Savitri is different from all that we the common human beings are. She takes human birth no doubt, but always she keeps the contact with her divine origin intact. Even when young and growing, her companions and playmates were dazzled by her beauty-wisdom-splendour. As a fully developed and matured maiden she was too great for the mortal prince to espouse her in marriage; he was repelled by her exceptional personality. In spite of this she seems to be one who is denied the felicity that is her native right. Was that denial meant for her to become yet greater than her heavenly transcendental Savitri-hood? This should also imply that, she as though already knows the ordeal through which she had to pass as an aspect of her mortal birth. She accepts mortal state to conquer mortality in the mortal world.

It must have been pretty cruel of the godhead to await Savitri’s hour of ordeal. That would almost look rather nasty-spiteful of him. In any case, there is no escape for Savitri from the painful tribulation. She must meet Yama, the God of Death. He is the formidable Spirit of Antagonism born from Inconscience in response to the arrival of Life upon Earth, one who in his dark and terrible, hostile-repulsive form nullifies all the wonderful gains that come in the soul’s progress. As long as Death is present, things will always go wrong,—says the Mother. Yet that seems to be the way that progress can be made in the existing circumstance. But with Savitri’s coming, her taking the mortal birth, that need not be so. Now things should happen without death.

…   more »