Tagore's Gitanjali
From my LP class days, I have heard of Tagore. The loud speaker from the local church used to play songs took from this great book in the early morning. I used to tell the story of ‘golden grain of corn’. Recently, I was reading Kahlil Gibran and saw that his books are ‘inspired’ by Tagore. I thought, ‘enough is enough…here I am determined to read ‘Gitanjali’ first, before reading its further ‘inspirations’. And the travel was beautiful!
Tagore was born in a very Rich family but he was a child without freedom. A prison
View next photo er in his own house, “ The child who is decked with prince’s robes and who have jeweled chains round his neck loses all pleasure in his play; his dress hampers him at every step” Gitanjali VIII (VIII). “ O fool, to try to carry thyself upon thy own shoulders! O beggar, to come to beg at thy own door! ” (IX) Such a childhood Tagore had to live and no wonder, he found his happiness and god’s presence with light and flowers “ The light of thy music illuminates the world. The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky ” (III) “ Pluck this little flower and take it. Delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust…….Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is TIME ”. (VI) “ Light, oh, where is the light? Kindle it with the burning fire of desire! ..” (XXVII).
The burning desire in Tagore prayed for strength. The basis of prayer is hope. “ …Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows; ….to make my love fruitful in service….never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might…..to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love. ” (XXXVI) “ That I want thee, only thee – let my heart repeat without end. ” ( XXXVIII ) “When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder ”. (XXXIX) “ Life of my life, I
Tagore was born in a very Rich family but he was a child without freedom. A prison
View next photo er in his own house, “ The child who is decked with prince’s robes and who have jeweled chains round his neck loses all pleasure in his play; his dress hampers him at every step” Gitanjali VIII (VIII). “ O fool, to try to carry thyself upon thy own shoulders! O beggar, to come to beg at thy own door! ” (IX) Such a childhood Tagore had to live and no wonder, he found his happiness and god’s presence with light and flowers “ The light of thy music illuminates the world. The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky ” (III) “ Pluck this little flower and take it. Delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust…….Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is TIME ”. (VI) “ Light, oh, where is the light? Kindle it with the burning fire of desire! ..” (XXVII).
The burning desire in Tagore prayed for strength. The basis of prayer is hope. “ …Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows; ….to make my love fruitful in service….never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might…..to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love. ” (XXXVI) “ That I want thee, only thee – let my heart repeat without end. ” ( XXXVIII ) “When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder ”. (XXXIX) “ Life of my life, I