Index

Book Twelve Epilogue: The Return to Earth

Savitri's spirit awakes from the deep trance. She finds herself on the calm breast of the earth-mother with green branches above guarding her sleep. Evening is near.

She holds the living body of Satyavan close to her, bearing his head on her bosom.

The remoteness of the trance has passed and Savitri is once more human. And yet she feels an illimitable change. A new Power, a new Bliss, a new Light are in her.

She leans over Satyavan and touches his closed eyelids whereupon he awakes to find her eyes gazing into his. Vaguely he recollects some wonderful experience, and with his arms encircling her, asks her from where she has brought him back, captive of her love, to this sunny earth.

He continues: "Surely I have travelled in strange worlds along with thee, pursued by a spirit. We have together scorned the gates of night. Where has that formidable Shape, claiming the world for Death, gone? Was it all a dream or was it some spiritual vision?"

Savitri answers: "Our parting was a dream. That we are together, that we are alive, is a fact. Our souls have left Death's night behind; we have stood at the Godhead's gates."

Satyavan looks at her silently and is filled with wonder. With a new flame of worship in his eyes he asks her what high change has come over her. "Even before thou wert a goddess, but still thy sweet human parts made thee dearer. Now thou seemest too high and great for mortal worship."

Savitri: "All now is changed and yet all is the same. We have looked upon the face of God, we have borne identity with the Supreme. Our love has grown greater by that touch, but nothing is lost of mortal love's delight. I am Savitri. All that I was to thee before that I am still to thee. Now grief is dead, serene bliss alone remains. Let us give joy to all in this wonderful world. We are born to lead man's soul towards Truth and God."

The dusk gathers. Suddenly from all sides there is a medley of human sounds. Many voices and footsteps are heard approaching. A great resplendent company arrives headed by Dyumathsena, no longer blind, no longer weak-limbed, but walking with a royal gait. By his side is the queen. They are looking about them anxiously. The queen is the first to espy the forms of her children — Satyavan and Savitri. They hurry towards them and Dyumathsena tenderly chides Satyavan telling him how, though the gods have smiled on him by giving him back his kingdom and his sight, he has no use for them without his child who is his life.

He tells Savitri that it was unlike her not to have led back Satyavan to his parents earlier.

Satyavan smilingly asks him to lay all the blame on Savitri as he is her captive. He then hints how he has wandered through far-off eternities and is now back on this little hillock called earth only because of her.

All eyes turn to Savitri who blushes deeply and lowers her eyes. All wonder at her luminous glow.

One who seems to be a priest and sage asks her: "What light, what power revealed by thee has opened a happier age for us?"

Savitri looks at them with a deep motherly love and replies: "To feel love and oneness is to live; this is the magic of our golden change. This is all the truth I know or seek, sage."

They wonder at her and her luminous words.

Then all turn westwards towards home as the night gathers. Soon with the moon dreaming in heaven in silver peace, Night assumes her full reign. She broods on a thought guarded by her mystic folds of light and nurses in her bosom a greater Dawn.