The theme for the June Newsletter is derived from Book 6, Canto 2 of Savitri – The Way of Fate and the Problem of Pain. In this theme is revealed in great detail the incumbent pain inflicted on mortal beings by unrelenting Providence, the manner in which the sentence of fate is received by the mortal, the plane from which an ordinary human being reacts against it, reeling in misery, and the voice of reason and more than that, the voice of the seer which rises above the din of denial and with an all-seeing vision, spells our patiently the purpose and power of pain to mortals and to a world redeemer like Savitri and the possible manner in which one could deal with it and paves the path clear for that saviour soul to do what she has to as she traverses the path chosen despite impending doom. This canto in Savitri is one of the most intimate, the most relevant to the human lot we are, and to which we can all relate well with. It, in many ways, makes us also take a glimpse and or even a plunge into our own planes of being, especially the vital. Besides this, we are also led, by Narad the sage, to take another view of life bordering the Supramental regions and a Life Divine, that pain can facilitate eventually. In that realm, the pain of life takes another meaning, the purpose of pain serves a higher function in liberating the human soul and setting it upon the high road towards transcendence and transformation.
Let us contemplate on pain and why it is problematic to us, if at all. Usually pain comes out of desires unfulfilled and expectations unmet. These are sources of heaviness, disappointments and depression. One can have desires. It is reasonable also to expect desires to be fulfilled. It would be pertinent also to keep a ‘log’ on what kind of desires we want to be fulfilled and fulfilled badly. What could be the reason for this vehemence? Next, what kind of expectations do we hold of ourselves, of those around us, of circumstances? Why does disappointment set in when expectations are not met? Is it fair to expect something out of someone or Providence? Why should these expectations be fulfilled at all? Now, lets look at how we receive pain? Do we embrace pain and sink into some depression, quite enjoying it, without quite knowing it or refusing this knowledge? How easy is it to sink into a depressive position? On the contrary, how easy or difficult is it to resist this temptation of dipping into depression? How difficult is it to rise above and hold on to some high resolve we have of not feeling daunted by undesirable pronouncements?
With these inquiry, now let us re-visit the scenario in the palace at Madra, where King Aswapathy, his queen, and Savitri are sharing a momentous time of their lives with Sage Narad, who pronounces the word of fate and then brings all present through the meaning of pain and how the common lot brings pain unto itself and repeats the cycles aeon after aeon, given its ignorance. He also urges them that pain has a divine purpose too:
Pain is the hammer of the Gods to break
A dead resistance in the mortal's heart,…
Pain is the hand of Nature sculpturing men
To greatness: an inspired labour chisels
With heavenly cruelty an unwilling mould.
He appeases the queen mother and paves the path for Savitri’s advance:
Think not to intercede with the hidden Will,
Intrude not twixt her spirit and its force
But leave her to her mighty self and Fate.
And so is Savitri left to embark on her life’s great journey, her life’s Quest.
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