Lexicon of an Infinite Mind: A Dictionary of Words and Terms in Sri Aurobindo's Savitri (in English)
Synopsis "Lexicon of an Infinite Mind: A Dictionary of Words and Terms in Sri Aurobindo's Savitri (in English)"
The inspiration for the Lexicon of An Infinite Mind, a Dictionary of Words and Terms in Sri Aurobindo's "Savitri" came to me in the early 1970's during the initial stages of the construction of the Matrimandir and Matrimandir Gardens in Auroville. I was greatly encouraged by Madhav Pandit who asked me to begin the work immediately as I could be sure that Mother's force would be with me at every moment to enable me complete the Lexicon. Although preliminary study began, the intensity of the labour to begin build the Gardens of the Matrimandir, collecting, propagating and studying the adaptability and acclimatization of hundreds of the most beautiful species precluded further research at the time. Now, more than forty years have passed since the first inspiration came. The title is taken from Book Eleven, The Book of Everlasting Day, Canto One, The Eternal Day: The Soul's Choice and the Supreme Consummation, .. the first lexicon of an infinite mind Translating the language of eternal bliss. The Lexicon languished in limbo when Mary Helen passed away in 2002 and copyright issues surfaced necessitating an exhaustive reworking. All definitions have now been taken from free dictionary sources, out of copyright dictionaries, and those offered by the authors. The first list of words and terms was compiled in 1998. In 1999 our research intensified and continued through the winter of 2001 when we had completed more than 90% of the Lexicon. In February 2002 Mary Helen, my beloved friend, companion, wife and disciple of Mother and Sri Aurobindo, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Her understanding of English grammar, punctuation, style, etc., has led to a far wider compilation than had earlier been envisioned. When a dear friend at Savitri Bhavan in Auroville, sent us a list of words for which a disciple from India needed clarification our scope was again enlarged, understanding that for many whose first language is not English there are numerous words with multiple definitions, many so profound as to be puzzling or seemingly obscure, or not readily accessible to being defined. For this reason we revisited the entire text and began to include words that may be felt by some familiar with English to be "common" yet are employed by Sri Aurobindo in unique ways in Savitri. Even then, there remain hundreds of more well known words that have been omitted so that the Lexicon might prove not too unwieldy. We are aware that much of Savitri is incomprehensible to the mind without an inner illumination or understanding from the planes above the mind, and challenges transcription in a lexicographic sense. Sri Aurobindo, has expanded the English language as no one has done since Shakespeare, coined new words, employed words in unique and far wider senses, utilized and often anglicised foreign terms and widened the language by conveying visions and experiences that are beyond words. In fact, he has written Savitri from planes far above the mind and described with a clarity and precison worlds upon worlds as no poet has done in all the poetic compositions of the ages.
