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  • Wisdom for practice
  • Wisdom is applied knowledge
  • Wisdom spreads itself

Wisdom for practice

Wisdom is for practice, not for continuous speaking. If we keep on speaking about the Masters, the Rays, and the Hierarchies, we are only missing our duties for the present.

Wisdom is applied knowledge

Knowledge, when applied becomes wisdom. We gain a lot of knowledge, but it has to be applied in daily life, then it transforms itself into wisdom. Through wisdom we will experience the existence.

Wisdom spreads itself

We need not be anxious to spread the wisdom without working it with ourselves. It is a wrong understanding if one thinks that he can spread wisdom. Wisdom knows how to spread itself. It only needs channels.

Savitri

Transcending Death

Savitri, Satyavan and Yama Many masters and yogis have demonstrated how they can leave their bodies without dying. They link themselves to the thread of life and move out of the body with the thread of consciousness. A yogi can even remove the knot relating to the thread of life if he doesn’t wish to come back into the body. For him, death is only a transition.

Most people fear death and they don’t know how to leave the body. Many people are stuck in their bodies and can’t just let it go. In our dreams we easily step out of our body with the thread of consciousness and come back but this happens without our conscious control.

The wisdom teachings emphasize how important the knowledge of death is, and every individual should have this knowledge to attain immortality. In the East there are excellent scriptures that teach this profound knowledge of transitions. One of them is the story of Savitri contained in the Mahabharata. It deals with transcending death; it shows the way how we can leave the body and regain our original identity.

In his book “Savitri”, Sri Aurobindo, one of the great initiates of the 20th century, has given out in English the Vedic concept of death and transition. He had been working on this scripture for over 20 years, until his own transition. Sri Kumar calls it the Secret Doctrine of the 20th century.

Every day when the sun goes down a beautiful light spreads after sunset; it is called Savitri, the light in darkness. This light also shines before sunrise, and its message promises us, “Don’t worry about the darkness which is coming. I am here and will bring the light back to you.” Savitri is the safe prediction that after dark times light will come again as per the law of alternation. She is also the link of consciousness which brings us back from sleep to the light of the day.

The Story of Savitri

The story of Savitri is deeply symbolic:

A King named Ashvapati needed an heir to his throne before he could depart. Ashva means “horse” and in Vedic symbolism stands for life force; Pati means Master; Ashvapati is the Master of life force. In order to have a child, he did spiritual exercises for 18 years, until the Goddess Savitri finally appeared. Savitri embodies the principle of Savitru, the central sun. It is the heart of the sun which receives its energy from the spiritual sun called Bhargo Deva and transmits it through the sun of our solar system, Surya.

The King asked Goddess Savitri for a good son but the goddess replies, “I can only grant you with a good daughter. Through her presence in your family, you will get 100 sons.” Then she disappeared again.

After a while a daughter was born to the royal couple whom they called Savitri. She was the goddess herself taking to the form of the child. She was an extraordinary child full of good qualities and great knowledge. By birth she had the golden and diamond bodies and therefore could easily move in the subtle planes. When she grew up, the father feared that he could not find an appropriate husband for her who corresponds to her qualities. Savitri had heart for a young man called Satyavan. His name means truth bearer and he always lived by the truth.

In olden times children were named according to their life purpose and their qualities. You can realise the subtle meaning of the quality of an individual by the sounds of his name if you know the related keys.

The father of Satyavan was Dyumatsena, meaning “Army of Light”; he was filled with light and had the subtle vision. He was a king but due to his careless use of speech and action he lost the kingdom to his enemies and had to live quite poor in the forest with his wife and his son. He also had gone blind. Dyumatsena represents the Divine Mind fallen into matter which has lost the subtle vision and thus also the celestial kingdom.

One day Ashvapati said to his daughter that she can marry a husband of her own choice. Savitri was shy and at first didn’t want to tell her father of her love for Satyavan. Just at this moment the Sage Narada passed by their house and heard their conversation. Finally Savitri said, “I want to marry Satyavan, the son of King Dyumatsena who now lives in a forest. I can only accept him as my husband.”

Death and Return of Satyavan

Ashvapathi asked Narada about Satyavan, since Narada knows everything that is happening on all the planes. Narada said, “Satyavan is a title given to him because he always speaks the truth; his original name is Chitrashwa”, indicating a special life force which will go and come back. As per his astrological chart Satyavan would die one year after the marriage but return from death.

The father now proposed to Savitri to choose another husband but Savitri replied, “I have completely decided for Satyavan and cannot think of another husband. He will be my husband for this life.”

Narada told Ashvapati that because of the good deeds and qualities of his daughter the life of Satyavan might be prolonged.

Ashvapati then asked Dyumatsena for the hand of Satyavan. Dyumatsena answered, “We lead a very simple life in the forest. Will Savitri be happy here?” Savitri was prepared for it, and thus the marriage took place.

Savitri lived together with Satyavan and his parents in the forest. Savitri didn’t show any pride; she dressed simply and looked after her parents-in-law and Satyavan, while the latter took care of their living in the forest.

The time came where Satyavan was supposed to die. Savitri took to a fast for three days, and on the decisive day she asked Satyavan to go with him into the forest. At first Satyavan refused but Savitri insisted. Finally Satyavan gave in. He showed her the beauty of the forest and then went to chop wood. After some time he came back and said, “Today I’m very tired and also got a fierce headache.” Savitri offered him her lap as a pillow. Satyavan fell asleep and lost his consciousness.

A short moment later Yama appeared, the Lord of Death. He had a terrifying appearance, in dark blue colour, but Savitri was not frightened. She could see him because she had the subtle vision. Savitri saw that he was carrying the rope of death to remove the soul of Satyavan. Normally Yama doesn’t come himself for this but sends some of his helpers.

Savitri asked him who he was and why he had come. Yama answered, “I am the end. Your husband has led a very righteous life, and therefore I have come to take him.” He took out the soul of Satyavan and moved with it towards south, the direction presided by Yama.

Savitri felt very sad. She put down the body of her husband, exited from her body and followed Yama in her subtle body. Yama saw her and said to her, “You cannot go this path; it is too early for you. Go back, otherwise you will get lost.” Savitri replied, “You are the enforcer of the Law. As per my Dharma (law of destiny) I should follow my husband; this is my highest responsibility.”

Yama was surprised about her fearlessness and was pleased with her. He asked her many questions which she answered very well. He felt affectionate to Savitri and finally said, “I grant you three wishes – except the life of your husband.” At first Savitri asked that her father-in-law should get back his vision and his kingdom, and Yama granted it. Then she asked him, “Bless me with children”, and he replied, “granted”. Then she replied, “This means that you have to give back the life of my husband.”

The Lord of Death was perplexed and only then understood the subtleness of her argument, for she wouldn’t accept a second husband. He smiled and said, “It is the will of the Lord that I don’t take away the life of your husband.” Thus he gave back his life. Savitri and Satyavan returned back home; her father-in-law got back his vision and his kingdom.

The narrative of Savitri and Satyavan is like the story of Isis and Osiris or of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Savitri stands for the light of the inner consciousness which follows the soul buried deep within matter and leads it up again. The truth bearer has lost the truth but he finds it back, because the consciousness, the Light in darkness, is always with him. The more we listen to the Savitri in us, the voice of conscience, the easier it is for us to return to the Light.

Sources: K.P. Kumar: Uranus / notes from seminars. E. Krishnamacharya: The Book of Rituals. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.