From the Editor’s Desk (May 2015)

The last, and youngest of the four Shaktis of the Divine Mother, Mahasaraswati, The Power of Work and with that, “the spirit of perfection and order” is the subject of this issue’s scrutiny. Mahasaraswati is the force that executes the manifestation of the Divine plan upon earth with detailed, precise organisation. The collaborative Powers of Wisdom, Force and Harmony lend their services amicably to the power of Work for that manifestation of the Divine Will in earth consciousness.

 

In our day to day earthly living, therefore, Mahasaraswati certainly has an uncontested place, the opportunity of manifesting and carrying out her work in our midst, in us. What then is the semblance of this Force of Work that we can associate with or at least recognize?

 

According to Sri Aurobindo, Mahasaraswati’s domain is in the “… detail of organization and execution, relation of parts and effective combination of forces and unfailing exactitude of result and fulfillment.” For this reason, Sri Aurobindo points out the force of Mahasaraswati to be closest to the physical substance or material and hence the importance of Her invocation in our hearts and midst.

 

Who are the “workers” under Mahasaraswati’s direct purview? Sri Aurobindo lists them out clearly – “… the careful and efficient builder, organizer, administrator, technician, artisan and classifier of the worlds.” Certain traits of the worker show to be characteristic of Mahasaraswati’s effort and action  - “laborious and minute…. Slow and interminable (to our eyes), persistent, integral and flawless” with a will that is “scrupulous, unsleeping, indefatigable…” To clarify and qualify the previous statements of Mahasarawati’s qualities, let’s look at what, to Mahasaraswati, is unacceptable. What Mahasaraswati abhors in works is “carelessness and negligence and indolence…. hasty and shuffling work, all clumsiness and a peu pres and misfire, all false adaptation and, misuse of instruments and faculties and leaving of things undone or half done…”

 

It is here, through the description of the Mahasaraswati force that Sri Aurobindo places before us as attitudes in the way we work, those that would lead us towards perfection in the work done, both in its end and means, of apt work done aptly, in the apt place and time with just the needed effort and effect. A turn towards our own work, a placing of that work along the lines of what we have described would reveal to us inner changes one has to bring about before a work of perfection can be attempted. It also appears true that it is through works, and the result of which that shows up the consciousness put into it. It is also true then, that through works, one can work on one’s nature and bring in more and more perfection in one’s attitude, way of being and the work expressed through one’s hands.

 

Invocation of Mahasaraswati, and the worship and adoration of Her simply would point to a refined quality of work. For this reason, India perhaps worships the Mahasaraswati aspect of the Devi and asks of Her the change in consciousness needed to increasing perfection of work done at the right time and with due consideration of the means before one.