Research in English_______________________________________________________________Vol.

1 (1) November (2018)

Sri Aurobindo's Vision of 'The Future Poetry',

The Need of the Hour: The Theory and
the Application
Upadhyay Ritam1,2
1. Department of English, Govt. Arts and Science College, Ratlam, INDIA
2. Member of Executive Committee, State Committee, M.P. of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, Branch Ratlam, INDIA
[email protected]

Abstract contributes the most in the intellectual and philosophical

The present article is a study of Sri Aurobindo's makeup of any society. These articles influenced sincere
thoughts on the poetry of the future. The effort is to futuristic poets who were and are the residents of Sri
highlight the visions that his endeavour makes descend Aurobindo Ashram and outside, his followers in other places
and those who read him as a leading Indian writer in English,
from the higher regions of creation into words, at the
in the genre of poetic creation. As the writing consists of the
same time to study - though in fragments - these ponderings over the very first descends of poetic Word up to
theories taking form in his own poetry. A number of the modern poetry spanning through the changes and growth
studies have been made particularly on this topic. To it has procured, it not only establishes a new direction of
pick up the topic once more is another dive into the criticism in literature but also involves the evolution of
deeps of the ocean that he is, to bring out some pearls creative expression in the coming times.
and gems still lying in abundance in the depths of his
enlightening philosophy and visionary writings. With a The 'Eye' that witnesses the 'Word' as 'Mantra' represents the
glance over the old Master of Philosophy and literature most intimate rendezvous of the vision with the visionary
from Europe and India, the attempt is also to find the that took place in the depths of the soul of poetry. According
to Sri Aurobindo, All art starts from the sensuous and
linkage in the essence of such lofty expressions that
sensible, or takes it as a continual point of reference or, at
have helped the human society beyond time and space the lowest, uses it as symbol and a fount of images; even
to speculate its ideal and grow towards it. when it soars into invisible worlds, it is from the earth that
it soars; but equally all art worth the name must go beyond
Sri Aurobindo's philosophy and vision on the future the visible, must reveal, must show us something that is
form of poetry are totally new concepts in the field of hidden and in its total effect not reproduce but create. (The
poetic criticism, however, it carries within the gist of Future Poetry 8)
the old masters' philosophies as well. His vision is wide
enough to encompass the span of time and embrace the Thus, as he says, poetry becomes the vehicle for the spirit to
thoughts to give them a proper place in the story of show its face. Even if it is a glance, a momentary glimpse,
human evolution. this is the touch that changes the very atmosphere of the
creation. For the creation cannot just remain a work of
Keywords: Future Poetry, Consciousness, Inspiration, subjective pleasure or Tulasi's Swantah Sukhay though the
Intuition, Art, Evolution, Mantra, Spiritual, Supramental. feel of public opinion is not of prime concern of a true poet,
yet he cannot keep aside the responsibility of serving a
higher purpose through his words which should be seen not
Introduction on the ethical grounds but the ones that any new creation
It is almost more than a century that the world of literature bears as a fundamental of its coming to form. Here is the
was blessed with the visionary revelations by Sri Aurobindo key that we find in Sri Aurobindo's words to enter into the
guiding those who aspire to move in the light of the creative realms higher yet deeper, wider yet intimate to beautify and
future in which the literature especially poetry is to be elevate the whole purpose of creative effort that is 'creating
shaped. Sri Aurobindo's vision is wide enough to encompass rather than reproducing'.
the literature globally ˗ regardless of language ˗showing it its
true purpose and form it is to achieve bearing the soul that We may say that the artist creates an ideal world of his own,
awaits the hour of manifestation. Sri Aurobindo's letters and not necessarily in the sense of ideal perfection, but a world
articles that form 'The Future Poetry' were published in book that exists in the idea, the imagination and vision of the
form first in 1953 and then in 1987 with more of the creator. More truly, he throws into significant form a truth
revisions that he had made in 1950 just before he left his he has seen, which may be truth of hell or truth of heaven or
physical sheath. an immediate truth behind things terrestrial or any other but
is never merely the external truth of earth. By that ideative
This becomes 'The Gita' for those who believe in the growth truth and the power, the perfection and the beauty of his
of creation to be a constant and definite happening towards presentation and utterance of it his work must be judged (The
higher and nobler kind and literature being an instrument Future Poetry, 08).

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Research in English_______________________________________________________________Vol. 1 (1) November (2018)

Here could be seen how a true poem is never a reportage of We find his guide light that the 'old quarrel between the
the external happenings alone. That may provide some idea Idealism and the Realism' is overcome or kept aside to take
to stir the imagination, but the world created is poet's own a leap in to the realm where one can look at the upcoming
and the poetry reveals even the state of consciousness, the possibility rather an imperative burst of a new poetry. In fact,
poet belongs to. Keeping this in view the judgment can be the tinkling anklet of the beautiful Goddess is already heard
done in the light of a direct knowledge and not pacing through the bright corridors of inspiration opening
overshadowed by a view that is formed by an extrovert into the golden dawns of Poetic creation and the modern
criticism. Also, this shows the difference of dimensions criticism also has to open its eye to behold the wonder that
when this is compared to the critiques' views that have she has brought along and widen its horizons to judge it in
contributed in paving the path not only of the creation done true sense. In Sri Aurobindo the confirmation comes not just
in that light but of the successors of this long enough with the theory but with the application of the theory that too
tradition of literary expression. not only in his own creation but in the works of the followers
of his Yogic philosophy integrating poetry as part of their
Though the question of how to define 'Art' has always been Sadhana.
haunting the critics of life where philosophers and artists are
not exclusions as well. This discussion has been running Writing about the Poetic vision and the poetic speech, Sri
through the time immemorial bridging the gulfs that this Aurobindo brings down the vision with a microscopic clarity
long-trodden path presents as gaps between the lives of such of the planes that response the openness of a receptacle with
thinkers. The connecting cord is the common question of powerful inspiration to be transported to the world of words.
understanding 'Art'; finding its root and defining its place He says: “The highest: This highest intensity of style and
and contribution in the evolution. A thinker, philosopher or movement which is the crest of the poetical impulse in its
critic cannot be working on the chosen field with exclusion self-expression, the point at which the aesthetic, the vital, the
of others; life is to be regarded as 'Whole' and this integral intellectual elements of poetic speech pass into the spiritual,
view has only saved the human society from fragmentary justifies itself perfectly when it is the body of a deep, high or
existence. wide spiritual vision into which the life-sense, the thought,
the emotion, the appeal of beauty in the thing discovered
In Plato, to begin with, The Ideal Bed and the earthly bed of and in its expression - for all great poetic utterance is
the Republic confirm of the higher source of inspiration than discovery, - rise on the wave of the culminating poetic
the external reality; the expression seen as imitation of a inspiration and pass into an ecstasy of sight”.
vision from the Ideal Bed. In the Poetics Aristotle establishes
that poetry is something which takes birth from two causes That is what the meaning of the word 'Kavi' reveals; a poet
that are lying deep in the human nature; the instinct of who is seer, visionary and capable of 'analytic observation
imitation and the instinct of harmony and rhythm. Similarly, the natural genius of the scientist'. This itself prescribes the
Plotinus also believes in the forms taking birth by imitation needed elements as should be the characteristics of a 'true
and returning to 'Forms'. These greats have seen Art as the poet'. The revealer of Truth, not distorting it with his vital
Reality and the imitated form whether in poetry, sculpture, turbulence or mental interference rather enriching the
music or painting as product. expression with the poetic skills and choosing the
appropriate devices while preparing a smooth path for the
Further one comes across more of such researchers and Muse to descend and walk upon. This state does not come
original thinkers of Art and finally finds it separated into by itself though a sincere and continual growth makes the
different categories of fine arts. It is definitely a field that spontaneous flow of poetry easier for a poet. There are
would keep the human mind engrossed with the growth it planes of consciousness that the creator needs to know; the
makes. Now this could help settling the grounds of criticism planes that help the beauty of expression, other that brings
for the poetry that has already taken form and has achieved the celestial music to the meter and connects the expression
its due fame or a place in literature, but the effort is not of to the harmony that dwells hidden and yet helps the world to
knowing what is but what is to be. Let the following words move in accord.
from Sri Aurobindo bring back the vision of the Future
Poetry: Sri Aurobindo's light on the form and meter; the rhythm and
the harmony; the word and the spirit - on the chief elements
"At any rate, this is true that whatever relation we may keep that need to be introduced in their true form - opens up
with the great masters of the past, our present business is to absolutely new aspects. We come to know of what ideal
go beyond and not to repeat them and it must always be the poetry is. Though for each the time he belongs to there are
lyrical motive and spirit which find new secret and begin a the possibilities presented and he can choose to become the
new creation; for the lyrical is the primary poetical motive recipient of the highest inspiration by following the best. In
and spirit and the dramatic and epic must wait for it to open his words:
for them their new heaven and new earth" (The Future
Poetry, 09).

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Research in English_______________________________________________________________Vol. 1 (1) November (2018)

“I have spoken in the beginning of the Mantra as the highest It was the hour before the Gods awake.
and most intense revealing form of poetic thought and Across the path of the divine Event
expression. What the Vedic poets meant by the Mantra was The huge foreboding mind of Night, alone
an inspired and revealed seeing and visionary thinking, In her unlit temple of eternity,
attended by a realization, to use the ponderous but necessary Lay stretched immobile upon Silence' marge . . . .
modern word, of some inmost truth of God and self and man (Savitri, 01)
and Nature and cosmos and life and thing and thought and
experience and deed.” In Sri Aurobindo's poetry the glimpse of divinity is a
constant feature posing mystical and mysterious element.
According to him, the ideal poetry that takes form of Mantra But the remarkable thing is that he not only maintains the
itself is possible only when it reveals the face of the Truth ideal of the poetry of his own theory but excels it in
and expresses itself in the very rhythm and meter that are extraordinary ways. He chooses certain meter and the form
powerful enough to hold that Truth. As he dictates "The to help the expression finding its full scope in intuitively
Mantra is born through the heart and shaped or massed by descending words and let the Goddess Inspiration dance
the thinking mind into a chariot of that godhead of the freely in rhythm and harmony on the enlightened floors of
Eternal of whom the truth seen is a face or a form." Mantra poetic consciousness. Poetry being the most artistic form of
is the highest poetry achieved by the Vedic Rishis in spirit expression thus rises from its role of an entertaining activity
and form could guide the poetic aspirations of the future. to become an everlasting ecstasy. From the baser grounds
The need of self-awareness insists itself more following the of erring thoughts and emotions it enters into regions of pure
aspiration of reaching the highest planes of mind for a self- aesthesis.
conscious yogic condition is the ideal that is to be achieved
by the evolution of human kind. No doubt the present notions of poetry look opposing the
kind one finds in Sri Aurobindo both in his criticism of
In Sri Aurobindo's own poetry the above theory could be poetry pointing towards the arrival of the future poetry and
observed in the marvel of the poetic expression, Savitri. As also the experiments in his poetic works. But the time is
K.D. Sethna alias Amal kiran, his follower and one of the working upon the human mind to educate itself for opening
early residents of Sri Aurobindo Ashram - himself a to the greatest possibilities the poetry of the Future is
profound thinker and poet - puts it in prologue of his book bringing. The poetic world waits then to dawn upon it as to
The poetic genius of Sri Aurobindo while giving an account become its true nature.
of Sri Aurobindo as a poet, "Now and then we even come
across a passage which makes us feel the glow and vibration References
of some immeasurable mantra lodged in the writer's inmost 1. Ghosh, Sri Aurobindo, CWSA, The Future poetry, Puducherry,
being,..." (Sethna 9) SABDA, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust (1997)

Sri Aurobindo's poetic world is a vast ocean comprising 2. Ghosh, Sri Aurobindo, CWSA, Collected Poems, Puducherry,
short poems, sonnets, longer poems and the longest epic in SABDA, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust (1997)
English Language 'Savitri', only a few pearls can be
3. Ghosh, Sri Aurobindo, CWSA, Savitri, Puducherry, SABDA,
observed here to fulfill the need of seeing his theory Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust (1997)
translated into application. Here they are: He who from
Time's dull motion escapes and thrills/ Rapt thoughtless, 4. Sethna K.D., The Poetic Genius of Sri Aurobindo, Puducherry,
wordless into the Eternal's breast/Unrolls the form and sign Clear ray trust (2008)
of being/Seated above in the omniscient Silence. (Savitri,
552) and Gold in the mind and the life-flame's red/Make of 5. Sethna K.D., Sri Aurobindo, The Poet, Puducherry, Sri
the heavens a splendour, the earth a blaze/But the white and Aurobindo International Centre of Education (1970).
rose of the heart are dead/Flame-wind, pass! I will wait for
Love in the silent ways. (Received 05th September 2018, accepted 07th October 2018)

But we come to Savitri and come across the wonder that he

creates:

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