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The symbolic and the subjective

Lopa Mukherjee

Abstract
We are poised to enter a new age in our social evolution — the subjective age — that will bring the
spiritual and psychic realms to the forefront. Our earliest stage of development was the symbolic
age that came from the mystic core of our being. Then came the typal and conventional ages,
where the truth was gradually lost, and the outer husk remained. The subsequent rational age
did away with ritual and superstition. It brought in the light of the objective world. All subjective
claims were subjected to the scientific method. But not all truths can be grasped using the rational
mind. The inner pressure of the psychic being and the spiritual pressure from above are cracking
it open. The new subjective age that is dawning will resuscitate the symbols and integrate them
into itself. This article looks at the symbols in our lives, how they have changed over time and how
they are being assimilated by the subjective age.

The symbolic age Aurobindo says this about ‘go’:

The earliest wisdom literature of India, “As a matter of fact it is evident that we are
the Vedas, are recondite texts because the meant to take the word in a double sense,
Vedic rrssis used symbolic language instead ‘light’ as the true significance, ‘cow’ as the
of direct speech. They cannot be analysed concrete image and verbal figure (1).”
with reason as they are a creation of the pre-
rational age, the first age of man, called the If we consider the primary meaning of ‘go’ to
symbolic age. The etymology of words and be the nurturing, fulfilling, enriching principle,
the meaning of some cryptic verses have the two meanings are not forced any more —
been scrutinised by many linguistic scholars, both light and the cow nurture us. The word
spiritual practitioners, cultural commentators ‘go’ has a derivative meaning — ‘knowledge’,
and modern rrssis. Let us take for example the as knowledge makes us grow. We shine the
word ‘go’. It means light, and also the cow. light to dispel ignorance. The names of gods
When discussing the hymns on the herds are also symbolic in the Vedas. Later ages have
of the dawn in his, The Secret of the Veda, Sri woven stories around them. For example,

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