rose of god essay

Rose of God by Sri Aurobindo Summary and Analysis

“Rose of God” is a mystic poem by Sri Aurobindo similar to his another mystic poem “ Thought the Paraclete “. Rose of God was first published 1941 in the collection titled ‘Poems’. In this poem, the speaker seeks to discover the mysteries of the Divine Rose.

Aurobindo takes spiritualism to a new level through the complex thematic exploration in his mystical poems. The strength of this poem lies in its depth of symbolism and imagery that invite multiple meanings and interpretations.

‘Rose of God’ is an intricate mystic poem in which the Rose of God embodies the Rose of Bliss, Rose of Light, Rose of Power, Rose of Life, and Rose of Love.

Rose of God by Sri Aurobindo Summary

Rose of God, vermilion stain on the sapphires of heaven, Rose of Bliss, fire-sweet, seven-tinged with the ecstasies seven! Leap up in our heart of humanhood, O miracle, O flame, Passion-flower of the Nameless, bud of the mystical Name.

In the first stanza of “Rose of God” the speaker set out on a journey with a quest to understand the mysterious Divine Rose. Here, this Rose of God shines as a vibrant vermilion stain against the background of vast expanse of the blue sky that gives birth to the Rose of Bliss.

The speaker asks the Rose of God and the Rose of Bliss to rise and leap up within human hearts. The Rose of Bliss represents intense joy, with its seven petals of seven different colours symbolise different kinds of ecstatic experiences.

The “sapphires of heaven” denote the immeasurable expanse of blue sky where the dazzling sun – “the passion flower of the Nameless” – summarily resides.

Rose of God, great wisdom-bloom on the summits of being, Rose of Light, immaculate core of the ultimate seeing! Live in the mind of our earthhood; O golden Mystery, flower, Sun on the head of the Timeless, guest of the marvellous Hour.

In this stanza the figure of the Rose of Light and Time are are invoked by the speaker. The divine rose (Rose of God) represents the highest wisdom, or the highest source of wisdom on the “summits of being”.  And the rose of light represents pure enlightenment, the “immaculate core of the perfect understanding”.

The Rose represents the golden mystery that symbolises the Timeless wisdom. This divine essence becomes a guest in the glorious hour, and the speaker invites this divine essence to dwell in the human mind and bring the light (enlightenment) to eradicate the evils of illiteracy from the earth.

The speaker calls the divine essence a “golden Mystery” and the “Sun on the head of the Timeless” because of its illuminating (rose of light) and transformative nature (rose of time).

Rose of God, damask force of Infinity, red icon of might, Rose of Power with thy diamond halo piercing the night! Ablaze in the will of the mortal, design the wonder of thy plan, Image of Immortality, outbreak of the Godhead in man.

The Divine Force is represented as the Rose of Power, just like the Rose of Light, is crucial for guiding and regulating the mortal world.

The speaker continues to address this Divine Force as Rose of God throughout the poem. The expression “damask force of Infinity” implies here the infinite and enduring might and strength of the Divine. The symbol ‘red icon of might’ evokes an image of strong power and determination.

The “diamond halo piercing the night” symbolises the divine light that pierces through darkness and ignorance. In this instance, the speaker invokes this divine force to inspire and guide the human will (the will of the mortal), creating a marvelous plan, the “Image of Immortality.”

Rose of God, smitten purple with the incarnate divine Desire, Rose of Life, crowded with petals, colour’s lyre! Transform the body of the mortal like a sweet and magical rhyme; Bridge our earthhood and heavenhood, make deathless the children of Time.

The Rose of Life serves as a bridge between the terrene domain and heavenly realms and alters the pitiful mortal into a deathless child of Time, making immortal in heaven.

The speaker, therefore, appeals for the Devine force to give ‘immortal qualities for mortals’, taking beyond the limits of time and mortality.

Rose of God, like a blush of rapture on Eternity’s face, Rose of Love, ruby depth of all being, fire-passion of Grace! Arise from the heart of the yearning that sobs in Nature’s abyss: Make earth the home of the Wonderful and life beatitude’s kiss.

In the last stanza, the speaker expresses his desire to the Rose of Love to transform the earth into an eternal bliss, similar to heaven. This transformation of earth would raise the mortal from his suffering to a level of divinity and happiness.

The speaker emphasises that the Divinity is associated with rapture, love and grace. The image of a “blush of rapture on Eternity’s Face” suggests a moment of intense joy and ecstasy within the eternal.

The “Rose of Love” is depicted as a deep Ruby that symbolises the deep passion. Hereby, the speaker hopes for the earth to become a home for the Divine and for life to be filled with bliss of beatitude, symbolised by a kiss.

Poetic Devices

The poem “Rose of God” by Sri Aurobindo contains a number of rich poetic devices. Here are some notable ones:

Readers can discover the poem filled with colorful images that appeal to the senses. Examples include:

• “vermilion stain on the sapphires of heaven”
• “diamond halo piercing the night”
• “fire-sweet, seven-tinged with the ecstasies seven”
• “damask force of Infinity, red icon of might”
• “like a blush of rapture on Eternity’s face”

The Rose serves as a Central Metaphor throughout the poem. This Metaphor symbolises various aspects of the divine power. As mentioned by the author, the rose represents beauty, ecstasy, wisdom, light, power, desire, and love in the poem.

• “Rose of God” symbolises divine beauty and perfection.
• “Rose of Bliss” represents profound joy.
• “Rose of Light” stands for pure wisdom and enlightenment.
• “Rose of Power” signifies strength and might.
• “Rose of Love” embodies deep affection and grace.

Sri Aurobindo employs more than one simile in this poem:

• “Transform the body of the mortal like a sweet and magical rhyme”
• “Rose of God, like a blush of rapture on Eternity’s face”.

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech where abstract concepts are given human characteristics:

• “Leap up in our heart of humanhood, O miracle, O flame” (suggesting the rose has the ability to leap and affect human hearts).
• “Sun on the head of the Timeless, guest of the marvellous Hour” (suggesting the rose or divine light is a guest who can interact with time).

The phrase “Rose of God is repeated at the beginning of each stanza that emphasises the central symbol of the poem and creates a rhythmic structure.

The poem often juxtaposes contrasting ideas to highlight the mystery and majesty of the divine:

• “Timeless” and “Hour” (contrasting eternity with a specific moment).
• “earthhood” and “heavenhood” (contrasting the mortal and the divine).

Exaggeration is used to convey the grandeur of the divine:

• “Make deathless the children of Time” suggests an immortal transformation.

All these devices are intertwined in order to provide the readers with a powerful, enshrouded, spiritual image of the divine rose and to turn the poem into a reflection on the spiritual pursuit of the enlightenment.

Theme of Rose of God

This mystic poem revolves around the idea of the aspiration for the Divine presence on earth. The speaker is longing for the Divine presence and fill earthly life with love, light, power and grace. He wishes love to spread everywhere and the whole earth gets rid of ignorance by the light of the divine.

The speaker especially wants a spiritual enlightenment which is the basis for wisdom in other aspects – “ Rose of Power with thy diamond halo piercing the night! ” He wants to bridge the earthly and heavenly realms, and the transformation of mortal existence into a reflection of divine perfection.

The poem also insisting the power of humanity to go beyond its limitations and experience a union with the Divine. This union will bring about a state of fulfillment and eternal bliss.

FAQs: People Also Ask

Q: what symbol is the sun compared to in the poem rose of god.

In this poem, the sun is compared to the “flower” in the stanza:

Live in the mind of our earthhood; O golden Mystery, flower, Sun on the head of the Timeless, guest of the marvellous Hour.

Here, the sun is symbolically compared to a “flower” representing both its radiant beauty and its transformative power. It suggests that just as a flower brings brightness and vitality to its surroundings, the sun brings illumination and enlightenment to the timeless realm, acting as a guest of wonder and Marvel.

Q: What is the meaning of the rose of God by Sri Aurobindo?

What is the symbolic significance of the title the rose of god.

The Rose of God symbolises the Divine presence. It represents various aspects of the Divine, such as wisdom, power, love, and grace.

The Rose serves as a metaphor for the beauty, richness and the transformative nature of the divine essence.

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Popular links, 'rose of god’ by sri aurobindo : a critical summary and analysis.

An Exploration of Aurobindo’s Mystic Consciousness: Rose of God

• Abhishek Kumar Jaiswal

Human race is known for its incredible energy and intellect, but above all for its faith in one omnipotent existence. Different culture, creed and customs follow different symbols to worship that one God around the world. In other words it is known as Religion or Pantheism. Its root is as ancient as the human race itself. Since the Vedic Period, there are two types of beliefs regarding God. One is Idolatry or Saguna path and second is Spirituality or Nirguna path. Idolatry faith is based on the worshipping of idol- as a symbol of God. And spirituality believes in the internal function of Soul and Oversoul. Sri Aurobindo is a master of mystic writing. He has innate inclination towards spiritual cult of thought and writing. In his works he focuses on spiritual achievements ? that is the state of extreme bliss. To define such a state is not a child’s game. It is mystic in nature. Sri Aurobindo has tried to convey the process of meditation and its different stages through the symbol of Rose. Rose has been treated in different forms. It is symbolized as Bliss, Light, Power, Life and Love. He has taken the symbol of ?Rose? instead of Vedic symbol of ?Lotus? for the description of spiritual states. In traditional manuscript ?Lotus? had been used for denoting ascetic spiritual function.

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Rose of God

A poem by Sri Aurobindo

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Two questions have arisen in the mind in connection with Rose of God.

(1) Does the rose of all flowers most perfectly and aptly express the divine ecstasies or has it not any symbolic allusion in the Veda or the Upanishad?

There were no roses in those times in India—roses came in with the Mahomedans from Persia. The rose is usually taken by us as the symbol of surrender, love etc. But here it is not used in that sense, but as the most intense of all flowers it is used as symbolic of the divine intensities—Bliss, Light, Love etc.

(2) Are the seven ecstasies referred to there the following: Bliss, Light, Power, Immortality, Life, Love and Grace?

No, it is not seven kinds, but seven levels of Ananda that are meant by the seven ecstasies.

2 January 1935

Letters on Poetry and Art > On Some Poems Written during the 1930s

Poems (1941) - Note

In some of these poems, as in others of the Six Poems , a quantitative metrical system has been used which seems to have puzzled some critics, apparently because it does not follow the laws of quantity obtaining in the ancient classical languages. But those laws are quite alien to the rhythm and sound-structure of the English tongue; the attempt to observe them has always ended in deserved and inevitable failure. Another system has been followed here which is in agreement with the native rhythm of English speech. There what determines the metrical length or brevity of syllables is weight, the weight of the voice emphasis or the dwelling of the voice upon the sound. Where there is that emphasis or that dwelling of the voice, the syllable may be considered metrically long; where both are absent there will be, normally, a recognisable shortness which can only be cured by some aid of consonant weight or other lengthening circumstance. All stressed syllables are metrically long in English and cannot be otherwise, however short the vowel may be, for they dominate the verse movement; this is a fact which is ignored in the traditional account of English quantity and which many experimenters in quantitative verse have chosen to disregard with disastrous consequences,—all their genius or skill in metrical technique could not save them from failure. On the other hand, a long-vowel syllable can be regarded as metrically long even if there is no stress upon it. In the quantitative system used in these poems this possibility is converted into a law: metrical length is obligatory for all such natural syllabic longs, while a short-vowel syllable unstressed is normally short for metrical purposes unless it is very heavily weighted with consonants. But the mere occurrence of two or more consonants after a short vowel does not by itself make the syllable long as it necessarily does in Greek, Latin or Sanskrit.

The system may then be reduced to the following rules:

1) All stressed syllables are regarded as metrically long, as also all syllables supported on a long vowel.

2) All short-vowel syllables not stressed are regarded as short, unless they are heavily weighted with consonants. But on this last point no fixed rule can be given; in each case the ear must be the judge.

3) There are a great number of sounds in English which can be regarded according to circumstances either as longs or as shorts. Here too the ear must decide in each case.

4) English quantity metres cannot be as rigid as the metres of ancient tongues. The rhythm of the language demands a certain variability, free or sparing, without which monotony sets in; accordingly in all English metres modulation is admitted as possible. Even the most regular rhythms do not altogether shut out the substitution of other feet than those fixed in the normal basic arrangement of the line; they admit at least so much as is needed to give the necessary pliancy or variety to the movement. There is sometimes a very free use of such variations; but they ought not to be allowed to break the basic movement or overburden or overlay it. The same rule must apply in quantitative metres; especially in long poems modulations are indispensable.

This system is not only not at discord with the sound-structure of the language, it accords closely with its natural rhythm; it only regulates and intensifies into metrical pitch and tone the cadence that is already there even in prose, even in daily speech. If we take passages from English literature which were written as prose but with some intensity of rhythm, its movement can be at once detected. E.g.

or again, from Shakespeare's prose,

and so on with a constant recurrence of the same quantitative movement all through; or, yet more strikingly,

This last sentence can be read indeed as a very perfect hexameter. The first of these passages could be easily presented as four lines of free quantitative verse, each independent in its arrangement of feet, but all swaying in a single rhythm. Shakespeare's is most wonderfully balanced in a series of differing four-syllabled, with occasional shorter, feet, as if of deliberate purpose, though it is no intention of the mind but the ear of the poet that has constructed this fine design of rhythmic prose. A free quantitative verse in this kind would be perfectly possible.

A more regular quantitative metre can be of two kinds. There could be lines all with the same metrical arrangement following each other without break or else alternating lines with a different arrangement for each, forming a stanza,—as in the practice of accentual metres. But there could also be an arrangement in strophe and antistrophe as in the Greek chorus.

Sōlēs | ōccĭdĕr(e) | ēt rĕ|dīrĕ | pōssūnt. Nōbīs | cūm sĕmĕl | ōccĭd|īt brĕ|vīs lūx, Nōx ēst | pērpĕtŭ(a) | ūnă | dōrmĭ|ēndă. 1

In "Moon of Two Hemispheres" the strophe antistrophe system has been used: the lines of the stanza differ from each other in the nature and order of the feet, no identity or approach to identity is imposed; but each line of the antistrophe follows scrupulously the arrangement of the corresponding line of the strophe. An occasional modulation at most is allowed, e.g. the substitution of a trochee for a spondee. The whole poem, how-ever, in spite of its metrical variations, follows a single general rhythmic movement.

"Rose of God", like a previous poem "In Horis Aeternum", is written in pure stress metre. As stress and high accentual pitch usually coincide, it is possible to scan accentual metre on the stress principle and stress metre also can be so written that it can be scanned as accentual verse; but pure stress metre depends entirely on stress ictus. In ordinary poetry stress and natural syllabic quantity enter in as elements of the rhythm, but are not, qua stress and quantity, essential elements of the basic metre: in pure stress metre there is a reversal of these values; quantity and accentual inflexion are subordinate and help to build the rhythm, but stress alone determines the metrical basis. In "Rose of God" each line is composed of six stresses, and the whole poem is built of five stanzas, each containing four such lines; the arrangement of feet varies freely to suit the movement of thought and feeling in each line. Thus,

CWSA > Collected Poems > Poems (1941) - Note

The Genesis of Thought the Paraclete and Rose of God

I am sending you copies of two poems. One, Thought the Paraclete , is a development of four lines (now 3-6) originally written some time ago as an English metrical correspondence for a Bengali new metre of Dilip's. He had asked for some more lines and I thought the four I had written good enough to warrant a complete poem. Dilip's scheme was

but in English another arrangement might be preferable, either

It is not an easy metre and does not seem to admit of sufficient variations for a longer poem.

The other, Rose of God , is a lyric, an invocation. The metrical plan is—for the first two lines of the stanza, three parts with 2 main stresses in each, the first identical throughout, the other two variable at pleasure; for the last two lines, two parts of equal length, three stresses in each part.

Letters on Poetry and Art > Metrical Experiments

Rose of God, vermilion stain on the sapphires of heaven, Rose of Bliss, fire-sweet, seven-tinged with the ecstasies seven! Leap up in our heart of humanhood, O miracle, O flame, Passion-flower of the Nameless, bud of the mystical Name.

Rose of God, great wisdom-bloom on the summits of being, Rose of Light, immaculate core of the ultimate seeing! Live in the mind of our earthhood; O golden Mystery, flower, Sun on the head of the Timeless, guest of the marvellous Hour.

Rose of God, damask force of Infinity, red icon of might, Rose of Power with thy diamond halo piercing the night! Ablaze in the will of the mortal, design the wonder of thy plan, Image of Immortality, outbreak of the Godhead in man.

Rose of God, smitten purple with the incarnate divine Desire, Rose of Life, crowded with petals, colour's lyre! Transform the body of the mortal like a sweet and magical rhyme; Bridge our earthhood and heavenhood, make deathless the children of Time.

Rose of God like a blush of rapture on Eternity's face, Rose of Love, ruby depth of all being, fire-passion of Grace! Arise from the heart of the yearning that sobs in Nature's abyss: Make earth the home of the Wonderful and life Beatitude's kiss.

Part VII : Pondicherry (Circa 1927-1947) > Poems   

How to read the color-coded changes below? 1. SABCL version : lines with any changes & specific changes 2. CWSA version : lines with any changes & specific changes

• Sri-Aurobindo/books/collected-poems/rose-of-god.txt +2 -2

NOTES FROM EDITOR

29-30 December 1934. There is one handwritten and one typed manuscript of this poem. The typed manuscript is dated 31December 1934; however Sri Aurobindo wrote in a letter to a disciple that “Rose of God” was ready “on the 30th having been written on that and the previous day”. On 31 December, he wrote to his secretary that the just-typed “Rose of God” could be “circulated first as a sort of New Year invocation”. On 2 March 1935, his secretary wrote to him saying that the editor of a quarterly journal had asked for a poem to be published, and asking whether “Rose of God” could be sent. Sri Aurobindo replied: “I feel squeamish about publishing the Rose of God' in a magazine or newspaper. It seems to me the wrong place altogether.”

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Sri Aurobindo Rose of God | A Brief Comment

Sri Aurobindo Rose of God

‘Rose of God’  by Sri Aurobindo is a mystic poem. In this poem, the poet expresses his mystic view of God and has said that the natural objects are the expressions of God himself. The title ‘Rose of God’ refers to the spirit or soul of God. It may mean the soul of a human being also. Symbolically it may denote the stars through which God has expressed himself. The poem bears five stanzas each of four lines written in a couplet. The language of the poem ‘Rose of God’ is very simple but the symbols used in the poem make it somewhat difficult to understand. 0 0 0

Read More:   The Poetry of Sri Aurobindo-Chief Features

N. B.   This article entitled ‘Sri Aurobindo Rose of God’ originally belongs to the book ‘ Indian English Poetry Criticism ‘ by Menonim Menonimus.  Sri Aurobindo Rose of God

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Rose of God by Sri Aurobindo

It is difficult to explain what the yogi seeks to say it though the matter is definitely related to the Divine Rose.

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“Rose of God”, a poem by Sri Aurobindo

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Rose of God, vermilion stain on the sapphires of heaven, Rose of Bliss, fire-sweet, seven-tinged with the ecstasies seven! Leap up in our heart of humanhood, O miracle, O flame, Passion-flower of the Nameless, bud of the mystical Name.

Rose of God, great wisdom-bloom on the summits of being, Rose of Light, immaculate core of the ultimate seeing! Live in the mind of our earthhood; O golden Mystery, flower, Sun on the head of the Timeless, guest of the marvellous Hour.

Rose of God, damask force of Infinity, red icon of might, Rose of Power with thy diamond halo piercing the night! Ablaze in the will of the mortal, design the wonder of thy plan, Image of Immortality, outbreak of the Godhead in man.

Rose of God, smitten purple with the incarnate divine Desire, Rose of Life, crowded with petals, colour’s lyre! Transform the body of the mortal like a sweet and magical rhyme; Bridge our earthhood and heavenhood, make deathless the children of Time.

Rose of God, like a blush of rapture on Eternity’s face, Rose of Love, ruby depth of all being, fire-passion of Grace! Arise from the heart of the yearning that sobs in Nature’s abyss: Make earth the home of the Wonderful and life beatitude’s kiss.

Notes on the Text:

29 – 30 December 1934. On 31 December, he wrote to his secretary that the just-typed “Rose of God” could be “circulated first as a sort of New Year invocation”.

On 2 March 1935, his secretary wrote to him saying that the editor of a quarterly journal had asked for a poem to be published, and asking whether “Rose of God” could be sent. Sri Aurobindo replied: “I feel squeamish about publishing the ‘Rose of God’ in a magazine or newspaper. It seems to me the wrong place altogether.”

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