In 1966,The Mother asked Sunil Bhattacharya to compose the musical accompaniment for Her readings of Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri. He continued to compose music for Savitri (and for the New Year) till his passing in 1998.
In his compositions for Savitri and for the New Year, Sunilda incorporated chantings of mantras from the Vedas, the Upanishads and various Stavas and Stotras, invoking the diverse Godheads of India. To him, the Mother and Sri Aurobindo were the Supreme as well as all the Goddesses and Gods of Indian mythology. As a result, we often find him replacing the names of the different deities mentioned in the originals with the names of the Mother or Sri Aurobindo.
MANTRAS IN SUNILDA'S SAVITRI MUSIC
SAVITRI BOOK 02 CANTO 07
अग्न ओजिष्ठमा भर द्युम्नमस्मभ्यमध्रिगो ।
प्र नो राया परीणसा रत्सि वाजाय पन्थाम्॥
त्वं नो अग्ने अद्भुत क्रत्वा दक्षस्य मंहना ।
त्वे असुर्यमारुहत् क्राणा मित्रो न यज्ञियः॥
त्वं नो अग्न एषां गयं पुष्टिं च वर्धय ।
ये स्तोमेभिः प्र सूरयो नरो मघान्यानशुः॥
तव ते अग्ने अर्चयो भ्राजन्तो यन्ति धृष्णुया ।
परिज्मानो न विद्युतः स्वानो रथो न वाजयुः॥
नू नो अग्न ऊतये सबाधश्च रातये ।
अस्माकासश्च सूरयो विश्वा आशास्तरीषणि॥
O Fire, bring to us a light full of energy, O unseizable Ray ; for us by thy opulence pervading on every side cut out in our front a path to the plenitude.
O Fire, O Wonderful, come to us with thy will and the growth of the judgment ; in thee the sacrificial Friend, achiever of the work can climb to almightiness.
Increase for us, O Fire, the acquisition and the growth of these who are men that are illuminates and by their laudings of thee have attained to the plenitudes of the riches.....
These are those flaming rays of thine, O Fire, and they go blazing and violent, like lightnings that run over all quarters, like the voice of a chariot seeking the plenitude.
Soon, O Fire, may alike those of us who are opposed and obstructed attain to protection and the giving of the riches and our illuminates break through all directions and beyond.
Rig Veda 5.10.1,2,3,5,6.
Translation by Sri Aurobindo
SABCL Vol 11, pp 221-22.
