At the Feet of The Mother

Book One Canto V Summary

Canto V Summary

In this Canto we see Seer King Aswapati experiencing something new and unprecedented in the history of Yoga. In response to his new aspiration that wants perfection here upon earth, in the material frame itself, he experiences a Descent from Above that carries him into deeper and higher states until he reaches right at the apex of the spiritual Mind. There arriving at the borders of the Overmind or the gates of the Supermind he is given a glimpse of the Splendours of the Spirit hidden in the higher hemisphere of existence. He is now ready to launch into a new journey towards the Unknown.

Book One Closing Remarks

In the beginning of the first book, in Cantos one and two we see the Master-poet introducing us to the theme and background of the book. The epic poem is about Savitri, the incarnation of the Divine Mother in far back times, and her consequent victory over Death by the power of Love. But from Book three we are taken through a long journey of her human father Aswapati whose tapasya brings down Savitri as a boon for earth and men. Canto three to five of Book One reveals to us the beginnings of Aswapati’s tapasya, his aspiration as well as his experiences and realisations. It starts with an evolution of new faculties and capacities that help him dive deeper into the hidden secrets lost by Time. It comes to a close with Aswapati discovering the treasures of the Spirit that have so far been hidden to the human view. The ascensions undertaken by the yogis so far have been at most until the Overmind whose splendor and dazzle seem like the end of our long journey. Through this or through other doors and windows within our human consciousness, yogis have leaped into the One and vanished into the state of annihilation, termed as Mukti. But for Aswapati mukti has a different connotation, – not to plunge into dissolution but to create perfection here with the Perfection of the Divine Consciousness is his aspiration. He has already had the experience of mukti as is evinced in Canto Three of this book. He has experienced the cosmic consciousness and found the secret Knowledge hidden by our mind and covered by our senses. Now he turns towards his greater Fate.