epic (pages 484-91) is from the author's A Study of Savitri. The book also discusses other aspects of Sri Aurobindo's poetry.

ROMESH CHANDRA DUTT: The well-known translator of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata rendered the Savitri-tale, Pativrata Mahatmya (pages 492-506), in the Locksley Hall metre with great vigour and fluency. Sri Aurobindo had dinner with him once.

T.V. KAPALI SASTRY: His I I-volume work on Vedic and Tantrik studies is a remarkable contribution in the light of Sri Aurobindo. The interpretation of Rig Veda in Siddhanjana should pave a new path in these studies. A Sanskrit Rendering of the Symbol Dawn (pages 507-22) is from Sanskrit Writings, Vol. 9.

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R. Y. DESHPANDE: Is professor of physics in Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education and associate editor of Mother India, a monthly review of culture published by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry. The Legend of Savitri with Some Departures Made by Sri Aurobindo (pages 523-49) is from the Golden Jubilee issue of Mother India, February-March 1999.

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