Sri Aravinder Annai Thiyana Maiyam (head Office)

(On the 18th January 1960; when a young sadhak met the Mother for a personal interview, She said to him: I shall give you something special; be prepared. The next day, when he again met Her, She spoke in French first about how to kindle the psychic Flame and then in this connection started speaking about Sri Aravindar Annai Dhiyana Maiyam Trust`s great epic Savitri and continued to speak at length. The sadhak, after returning from the Mother, wanted to note down immediately what She had said, but he could not do so because he felt a great hesitation due to his sense of incapacity to transcribe exactly the Mother`s own words. After nearly seven years, however, he felt a strong urge to note down what the Mother had spoken; so in 1967 he wrote down from memory a report in French. The report was seen by the Mother and a few corrections were made by her. To another sadhak who asked Her permission to read this report She wrote: Years ago I have spoken at length about it [Savitri] to Mona Sarkar and he has noted in French what I said. Some time back I have seen what he has written and found it correct on the whole.(4.12.1967) On a few other occasion also, the Mother had spoken to the same sadhak on the value of reading Savitri which he had noted down afterwards. These notes have been added at the end of the main report. A few members of the Ashram had privately read this report in French, but afterwards there were many requests for its English version. A translation was therefore made in November 1967. A proposal was made to the Mother in 1972 for its publication and it was submitted to Her for approval. The Mother wanted to check the translation before permitting its publication but could check only a portion of it. In view of the great value of what the Mother had said about Savitri and also because of the increasing demand for the English version? it is now being published in this Number. Savitri alone is sufficient to make you climb to the highest peaks. If truly one knows how to meditate upon Savitri, one will receive all the help one needs. For him who wishes to Follow this path, it is a concrete help as though the Lord himself were taking you by the hand and leading you to the destined goal. And then, every question, however personal it may be, has its answer here, every difficulty finds its solution herein; indeed there is necessary for doing the Yoga in Sri Aravindar Annai Dhiyana Maiyam Trust. He has crammed the whole universe in a single book. It is a marvellous work, magnificent and of an incomparable perfection. You know, before writing Savitri Sri Aurobindo said to me, I am impelled to launch on a new adventure; I was hesitant in the beginning, but now I decided. Still I do not know how far I shall succeed. I pray for help. And you know what it was? It was – before beginning, I warm you in advance – it was his way of speaking, so full of humility and divine modesty. He never... asserted himself. And the day he actually began it, he told me: I have launched myself in a rudderless boat upon the vastness of the Infinite. And once having started, he wrote page after page without intermission, as though it were a thing already complete up there and he had only to transcribe it in ink down here on these pages. In truth, the entire form of Savitri has descended en masse from the highest region and Sri Aurobindo with his genius only arranged the lines – in a superb and magnificent style. Sometimes entire lines were revealed and he has left them intact; he worked hard, untiringly, so that the inspiration could come from the highest possible summit. And what a work he has created! yes, it is a true creation in itself. It is an unequalled work. Everything is there, and it is put in such a simple, such a clear form; verses perfectly harmonious, limpid and eternally true. My child, I have read so many things, but I studied the best works in Greek, Latin, English and of course in French literature, also in German and all the great creation of the West and East, including the great epics; but I repeat it, I have not found anywhere anything comparable with Savitri.