Mysticism and Symbolism: A Comparative Study of the Selected Works of Sri Aurobindo- The Life Divine and Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol
Mohd Adnan Farooq, Dr.Mukta Gupta
International journal of research and analytical reviews 2026 DOI: 10.56975/ijrar.v13i3.339747 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that mysticism and symbolism are inseparable in Sri Aurobindo's imagination, with The Life Divine providing the conceptual framework for his vision of consciousness and spiritual evolution and Savitri embodying that framework in poetic, mythological, and symbolic form. Symbolism in Savitri, the author contends, does not merely embellish the narrative but supplies a language that makes mystical experience and philosophical ideas imaginatively accessible. |
Abstract
Sri Aurobindo occupies a distinctive position in Indian English literature because his philosophical thought and poetic imagination are deeply interconnected.His The Life Divine and Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol represent two different but complementary modes through which he articulates his vision of human consciousness, spiritual evolution, and the possibility of transformation.The present study examines the relationship between mysticism and symbolism in these two works through a comparative and interpretative approach.The Life Divine is primarily examined as a philosophical articulation of consciousness, evolution, the Divine, and the transformation of human existence, whereas Savitri is approached as a poetic and symbolic embodiment of comparable spiritual concerns.Particular attention is given to recurring symbolic patterns such as light and darkness, dawn and night, journey, fire, sun, earth, love, death, and immortality.The study argues that symbolism in Savitri does not merely embellish its narrative but provides a language through which mystical experience and philosophical ideas become imaginatively accessible.Similarly, the symbolic dimensions of The Life Divine help connect its abstract philosophical discourse with the experiential dimension of Sri Aurobindo's spirituality.The comparative analysis demonstrates that the two works are best understood as complementary expressions of a unified vision: The Life Divine provides the conceptual framework, while Savitri gives that framework poetic, mythological, emotional, and symbolic form.The study concludes that mysticism and symbolism are inseparable elements of Sri Aurobindo's literary and philosophical imagination.