Savitri lived caught in the net of earthly destinies. In the circumstances prevailing, the natural happiness and joy which she brought with her could not be very active. She is outcast from the felicity which is inborn with her. She consents to wear the dark earthly robe. Her real self is not revealed even to those whom she loves. Normally we do not hide things, we reveal ourselves to those whom we love, those who are near. But Savitri does not. Thus does she wait for the moment of supreme trial. Nobody else is let into her secret. Though she is of the Gods, she has accepted a human fate. Normally we would think that she has diminished her stature by taking on human nature. But she is greater for that very reason. This is an important concept of Sri Aurobindo. Elsewhere also he speaks of how a god descended upon earth, taking upon himself the load of human Karma, is greater than his compeer who is content to stay in his paradise. He has all the consciousness of heaven, plus something special to the earth-experience. So when the god returns to his home is richer than the gods who have never left it. That is also Sri Aurobindo’s explanation as to why God should have bothered at all to put forth this manifestation whereas he could very well have rested content in his glory. Why all this toil, going through the round, taking the challenge of opposites, God’s consciousness itself grows richer. The labour and effort of the adventure increase the stature of God. He is rich for having come down and participated in the labour of the earth’s evolution. Earth is the field of progress. There is no progress of our kind on the higher planes. Sri Aurobindo cites a passage from Vishnu Purana where it is said that even the gods, if they want to rise higher, have to come down to earth and take a human birth. That is the purport of ‘the godhead greater by a human fate’.

…   more »