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.
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