THE MOTHER’S SAVITRI: Book 5 Canto 2

The Mother Reads Selections from Savitri by Sri Aurobindo

Book 5. The Book of Love

Canto 2. Satyavan

As might a soul on Nature’s background limned
Stand out for a moment in a house of dream
Created by the ardent breath of life,
So he appeared against the forest verge
Inset twixt green relief and golden ray.
. . .
His look was a wide daybreak of the gods,
His head was a youthful Rishi’s touched with light,
His body was a lover’s and a king’s.
[p. 393]
* * *
At first her glance that took life’s million shapes
Impartially to people its treasure-house
Along with sky and flower and hill and star,
Dwelt rather on the bright harmonious scene.
. . .
Her vision settled, caught and all was changed.
Her mind at first dwelt in ideal dreams,
. . .
And saw in him the genius of the spot,
A symbol figure standing mid earth’s scenes,
A king of life outlined in delicate air.
[pp. 394-395]
* * *
Yet this was but a moment’s reverie;
For suddenly her heart looked out at him,
The passionate seeing used thought cannot match,
And knew one nearer than its own close strings.
. . .
Hooves trampling fast, wheels largely stumbling ceased;
The chariot stood like an arrested wind.
And Satyavan looked out from his soul’s doors
And felt the enchantment of her liquid voice
Fill his youth’s purple ambiance and endured
The haunting miracle of a perfect face.
[pp. 395-396]
* * *
Mastered by the honey of a strange flower-mouth,
Drawn to soul-spaces opening round a brow,
He turned to the vision like a sea to the moon
And suffered a dream of beauty and of change,
Discovered the aureole round a mortal’s head,
Adored a new divinity in things.
[p. 396]
* * *
Marvelling he came across the golden sward:
Gaze met close gaze and clung in sight’s embrace.
[p. 396]
* * *
There is a Power within that knows beyond
Our knowings; we are greater than our thoughts,
And sometimes earth unveils that vision here.
To live, to love are signs of infinite things,
Love is a glory from eternity’s spheres.
[p. 397]

End of Book 5 Canto 2

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