Elements and Evolution

We are glad to bring out two titles based on the Book of Fate in Sri Aurobindo's epic Savitri. These are: 1) Sri Aurobindo's Narad, and 2) Elements and Evolution - Apropos of Narad's Visit, both authored by RY Deshpande. While the first essentially focuses on various aspects of Narad's visit to King Aswapati in ancient Madra, the second goes into some spiritual-occult-metaphysical details regarding material creation and materialisation. The genesis of these two volumes is in the author's Narad's Arrival at Madra published by Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, in 2006. The heavenly sage is coming from his home in Paradise to the palace undergoing a spiritual-physical change, taking a gross physical body. This transition happens through the S?nkhya process of the causal-subtle turning into the gross-physical. On his way he sings the songs of creation, evolution, and the future prospects that are locked in the name of his God, Vish?u. But what is it that prompts Narad the heavenly sage from Paradise to visit Aswapati? He spells out the universal perspective in the five songs he sings on his way to the Palace. These are about the cosmic Being engaged in the evolutionary progress from a dumb material creation to the possibilities of the spirit manifesting themselves in this mortal world. The occasion for his visit is in the context of Savitri's choice of marrying Satyavan whom she met in the distant Shalwa hermitages. She was told by her father Aswapati to find one for herself as a life-partner, as none had come seeking her hand in marriage. Even before she reaches the palace, Narad is already there in a gross physical body in the company of her parents. She tells about her meeting with Satyavan and their pledge to be together. In the sequel Narad makes them all known that Satyavan's life is short, that one year after his marriage with Savitri he will die. Yet Savitri remains firm in her resolve. The rest follows with Narad making prophetic statements about what is to come out of this union. These two books by Deshpande present a bright intuitive grasp of the original text which is charged with cosmic-transcendental issues pertaining to this mortal creation.