The alchemy of poetic language: a study of Sri Aurobindo’s ‘The Word and the Spirit’
Sachin Vaman Londhe, Somnath Panade
International Journal of Research in English October 20, 2026 DOI: 10.33545/26648717.2026.v8.i10a.928 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Sri Aurobindo's spiritual poetics, grounded in Tantric and Vedic metaphysics, reinterprets poetic language as a vehicle for supramental experience rather than mere aesthetic construct, with five levels of expression (adequate, dynamic, illuminative, inspired, revelatory) corresponding to deepening intuitive consciousness. The paper contends that poetry can function as a spiritual practice accessing truth through the intuitive Word (Vak) and supports Aurobindo's vision of a future poetics based on inner vision and spiritual identity. |
Abstract
The paper explores Sri Aurobindo’s foundational work in spiritual poetics, The Word and the Spirit. It focuses on his idea of poetry as an alchemical and transformative manifestation of higher consciousness. Aurobindo’s theory, which has its roots in Tantric and Vedic metaphysics, reinterprets poetic language as a vehicle for supramental experience as opposed to merely an aesthetic construct. His five levels of poetic expression - from adequate to dynamic, illuminative, inspired, and revelatory speech - are examined in the present paper. Each level corresponds to a deeper level of intuitive consciousness. The paper uses examples from poets such as Shakespeare, Shelley, and Wordsworth to place Aurobindo’s ideas within Indian aesthetics and contemporary comparative poetics through close textual analysis and philosophical hermeneutics. Poetry's potential as a spiritual practice and a way to use the power of the intuitive Word (Vak) to access truth is also observed. Ultimately, the paper supports Aurobindo’s vision of a poetics of the future based on inner vision and spiritual identity; it also provides a crucial framework for comprehending the evolution of poetry in both form and substance.