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 07 CANTO 04
1
ॐ कालाभ्रश्यामलाङ्गी विगलितचिकुरा खड्गमुण्डाभिरामा (८)
काली, तारा महाविद्या, षोडशी, भुवनेश्वरी,
भैरवी छिन्नमस्ता च विद्या धूमावती तथा ।
वगला सिद्धविद्या च मातङ्गी कमलात्मिका,
एता दश महाविद्याः सिद्धविद्याः प्रकीर्तिताः॥
1
Om. Kali, who has a complexion as dark as the rain-bearing cloud, whose hair is spread out and beautiful, and who wields a sword and a human head in Her hands, Tara Mahavidya, Sodasi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinamasta, Vidya Dhumavati, Vagala Siddhavidya, Matangi and Kamalatmika, these ten great manifestations of the Goddess Durga are known as the perfect manifestations.
2
Rudra's bow I bend for him to slay the fierce enemies of the Truth : I am in the battle for the sake of the peoples, I have entered into heaven and earth.
I have given birth to the Father, whose head is my birthplace – in the waters, in the ocean. From there I have entered into the worlds and have established myself wide and I touch with my body the far heaven.
I rush like the wind as I drive all the worlds. That reaches beyond the heavens, beyond the earth, – such is the greatness that has manifested.
Rig Veda 10.125 6-8
Translation by Nolini Kanta Gupta
CWNKG, Vol 5, p 145.
Recitation by The Mother :
SAVITRI BOOK 07 CANTO 04
Lines
212 Aspired the harmony of her puissant voice:
213 “O Savitri, I am thy secret soul. . . .
236 I am Durga, goddess of the proud and strong,
237 And Lakshmi, queen of the fair and fortunate;
238 I wear the face of Kali when I kill,
239 I trample the corpses of the demon hordes. . . .
276 I shall hear the silver swing of heaven’s gates
277 When God comes out to meet the soul of the world.”