Dattatraya Muley - Rabindranath's Poetry, 19.. by gnosisclassics

UC-NRLF

RAVINDRANATH'S POETRY

DATTATRAYA MULEY

Published by

UNIVERSAL BOOK DEPOT, GANJIPURA,

JABALPUR.

Printed by Job Printers, Allahabad.

Ed. 1964

Price 4.50

TO MY MOTHER KASHI

657

PREFACE This book will have suceeded in its purpose, if it can arouse in the reader, interest in the poetry of Ravindranath Tagore. To my mind, the poems of Ravindranath are more simple, easier to understand, and convey more quickly the than all the comments spirit of his poetry to the reader, lavished on them by critics. While reading this book, therefore, the reader will do well to dwell on the poems quoted in this book, and at least pay as much attention to them, as to the comments that precede and follow them.

This book grew substantially out of a thesis which I submitted for my Ph. D. The justification for its publication is an observation, by one of my examiners, Dr. Suniti Kumar an eminent scholar and a person who was so Ch.atterji, much in contact with Gurudev Tagore, while he (Tagore)

was

alive.

This

what Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji says

the present thesis appeals to me as a very praiseworthy study which will help to bring an appreciation of Ravindranath to University students and to lay lovers of .

literature

throughout India and possibly also abroad

In the earlier part of the book, the quotations had to be taken from the original Bengali and have been rendered Later on, as they became available, into English by me. they were taken mostly from Ravindranath's own English In between, at a few places, I have taken renderversions. ings given by Prof. so far the only

express English, have sought.

book Tagore which of the poet in study comprehensive whose help I grateful thanks to all those

Thompson

his

D. M.

Ravindranath's Poetry PART I the Poetry of Joy. There Consciousness of Sin.

His Poetry

There is hardly any poet whose poetry consists of such unmixed joy as that of Ravindranath. Right from the beginning when he started writing poetry as a lad of twelve,

he has poured out songs which have given spiritual sustenance and delight to all those who read them. W. B. Yeats says in the not

introduction to lie

"These verses will Tagore's Gitanjali. in little well -printed books ladies' tables, who turn upon

the pages with indolent hands that they

may sigh over a life without meaning, which is yet all they can know of life, or be carried about by students at the university to be laid aside when

the

travellers

upon find

work of will

rivers.

life

begins,

hum them on Lovers,

but as the generations pass, the highway

while they await this love of

murmuring them,

wherein their

own

bitter

passion

may

and men rowing

one another,

God

a magic

shall

gulf

bathe and renew

its

youth."

Ravindranath

has

passed

through

all

the

stages

development through which a rising poet passes. He has had his early youth during which he wrote poetry describing his and observations of environment, giving his impressions outward objects and things.

These are touched by an inward

imparted to them by the poet's spiritual attitude, and surrounded by a mystery which is the mystery of this sweetness

(

)

and which forms the very stuff of his later and maturer poetry. He -had his period of manhood when he experienced the most delicate passion and he has depicted this with such

universe

nicety, that the minutest twitch of the pain of love, the subtlest

throbbing

And of his

of*

the heart, does not go undetected.

when he turns from this to the maturer poetry we are virtually borne along the current of his

lastly life,

rhythm into the heart of the mystery which is joy and and love itself. The Poet a novice his Evening songs.

truth

From

when his poetry turned from imitation to genuineness, there is no period of his life when he falls into sheer despondency. His Evening Songs, which is

his

the

first

very beginning

real

of sadness, but

work it

as a

young poet, does contain some tinge

the sadness of

man

groping through

light, through the faintness of early twilight the dawn, which he does not yet clearly see. His

dark towards

the

towards

is full of a vague yearning which he is not able to His young spirit cannot easily unburden itself into express. the sadness. hence and song His first poems Morning Soiigs. But with The Awakening of the Fountain in the Morning

poet's heart

Songs, his spirit awakes into light and a sweet melody like the thawing

into

The Awakening of the Fountain

awakening

of the spirit of

life.

its

burden the

thaws

fountain.

poem symbolical of the From this time his spirit is move and moves through

never moribund; it never ceases to his later works towards that sure ultimate goal where becomes one with the divine spirit. spirit of man

the

This mystic vision of the oneness of the universe, of the spirit of life, of its being presided

unbroken continuity of the

(

presence which

over by a divine

may

embracing

)

personal as

be said to have had

its

well

beginning

as all

his

an experience which came to him in revelation, was Calcutta when he twenty one years of age. One morning Ravindranath* was standing on the verandah of his house in

first

"While I stood watching the sunrise behind the trees. he writes "I felt as if some ancient mist watching" suddenly had in a moment lifted from my sight, and the morning light on the face of the world revealed an inner radiance of joy." All

physical

seemed

objects

Even when they emerged in

distinct,

The world appeared

it.

of light rising into

With

melt into

this radiance.

they seemed to be bathed

be one sea of light with waves

this experience,

gloom, all seemed to fade away not only from the world but

darkness,

from the poet's own

it.

all

soul.

joy and rapture. In poem after poem, the poet exults in the realization that nature is one and undying. There are the twin poems called Anant Jiwan

In the Morning Songs

(eternal

and Anant Maran (eternal death) in which the life and death are only the two phases of the and how life persists even through death. '1 hese

life)

poet shows eternal

all is

life

how

are expressive of his triumphant faith that the universe sating with eternal

change of form

and

life

and that the so called death

emporary

art its

(each) separate

Taking one grain (of sand)

wave

after another, secretly the

ocean

Builds great continents. 1

The

eternal activity of

pul-

only a

sense. eclipse from the world of

the earth rise endless waves

Thou

life is

going on unnoticed.

(

)

The poet's vision is board but will attain depth and take on a

it is

Gradually it To quote spiritual shape.

foom another poem; As many I

years as

am dying

am alive.

external.

have died

all

these years,

1 every moment.

The dying signifies only the change that is taking place every moment in the human person as everywhere else in the Universe.

Our

death

There

And

endless

no death of

this death.

since this

change every one to

poet invites

participation in the

game

eternal,

life

eternal.

The

of great sacrifice, this where we are sacrificing our

this festival

life

death or change every moment and thus keeping life going on for ever. There is a peculiar reckless joy and abandon about these poems. selves to this

His next Collection

Although while, the

this revelation

memory

Pictures and songs

may have been dimmed

remained

and the capacity

after

view

everything as part of this eternal stream of life. The poems which succeed this experience, bear a marked stamp of it. Pictures and Songs consists of a series of songs and pictures

life,

which though

with a light and

life

distinct and clear cut, yet palpitate which are one wtih the light and life

of the universe.

In the introduction to writes

Pictures

and Songs the poet

"I wrote

drunkenness.

Pictures It

and Songs

appears as

in a fit of

in a gust of breeze

(

burst into

of flowers

myriads

sign of fruit in them."

On all four sides,

bloom.

full

There was

spring

laughing

The flower of youth has opened Its

my mind

coming out

fragrance

Is floating in

the woodlands. 1

also in the following of Full Moon.) Night

lines

from Poornimaya (on the

In the limitless blue void

Where

has the universe floated away

As though it

cannot be seen. 2

The poet gives a fine ideal picture of the moonlight being pervasive and the solid earth having receded somewhere. The poet's vision is so vast that it can take in the whole all

And

universe at a glance. to

this

dark

ball

of the earth seems

have receded somewhere into the vast gleaming abyss.

In another place the author gives only- a vignette of what he sees but this picture is also instinct with the suggestion that

it is

was revealed

a portion

of that vast

universe of joy

to the poet in the experience of

which

his twenty-first

year. Several

women carrying

Are coming

Underneath the

The

water pots

along the foot path trees, full

of gloom. 3

'Tale Tali used in Bengali

meant

to indicate the

village maidens walking slowly along. a has silent picture mystic touch about it, the maidens being an elemental part of the eternal life of the universe.

footfall

and shows the

The

They

also

show the

poet's joy

the objects

and

sights

tff

common

life.

with himself. revels in

the

)

In the Evening Songs, he is more or Jess occupied In the Morning Songs, his spirit comes out and life

his genius gradually

and Songs, As descriptions become more

this universe.

he sings of the beautiful

opens out,

In Pictures

d sounds of

sights ai his

this earth.

graphic and his sentiments more defined.

and Songs is a and objects touched with revealing sights an ethereal beauty, and every song is a note struck on a tuned harp which is later to produce great symphony. But Pictures and Songs is among the poet's early attempts and possesses the reader every

poem

in Pictures

window opened up

all

the weaknesses of the early works of great poets. the afternoon)

of the poems

In one

there are lines

Madhyanhe (in which give promise of the later development of the

poet's

genius.

The Are

The

quiet trees and creepers, (all)

and noiselessness, with

sleeping under the shadow of the

its

body

tired

tree. 1

given body to the abstract sheer out of weariness in the sleeping

poet's imagination has

noiselessness

which

afternoon. This capacity to grasp even abstract things and give them concrete shape and endow them with a sentience, bears testimony to the poet's penetrating vision. These objects affect us ful

with their

surprise

that

mood and we even the

should feel drowsy like

get a mild shock of delightnoiselessness of the afternoon

us.

Pictures and Songs thus could not contain

sorrow

and

dejection.

joyful drunken youth.

The poems Each

are

any trace

the product

picture, each song,

of his

mood

(

moment

)

caught into an outline or a symphony At the same time it is contiguous

of eternity

and preserved

for all time.

background and fills us with a suggestion of the whole. There is a wistfulness about each song, there is an elusive quality about each picture which suggests the infinite that lies behind, and from which these pictures stand with

its

infinite

out or the songs articulate themselves and attract our atten-

Our

tion.

Skylark

spirits float

and

riot in

this

infinite, like Shelley's

In the golden lightning

Of the

sunken sun

O'er which clouds are brightening,

Thou

dost float and run,

like an umbodied joy whose race

from

is just

begun.

companion drama Sanyasi the poet loves life and regards retirement and running away from life as barren and perverse. The Sanyasi at first feels that salvation

clear

in breaking

lies

its

the bonds of affection.

child Vasanti

who

gone

the vision

away,

clings to

him

for support but

of her haunts

him.

spurns the

when he has

dis-

traught and realizes that not in breaking worldly ties but in accepting them and selflessly fulfilling our obligations to them,

does

man

achieve real freedom.

His next Collection: sharps ond Flats. Sharps and Flats the poet says

his next collection, I

do not want

mansion I

In the is

poem

a beautiful

and man.

want

to die

and go out of

this beautiful

(the world).

to live

1 among men.

The Forest Shade in

description

this collection,

there

showing the poet's love of nature

(

"(There fixedly

shade of the tree. The eye looking horizon where the forest and the sky touch

the

is)

the

and melt

each

into

time by

its

)

flowing and keeping people meeting and talking on the maiden with her loose hair, her eye the river

other;

music, the

green river bank, the seeking her lost anklet in the shade of the

shade

playing in the neath the trees," this

foliage

trees, light and and children sporting under-

and many other

scenes are tenderly

depicted.

In there

a line a

which

poem On

another

the

Shore of the Ocean (sindhuteere)

hundred decades

how

shows

sit

here and look

amid

all

of nature and the sweetness of at

objects

his life,

parts of the infinite

your

face. 1

enjoyment of the beauty the

tendency of looking

life is

all

the time there.

This gives his descriptions a peculiar touch and makes them things of wonder and beauty and joy. Concrete objects, are presented in a new light and given a abstract objects, personality

real

ages

has

you from

and

significance

which

quite novel

and yet

than the so called real things. The ocean through been there and a hundred ages sit and look at it.

Manasi: his next group of poems. love enters his heart and in Sharps and and Manasi which succeeds Sharps and Flats we have

Gradually Flats,

some extremely beautiful love poetry. (dream of youth) the poet gives vent the following manner.

Tauvan Swapna?

to his sentiment in

The. dream of youth has as if suffused the whole sky. trembling heart sends out its waves, like the concentrated throbbing of a

(

thousand forlorn hearts. come and sit near me.

and again

Urvasi

The emotional

in sleep, somebody seems toawake the presence is gone. 1

the void, lifting

my eye?

if the

a gazing from the midst ol the sky.

of his

side

gives to the point in the sky

the

When I am As soon

why am Hooking on

)

nature

where

eye of somer

now growing and

his

fixed the shape

eye of the heavenly damsel (Urvasi) gazing at him..

eye

The

whole concept is beautiful and once again gives, evidence of his power of giving personality to abstract objects*. The poems in Sharps and Flats are devoted to the of beauty, the beauty But however around.

themes

human

person and the

graphically this beauty is described there is a suggestion in all these descriptions which, makes this beauty not circumscribed and limited but the

beauty

much more find

who

has

but

the

those

mind

extensive.

come

Flats

into full

stress

still,

can

only

more on

come

person

It is the poetry of love

manhood.

objective beauty than

involutions of feeling of

subtle is

and

Shaap

which only a maturer

capable.

The poem on on

image of something deeper and very Such appreciation of beauty as we

and manifest

head

kissing,

show

the Breast, the desire

its

Vivasana

strongest

(without

clothes)

but at the same time

they dispel the viciousness of desire by describing the breast While 'perennial sustenance of the helpless world. 5

as the

are

attracted

significance

by the sensuousness of the

opened out before our mind.

vision, a larger

The

effect

of the

sensuous attraction persists but the soul is awakened to a greater significance of this beauty. At the same time, there is an under current of feeling all through, that mere physical

through poet

not satisfying unless a deeper meaning is revealed The last poems of this collection show that the

beauty

it.

actuated by

satisfaction in

mere

deeper purpose and

In the Awhangeet, the poet says In

my song,

does not find

idle dallying. :

find utterance the voice of the universe.

shall

Men's joy and men's hope,

throb in myheart.l

shall

There are also a few patriotic poems in these collections In these the poet wants his country to raise her head and not remain humbled in the dust. The appeal here is to the spirit *of man, which should not feel helpless but find its strength by espousing the cause of all men.

a poem in Sharps and Flats which shows that the young poet did not only write poetry on beautiful subjects and

There

remain

in his poet's world.

(A pauper woman) So many

flutes,

One

The poem stanza

entitled

as follows

Kangalins

such heaps of laughter

So much your jewelled clothing. If thou art

Why

our Mother

mine garment

so dirty

The beggar woman addresses the question to the goddess Durga whose image is made in the richest possible manner and who is so universally worshipped in Bengal as the divine Mother and in whose honour there is so much of festivity, laughter and rejoicing.

(

"Thou mother,

are

why

are

richly dressed.

)

If thou call st

(thy child's) clothes so

thyself our

worn out and dirty?"

At one stroke Ravindranath has exposed the hollowness of all our conventional codes of religion and morality. At the question put, the goddess who has been so much deified and on whom so much of misguided ardour and devotion have been lavished

by those blinded by conventional religion, to a mere doll and her worship is shown

And

perverse.

such

the

force of the lines,

in the

form and

might acquiesce worship, are at once disillusioned and

tacitly

once reduced and even

as foolish

that

we who

convention of feel as if

this

are in-

dulging in some wasteful and criminal extravagance when such stark poverty goes unnoticed in the midst of such festivity

and

rejoicing.

As he grows further up

in years, the poet passes from the contemplation of the objects of nature and the indulgence of his own free fancy to themes of love. For a time the effect of his early

world was ground.

mystic experience which revealed to him that the one continuous ocean of joy, remains in the back-

suit of love.

gives

Once

himself wholeheartedly

or twice he descends to the

up to the pursomewhat sensual

or the grotesque but his love poetry generally remains free from the touch of the vulgar or the grotesque. In Manasi which was written at on the Gazipur

banks of the Ganga when the poet wrote at leisure of afternoons, we have some very delicate love poetry. Love is in all its moods. depicted Many times it is not so much personal passion times he writes

The poems

are

Here somemanner of Browning.

as the dramatization of love.

somewhat

after

the

monologues delineating the course

with the greatest insight and nicety.

of love

The minutest outward

(

)

indications of love, the lowered eye lashes, the locks hanging in curls and fluttering in the breeze, the half reluctant turning

of the head, the suggestion that the whole body can sense the near presence of a beloved, the mute expenctancy, the twinge of pain at the coyness of the maiden who feels the presence of her lover but does not take notice of him all these are ;

depicted in

poem

after

poem

with a sure and masterly touch

as if nothing escaped the poet's penetrating eye.

ing of an this

and

have the well

drew

unless

rejoinder

the finest

human not

The poems

experience.

rejoinder delineation of the

ultimate

the

personal

Woman's

disillusionment

not give

But the disillusionment does despair.

It is rather

human

love than the passionate lyrical outpourheart. But no poet could have written like aching

the poetry of

are

(

Nareer

course that

rise to

Man's Ukti'

)

love

supervenes.

misery

and

only essays in the depiction of than personal. They are

love and more dramatic

necessarily the record

the

author's

own

personal

in his experience and do not point to any disappointment own soul. Nor has the poet omitted to depict pure beauty. collection of poems called and epitome of the life and of qualities of the animating, awakening, and informing spirit the universe. The lightning flashes of Urvasi are extracted from all to the ocean. She is linked to sources. She is linked

Witness

his

Chitra,

Urvasi

Urvasi in his is

an abstract

heaven and earth. And yet' she is the pure image of beauty and joy and life. With Urvasi the poet reaches the height of this phase of his life and then what with the social and political its

upheavals of

objective.

his time,

his poet's vision loses sight

(

The

When

rom

following

)

Urvasi

Evening descends on the pastures,

body her golden

Thou lightest

the

drawing

about

her

tired

cloth,

lamp within no home

With hesitant wavering

steps,

with throbbing

breast

and

downcast

look

Thou

dost not go smiling to any beloved's bed,

In the hushed midnight.

Like the black-bee, honey-drunken,

the

infatuated

wanders

with

greedy heart, Lifting chants ofwild jubilation

While thou

thou goest, with jingling anklets and waving

skirts,

Restless as lightning.!

As Prof. Thompson put

book on Tagore She

his

human relationships; (Urvasi) of the Indian myth. dancer Urvasi is not merelv the heavenly she is the cosmic spirit of life, in the mazes of an eternal Beauty dissociated from

all

dance."

The way that

conbines in

human

which the poet

a masterly

creator

given her form shows with a sure touch. Urvasi

has

the beauty of natural description with that emotion yet creates a form that is ideal and

itself

detached from

human relationship. its own sake.

all

This shows the poet's

joy in beauty for Manasi is full of love all

sensual touch.

moments captured from the eternal drama of life made imperishable by the alchemy of the poet's

It is like

and

poetry but love poetry free from There is a peculiar wistfulness about it.

(

art.

also full of the

)

realization

of the fultility of

mere

physical charm. I

try to fill

arms with her loveliness, to plunder her sweet dark glances vith

kisses, to drink her

with

Ah, but, where I

my breast.

hold her hands and press her to

Who

it?

try to grasp the beauty,

smile

eyes.

can strain the blue from the sky?

eludes me, leaving only the

spirit

may

body

hand. Baffled and weary

How

come

can the body

back.

touch the

which only

flower

the

touch?!

beauty

The

luxuriate

Merely

not

enough.

spirit gets

clogged

in the

The

way from

turns

the duty which his station in

many poems

contemplation

physical

beauty is finite and limited. a stream struggling through a

The poet

waste of sand.

the

This

life

enjoins

Manasi dealing with

to a

devotion

on him. There are theme of duty.

this

Poet moves to Sealdah: Life on a boat on the

Padma

Sonar Tari.

The venue Sealdah. life

mostly on

collected

The poems

and of human poem.

The cannot

are full

lady in this

changes from Gazipur to with men and things. His

Padma.

the

under

personality.

her bashfulness. yet

work now

comes in contact

passed

period Boat.)

of his

the

title

of both

The

Sonar the

poetry of

Tari

(Golden

beauties of nature

Lajja (bashfulness)

poem

this

a beautiful

has given evrything away except

She keeps herself cowering and

help looking through the

corner

controlled,

cf her eyes.

(

)

When the wind

blows and displaces her upper garment she In the moonlight she sits in the feels a peculiar sensation. window half exposed and the moonbeams come and bathe her beautiful person in their

O Tomra

Amara

light.

and You)

of himself and his beloved.

the attitude in which a lover

hesitation

her

a description by a lover

and

caught

and awkwardness and the All the changes

silent response.

depiction of his reserve and

beautiful for

its

lady's expectancy

and

mood and movement

are very finely drawn.

The

Poet's vision of this Earth as our compassionate mother.

From

men and love of objects of nature, the a realization of the great love and kinship

the love of

poet comes to

between

man and

this earth.

In Jane' Nahi Debo (I shall not let you go), a man is about go away. His wife with a heavy heart prepares his luggage. She is sorry that he is going. But when he is on the point to

of leaving the house his I

The poet

there

little shall

upon

daughter comes and says

not

let

reflects

you go.

The grass which is very fragile The mother earth, container of all wealth, even

she keep

tied to

her

breast

not let (and) earnestly says*I shall

Love

loves things

you

go'.

here the great principle of life. Even mother Earth which we look upon as most insignificant. How

can we then tear ourselves away from this dear mother earth of ours and our natural bonds of affection ? In

Khela

and Bhandhan and Mukti

salvation respectively)

the same theme

(play is

and bondage

stressed again.

(

Khela

away from

)

(play,) the poet

be dust, where

Let

not remain sitting alone like a will

you grow

the comparison of this dust

to be a

man,

Witness these lines from the Out of what delusion of

of your mother's breast

This leaves has

and earth

if you

old before his time.

do not play with

this dust ?1

do you want to sever

kill this appetite for

the ties

milk

the nourishing

the advocates of renunciation without a reply. the poet set the inseparable bonds between in a

tenderness to this

new light but he has also added a beauty and new found kinship. The poem is beautiful

in conception and moving in

tenderness.

its

There are poems on other

topics also.

In Mukti again the poet says The

man

poem Bandhan (Bondage)

salvation,

mother's affection and

Not only

to turn

if it is dust

How

man

upon man not which is of this earth

calls

his play with the dust

great boat of this universe will

thrilling the

floating

behind

whole sky with the song of the pilgrims.

keep sitting in the listlessness

of salvation

Shall

back, I

alone

The poet would life

than In

human

sit

rather be a pilgrim on the high seas of in a dark corner like a sanyasin seeking salvation.

Vaishrawa Kavita

the poet

traces

the source

love to divine love.

From

that stream of Jove

they

fill

their pitchers

which flows

like an

ocean stream,

and take them away to

shore.

all

(

)

don't give any thought to

They

He whose love treasvre He sits and smiles

it.

it is,

the

smile

love

infinite

with untold

satisfaction.l

Here

the source of

God's love from which we bring love into our daily

The Poet Drawn

our love. Here

human

beings

fill

the ocean of

our pitchers and

lives.

into the Social and Political controversies

From

all

his

day.

contemplation of beautiful objects and human has turned to something deeper. Along with his love the poet preoccupation with poetry, the poet has been participating in the

and

the social

political

editor of the Bharati

movements of his day. He was first and then of the Sadhana and has

been a member of the Brahmo Samaj.

He was

also

busy

writing religious tracts and the political and social sentiments of the day are reflected in his poetry. But his poems on political and social subjects are always free from narrow sectari-

anism

patriotism,

a feeling of

and are

full

with

spiritual kinship

of a larger humanity and

men.

all

Jivandevata.

The

enlargement and the deepening of his vision in Sonar Tari (Golden Boat) led him to the formulation of the doctrine of the Jivandevata.

a current of

It is

which has its core in the heart of man the stars and embraces things near and into the past

with the

and the

human

life

by the physical

life

bracing poet a

future.

may

spirit of the universe but

new

access

spiritual life

but which extends to

;

distant

it is

may

;

and

also goes

not be identical

a vital principle emIt is not conditioned

and going beyond it. man. This new discovery brings to the of energy. His muse might have exhausted of

(

itself with the

)

discovery thatwordly love was an empty inanity. it reaches this point of exhaustion, it is fed

But the moment

by a deeper spring, the discovery of the Jivandevata. It flows out again replenished by this new source and his poetry becomes

vital

and appealing.

There follow two comes

characteristic

Sonar Tari)

after

poems

in Chitras

one Antaryami

and the

(which other

Jiwandevata and night in my inmost heart, you take out from my my utterance and taking my words and mixing them with

Sitting day

mouth

your notes, you

tell

story.l

This means that when the poet narrates his

songs,

but

it is

not

his

power

Our own

a power behind him.

his story or sings

them

that gives

voice

utterance

a part of

an immanent voice and were it not for the strength that this immanent power gives us, we would be lifeless and able to speak out nothing.

Further

O thou full of forms, heart

taking ever

new

forms, thou capturest

thou cruel, thou makest

weep,

offering

frail

changing

love.

Many hundreds

of mistakes

'have

made

already, yet

mistakes will

occur again in the same way.

Deceiver,

songs

The meaning lure us

away by

informs them

how many

times to deceive

me you

sing your

aluring

that there are ever

new

beautiful forms to

their newness but the underlying spirit that

all is

one and the same.

Like this time, filling

(

life,

)

have drunk acute pain. That wine strong like fire

understand thou brewest.

Next when

in such pain again

1 go about seeking thee

shall

The poet means

to say that the

lying principle of life life) is

source of

the

which

all

the joy in

life

and the cause of the

Instead of living in the illusion that this earthly

pain of love. life is all

Jivandevata (or the under his past with his present

which unites

and suffering the pain and separation of love incidental to this life, and longing for objects of

in all,

enjoyment, it is better o realize the continuity of the life spirit through our many lives and feel the joy of this realization that !

this single physical life shows us to be, but into the past and extends into the future back goes and is thus unending. Then the objects which tantalize us and the things which we miss in this life and which cause us pain,

are not

that our

will

what

life

become

and meaningless and the joy of this

insignificant

discovery that

life is

undying

will

be great.

The

poet

calls

his life spirit Jivandevata.

His next Group of Poems: Chaitali

Follows fruit

that

period.

ing to

Chaitali the

grew His

has been

effort

Last Rice, which

these

has

years.

come

done and the

fields

fresh

all

and

The Last Rice

pastures

harvesting

the

symbolical of this

fruition.

must new. Here

poet

(Harvest,)

The betake the

harvest-

himself

poet

does

be driven on by any new force like the Jivandenot seem vata in Chitra. He is resting on his oars. The backto

ground of most of his

poems

the river-scene.

The poems

(

)

of the Chaitali can be roughly grouped into three classes. Some are written in a reminiscent mood, describing ancient scene>, the

maidens of the Rishi's ashram, clad in barks and sporting and bathing in clear mountain streams. There are short pieces on Ritusanhar

Meghadoot and

and

Kumarsambhava showing

his

discovery and appreciation of the classical Sanskrit poet Kalidas. Then there are patriotic poems. And lastly there are

some which have a

pieces of nature poetry,

there are beautiful

and

restfu ness of

The poems

clearly religious tinge.

In between them full

of the langour

an April day.

Chaitali

are

descriptive

and

reflective

nature while the earlier, those in Manasi and Sonar Tari and Chitra are somewhat more lyrical. But bis lyrical

and descriptive

The

gifts

mix throughout. A wave of patriotism

now

again writes under the influence of the prevailing patriotic spirit of his country. The long poems in the Kahani (Storeis) are devoted to patriotic themes dealing with ancient Indian, Buddhist, Sikh and Maratha history.

Then

poet

Kalpana, his next collection. Kalpana. It marks a departure from the

follows

even tenor of the

life

written in the year

of the poet 1900.

Uptili

uptill

now

now.

Kalpana was mind had

the poet's

been revelling in nature, full of peace and sweetness. This nature was co-extensive with the universe. But now this peace was shattered. Instead of appearing in the sweet engaging aspect in which

nature

appeared

him up

till

now, she

(nature) revealed herself in her dreadful aspect of destruction. What the poet had prized so long and cherished as dear and

was swept away by a fierce storm and nothing was except the wreck and ruin caused by the storm. Here

lovely, left

(

was a new

The poet

revelation.

the beautiful things of

hugged

to cling to

)

says

that

too long.

life

perhaps he had He continued

them though they had

become effete. Though was over, he was too weak minded to cast them off. The beautiful aspects of nature continued to inspire him and fill him with joy and life for a little longer. But the time now came for him to get familiar with the fearsome aspects of life. For they were as true and as much part of their purpose

life

and

as the sweet

sweet things himself; therefore

had now

providence did

n^w aspect and had a holiday.

face this

to his

spirit

his house with

He would

lovely ones.

not discard the He for him.

meaning in it. Uptill was sitting cosily inside

see a

the doors shut, lost in the contemplation of

a world that was

all

and peace and beauty.

joy

But now

the doors are flung open ; a storm is raging outside. He must come out and face it. There is no running away from it.

In the Evening Songs there was a discontent with himself. Though it was here that as he says, he found his genius

and

became himself. Through the Morning Songs, Picand Songs, Sharps and Flats, and Manasi, he is devoted to the worship of beauty and to human love. From Sonar Tari onwards, through Ghitra, he seizes on the

tures

compassion that

at the

heart of the universe,

the pulse

throbbing everywhere and without which life would be crabbed, confined and utlimately without meaning. To

that

feel this

pulse

realize

This

others

life is

in to

ourselves

full

really live;

and

of love and compassion and

the

essence of the Jivandevata phase. very To feel this pulse in ones physical self alone is pain, to feel this in others along with ourselves is joy, fellowship, kinship. pity.

the

following

poem

Farewell

Heaven in

Chitra,

the

(

)

presence of this compassion on earth and are clearly brought out. Let

nectar flow in your Heaven; but

absence

its

earth

the

heaven

of love,

river

ever mingled joy and sorrow, keeping green with tears, the tiny heavens of earth.

Apsara

anguish

the lustre of thine eyes never

may I

bid thee farewell.

Thou

pinest

pale

with

love's

for none, thou hast

grief for none. But my beloved, if she is born on Earth in the poorest house, in a hidden cottage beneath the shade of pipals, oa the outskirts of some village on a river bank, will lay up in her breast for me a store of sweetness.

lovely One,

my pale mother,

O Earth My for thee

distressed

heart today after

and

this

picture.

Thy

blue sky, thy light, thy

the

beside the

sea,

river,

crowded

the white line of

silent sunrise

empty

-parting,

become

heaven vanishes like an idle fancy, a shadow-

ching beaches by thy hills,

sorrow, tearful-eyed has burst into weeping

eyes, dry through all the grief

tearful,

blue

with

many days,

among

with one

habitations, the stret-

snow on

the crest of thy

the trees, evening with bent eyes

tear

drop

all

these have come, like

reflections in a mirror.

Ever

thou wilt

after,

fearful

head,

ever

anxious

obtained

with trembling heart, wakeful

lifting

this

gaze upward

him

thou shouldst lose

lest

heart

the

essence

the meaning and poetry of

present in

soft

thy

whom

beside the

thou

gods, hast

The trembling All

sit

and

eternal

life for

trembling,

the

earthly existence.

the

poet

for the

incessant throbbing,

which may mean sometimes the expectant waiting, sometimes the painful suspense, sometimes the realization that there are other hearts throbbing but unconscious of the presence of our

own, whose pulse beats

in tune with ours.

(

Urvasi the

heavenly damsel,

)

consummation of the

the

pure beauty the poet has seen in the universe. She is compact of all charms of the universe; the rhythm of the waves is in her dance, the pure white of the moonlight is on her face, her skirt is the tender green grass that comes rippling upon on the earth

inhuman.

Yet she

showers.

after the first

may be said

Urvasi

She

without feeling.

ideally to

mark

the end of that

worship of She is an abstract of all the this beauties of beauty. earth, she has an immortal life, yet being heavenly, she has no heart period of the poet's

and of

which

life,

devoted to the

no compassion. The pity that beats at the heart which is the poet's discovery, is not in her.

therefore,

this universe

Another noeworthy poem of of Madan Shiva,

Madan

the

Ascetic,

Thou

says

time

Love-god has been

the

The

god of Destruction.

and

Destroyer

this

poet

The Destruction destroved

addresses

the

what hast them done, burning the Fivearrowed one

hast scattered

The Love-god

him through

not dead.

the world !*

has been scattered

all

through the universe. He is furtively peeping through the His music affects you in the murmur of the bees among sky. the flowers. His attraction draws the river on and on to its

How could

destination.

How

could

live

without

aspect of the attraction that In

Vasanta

(Spring)

the universe live love is

Love

on asceticism ?

human

here the

in all things.

also, the

same

aspect

life

has

been dealt with. Therefore,

from

exhalation,

the

thick

bowers breaking forth

today

rises

(

)

The curious pain of the youth of lakhs of and singing and

nights and

days laughing

tearful.l

his vision deepens, the poet sees a

new meaning, a new

in everything.

life,

Kshauika

The next

his next set

of poems. Kshanika.

As regards important form the poet says, <: But in Kshanika I first realised the beauty and the music of the colloquial speech. That gave me an extraordinary sense of joy and power." Later he goes on to say, "In Kshanika there is merely my enjoyment of the creation of forms .... There is no thought, no doctrine, collection

its

no subject simply enjoyment. I enjoyed my freedom." Kshanika means momentary. Before devoting himself to higher things the poet takes a momentary longing, lingering, look at the beautiful things of this earth. Prof.

Thompson says "Kshanika was

book.

ness of

its

"But

lyric

his (poet's) favourite

he spoke of the gracefulness and lightmovements.

kindled

Ajit Chakravarti

has an excellent

speaks of Kshanika having a spirit of mockery of his

when he own pain,

phrase,

earnestness shows

itself in an apparent between the two great cynicism. that of his earlier of activities, worship beauty, and the one, about to begin, of the worship of God.

often,

intense

The poet

"Coming

plays for a space,

the

life

of his time, Rabindranath had

been disillusioned and saddened.

Noise and

around him, and growing commercialism.

brag were all wanders in a

beautiful country of his imagination, playing in distant times

and

parts of his land."

After some pieces of poetry which are full of a wistfulness, the poet turns to the central theme which occupies his heart.

(

)

some revolution brewing deep down in his spirit. yet to come out. Meanwhile he takes a holiday. He calls-

There It is

enjoyment. But it is only another name which he puts on to cover up the inner struggle. it

for

the smile

thing is certain. Though his vision may be dimmed for the time being, he will not lose hold of the sheet anchor.

One

Though

the re be

my bird,

no companion in the

don't close your wings,

At every change of mood, a

limitless

sky, even then,

he sings

certain dimness of vision over-

not dimness with regard to all that he has seen, the beauty of the earth and the tenderness and warmth of takes the poet.

It is

human

affection. These remain as clear before the poet's vision and are ever ready at his beck and call. In fact, they continue to feed his muse which never fails to delight us. But the poet is

on a new revealed

quest. to

has touched the bottom of the old truth

him and a new truth

about to be born. The

intervening period is a period of incubation, of labour, accompanied by its attendant dullness and pain. But this is the pain

new birth. His love poetry almost draws to its end and new poetry is about to take birth, his religious poetry. The Poet turning to Religious Poetry He was now going to Bolpur to found his Ashram at Shantiniketan. The move was accompanied by all the ideas assoof a

ciated with

an Ashram

and dedication

natural surroundings a simple life, the search for truth. He had also at this

time (Bengali year 1308) become the editor of the Bangadarshan. He saw his motherland in all its ancient glory and in all

its

present humiliation.

Naivedya (Offering) Naiuedya which was written after he settled down at Bolpur falls roughly into two There is first, religious poetry, parts. followed towards the end by patriotic songs.

As the founder or

(

)

God

the Ashram, he must make his obesience to the old Rishis.

Naivedya

-of the highest religious poetry.

offering

The way to

The it

in the spirit of

collection

is full

had been prepared

by Kshanika. Even while the new vision was rising

clearly before

*he poet's mind., he had glimpses of

in superb poetry.

from the Gardener, which

The following contains his love Poetry. mainly I

restless.

soul goes

athirst for

out in

which he has enshrined

faraway things.

a longing to touch

the

skirt

the

dim

distance

Great Beyond, 1 forget,

the keen call of thy flute,

ever forget, that

have no wings to

fly, that

am bound

in this spot ever more.

am eager

and wakeful,

Thy breath comes to me TThy tongue

Far-to-seek,

forget,

known

a stranger in a strange land.

whispering an impossible hope.

O the keen

ever forget, that

call

heart as its very

of thy

flute

know not

own.

the way, that

have not the

winged horse.

Jam listless, 'In the

wanderer in

sunny haze of the languid hours, what

takes shape in the blue of the sky

heart.

Farthest end,

J forget,

where

O the keen

call

vast vision of thine

of thy* flute

ever forget, that the gates are shut everywhere in the house

dwell!

(

Even where freedom and joy,

make

spirits it

the

own

never depresses

balked for a time,

not

all full

rouses

and

aspiring spirit. us. its

Though

not

ultimate freedom

God- ward but

may be retarded and sure.

who

Salvation through renunciation

His

spirit aspires

soar but never

roam (Wordsworth).

says:

not mine.

obtain the taste of salvation amidst countless bonds.

My ignorance will My

his poetry receives,

the world.

In the preface to the Naivedya he

shall

this that

not willing to leave the earth.

Like the type of the wise,

our

uplifts

because of

the spirit

ready to quit

and

freshens It

But even with the new orientation that the poet

of the spirit of

has a beauty and a depth of vision which

elevating. its

poetry

)

be burnt and fly up in the shape of salvation.

love will bear fruit in the from of devotion.

The poet

desires

live

beauty and through the

world with

this

intimations that he

its

many-fold

receives of the

divine presence through his senses, hopes to realize God.

poet, the evening draws near;

your hair is turning grey. you in your lovely musing hear the message of the hereafter

"It is evening" the poet said, "and

may

call

from the

village, late

though

listening

be,

because someos>e

(

watch

young

)

straying hearts

meet together, and

two

pairs

eager eyes beg for music to break their silence and speak for them.

Who

life

How life

there to

weave

their passionate

song 5, if I

sit

on the shore of

and contemplate death and the beyond ?"l

can the poet renounce the world and

of inaction

Who

will give utterance to the

of love and hope and pain in his absence

retire into

mute

feelings,

The Naivedya Poems. Thereafter the

of his the

poet enters upon the most important phase His gaze has turned godward and he has found

life.

ultimate object

of his

dedicating himself to the his

Him who

seeking.

Bolpur and he first makes

Entering

mission of his

life,

the ultimate Reality God, the Infinite. In the true of his father, of the Rishis of ancient spirit India dedicating themselves to a life of seeking, in the spirit of the Upanishadas in which their are contained, utterances highest the poet in all bows in salutation to that which is humility offerings

everywhere, which

heaven,

the

ocean

the heart of

and the

eartrr,

all things,

which

the supreme

spirit.

in the

There

hardly anything in any poetry anywhere which approaches this in the stark simplicity of its diction or the sheer directness

its

approach

Supreme Being. The intimations of the Supreme Being came to him through his

to the

of this

presence senses.

come this

we to

shut the doors on the visible world,

a realization of

world which

Him who

so beautiful ?

how can we

manifests Himself through

(

closing the door

If,

By what

The

poet's

path shall

God

universe

loves this

Himself off from

That

why

"Since failure,

all

recite

my name

enter your heart 1

not actionless and without compassion.

and

acts

bonds, nor has

it.

has

retired

not

cut

from action.

the poet says:

life

you

)

whether

divine,

never

fails.

Silently,

appears successful or

working toward some divine purpose." In between

many times

think

unknowingly

secretly,

inactive

Today time has been wasted, the day i s wasted. Lord, all those myments are not (really) wasted.

O,Thou immanent God

the seed

You blow

full-open and colour

you

raise

in the it

life

form of

a f lower. l

directs

all

one.

nature

our

life.

The same

runs through

Nothing

lost,

wasted, but things are only waiting to unfold them-

selves into beauty.

into this beauty.

watching.

in the

Life

which runs through

Got dwells inside and

nothing

form of a blade

sense perception, through the beauty of the earth,

perceive the presence of God.

current of us.

r secretly in ide

Awakening

Through

And it is His touch that transforms them The Supreme Being is ever present, ever

(

all

sorrow, in alljoy, in every house

all

minds, over

far. as the

anxiety, over

all

eye can

O companionless God

)

it is

se"e,

God, thou

all

are sitting alone. 1

directing all the activities of

His presence

is felt

effort

indeed observed,

through

He is everywhere, And yet He is alone,

life.

all things.

and watching the play of this universe, be depressed and feel forlorn ?

sitting

man

Shaw's

St.

Jaon

ed to the loneliness of is

not dejected

when

so,

why

should

"What is my loneliness comparGod ?" And being god-inspired, she says

it is

pointed out to her that the big people

will not support her.

Sorrow But, lulled by the to forget

Him.

its

charm of

purpose.

life,

are sometimes

likely

are likely to be so taken

up with ourAt such times

selves that we completely lose sight of Him. sorrow serves as an instrument to tear us from our fond attach-

ments to objects which we

We feel rests

mock

may come to regard as all in all. the loss of these objects for a time and then our vision

Him

whose handiwork these objects are and

at our sorrow.

of grieving for those smile at ourselves for having been so paltry and Fear

seems

Realising Him, we realise the futility And we objects which we have lost. foolish.

want of Faith in God.

From sorrow, the poet turns to deal with fear. He is launching on a big enterprise to serve his people. It is to bring back to life the soul of his people and to educate them in the right manner.

There

a foreign

power ruling

in the

(

land to likely

whom

doings are suspect.

his

all

damp

his

this fear

and of

Realizing attitude

art the

what the poet says

support of

all: is this

an empty talk

-1

Supreme One viho

the

all this

universe,

Him and

how can we have

believing in

the support

fear ?

Him, the poet adopts

this

On my head always I

The

is*

who

indeed want of faith in thee

If we believe in life

one

O, king

our

Naturally fear

spirit of every

This

enterprise.

That thou (God) Fear

and the

spirit

launches on a bold

about

)

shall carry

poet's Near

manner,

all

His pride (and)

my humility. 2

whole attitude may be summed up Thou

(in this life)

art the

in this:

of activity, of the river of

shore

the soul.

Far away (after this

life)

thou are the ocean of peace, endless. 3

This vision of the Supreme

with

Him

seems

one,

have had

upanishads.

The

this

feeling

basis in his

of oneness

study of the

The Upani shad

(is)

instruction

Is a

its

upanishad says

All this

for habitation

vehicle

of illumination

and

not of

the

Lord,

whatsoever

universe of movement, in the universe of motion.4

individual

(

IFurther

O Fosterer, O Sole

)

O Ordainer, O

seer,

light; the lustre

which

power

thy most blessed form of all, that in thee

behold. The Purusha there and there,

All that

illuminating sun,

the Father of the creatures, marshal thy rays, draw together thy

Naivadya appears

and

have

its

source in these

Only, several thousands of years after they were composed, the poet has brought back to life the truth of them again in a manner and in a language that verses of the

upanishads.

moving, and accessible to the most humble and illiterate. This he could not have done without making these truths

own person. ancient wisdom and clothed

living in his

He it

has recaptured the soul of this a new form, so that it appears

ever fresh, ever resplendent, ever new.

Naivadya is a conscious

dedication to the Supreme Being. have a vision of the Divine, to feel

his first effort

conveys an illumination of the poet's soul which is primal, categorical, certain. His soul is in communion with the divine spirit. This inner salutation to the Divine

His presence.

was necessary before he commenced his great task of starting his Ashram which was to be the seat of the spirit.

spirit

The teacher was

work somewhat

in the spirit of the parson

in Goldsmith's Deserted Village.

To them, But

all

his heart, his love, his griefs

his serious thoughts

But though the

poet's

touch with the earth. this

world because

whatsoever

were given

rest -in heaven.

was a dedicated

'all

had

soul,

he never

lost

continued to -revel in the beauty of

this

for

individual universe of

habitation

movement,

by the Lord, the universe

(

of motion' 1

)

His poet's soul, his earlier love of nature, and

had come

that

the revelation

him

early in

ever

instinct

Lord had

his

to the poet

that even its is

beautiful in his eyes.

with a

soul.

play in

that thi*

life,

was for habitation by the Lord. The. and intimations o f His presence came It is remarkable about Rabindranathi

it.

through

when

life

made nature Nature was now definitely

whole universe was one continuous flow of

muse reaches a religious pitch, it continuesnature which in the Smarana (Remembrance] poems his

joy in almost pagan- like.

From brance).

to Smarana (Remem*Naivedya he passes on His beloved wife died in 1902 and the Smarana poem*

were written in dedication spirit

to her.

How

well the

religious

up with his prevailing mood of sorrow in these From now on he never strays from the path which*

rolled

poems.

to the pole points wife is physically no

Supreme Being. If she has become one with

his-

the

star

this-

her. poet describes his separation from All the old associations while she lived become merged iifc a sweet remembrance. He now feels the bliss of her presence

Supreme

spirit.

The

in his heart. The in the Prospice:

thou soul of

But they are

The

old

poems are

of insects

shall clasp

The

Browning's

sunset, the

and of leaves

ming and hours spent with her.

all

lines,

thee again.

of a charm, a spiritual relations are now over

full

external

spiritual tryst.

soul

optimistic as

spring,

remind

mellifluousness*

a hum-

and there

the bower, the him of his beloved

He feels her touch in the softtouch of the breeze, her music in the humming of birds, her He evert comforting presence in the shade of the tree. 3

(

fines

her sitting at the

looking at

)

window

of her dwelling in heaven,, patiently for him. While she was

him, waiting

She was not

giving she used to be busy in her work. with him. She tried to curb herself,

sabdued, but now that she

him

in his soul.

your heart's story you did not

/All

keep her feelings into a spirit, she is

turned

much

"You kept yours elf under

cheek,

many days

(Now)

Sitting in the lotus of

tell

you Bashful

you were here

rFor as

you oculd not

tell,

(on this earth).

beyond

heart,

ken

the

of the

world Tell (me) the unfinished story of your life

In an utterance unhampered

.(Thou^Whom, on

by language !"1

the days of meeting,

have given the

slip

many

a time

Thy

separation brings that

the

empty

house

calling

for

sweet of His in

th<

thee again and again. 2

poet laments again: In the same manner in

form of

which He gave me

a beloved,

has stolen

this

away.

the poet's jibe at the Lord, half humorous, half sarcastic, yet suggesting that since she is with Him, she is still with the foct. The beloved has been made a manifestation of thi sweetness of the Lord. The Lord gave her to -the poet but Me stole her away. Here the poet knows the Thief of whoi "SEhis is

lie expects greater

compensation: that

fared in heaven, and both their presence

Again

union in

Him

with the bein after-life

(

)

(From behind the stage of death, you came back again

With

the

adornment of

new

bride, in the

wedding temple of

heart.

With

All the dullness of (your) jadded

silent foot falls.

Has gone by the bath of death

You

Fearless

have gained through the unbroken

life.

new beauty

kindness

Goddess

the

universe. (Lakshmt) of this

With

of this heart, smiling bright face, in the full blown light stood

Coming, you

speechless.

the

Through

great

gate

Death

From

life,

beloved, you entered

soul.

To-day no music sounds, people's rejoicing does not take place

The

string of

lamps

not lighted, to-day's rejoicing and splendour

(Are) profoundly peaceful, quiet, speech- stealing, tear-producing.l

have frequently

because

when one

strike pieces that

not quoted

reads his

one

as the

of his

English

his

English

works,

original poetry in Bengali, the

most beautiful are not very often

those whose English translation

many

from

renderings

available.

Moreover, though

are equally beautiful,

they

are sometimes adaptations where the poet has taken a certain liberty of

idiom and thought.

The Smarana can be

called a collection of elegiac

containing the poet's grief on these

poems

are

the

death of his wife.

poems But

spiritualized that while they do not

all fill

(

)

us with positive earthly joy, there

a sweetness in them which

borders on the enjoyable. Our

sweetest songs are those that

of saddest thought

tell

outlook on The poet's spiritual him take such a view of the whole instead

being a source

attitude of

of grief attitude taken

The

fresh hopefulness.

common man

(Shelley).

makes

life

calamity, that becomes a source of

it is

from the

so different

we remain

stricken with grief that

agape with a fresh vista of spiritual beauty, a fresh vision, opening before our eyes. We are more than satisfied by it. The poet's interpretation is true only it is possible to a person ;

deeply spiritual and conscious of the life divine. Here is a truth which we ordinary mortals had never perceived before. Instead of making us sad and us exult

of grief,

full

the new- discovery

and

pathos in the resigned to turn

makes

actually

elevates

Thus

us.

but a certain source of exulta-

Rabindranathj grief grief, There tion and moral elevation. is

manner

a certain amount of

which the poet

prepared

away from the lower kinds of attachments and devote

himself to higher things.

Shishu After

Smarana comes

The Crescent Moon. Shishu.

Many

the Shishu were translated into English called The Crescent Moon. book

and

of the poems of collected

The

was written at Almora for the diversion of were convalescing there.

The poems at the

are

full

of a child-like

same time have a deep "Where have asked

its

the

Moon who

Crescent

his children

Many

them

spiritual significance.

come from; where

mother

fancy.

did

you pick me up"?

the

baby

(

The mother answered,

)

half-crying,

half

laughing,

and

clasping the baby to her breast:

You were hidden in my heart You were in the dolls of my clay

made

the image of

unmade you In

all

my in

girlhood

god every

and

when with

made and

morning,

life,

in the

life

mother

What magic

heart

was opening

its petals,

you hovered

it.

bloomed in

youthful limbs, like a glow in

sunrise.

For fear of losing you

There

loves, in

about

tender softness

the sky before

of mine

darling.

lived.

as a fragrance

Your

childhood's games;

then.

hopes and

you have

When

as its desire

hoid uou tight to

breast.

has snared the world's treasure in these slender

arms

poems a tenderness, a pathos, a deep penethe child mind, a wealth of fancy, a feeling with trating sympathy that after all, our more serious business of grown-up days may is

in these

be as meaningless as the games of childhood.

Only, while

the games of childhood are more full of the delight of creation and imagination, man's more serious business is without these. It is very often dry and disappointing. Sometimes in the poems of the Shishu the fancy is exaggerated and far-fetched.

Utsarga Poems. Utsarga tion

(offering)

poems

different stages.

followed in

the

poems

a collec-

from

uniformity of subject and tone.

1903. Utsarga

many places and written at But the prevailing note of these poems has a

culled

the

The poems

Gitanjali,

give us a foretaste

which are

come.

(

)

is a presentiment in them of the divine which is to be the one object of the poet's devotion later on. The poet is barkening to the faint footfall which he hears of the Supreme,

There

His shadow passing and repassing him. He (the poet) is not yet certain, about God's presence, and does not know how to ade-

Him. But the beginnings of the

quately describe

Gitanjali are

here, leading to the full realization of a transcendental personal

God. I

among people

take pride

On my ways

table

many

saying

you portrayed in many

who

Then what can only say,

Thou

me, ask

calling

ask your acquaintance,

He'

who

'Oh,

know Thee

designs, they see

So many peop'e coming and 'Oh,

have no words,

reply, 1

'How do

know

(secrefly) listenest

How

know'

and laughest, They accuse

}

of (many)

evasions. 1

flush of love, the ppet only feels the first fresh of the presence of the Supreme Being in his heart. There

Like the

glow is

also

the

first

shyness

the

accompanying

first

experience of

love.

There is a poem in this collection, called Woman. *O woman' the poet says, if you so list you can draw out the c

poet's song at your feet, but out of your love you have chosen to dedicate yourself to the meanest domestic chores'. The

humility characteristic of woman that love is greater than

realizes

splendour.

The

devotion the

the humility of one who the glamour of worldly

all

woman

gives

maybe

unconsciously

(

)

prompted by deep love but the poet sees how the powezr transforms the meanest cares into the most coveted

of love offices.

Kheya

The Kheya which the is

poem

Even

shall

turns

from

away

looking forward

thou hide thy

in the darkness,

face,

marks a

To many

their very

this collection entitled,

all

readers

vagueness

the interests

crossing

the baar.

Sorrow Personifi*'-

Icrd,

recognise thee

thou come in the form of Death

Clasping thy

feet,

Another poem lines

life.

But

are vague.

and

life

Utsarga distinctly

poet's spiritual

Kheya The poet

significant.

There

follows

-of

poems

of this

the

rpecial phase

Ferry boat.

shall die. 1

Bidaya (Farewell)

contains

the

fallowing;

Give

send-off.

Forgive

Friends

can not any more

come

boat floating over the shoreless

go wandering over the fathomless without purpose

no more on the path of work

the sailor

You

The same the world

all

give

after

you

all.

deep-..

farewell. 2

sentiment of resignation

expressed in other

poems

and retirement from*

also.

There has never

(

)

been a time so far when the poet Has ceased to take interest an outward nature and retired from the joyful activities of life. Even if -his spirit has been restful, it has exulted and revelled in the beauty of the world which lay all around

Tbe noon-tide

liim.

drowsiness

of the

full

hum

of bees,

the dark clouds lowering heavily at the coming of darkness even these have found a living response in the heart

of the poet. But it is only now that he turns away from all the form and colour and music of life and longs to retire into the unknown and the unfathomable. This mood has been brought about by the recent bereavements he had suffered and the temporary loss of interest in life that ensued. But even in this retirement and resignation and turning away

from, the fForlorn

whose

the

world,

poem

poet's

and lost. bosom he

longs

Dukkhamurti

spirit

does

for

feel absolutely

the

Lord

quoted

Personified)

said in the

As already

rest.

(Sorrow

not

faith in

retains his

above

ib,c says.:-

If thou come in the Form of Death Clasping thy

This

may another poem

feet, I

shall die.

a temporary mental phase but Pratiksha (Expectation)

am sitting spreading my bedding on When will your time for coming be

not

without

help,

without

there.

says:

the

it is

ground

the

supreme

source

But he is anxious to leave this world. In between the lines any one can read the severe wrench he has suffered. We have seen the poet's reaction to his first great bereavement, the death of his wife. The poems of the Smarana are

of fortitude.

marked by a

tenderness and yearning.

Naivedya which

marked by a

They

lofty realization

soon after

of the one-

(

ness of our

spirit

with the

)

supreme

Naturally

spirit.

this

preceding immediately the great blow, has done to soften its pain and to turn it into a vision of beauty

realization

much

and tenderness. But the Kheya has an undertone of sorrow which when suppressed changes into an attitude of resignation. Prof.

Thompson,

Kheya

in his 'Tagore' writes is

crossing

less

easy to accept whole-heartedly,

everywhere perfect. It is one long The atmosphere is dreamy, sometimes with a filmy

though the execution wail

beauty far surpassing anything in Evening Songs, but too often in a manner vaguely exasperating to a robust reader. Further, it must be admitted to be one of his 'streakiest' books, with an unusual proportion of pieces that are just literary exercises. It

loses

its

monotony,

His

minor key, and

its

frequent triviality.

much, and, though the playing

too

plays

there

its

something heavy becomes a vexing

flute

or folk waiting for the

in the toy,

ferry,

dexterous,

solemn insistence on the tiny.

and

his

vague

ferrymen His mind was

figures,

tiresome ghosts.

as well as depressed." Prof. Thompson the own words further in the course of this pasquotes poet's

clearly

very tired,

sage "I suppose

and

crossing.

death occupied with the idea of name the have been why I chose

my mind was

That

may

Kheya." the key to the poet's whole attitude. Even Prof. Thompson thinks that his attitude was Depressed*. But there is nothing of triviality in these poems. The poet's heert is He does not convert the bleeding bleeding in a physical sense.

There

into a wail.

weep the

The

necessity of his creed

requires that he

do not

for this earthly loss. Just as Hamlet under the shock of disclosure by the ghost of his father finds shelter for his

first

(

reeling stupefied spirit in

)

an an tic

disposition

;

so Tagore, over-

whelmed by sorrow and bereavement, takes refuge in retirement and running away from this world, to some unknown place where

God

his

and wipe away is

waiting for him to receive him into His arms the marks of laceration and pain. There

all

of resignation in these poems.

spirit

His wife died in December 1902, and his second daughter His elder son died at Mongyr in 1907 His-

in 1904

died a year or so earlier. These were years of acute Only a supreme sense of something more important could have steeled him and enahled him to put aside the crying friend

Roy

loneliness.

sorrow of

his

own

heart.

Kheya was published reflects the attitude

reasons, but

was

And to my mind Kheya may have been for other necessity of his own creed that

in 1907.

of this period.

certainly the into a longing for shelter in the

made him turn this sorrow bosom of the Lord. for

In the poem Dana a gift and in

(gift),

the

the garland, that the gift of the weapon by which

waiting in the night she finds instead of

the lady

morning a sword.

we can

The sword

symbolical'

cut off the bonds which bind

ties and make us forget our The world has appeared to him in another

us to our dear objects, in fond worldly spiritual relationship. light now. One after

another his dear ones have been dying.

To many another man the world would have appeared dark. To him it loses all interest and attraction for the time being And he hurries away from it and wants to go to a far country, where he hopes to find solace and comfort.

The In

the midst

Partition of Bengal

all

this

1905.

bereavement

his literary

and

go on. The proposal to partition in 1905, which roused the indignation of

had

political activities

Bengal came up the whole country. Rabindranath plunged whole-heartedly into the vortex of this movement and worked in it till about 1908,

when

retired

from

came

1911

his followers

and devoted himself to his literary pursuits. Gitanjali

violence

disgusted with the

Song Offerings.

the Gitanjali (Song Offerings) which

made

him world famous and won him the Nobel prize in 1913. The English Gitanjali is a collection of verses not only from Gitanjali but there

the Bengali

are also in

poems included

general tone himself and significance are the same. The poet gives up to meditation. His spirit tries to enter into communion with

from some

earlier

collections

also.

Yet

their

God. intimations of whose presence the poet receives through the phenomena of nature. The poems are dated, Ashada,

Shrawan

etc. August, September etc.). (the months rf July, poet allows his imagination to sail with the clouds, to run with the breeze and with them to touch the fringe of the

The

Infinite.

He begins by utterly humiliating himself before of God.

the feet

O Thou, bend my head, under the dust of thy feet. O all my pride, O, drown in the tears of mine eyes. !

Let thy will be done in

life.l

This humility, this utter self-abnegation is necessary for the complete realization of God. In the second poem, the

poet says

(

desire

Thou

many

thhings, with

hast saved

this cruel

heart,

me by denying me

favour is

all

srore in

sight of thee

sometimes lose

holding on to

all

)

Thy

O Thou cruel one,

these

my life,

sometimes follow thee,

path;

thou oftentimes from

vision cisappear'st" 1

world the poet had gone in pursuit of many things, but they were denied to him. By denying these, God has saved him from falling into many tempting evils. This strength which the poet has developed by suffering these denials is his In

this

only strength. He can now refuse to be lured by the temptations of life. He follows the path of the Lord keeping Him in view, but many times loses sight of Him. He is like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress.

The language it

of these poems

goes straight to

heart

the

so simple,

of the reader.

and

direct,

all

that

great

extremely easy and -within the understanding of the humble and the lowly. So that without any great culture it

poetry or

training,

the lowliest of

man

and be moved by them and pour to the Supreme One.

can understand these poems out his heart in

The theme of all these poems is the come into intimate contact, and

soul to

with God. in the

This

God

image of man,

present everywhere.

through

all

a personal

but

God

vast, so

devotion

striving of the

poet's

the closest relationship

conceived somewhat pervasive,

that

Intimations of His presence are received

the changing

phenomena

of nature. Man's ultimate

(

destiny

to reach this

God and

friend, devotee, lover, servant.

by constant

Unless he

striving.

the pcet's soul

Him

be received by

But

this

feels

Unless

restless.

)

Gcd

the presence of this the

has to be reached

poet

God r

in constant

communion with Him, he feels smothered by a darkness

that

oppresses him. God and the soul are in the relaticnship of the lover and the beloved, of friend and friend, of mother

and the baby,

without their constant presence to each other in insupportable, burdensome, almost impossible.

Each needs the all

that

The presence of

other.

the surroundings of

forest

quivering

life

the

Lord

Indeed, the wind, the

life.

the winter breeze,

the

felt

ocean, the

earth with

its

in the early dawn, are ail waiting for Him, their with offerings of flower and scent and song. waiting He comes and goes. His touch is felt and lost. The human

pearly drops

spirit

thrilled

as the living spirit in these objects

well

alternately

with the joy of His coming or sad and depressed

losing touch with Him.

451 Have you not heard

his

silent steps

comes, conies, ever comes.

Every

moment and

every age, every day

ard

every

night, he

comes, comes ever comes.

Mtny

song have

sung in

mnny a mood of mind, He comes, ccmes,

rotes have always proclaimed, In the

fragrant days of sunny Aprii through the

but

all

ever

forest

their

comes

path

comes, comes, ever corner. In the rainy

gloom of July nights on

clouds, he comes, comes, ever comes,

the

thundering

chariot of

(

In sorrow after sorrow

The

God

)

his steps that press

of his

the golden touch

it is

feet that

makes

upon

joy

and

heart,

to shine. 1

conceived as a personal God at once <divine and human. In the Kamala Lectures on the Religion of Man, the poet says Why, our intellect is human intellect, our heart is the poet's

human heart our imagination is human imagination. What we call knowledge is tested by human intelcall divine bliss even that is bliss lect, what we kindled in the human consciousness. With this mind, with this bliss, He whom we realize as the Supreme Being is the Divine in the image of man Outside that human conception whatever exists is immaterial. If in achieving salvation the human .

personality is obilterated and leses ness then there would be no sense in Is

man

its

distinctive-

creating man. before he achieved

created to be obliterated

salvation ? It

not the

presence of

intellectually taken

vision as

His

Wordsworth.

personality

the

for granted,

vast,

divine everywhere

nor

God

Tagore's all

realized is

pervasive, all

that

by an

inner

a personal

God.

immanent.

God

must respond to the moods of the human devotee. The idea is that in all moods, in all circumstances, man must be able to woo his

God.

God

attributes like

has been endowed

love,

His

pity.

with some of the

footsteps

are heard

human in

the

blades of grass which come silently breaking out of the earth. He is sheer spirit penetrating everywhere. Only He cannot

be realized without

enmeshed

in flesh.

striving,

without

Its interests

confined to outward objects.

The human soul is worldly and its vision

effort.

are

Only by disengaging

from

its

(

)

worldly preoccupations, by constant meditation, by the mystic vision, can the presence of the divine be felt and realized. Man has occasional vision of this divine but to keep it constantly before his eye, great effort is required. This consists partly in ,

but worldly interests and meditating on Him still very often the vigil relaxes, the material world supervenes and the Vision beautific is lost. The poet views this pursuit of the divine as a human necessity resulting from an ultimate relationgiving

all

;

Man is the pursuer

ship with God. his

Without

pursuit.

the

and God is the

constant

sole object of of the divine

presence of mind

him the poet is disconsolate. His state but more distraught than, that of a

before to,

approach fervour.

the divine

That

one who reads aaa.d

living,

emotional,

so infectious, so

similar

full

a deep

appealing.

poems can be indifferent to their charm remain unmoved by their moving power. these

They arouse concerns fade

made fills

why

His whole

lover.

to see

his (reader's) sleeping spirit

away

God

Sometimes

accentuates

this

to be lost

;

long to

longing

Many

and

all

the

meaningless, irrelevant, intimate relationship with

itself into pain.

takes the poet

;

worldly

and we are

And we

the pain of love

Even

us with joy.

joy.

remain

for

This

us.

ever

in this

overpowers the poet, that

But the pain has its sweetness

a time, again, a dullness of spirit over-

living contact with the

Supreme Being seems

but the poet waits in faith to recover this contact. the will of the Divine, this

this spirit of resignation to

waiting for

Him

rouse the poet's spirit from dullness once

again and make him

live in

His divine presence, have been

rendered with a peculiar beauty and charm.

(

)

IS* The song I

that

came

to sing remains

to this day.

unsung

have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing

The

come

tune has not

only there

the agony of wishing in

have not seen his face, nor have

have heard

his

instrument.

sighing by.

listened to his voice; only

from

gentle footsteps

set

rightly

heart.

wind

the

The blossom has not opened; only I

words have not been

true, the

road

the

before

house.

The

his seat on the floor; but livelong day has passed in spreading

the

been

lamp has not

and

lit

cannot

him

ask

into

house.

live in the

with

hope of meeting

but

him;

this

meeting

door

all

not yet.

Again

18 2 Clouds heap upon clouds and

Ah,

love,

alone

why

dost

thou

let

darkens.

wait

ontside

the

In the busy moments of the noontide world but

this

dark

lonely

day

am with for

only

the

thee

crowd that

hope. If

thou showest

know I

not

not thy

how I am

keep gazing on the

face, if

thou leavest

wholly aside,

to pass these long, rainy hours. far

away gloom of

wanders wailing with the

restless

wind.

the

sky, and

heart

(

)

191

If thou ipeakestnot

still

willk^p

it.

its

will

fill

and wait

and endure

heart with thy silence

like the night

with starry vigil and

head bent low with patience.

The

mornii g

voice pour

Then

in golden streams breaking though the sky.

down

thy words will take

nests,

ccme, the darkness will vanish, and thy

will surely

wing

in songs

from every one of

and thy melodies will break forth

in flowers in all

birds'

forest

groves.

23 Art thou friend

have no

abroad on the

this

sleep to-night.

Ever and again I open friend

can see nothing before me.

By what dim frownining

sky groans like one in despair.

out on the darkness, I

stormy night on thy journey of love,

wonder where lies thy path

through what mazy

threading thy course to

door and look

shore of the ink-black river, forest,

come

me,

by what

far

depth of

gloom

friend

edge of the art

thou

He came sleep

and

sat

was.

He came when and

side but I

miserable

the night

was

awoke

not.

What

a cursed

still,

he had his harp in his hands,

dreams became resonant with

its

melodies.

(

why aremy

Alas,

this series

all

Ah,

thus lost?

sleep

of five poems from

tr^

whose breath touches

his sight

nights

)

why do

ever mist

iglish

Gitanjali

which also occur in the original Bengali Gitaujali, which have been given above, the gradual stages of God-realization can be traced. The poet is the devotee, the beloved, waiting the friend of his heart, to come. The for his lover,

lamp

not

in h's house.

lit

How

can he invite his friend

only heard the Lord's foot -steps; he

The poet has seen Him.

not

has

means that though the poet feels the Divine round about him, there is no

All this

sence of the

yet in his soul

how the

very personal,

manner of

the

how

intimate,

poet

everything

else.

heart, before

it all.

occupied with It is

His

There

prelight

presence.

how homely, how

the poets' s solicitation!

wistfulness about

a sweet

can see

which he

But

simple,

a tenderness,

The love analogy shows

the

thought of his

that

God above

the one intimate, secret, longing of his

which e/erything

else

has a superficial interest.

been put in a more simple, intimate, yet a more moving form. Like unto a youth in love, the one thing which matters to the poet, is the union with

Rarely has

his

spiritual

divine loved.

yearning

Everything

the dogmas of priesth rigid, hard, lifeless,

the Lord.

heart

else

merely accessory.

ood, and theolojy and

without meaning, before

lyric songs,

seem

this solicitation

All lyric poetry appeals to the heart

captured by these

religion,

All

and once the

pat into com.ua-

nion with spirit

the

)

great Heart of the universe

communion with

The huma

the divine spirit.

The

poet

worshipper who-sits shut up in a dark corner and medidates on a God that is formless, difficult to conceive

not

and

like a

away from

No, the whole universe

this universe.

pressed into service.

Not

God.

tributary to the great

only does God give intimations of his presence to the devotee through the sunrise, the sunset, the lightning and the breeze expectantly to receive the divine

but these themselves wait

awakening touch. Thus the whole universe becomes a macrocosm vibrating with Spirit, that

informs

spiritual life,

it,

for

waiting

to reveal itself through

divine

the

it.

Yes,

know,

this is

nothing but thy love,

upon the

this golden light that dances sailing

upon

across

O beloved

idle

leaves, these

the sky, this passing breeze leaving

its

heart

clouds coolness

my forehead. i

The morning light Thy

heart.

eyes,

and

has flooded

face is bent

my eyes

this is

thy message to

from above, thy eyes look down

heart has touched thy feet

When my

play was with theel never questioned

knew not

shyness nor

fear,

life

was

who

thou

boisterous.

were.

(

)

In the early morning thou wouldst

own

comrade and lead

In those days

running from glade

never cared to

sangest to me.

know

the

sleep like

to glade.

of songs thou

meaning

voice took up the tunes, and

Only

me from my

call

heart

danced in their cadence.

Now, when

come upon ma in

what

the playtime is over,

awe with

The world with

sudden sight that

is this

eyes bent

stands

feet

upon thy

all its stars.

The day was when

entering

unknown

upon many

And

today

did not keep myself in readiness for thee; and

heart unbidden even as one of

me,

a fleeting

chance

of joys and sorrows of

Thou

didst not turn in

dust,

and the

are echoing

Here future

All

busy

moment of my I

light

steps that

from

star to

in his

the divine

commerce with

There has

all

from

heard in

see

thy

mixed with

signature,,

the

memory

childish

playroom

play

are the

among

same that

star.

the devotee casting

through,

of eternity

days forgotten.

contempt

his eye to

and finding everywhere the

presene.

upon them and

trivial

crowd,

life.

find they have lain scattered in the dust

common

king, thou didst press the signet

when by

the

has

the past and the

foot-prints of

been

present,

the world, failed

the

Lord.

but

to detect

man His

along been an inner sub-conscious

(

)

longing for a realization of this divine, which longing has

become conscious and

life

and the poet who sees the One Supreme everywhere now, feels why

of the

presence

insistent

have passed in

should

oblivious of the great

and

futile struggles

and

fact

act of

life.

In the poems which have been quoted, there in the extreme,

universe

the

universe

spirit

universe striving

broad

beautiful

our own.

which

are

reach

be in His presence. this.

Once

;

and

not sombre

but

a lyricism,

an imagination taking in the only sweep which is Miltonic

which moves us

Milton's

bickerings,

significance which the presence of the

Divine gives to each little

with

now

and

intimate

And

the

through

mazes of this

lighted paths, the poet's spirit

Him who There

and gloomy uke and instinct with

hostile

no goal

the

Lord of us for

higher

all,

man

and than

His presence you have joy and strength and

immortality. 103 In one salutation to thee, ray God, let

and touch

low with

world

at thy feet.

senses

spread out

Like a rain cloud of July hung

burden of unshed showers

let all

iny

mind bend down

thy door in one salutation to thee.

Let

its

this

all

songs gather together their diverse

sttaiiis

into

single

current and flow to a sea of silence in one salutation to thee.

a flock

of homesick cranes flying night and day back to

mountain nests one

let all

salutation to thee."

life

take

its

voyage to

its

eternal

their

home

(

Here

the spirit of

man

)

face to face with

its

This

God.

is the eternal religion of man, the spirit's striving to free from the shackless of the flesh and feel at one with the

itself spirit

universe, realizing his kinship with everything and ultimately reaching Him who is the Lord and Master of this

the

This is no denominational religion, laying outward forms and ceremonies, and missing the real content, and dividing man from man. universe.

This

the poet's worship.

stress

spiritual

the poet's religion.

would not be doing justice to him if we stop with this A supreme effort of the spirit is poet's worship of his God. to this lift oneself to height where one can just touch required But

the fringe of the divine.

through to a man of the

spirit

The

poet's spirit

retire into is

presence

cloister

not content to worship in

worship and moments of God

be rare in a man's

which

feel this Beautific

necessary.

Opportunities for such

may

One can

the mystic vision. This mystic vision may be granted once or twice in life. But to keep it up, great effort

life.

Besides, they

and turn

the handiwork of God.

his

back on

silence.

realization

might make a this beautiful

At the same time

man world

man can work. He

not always get away from the press and stress of daily cannot run away from the common crowd. The poet would

false to

lost

and

Even

his religion,

and

to his innermost vision, if

felt

forlorn at such times.

in the midst of the busiest

feels that,

contact with

should not be

lost.

God,

moments

life,

the poet

consciousness of His presence,

(

)

Here

thy footstool and there

and lowliest and

When

try to

the

thy feet where live

rest

poorest,

lost.

bow ro

obeisance cannot aeach

thee

depth where thy'feet rest

the

among

poorest,

down

and

the

and

lowliest

lost.

of the Pride can never approach to where thou walkest in the clothes

humble among

the poorest, and lowliest and lost.

heart can never find

way

its

where thou keepest company

with the companionless among the poorest, the

and

lowliest

the

lost.

Leave

this chanting

and

telling

of beads

in this lonely dark corner of a temple

thine eyes and see thy

there

where

path maker

God

tre tiller

is tilling

Where

the hard

dost thou worship all

shut

Open

ground and where the

with them

covered with

mant?e and even like him come Deliverance

Whom

not before thee.

breaking stones.

shower, and his garment

with doors

down on

this deliverance to

du?t.

sun and

Put off thy holy

the dusty soil

be found

Our

master

himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds cf creation; he

bound with us

Come out of thy What harm is him and

all

meditations and leave aside thy Bcwers and incense there if thy clothes

stand by

for ever.

him

become

tattered

and stained Meet

in toil and in sweat of thy brow.

worship of Him is not complete unless it includes Him in If we worship the humblest and the lowliest.

Our

seclusion, holding ounselves aloof in

and the lowly, we are missing Him. play of wind and rain and storm,

human

struggle and endeavour,

Him we

In order to realize

shun

are insulting the great God,

To sum

was

up.

world with

This

and

day

its

all

its

night,

its

the scene of His

must partake of

and meditate

world in derision

this

pride from the poor

our

and denying

seclusion,

Him

action.

fully.

to us.

said in the beginning of this

essay

that Tagore's poetry was the poetry of joy. Tagore started in his Morning Songs with this revelation borne in upon

him

that this universe

everything in its waves.

was a great .flood of joy embracing There could be nothing but unalloyed

joy in that realization. to love poetry.

but

the

feels

light

the

and

soul

of mere

human

pain,

keeps physical

heart and

Even when

joy inexpressible.

sorrow

his

love

sweet.

poetry, he passed

moments

His love poetry betrays

grossness

burning in the

From nature

of satiety

burning.

but as a flame

love,

flooding

with light

is is

unrequited and causes this from the Witness

gardener. Pleasure is frail like a dewdrop, while it laughs

strong and abiding,

But

bottom

You know

a heart,

dies.

But sorrow

Let sorrowful love wake in your eyes.

beloved.

Where

arc

its

shores

and

its

not the limits of this kingdom,

'till

you

are its queen.

(

were only

If it

moment cf

smile and you could see

were merely

inmost

But

it is

secret

pleasure and

Its

pain

pleasure

and read

in a

would melt

would flower

in an easy

moment.

in limpid tears, reflecting

its

without a word,

love,

)

beloved.

pain

are

and endless

boundless,

want

its

and

wealth,

near to your

It is as

From love Tpoetry.

the

This

know

but you can never wholy

it.

poetry, the poet passes on gradually to religious

human

life,

of faith

full

and hope and a constant

soul for union with the

supreme

striving

There

Soul,

very contemplation of this possibility, The poet never doubts for a moment that this can come about. To

joy in the

(him,

this

*desires it as

union

much

God

a necessity of our spiritual nature.

man. 58

Let

all

the strains of joy mingle

last

makes the earthflow in the riotous excess of the that sets the

twin brothers,

life

tears

all

everything

The poet is realizes his own whole

life

has

iotus

of pain, and dust and

upon the

sits

still

with

the joy that

knows not

word.

spiritual nature and his oneness

There

no death

its

throws

in a state of mystic consciousness wherein

spiritual universe.

joy

tempest, shaking and

with laughter, the joy that

on the open red

grass, the

and death, dancing over the wide

world, the joy that sweeps in with the

waking

joy that

the

song

to this

with the nature.

(

The

)

material aspects of this universe are merely transitory^ does not affect him in the

Their changing and rechanging

takes joy in the changes of the seasons, in the winds, the storm and the play of life and death which only creates*

least.

and and uncreates

shapes.

Separation

sweet because

it is

waiting

Sorrow may be bitter but its ultima,e fruits are sweet. Sorrow helps us to cast off the illusions of this earth which we hug as permanent and necessary to satisfy our human appetites. As, one after another,, or

the

ultimate

union.

the illusory temptations vanish, we grieve; we think we have sustained a loss. But they only help to remove the dross and

Sorrow helps us ttv spirit in its pristine parity. immortal heritage, our soul which cannot suffer any loss, any diminution; whose one joy is to seek union with the supreme Soul. Sorrow is therefore only the beginning of an optimism, of a hope, of ultimate joy. bring out our

realize our

There is neither any consciousness of sin throughout the whole range of Tagore's poetry. Nature is a source of pure, unalloyed joy to him.

and

its

Human

love has got

pain, leading to spiritual

its

awakening.

aspect of pleasure Then there is the-

quest of the human spirit for the divine spirit whose presence it has felt and constantly feels. Sin

the consciousness that

man

has deliberately acted

against the dictates of goodness in order to gratify some passing It divides the soul, the better part appetite or earthly desire.

of a fear of the consequences of the sin and the worse, a drunkard possessed with the itch to drink, blind to all better considerations. full

There there

is no such fear of sinfulness in Tagore's poetry. If a feeling of drunkenness, of abandon, of resignation, it is,

(

an abandonment

and

to joy that is the soul of man. the joy in

)

round him, the joy in nature

all

Sin ultimately leads to the ruination of the human souL better example of extreme sinfulnebs could be cited than from*

Marlowe's Dr.

Faustus..

Faustus

Fautus, curse thyself, curse Lucifer Tha,

hath

of heaven.. deprived thee of the joys striketh clock twelve). (The

Oit

strikes

now body

turn to

air,

Lucifer will bear thee quick to hell:

(Thunder and lightning)

soul,

And

fall

be change into

little

water drops,

inro the ocean, never be found,

My God, look

not so fierce ou

(Enter Devils)

Adders and serpents,

Ugly I'll

hell gape not,

burn

let

breath a while

come not

Lucifer,

books, ah Mephistophiles.

(Exeunt with him) Enter Chorus.

Chorus: Cut

the branch that

might

have grown

full

straight,

And burned

Apollo's laurel bought.

Set against this the last

poems from Tagore

GitanjalL,

and when he is about to bid good bye to this mortal habitation oF his, he passes out with his soul on its way back home to the LordIn

this

This

life

on earth, the poet possessed

his soul in joy

beauty and joy and purity and love and

bliss.

(

)

When seen

go from hence

let this

parting word, that what

have

unsurpassable.

have tasted of the hid Jen honey of this lotus that expands on the ocean of

light'

and thus

blessed

this

let

parting

word. In this play house of infinite forms

have

caught sight of

whale body and

him

have had

play and

here

that is formless.

have thrilled with his touch

my limbs

beyond touch; and if the end

comes

here, let

who

come-let this be

of prayer

for

parting word.

JLet us close this essay with the following

humn

our country. 35

Wuerc

the

mind

Where knowledge

Wacre

the

without fear and the head

held high

is free;

not been

world has

broken

iato

fragments

narrow domestic w^lls; Wliere words come out from the depth of '

Waere

tireless striving stretches its

Where the

clear stream

truth

arms towards perfection.

of reason has not lost

its

way

into the dreary

desert sand of dead habit;

Where

the

mind

is led

forward by thee into ever widening thought

and action Into that haven of freedom,

Father, let

country awake.

HIS

PART II MYSTICISM FOUR :

Rabindranath parcel of his

life.

PHASES.

a born mystic. Mysticism the stuff of his poetry.

and

part

It is

Generaly poets

mystics. The beauty new any significance that they revealed to them by intuition, during

more or

are,

and the truth that they

less, all

see,

come to find in life, is moments of vision. This intuition is an inner power which sees in a moment a new truth, finds the solution of a problem with which the mind has been subconsciously grappling for a long time. Intuition is the focal point of our inner search which has been been going on in the subconscious mind for

quite a

long time.

the

miner's

headlight

re-

vealing things which might otherwise lie buried under a cover

of darkness.

The

may be of

life,

difference

between intuition and the

mystic vision

that while intuition throws lignt on detached problems It is the eye of the is comprehensive:

mystic vision

complete soul of man awakening to an inner prehension of its relationship with the ultimate reaiity. soul, the

this vision

has

come and gone,

com-

Once

leave a portion of itself with the ultimate reality

may

which the soul's relationship may be conceived in a particular

form.

But

appears

that in all mystics the first vision comprises the whole universe or extends as for as consciouseness can go.

To Rabindranath when

the vision

came one day

he was about twenty one years of age.

in Calcutta

has

himself

(

)

own

words. Before this his poetry which is 'described contained mostly in Evening Songs shows a sadness, a depression, this in his

a vague longing, indicating the lull before the storm. The great flood of his spirit was about to break forth and the Evening

Songs shows the burden of this new life that was to break out and that was weighing on his spirit. This is what the himself says about this experience. poet

"Then

gained a further insight which has lasted

my life. "The end of Sudder

Street,

and the

all

on the Free were visible from our trees

School ground opposite, Sudder street house. One morning I happened to be looking on the verandah, looking that way. The sun was just rising among the leafy tops of those trees- As I continued to gaze, all of .a sudden a covering seemed to fall away from my eyes, and. I found the world bathed in a wonderful radiance, with waves of beauty and joy swelling

every

moment

side.

This

through the

pierced in a of sadness and des-

radiance folds

pondency which had accummulated over my heart, and flooded it with this universal light. very day the poem, The Waterfall gushed forth and

"That

veritable cascade.

Awakening of the coused on like a

The poem come

but the curtain did not

fall

upon

amend,

the joy aspect

of the universe.

"As

would stand

on two balcony the

gait,

the

figure the features of each one of the passers-by,

whoever they might be, seemed narily wonderful

to all so extraordi-

as they flewed past,

waves on

(

the

)

of the universe.

se.i

From

had see

infancy

my eyes I now began to see with the of my consciousness. I could not look upon

only with

whole

of two

the sight

going their way,

smiling the

arm

youths,

shoulder as a matter of small I

laughter leap

^objects

whole

seemed

moment

the

other's

for

through

outlook

him now

from which numberless sptays of

up throughout the world. was

thenceforward changed. All to be penetrated with a spirit of joy.

This occasion, in the poet's

life

may be compared

similar oecesion in the lives of other mystics.

-autobiography of his

could see the fathemless depths of the eternal

spring of joy,

His

nonchalantly

of one on

own father,

the Maharshi

Here

with

fiom the

the night before Didima's 2 death I was sitting at Nimtola 3 Ghat, on a coarse mat near the shed.

was the night of the full moon, the moon had risen, the burning ground was near, They were singing the holy name to Didima Will such a day It

ever come, will leave faintly,

when uttering the name of Hari,l life me; The sounds reached my ears

borne on the night wind; at

this

opportune

moment

a strange sense of the unreality of all I was as if no longer things entered my mind. the same man A strong aversion to wealth arose

within me. I sat

seemed

The to

coarse

bamboo mat on which fitting seat,

carpets

and

(

costly spreadings

awahen ed a joy

)

seemed

hateful, in

unfelt before.

my mind was*

was then eighteen

years old. 4

With

this sense

home The well

here

how

of joy and renunciation

at midnight,

returned.

element, of joy is common to both the mystics, asa feeling of deatchment. It may be pointed out

our poet himself had tried to get rid of his egoistic came to him.

vision feeling before the mystic

The Maharshi see at

once that

come within me;

says earlier in his

was the

its

reminiscences.

effect of the evening,

could

which had

shades had obliterated myself. "While the

was rampant during the glare of the day, everything I perceived was mingled with and hidden by it. Now that the self was put into the back-ground, 1 could see the world

self

And that aspect has nothing of triviof beauty and joy. Since this experience it, the effect tried of deliberately suppressing myself I repeatedly and viewing the world as a mere spectator, and was invariain

its

own

true aspect. it is full

ality in

with a sense of special pleasure. bly rewarded

There has tion of the self

comes

be some 'kind of discipline, some obliterathe mystic vision or renunciation and then to

to those gifted. It

its

does

not, however, last.

Only the

effect

and

memory, remain.

Our

poet later on says about his

own

vision,

'when

ascending the mountains (Himalayas) I looked around, I at once aware I had lost my new vision/

after

was

(

)

He had gone to the majestic Himalaya mountains in the Grand and sublime further reinforcing this vision. of hope in the case of the poet it this vision,but objects do arouse was the little house in Sudder street. Sometimes, even the contemplation of the meanest thing may give rise to it, the The poet himself says ''However sky piercing all. mountains of the king may be, he can have nothing in his He while (God) who is the Giver can vouchsafe a gift for me; readiness as

vision of the eternal universe in the dingiest of lanes,

moment

of time."

Another instance may be to a person for

it.

and

cited of

how

this vision

comes

who

has got the gift of this vision and who is ripe taken from the autobiography of J. Trevor quoted

in William James' Varieties ofReligious Experience.

"One to

brilliant

Sunday morning,

the unitarian chapel in Macclesfield.

wife

and boys went

I felt it

impossible

accompany them as though to leave the sunshine on the hills, and go down there to the chapel, would be for the time an act of spiritual suicide. And I felt such need for new inspiration and expansion in my life. So, very reluctantly and I left my wife and boys to go down into the sadly. town, while I went further up into the hills with my stick and my dog. In the loveliness of the morning, and the beauty of the hiils and valleys, I soon lost my sense of sadness and regret. For nearly an hour I walked along the road to the 'Cat and On the way back, suddenly, Fiddle', and then returned. without warning, I felt that I was in Heaven an inward state of peace and joy and assurance, indescribably intense, to

accompanied with a sense of being bathed in a warm glow of light, as though the external condition had brought about the internal effect-a feeling of having passed beyond 5

the

body

(

)

though the scene around me stood out more clearly and as nearer to me than before, by reason of the illumination in the midst of which I seemed to be placed. This deep emotion lasted, though with decreasing strength until I reached home, and for some time after, only gradually passing away." Even in the case of the Maharshi. the mystic feeling came but did not remain with him. This is what the Mahars'ai if

has

jiaid in his Autobiography.

-'Then

I tried to

recover the joy of the night previous a But I never got it back

to Didima's death.

deep gloom

settled

my miod.

longed for a

repetition of that ecstatic feeling. I lost all iuterest in everything else. Great grief was in my heart. all around me. Though temptations of the world had ceased, but the sense of God I then Life was dreary was no nearer felt a strong desire to learn Sanskrit."

Darkness was

In our poet who was not in quest of God. the reaction did not come so suddenly nor was it so pronounced. As long as the feeling of joy resulting from that mystic vision lasted, the poetry he wrote described the beauty of, and his joy in, the objects of nature. This beauty and joy was' conceived as part of the universal beauty and joy which was revealed to

The Awakening of the Fountain signified the awakenhis spirit. of In the ocean of universal joy, all objects ing were conceived as merely waves of joy taking a particular him.

earthly shape and reminding the sal joy

core of these

all

one

all

this

which was everywhere, universe and which flowed

The mystic revelation that new ligh, not as objects in a

objects.

showed

poet of that

which was

came

univerat

the

through to

him

material

gross things but merely as parts of a great flood of joy issuing from

(

)

some ultimate source of bean ty and

joy.

ideas here-the idea of universal oneness

There are only two and second, tlie idea

of surface physical changes which appeared as earthly phenomena, but which were to the mystic's eye merely parts of that

Thus since all this universe had become universal oneness. one and since men and things ,vere merely like waves (of manifestation) on this (mystic) ocean of oneness, and since that ocean of oneness was vital, the origin and the ultimate recepttacle cf all objects, there was no death to anything. Things only vanished for a time, like waves dipping into the ocean to There was no sorrow. There was only joy, the rise again. joy of realization that all narrow limits of our being had been abolished and that our life had infinitely greater freedom and scope than we thought even the waves and the wind enjoyed. But there was yet no idea of God or Divinity, and no effort to reach out to

The

in the spirit of a devotee or a worshipper. had not yet come.

devotional outlook

The following two lines from (Mahaswapna) The dream" from the Morning Songs clearly shows tbis e<

great

This

the realm of dream, the beings of this dream

kingdom

How many

shapes they assume, newer and newer, again and again.

The abiding

great

dream

reality.

through music that through the

beautiful

(Echo) in the

This

here the great vision, the also sometimes revealed

silent

and

phases

this

of this

central to

him

music comes to him life.

Pratidhwani

a music playing at the Morning core of this universe, and the sights and sounds of this earth, merely reflect this music to the poet and thus keep him in mind constantly of this silent eternal melody that is at the heart

this universe.

songs, there

(

The song of Tne song of

the forest,

)

of the mountain, the ocean

the thunder^ the song of the

lighting.

The song of the day, the evening, the night, The murmur of the wakeful and the sleeping The song of the spring, the rains and the autumn The music of The

foot-fall

life

and death,

of light in the dark deep

Pervading the whole universe

moving and unmoving The song of the earth, the'moon and ;

the

burning planets

and the

many many I

know

not, in

(they) mingle

therefore in I

shall hear

this universe

with your (song).

make me

that

stars,

which apartment of

sit

once

great night of darkness,

the

music of

this nniverse;

with eyes shut.

How

The poet

sounds throgh yonr mouth.

barkening to the

silent

music at the heart of

From Morning Songs, he The songs and the passes on to Pictures and Songs. in nature. The vision concerned with are now objects pictures the universe which he can hear.

of a universe of beauty, music, and joy has receded. But the glow of light is still in his eyes and the music in his

and songs though describing deand singing about particular themes still have a touch of the infinite about them. The joy which the objects arouse is part of the infinite joy and the music of the songs is a heart, so that these pictures

finite objects

snatch from that infinite melody

(

Passing through

come

his

)

and Flats and Manasi we under the title of Sonar Sharps and Flats and Manasi

Sharps

collected

poems

Tari (The Golden Boat). are mostly full of his earlier love poetry,

many

pieces being

and some in the form of descriptive, The charm of physical attraction, dramatic monologues. the beauty of person, the various moods and facets of love, its intensity and satiety, have all been described here.

many

lyrical

Towards the end of Manasi the poet realizes the futility of mere dalliance. Physical charm is empty without the underlying warmth of love. A person cannot remain sink in indulgence all the time without getting fed up with it and even turning away in disgus from

The

sense that

meaningless without some continued the poet turn away from this life of

life is

purpose seems to make

The end of

idle musings.

sarcastic

it.

poems on the

Manasi

marked by

slothful habits of his

certain

countrymen

and

their fond notions.

poems of the Manasi charge of the Zamindari at

From Gazipur where he wrote the

called

take

the

poet Siealdah on the banks of the Padma.

ment and

speculative reverie, he

From

brought face

life

of retire-

to face

with

the responsibilities of life, He is in daily contact with the peasant and the worker and knows the joys, the sufferings and the hardships of their

life.

Padma and moves from

lives

mostly in a boat

place to place

the

watching the river in all

moods, and the life of the people on its banks. He was moving from scene to scene and observing life in all its uncertainties

its

and

vissicitudes.

The broad expanse

of the

Padma, with the

plains of Bengal stretching endlessly on either side, open to the

(

)

sky and swayed by the wind and the charming weather, formed the setting of his

He was Sadhana.

life.

also at this

This

time busy with the editorship of the was devoted to a discussion of

magazine

the various social, religious,

scientific

of the day.

wiih

Contemporary

Nava

and

political

problems

Sadhana was the orthodox Hindus of hts the

Jiwan, the organ of the time, As a reaction against the weakness and senility thas had overtaken the country, a cult of Sakti (Power) was The Sakti stood for the developing among the orthodox. It was a half spiritualgoddess of might and destruction. half-physical concept of a deity which might help the rege-

neration of a decrepit people. The concept of such an arti. the poet. ficial to man- created deity, was repugnant The doctrine of the Adwait was also in the air. It said that there all

was the

only one spiritual priciple in the multiplicity of life was illusion,

vogue among the followers

of the Adwait

universe

and

(mayo).

The

doctrine

was

preach retirement from the world and give themselves up to meditation in silence and seclusion. This was contrary to all the cherished dreams and beliefs of the poet. Though he believed in the oneness of this

While

universe,

the oneness

comprized

took delight in the variegated of and infinite colour and music of the unithe shapes beauty the of Adwait tnrned followers verse, away from all this maya

all its diversiry.

and devoted themselves

the. poet

to the realization of

an abstract prin-

which exists nowhere except in the imagiwas accor iingly, to the poet, a futile, misguided In the poems and Bandhan Khela ( Play ) pursuit. Golden Boat, (Bondage) and Mukti (Deliverance), in the ciple of the universe

nation. Theirs

(

the poet says Let

)

ba play,

With Where

we have

to join

this play

the All,

full

of joy and music

sit,

becoming

shall

and

silent

leaving everything,

the dark corner of the inside of

our heart

in your (No). With huminity, faith and love, take up

hand This great play-thing

fu]l

of colour and fragrance

and song,

Which

Here

the mother (Earth) has given you.

also a deification of this earth.

Mother earth with

all the greenery of her fields, the water in her lakes and rivers r her tremulous forests, her woods echoingwith the song of birds r

has become living and soulful. Her eyes are full of the tears of. love and her heart trembling with infinite pity. There is no better place for the

human

heart than this

our mother earth. Heaven comparison.

honey of

All the milk of

human

warm living bosom

a dead, dry, insensate place

human

kindness

love can be found only

and

of in

all the.

this earth.

This was probably the poet's counter-blast to the goddess Sakti which the orthodox section of his counrymen had

conjured up. The poet's depiction of the earth as our mother with her profound love and pity for her children, was more natural than the artificial creation Sakti,

of Kali

the goddess

While mother earth claims our natural affection and

(

)

our devotion, the worship paid to Kali,

is artificial

a result

of priestly training.

The poet also lashes against the cult of Mukti preached by the followers of the Adwait, who want us to run away from he bondage of may a

The poem which on Mukti In

(illusion),

naturally follows as a sequal to this

(deliverance).

Mukti, the

poet's exhortation

all for

entering the

and taking part in the world's festival. It may joy here. But there is beauty and love and com-

world's fair

not be

all

passion,

which give meaning and depth

against

the emptiness of the

The poems

Farewell

the same key. This earth,

contemplation Heaven

this

man's of

and

spirit,

others,

living universe,

deliverance.

are

extolled

and heaven is shown as dry, insensate, unfeeling, lifeless, in commoparison. The praise of the earth as our living, sustaining the the heart of It comes from intellectual. not is ther, merely a son would as even He to reciprocate her, responds poet. the affections of his mother. The poet's vision has become mystic once again. living,

has

transformed

this

earth

into

breathing, entity, pulsating with a life and vibrating emotion as vast as itself. She is the great mother

with an

sbringing to birth her children, nourishing

and feeding them,

hedding tears over their griefs helpless in the Ian resort, to ave them from the jaws of death. And yet like our human mother, she sits weeping over their fate. To turn our backs on ;

and go in quest of a mere emoty phantasm -heaven, or worship an artificial image with its helplessness, in the narrow-

her to

ness

of blind

fetish,

extremely foolish

and narrow-sighted.

(

And <v\ftiat an

ardour and keenness the poet lends to

mother

tion to

)

devo-

this

earth.

At the same time the

human

poet's attention Looked at in

turned to the con-

man's totality, templation of neither begin with his birth nor end with his death. life does Life goes farther than the limits set by birth and death. life.

letters the

In one of his

its

poet writes:

suddenly for a moment from time to time, the habitual material outlook of every day, would vanish I know not then

"How

;

with a new vision

and

the

nity.

(

a way

present,

a time

that

gave

how

And

again

It is

would

see myself, the scene in front of

painted on

Many

to others

the

used to look at

rise

infinite

board

paste

life

and

wonder.

this I

me,

of eter-

earth in such

cannot explain

did this." 1

belief that all our affection, all our love,

only

of the mysterious one only we perform this worunconsciously ; love is the conscious awakening of the

the worship

ship

power access

that joy

universe.

From earth,

5 '

Uvarsi

inside us

the

root

the

momentary this

whole

a love of

the

which

poet

(not in any materialistic sense,) love of this passes on to a contemplation of sheer beauty. life,

This finds a culmination in is

his

poem

a creation compact of

lour, form and rhythm.

to the edges of her skirt. stretch

and

residing in this universe

Urvasi.

all

that

beautiful in

co-

bright with splendour and alive Urvasi is the product of the highest

She

of the poet's imagination, touched with a certain deli-

cate sensibility.

(

)

But through his poems of this period there is a certain under-current of dissatisfaction with the world, a sort of disilDetached sights and sounds do not satisfy him lusionment

now

as they did in Pictures and Songs, or his Morning period. Even detached experiences of life with a certain sense of joy about them do not satisfy him.

Urvasi

which

the

drawing

and culminating point of a mind the end of the life of sensations and is about

creation to

to cease to feel pleasure only in

The

world.

poet's

ing and underlying all

that

earthly

all is

the

visible

beauties

already groping for

of this

something abid-

spiritual basis for to sustain the poet's absolutely necessary

these

phenomena.

muse. The Jivandevata affords this susthe discovery of an abiding spirit underlying the changing phases of a man's life. It is the result of a

faith as also

tenance. all

mind

his is

Though the Jivandevata may be puzzling tomany people and though its meaning may be blurred and indistinct to the students and readers of Rabindranath now, it was a palpable spiritual reality to him then. And even if we fail to define it, we can feel the presence and the reality of it as we read his poems of those days. T hat it is not co-extenmystic

vision.

sile with the spirit of the universe, that

it is felt apart from the of the whole creation, can be seen from a perusal of the poems. But that the poet felt the need of some abiding spiritual sustenance at this time, and that

spirit that

actuates the

the Jivandeata satisfaction

one

poems

life

give

him profound

will

and

in a world where he is likely to feel lost between and another, there is absolutely no doubt about. be clear from the following quotations from some of

interest

This

spiritual solace

his Jivandevata

poems.

"Lord,

is all

that

now over

what ever was mine

(

All that beauty, that song,

and the

Has

the

that life, the

waking

bond of twining arms become loose

My In the

sleep

)

drunkenness

kiss lost its

bower of

Has

life

the night of tryst,

changed into dawn

Then break up the meeting of this day Bring new form, bring new beauty

Making me new, The ever

For the poet,

life is

take

old one

again,

now emptied

all

anxious that he should apAear on this

form, in a

The

new

shape.

idea in the last lines

that the peet's

life

has passed, through many cycles. When is one in the cycle) becomes old and

and

(which

the

spiritless,

God

decrepitude so

and fresh, like a for

joy and zest_ earth in a new

its

of his

that he

new

some new wine of

vision, to

The

immortal

this present life

decrepit

and

(Jiwandevata) should cast off the (poet) may appear here again, young

life

bride meeting 'her lover. life,

instilled into

same

fresh

The

inspiration,

poet longs

some new

him.

difficulties in translating the idea

and making

intel-

medium

of English, show that it cannot bein terms clearcut and made understandable to a perdepicted son of rigid logical-bent of mind. But to those who can read ligible through the

these

lines

in the original, the

a real palpable deity (spiritual

Jivandevata will appear to

Prof. principle.) Thompson*. "and Sonar Tari and Chitra book on Tagore says could hardly be read right through by any foreigner, however

his

(

)

great his admiration for Rabiranath, without exasperation sometimes." But with an attitude less critical and exacting

more mystically inclined, it is possible to realize the Jiwanand feel its presence in moments of quiet contemplation.

.and

.devata

And

of a deep spiis an early realization first after his comes mystic vision in the principle. the of had which he at age Morning Songs twenty one. The had not detached himself from worldly yet completely poet the Jivandevata It

ritual

concerns.

and

for

yearned

this,

intensely

pleasures

his

interested life.

But

something more abiding, more

And

spirit.

was

and

cares

penetrating vision

his

the

business

mystic nature

satisfying, to

his

seeking for satisfaction of

deeper spiritual reality. Prof. Thomp"But it would be as unwise to press anything says. Jivandevata idea as Rabindranath's definite belief,

lights

upon

this

son further in the

otherwise than in a poetic sense, as ly Wordsworth's

would be

to treat similar-

Ode. pre-existence teaching in the Intimations

not susceptible of simple exposition ; but it shows us an Eastern mind in contact with Western thought, and sinking its plummet into that subconscious which modern psy-

The idea

chology has brought forward, and using the thought of today as a key to ancient speculation."

Though Jivandevata

there

may be no

poems

which

a spiritual experience of

of which

has

definite intellectual belief in

becomes

fixed for

all

the

time, there

a reality. And it is this same reality had a vision now, that grows into the

Tagore deeper and more pervading reality of his God of the Gitanjali. The effect of the western thought on the poet's mind is only in so far as he wants to submit his spiritual vision to an intellectual philosophy and give it a name. It is not possible to

(

)

reduce

the Jivandevata idea to a correct system of thought: But as an insight into spirtual reality it is true. "On this infinite table (world) of desire, is

the

The

visible

only inscribed,

dream of the ever

world

2 thirsty-the illusive image.'

deceptive

for something, real, lasting,

dream.

The

poet longs-

permanent, sustaining.

The need for a spiritual basis of life, is again evident here. The poet realises that the thousand and one objects he had been pursuing is this life are mere illusion and this must have led to self introspection and the vision of a more abiding, reality, which he tried to name and explain as Jivandevata*

must here be mentioned about Rabindranath Tagore that mystic experiences are his own, either coming spontaneously as in the case of his first vision of the infinite or born of It

all his

a deep necessity created by the

thirst of his soul for something,

permanent and abiding. Rrbindranath is a singer, a and a mystic. As a singer he sings songs, as a poet poet he invests the sights and sounds of this world with a charm and splendour, and as a mystic, he dives deep down into the heart sees their of things and inner reality. It is out of this mystic insight that he creates his God. The that

second thing to note here individuality.

is that Tagore always preserves his At the highest moment of his God-consciousness, his ownself. That is the moment of his union

he may forget with the supreme One, his spirit

striving

God-realization.

The to

quest

him than

feeling

his

moment

tryst.

But

otherwise,

as a distinct entity constantly always there for union with the divine For spirit. is

And he

after its

the

feels

divie

a peculiar joy in spirit

ultimate realisation.

this striving.

important

With Tagore a constant

there that all thirgs share in the spirital

life

of this

(

and

^-universe

this

)

consciousness grows

pervasive with years.

The

and

in the spirit of the life of this universe, fills man's essential nature is divine, as

becomes

feeling that he himself

a partaker

him with

joy.

But

an earthly creature and beset by earthly impediments

though he is handicapped by the flesh which make his search (Sadhana) so of

his limitations

And

the

tion

and shortcomings

earnest striving all

The knowledge

difficult.

leads to a sense of humility.

after self-realization

the humility of spirit

and God- realiza-

give a religious tone of

solemnity to his poetry. After Ghitra he passes -through Ghaitali (The Last Rice) and Katha, Kahini, Kalpana, through Kanika to Kshanika (momentary). This marks the end of his period of stay on

the banks of the river Padma. generally comes in the

Ghaitali

(last

Rice)

which

month of Ghaitra (March -April), marks

the close of the year. Metaphorically it also marks the end of a period of his activity. The poems of this collection are as usual,

nature.

and

says

all

of sundry subjects. There is the beauty of poem Vana (forest) he addresses the forest

sorts

In the :

How swaying

in various

ways

You play with tbe children You carry on ancient talk

The beauty

of nature

;

with the old

the eternal theme.

here.

And

added

the

mystic feeling of the relationship of the forest with the young and old. Indeed, Tagore never loses this mystic vision c and it gives a strange charm and intimacy to all his writings.

In the poem Prarthana (prayer) he prays tha t bitterness should not enter his heart. Though Tagore is a mystic and the predominating emotion of his poems is joy, he is as much subject to the exegencies of temper as any

always seems to have been

His one endeavour else. keep hold on the truth that his

body

(

)

him and

mystic vision had revealed as ephemeral and unimportant. to

Then patriotic

come and

Katha

and

to treat all

Kalpana.

life's

exegencies

Katha

contains

religious stories of old.

The poet seems to have gone out to these themes of ancient and mediaeval times as through them he could express his outlook on life. Kalpana is full of poems philosophy and his on all subjects. As in Katha, in Kalpana also his mind seems to travel back to ancient scenes in which he can find and satisfaction for his inner craving scope for his imagination There are some poems on Kalidas whom for a higher life.

Tagore regarded as the greatest poet of ancient India and whose poetry contains the highest of both, wordly the spiritual wisdom. But the old assurance of the Jivandevata days seems to have eluded him for a time and he is casting about once again disconsolately for sustenance for his muse and his spirit.

of the of this

The poem The year's end coming towards the end poems collected in the Kalpana is an indication and shows his mood at the moment. It is customary

with mystics that they should either live in the light of the realization of a deep truth or they are dispirited and this earthly life

seems to them empty of any content and altogether mean-

ingless.

the path by which myriads in dreadful silence

the side of that path

Keep me on one side, I Of the a^es past, Like

of people are going

hawk suddenly

from the

shall observe

tearing

mud pond,

your infinite form

down, take me high up

(

Put

)

face to face with the great

Death

In the flash of the thunder.

In the sugarcane grove

shower of rain

which

newly sprouting

is falling

without

rest

the path behind the clouds,

from

darkness to darkness,

The day In the quiet

has vanished, air,

in the

murmur of

in the loving fragrant breath

In the open I

window,

have finished the folded

Amid

the insects,

of the earth.

last

song of the year, offering

v>ith'

hands

the silence of the heavens.

This shows that the poet has made his last offering to nature started in quest of a deeper, albeit, a more dreadful

and has truth.

From Kalpana we title

(Momentary)

pass

suggests,

Kshanika.

most of the poems in

As it

its very contain a

mood. It appears the poet has reached some haven of consolation and is taking a leizurely look at the world and its objects. They appear to him very pleasing and playful

momentary

delightful like unto

man who is

scenes of his erst- while activity

holiday look.

and

about to bid goodbye to the to

whom

all

things

wear a and

also sensible of the pain at parting

upon nature with a deep wistful longing. Not that he is going to bid goodbye to this world of nature, but his whole outlook on life is undergoing a transformation, like looks back

that of a person on the verge of renouncing the world.

(

know

easily,

)

behind you

There is so much of the game of teasing

When

there is the suffusion of a smile outside

Inside there are tears in your eyes. 1

The world appears outside but

to the poet to

inside, she

the

feels

wear a smile

the

The poet

touch of pain.

has become familiar with the earth's smiles and her tears.

about to bid goodbye to this earth of his youthful enjoyment and to don the robes of an ascetic. But before he does it and

his ties,

outlook changes from one of joy in nature and her beauhe will take a last look at her in a half serious, half-sport-

His attitude at this time is more or less detched ing, manner. and he is able to see the beauties of this world and the relationship of man to man with a more penetrating eye than ever before. At the same time his mind takes these sights and

heartedness.

human goings and comings with a The language of the poems of

has also a

special peculiarity about

sounds and

The

appeal.

" In Songs,

poet himself says Kshanika I first found

I first

found

cheerful light-

Kshanika which heightens their the

my genius

;

language.

......*. ...in

Kshanika

Evening I

realiz-

ed the beauty and music of the colloquial speech. That gave me an extraordinary sense of joy and power. I felt I could use absolutely any word I chose." ''Readers were amazed. before.". 2

.There had been nothing like it in our literature This language he was to use afterwards, as the

vehicle of his highest songs in the Gitanjali. It is this simplicity, of language and the beauty of rhythm and the use of common

metaphor

that place the songs

reach of the

common man.

of the Gitanjali

within the

(

Here

the KsHanika which

poem from

)

and delicate and charming: When the two sisters go to fetch water,

beautiful

they corns to this spot and they smile.

Their pitchers lurch snddenly, and

water

when

spills

they reach this spot.

They must have found out somebody's behind the

The two

trees

stands

each other

to this spot,

is a laughter in

fusion in

who

whenever they go to fetch water.

sisters glance at

when they come There

that

heart is beating

and they smile.

their swift-stepping feet,

semebody's mi id who

which makes con-

stands behind the tress

when

ever they go to fetch water. 2

nothing of the fever of passion here ; not even the sad disillusion of Man's Rejonider and Woman s Rejoinder as

There

a pure depiction of a situation, done with such a penetrating eye and so much of knowing sympathy, that not the least little flutter of the heart, nor the least little change This

in Manasi.

fee'.ing,

escapes the poet.

lovelornness,

human

its

simplicity

mood

delicate sensitiveness

It gives pleasure

and

its

emotion.

In the Kshanika the poet bids adieu to his past. The farewell is full of a longing, lingering sadness. This invests every object which he described, with added beauty and charm. Before bidding

world he says

goodbye

to this

life

serious tale in a serious tone,

relate to

you,

of joy in nature and the

(

story.

bank of the drunken

the

want anything I

have told you,

No, no

earth,

else?

friend

have none

No business

The

try to pass off in joke

My own life's Further

)

have no courage.

from the

following

with anything."

poem

Samapti

(End)

/Kshanika. What

is that

The stream of The

Is it I

the water of tears

varied story of the varied paths

written on the forehead

have closed your window

The

cool bedding has been spread

In the light of your evening lamp

Thou and

The Thou and bid

are alone.

are

his

God and

goodbye to his past life. It Now he wants to turn away from

final

tears.

he, is

The life

has

poet written

and be alone

with,

God. Already in the Kahini he was preoccupied with this theme of duty and man's relationship to God. In the poems his

time he tried to continue with the worldly side of life bat he seems to have found the effort too much.

this

The and his

call of

duty had come.

He is

shifting to Shantiniketan

establishing himself there to be in daily

God and

render

selfless service to

communion with

hisfellowman.

(

)

This marks the beginning of the third phase of his spiritual His inspiration now are the Upanishads. Like the ancient life. Rishis he wants to lead a

life

of dedication, dedication to the

His father, the Maharshi spirit and daily his duty. from the derived his religion Upanishads and Rabindranath followed in his footsteps. This is what Ravindranath writes in

universal

one of

word

his essays

Tapovana.

But

into English.

difficult

to translate this

can be explained as a

a school where they dedicate themselves through mental and moral discipline.

forest school,

self-realization

"The path of realization which India has adopted, is the union of the mind with the universal spirit, the union of our spirit with this spirit, that is complete union. Not only the union of knowledge,

that is, not only the training in the factory, of passing of skill colleges) a school or college examination ; our real training is in the forest school, training of being at one with nature, becoming (in our schools and

pure by an austere

The poet had of the school Here in

this

life.

the following inscription placed on the gate

Ashram

the

One

Inviiibie

God

be worshipped.

The poet must start the worship in the manner his the Maharshi had done. Whenever the Maharshi to Shantiniketan

would

sit

meditation

for

father

went hours,

chanting hymns of the Upanishads and holding communion with the Supreme Deity. This is what the Maharshi says at

one place

in his- Auto biography.

"When

was

of a sudden I

in this depressed state of

mind, one day

saw a page from some Sanskrit book

all

flutter

I could past me. Out of curiosity I picked it up, but found understand nothing of what was written on it. I said to

(

)

Shyamacharan Bhattacharya who was sitting by me 'do you decipher the meaning of the verses on this page.* Soon afterwards (he) came to me. On reading the page he

why,

said,

'When L

the Isopanishat.

the

learnt

from

vam\'

this

of 'Isavasyamidam

explanation nectar

Vidyavagish,

from paradise

sar-

streamed

down upon me.

I had been eager to receive a sympathetic from men, now a divine voice had descended from response heaven to respond, in my heart of hearts and my longing was I wanted to see God everywhere and what did I satisfied. ? I found 'If the whole world could encompassed by God, where would impurity be ? I had never heard my most intimate thoughts expressed any where else.

in the Upanishads

find

as it

obtained what This joy.'

with I

is,

call

this

influenced

third

his

Though

had wished

phase

always

the

of the

felt

for, and was utterly filled Ramindranath also. This

and complete creating and governing this

first

self-realization.

mystic

presence

clear

some

spirit,

realization of the

universe. Hencesupreme Spirit forth he sings of this with a realization the of and completeness

joy that attends such realization. of the

realization

spirit to this

are

Naivedya is full of this of the dedication of his

Being, Half the

poems

Naivedya theme the remaining half deal with a theme whose aim is service to his people, but the great

devoted to

patriotic

supreme

The

Spirit.

this

;

underlying basis of this patriotism is also the realization of the unity of the spirit of all men and its presence in the all-

pervading divine

Spirit.

Regarding the mysticism of the Upanishads,

Gupta

says

Prof. S.

M. Das

(

the

)

"This crude form of mysticism (Vedic) was succeeded by higher mystiicsm of the Upanishads (about 700 B. C.)

of the throbbings of a rapturous experience which melt at the touch of the great reality of the self. This is an

which

is full

which is by nature superior to all ordinary kinds of knowledge and which one could have only as the outcome of superior moral elevation, consisting of an extreme control intuitive grasp

and other moral virtues contentment etc. This intuitive experience is said of purity, to be of Brahman which was the same as the immortal essence of our own selves and should on no account be confused with of the senses, self-denial, desirelessness,

the ego or the ordinary pheonomenal self of worldly life. This experience is such that all distinctions vanish here, and it is, therefore,

and indescribable and can only be

indefinable

as not being anything else that we know pointed out negatively or can know. All distinctions of sense experience or of logical

thought melt blessedness

From this

here

which

this

into one whole experience of supreme the one reality and truth '. 5

time the sole striving of the poet was to realize the same as the immortal essence

Brahman, which was

own One of

of his

which

Brahman

spirit.

the earlier poems of the Naivedya (Offering) a collection of the poems of dedication to the Lord

at this time,

as follows

me do not know that to are nearer me than they are. you They who speak to me do not know that

1 hey

who

are near to

heart

is full

They who crowd

with your unspoken words. my path do not know that I

walking alone with you. They who love me do not know brings you to

my heart.

that their love

(

)

The poet lives and moves and

has his being in the Lord. detached himself from the world and lives in continual nearness to the supreme One. This is the poet's transcendental God. But this God also controls the universe and

has

present in

all

objects.

"They have

seen that the

moving and unmoving universe

flowing from joy in the shape of a stream of

Every Bame of fire trembles from

fear

ofthee.

Every breath of wind

(is)

Carrying out thy orders. Seizing the

by thy power. Death day and

night(i s)

moving and unmoving things.

The mountain

The

rises

high

your beckoning.

river runs in this direction and that, with

Thy

This

immanent God.

his

In another

poem

music.

Both are the same.

the poet sings:

The same stream of life

that runs

through

veins night and

day

runs torough the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It

the

same

life that

shoots in

joy through the dust of the

earth

in numbeiless blades of grass and breaks with tumultuous waves

of leaves and flowers. It is

the same

life that is

rocked

in the

ocean cradle

birth

and of death, in ebb and in flow. I

feel

life.

limbs are made glorious by the touch of

And my blood

this

pride is

from

moment.

this

world of

the life-throb of ages dancing

(

)

to the Upanishads, "The Lord is the one restable and eternal ; stable because He is beyond time ality, and space, eternal because He is ever in possession of all that

According

was,

and

will be.

"The world

a movement of the divine

consciousness in

space and time

'We thus see Brahman in all beings and things in the created universe as well as beyond it. It is individual, universal and transendental. It is the continent and indwelling spirit of everything that

we know

of,

small and great."

to man sometimes in life, this realization comes a creature of flesh and blood engrossed in the various

Though as

yet

interests of worldly

life,

likely to forget his

own

soul

and

its Worldly success is apt kinship with the supreme spirit. to intoxicate a man and make him think that he is all in all.

Tagore, therefore, attaches great spiritual value to sorrow. Sorrow is the great awakener. By defeating man's immediate worldly interests, by wrenching some petty gadgets from his hands as from the hands of a child, sorrow makes a man's soul

and reflect and by introspection learn that there more abiding in him than these outside gadgets something and that this abiding spirit in himself has an aswering spirit in the universe more pervasive, which is the mainstay and support turn upon

itself

of our individual spirit.

But the poet's realization of the union of his soul with the divine spirit also comes through the channel of nature's beauty and profuseness.

"The

deliverance

renunciation, that

"From tion

This

what he

comes

which

says

through asceticism and

not mine.

inside the beauty of

of our dear ones,

it is

this

world, through the affecis drawing us towards

God who

(

Him No one

else

)

has the ability

draw

towards

him." 1

From contemplation of the divine when Tagore turns to the service of his fellow-men, and reflects upon their condition,

he finds they have

'everything has

lost,

of this eternal

hold

habitation in the

its

they have become weak and

selfish

Lord.'

truth

That

that

why

and disunited and down-

trodden. The one barge which is Breaking

Having found

into parts,

the support of a million people,

how

the ultimate

shall

cross the

ocean? 2

spiritual support of this uni-

even patriotic actions, on it. The courage and fortitude he offers is such that nothing can defeat it, nothing can dishearten it.

verse,

he bases

all his

After Naivedya passes through the

actions,

begins a period during which the poet worst grief, the worst calamity. His wife

died in 1902 and the poet

gave

expression

his

grief in

poems called Smarana. There are passages in Shelley's Adonis which are full of alofty vision of the Infinite. But in Tagore's Smarana (Remembrances) grief, and the sweetness of love and the vision of God into whom His wife's soul has the

passed, have been so beautifully fused together that the sweetof grief is relieved by a sense of reunion, The warmth of his wife's presence in the core of his heart, is very

bitterness

there.

In 1 903 came the death of his daughter Renuka. He had taken her to the hills of Almora as she was suffering from T. B. Whille he was at Almora at the foot of the Himalayas, he

was writing children's poetry. The poems have the pathos of Smarana but they have more playfulness about them and

free scope is

given to imagination.

They

are partly

for the

(

)

entertainment of children, partly to relieve his own heart of recurring sorrow and help him forget himself in an

its

atmosphere of childish activity that keeps him from the serious world of the

grown-ups. Plaything, 'Child,

how happy you

are sitting in the dust,

playing with a broken twig

all

the morning.

smile at your play with that

little bit

broken twig.' 'I

figures

busy with

accounts, adding

by the hour.

Perhaps you glance

game

stupid,

Child,

to spoil your

and think, 'What a

morning

have forgotten the

art

with.'

of being absorbed

in sticks and mud-pies. I

seek out costly playthings, and gather

lumps of gold and

silver.

With whatever you your glad games.

and

find

you

spend both

strength over things

create

my time I

can never

obtain.

my frail

canoe

struggle to

cross the sea of desire, and forget that

too

playing a game,

busisays that there is no more meaning in the while But children. in of the play ness of the grown-ups than

The poet

the

clothe the most trifling object with beauty satisfaction in it, the growngups wear their heart out

children

and find

can

hankering after those things which they regard valuable, but which are more useless than children's playthings in bringing

real spiritual satisfaction to

man.

(

From

mind.

disis only a phase to divert his he passes on to Utsarga (offering) a

Moon

Sisu or Crescent

tressed

)

Sisu

of the Lord. They are in set of poems dedicated to the worship the of those as the same key Naivedya; only they are less posi-

The poet is seeking for his God more personal. The: again only his God has now become will comfort his corwho need for God, for a companion roded soul, is more acute now than ever before. tive

and more

dedicative.

;

want to

you up from moment

tie

moment

in the thread of a narrative,

For

time, in the tunes of a song

all I

Of golden I

have

ahede

do what you

you

grssp, but

recogrize

desire

you tempt away

you

with

The

flute.

have you been caught

are free

And whether I

cast a net

have

sound in the

arises -

No, us you

You

measure,

filled sweet

doubt

still

you contained.

to keep

want

or not,

my mind,

my life is

stirred

a thrill. 1

the quest for God. quest has begun again,

Becoming mad,

By my own I

roam

fragrance

in the forest

Like the musk-deer. In the night of Falgun (March), I

when

south

wind blows

do not find the path any where,

Whatever

desire,

Whatever

get, is

desire

wrongly,

not what

desire.' 2

Like the fragrance of the must-deer, the sweetness of the sou"

(

.it

in the poet himself.

But deluded, he goes about

in the outside world.

that this sweetness finds that it

but

he approaching in this world

He wanders about

illusion.

Emotion wants

form seeks

The

in search

runs after distant objects, thinking

them

not there.

lured by every

)

limitless

be incarnate in form,

for force in emotion.

wants the familiar garb of the limited

The finite wants

lost in thn infinite

In creadon and destruction.

whose doing There

do not know

is,

ceaseless going

from emotion

and coming

to form,

form to emotion

Bondage goes about seeking

liberty

Andliberty asks for shelter in bondage.'

This

The

formless expresses itself in

groping towards the infinite again.

the formless.

And

thus

form and form melts into

thegame of the visible

and

the invisible

^goes on.

The next

collection

Kheya (Ferry). Kheya a crossing over in a ferry boat to the other side, from this

poems

world into the other. Prof.

Thompson has

described the

as vaguely exasperating

atmosphere

to a robust reader.

Tagore

Kheya

was

.anything but a robust frame of mind at this time. In spite of his abiding faith in life and in God, such was the condition of his mind, consequent on his

the to

world go into

lost all

charm

many

bereavements, that

in his eyes for a time

some nook of

retirement.

and he wanted

his faith in

God

(

)

him think of going

that saves him, that makes

the other

and finding consolation with Him alone. There is of detachment, a touch of otherwordliness, in these tone a which his soul poems. But after this period of twilight, during shore

away from

this

he wants

which

suffers acute pain

relieve

by running

scene of suffering, hope and cheerfulness again

return to the poet.

time of Kheya (embarking on the of time the evening twilight when the earth is darkferry boat) cares of the day come to an end. and business the ling and It is significant that the is

But after comes.

this

Blessed, the

morning

Blessed 1

and

twilight

bow

sun.

breeze

you

again and again

O bird

of the morning

your keen and

Taking up Spread

dawn

salutation

the sweet

the dreadful night, the

clear voice

salutation,

over the distant heavens

Blessed the dust of the- earth Blessed

the fair of the living in this

world. the dust

Bowing my head to Blessed

ami

at this

time of the

morning.

Cheerfulness and joy in

have returned realizing

their

life

to the poet.

grandeur.

and

He And

things of this earth, to these in humility,

in the

bows

now

this humility

becomes

profound. With this fresh access of faith and joy tempered by a deep humility born of the realization of how trivial and sad human life can be vithout faith in God and the spiritual support that this faith gives, begins his fourth period, the period of the Gitanjali. The difference to me in the poems of the Gitanjali and those of the Naivedya is this difference

of humility. This humility marks the poems of the Gitanjali with the fervour of a devotee to reach his God, to be constantly in His presence

and not

fear of even temporarily

hence the is

more of a

God

touch with

Him

there

The

and

There

entreaty.

about Naivedya.

him

The

touch with Him.

tone of earnest

self-confidence

always with

losing

the

solicitation,

to lose

faith that

undisturbed. But the (poet) is as by the yearning of a lover

poems are marked, where the beloved can play the game of fast and loose and where the weaker party, he whose love is deeper and who cannot do without the presence of the other is somewhat in a state of suspense and torture. The Gitanjali Gitanjali

for

his beloved,

>oems

are written

tone

devotion

the

though

other characteristics of Tagore's mysticism are there. They are marked by an earnestness of search for the supreme One, the spirit's only solace. I

have had life

invitation to this world's festival, and

has been blessed.

eyes have seen and

thus ears

my have

heard. It

was

my part

have done

Now,

at this feast to play all

upon

instrument,

and

could.

ask, has the time

come

thy face and offer thee

at last

when

may go

silent salutation?

in and

see

(

The poet has occupation of

)

finished the business of his

now

devotion to his God.

and

life

It is

his sole

a characteristic

mysticism of the devotional type, that it is marked by great and humility and the human personality is held

-earnestness

yearning and striving for union with

as distinct and separate, the divine personality.

17.

only waiting for joveto give myself up

That

at last into his hands.

so late

and

why

have been guilty of such

omission.

They come with to I

bind

People blame I

and

their codes

evade them ever, for

heedless;

over and work

done for the busy.

call I

call

hands.

t'oubt not they are right in their blame.

al!

in vain

Rabindranath

Those who came

have gone back in anger.

am only waiting for love

myself up

own

at last into his

me and

The market day

his

;

but

only waiting for love to give

myself up

their laws

me fast

at last into his

to give

hands.

a practical mystic. His mysticism is born experience and is part of his life. He has had is

^experience of various phases of

for the beauty relationship.

mysticism.

Though,

there-

devotional, he had not lost his love of nature and the tenderness of human

fore, his poetry here

(

)

23. Art thou abroad on

stormy night, on

this

thy journey of love, like

friend

The sky groans

one in despair.

have no sleep tonight. Ever and again open my door and look out on the darkness

I I

friend

can see nothing before me.

where

lies

By what dim

thy path

wonder

shore of the ink-black

river,

by what

forest,

through what mazy depth of gloom

art

far

edge of the frowning

thou threading thy course to come to

me,

friend

There it first a salutation of the devotee to the Lord in In the next few poems the the Gitanjali. poet waits for a union with the divine spirit, like a beloved waiting for her lover. According to ihe poet, the commerce of the world is done, he has tasted of the world's joy and its beauty, and to the poet now what matters is union with God, All else is beside the

was only a haphazard preparation for this life. His barge was gradually tending towards this final goal. The journey and its hazards had their charm but its goal was this union of the individual soul with the point His

life

so far

crowning end of

divine soul.

But

how

the union to be

won

not through selfishness and pride.

Not through grabbing, The worldly self must be

completely obliterated and in the profound humility of sheer must devote oneself to the realization of God. spirit, one

Then and then alone

this

union possible. 28.

Obstinate are the trammels, but I

try to break them.

heartaches

when

(

Freedom

want; but to hope for

is all I

am certain

that priceless wealth isi

thee and that thou are

But

ashamed.

I feel

)

best friend,

have not the heart to sweep away

the tinsel that

The shroud

fills

that covers

room.

my is

a shroud

dust and death; I

hate

debts are large,

it,

yet

shame yet I

my love. failures great,

and heavy

secret

when

quake in

hug

come

;

to ask for

good.

fear lest

prayer be granted.

Though man wants to be free of earthly trammels and and lead a life of selflessness and dedication, yet the

interests

interests of life are so strong, and tempting, he shudders to think he should be without them. Real freedom of the spirit is not thus easy to attain for every man.

30. came out alone on my way to my tryst. But who is this that follows me in the I

silent I

move but

dark?

aside to avcid his presence I

He makes

escape

him

not.

the dust risefiom the earth

with his swagger to every

word

my own

;

he adds his loud voice

utter.

little self,

my lord,

knows no shanie but I am ashemad come to thy doer in his company. ;

to ,

(

Man But

this spirit is

The poems is

beimnersed

tries to

dogged by

the contemplation of

his

worldly

self at

God.

every step.

in the Gitanjali follow this order.

First there

the Lord, then a passionate yearning to then the obstacles put in the way of God-realization to

the salutation

meet Him,

)

by our own selfish appetites, then the intimation of His presence or his coming, through the song of birds, the first sight of

dawn, the fragrant breeze and even the violent storm. His presence can be felt either by direct contemplation of the divine or through the many sights and sounds of this beautiful universe.

47. *The

night

spent waiting for he suddenly come to

nearly

fear lest in the [morning

have fallen asleep wearied out.

him

forbid

If the

sound

try to rouse

him

me,

the clamourous

festival

him

vain.

door when

friends, leave the

way open

not.

steps does

his

pray.

not

wake me

wish not to be called from

choir of birds,

do not

sleep

wind

the riot of

at the

of morning light. Let me sleep undisturbed even if of a sudden to my door.

my lord comes Ah,

my sleep, precious sleep, which only waits for his Ah, my closed eyes that would open their lids

to vanish,

to the light of his smile

when he

emerging from darkness of

Let him appear before forms.

from

The first his glance.

thrill

stands before

touch

only

dream

sleep.

sight

of joy to

as the first of all lights and

awakened soul

let it

come

(

And

let

)

to myself be immediate

my return

return to him.

This

waiting for God, direct contemplation, and direct Him. But there is also His relization through

realization of

the objects created by Him.

This

pantheism.

45.

Have you not heard

his silent steps

And from this objects

we come

manifestatirn of the lord through natural to the presence of His spirit in man. Every

uuman being has an devote one

element of

this divine.

To neglect men and

contemplatien of a vague notion

self to the abstract

God

present in every man. If one is a believer in God, one must devote oneself to the service of his fellowmen. Exclusive devotion to the abstract may lead

of the divine

absurd.

to barrenness; just as too much addiction to what is expressed in beautiful colour and form might degrade one into sheer

love of pleasure. 11.

Leave

and singing and

this chanting

telling

of beads.

Whom dost thou worship

in this lonely dark corner of a temple

with doors

thine eyes and see thy

all shut.

Open

God is

not

before thee.

He where

is there

the path

where

the tiller is tilling the

maker is breaking

stones.

He is

hard ground

and

with them in sun

-and in shower, and his garment is coverei with dust. Put off thy

holy mantle and even Deliverance

Our

him come down on thedusty

Where is

this deliverance to be

found

master himself has joyfully taken upon him the he is bound with us all for ever.

creation

soil. ?

bonds of

;

Come out of and incense.

and stained

thy brow.

thy meditation and leave aside

What harm Meet him

there if thy clothes and stand by him in toil is

thy flowers

become and

tattered

sweat of

And

again

59. Yes

know

thisis

O beloved of my

nothing but thy love,

heart

this golden light that dances upon the leaves, these idle clouds sailing

across the sky, this passing breeze leaving its

coolness

my forehead.

upon

The morning this is thy

light has flooded

my eyes my heart. Thy face is thy eyes look down an my eyes,

message to

bent from above,

and It

their

heart has touched thy

quote some of these poems, to understand

enough

feet.

meaning. 63.

Thou

hast

made me known

hast given

seats

whom

to friends

homes not

knew

own.

Thou

not.

hast

brought the distant near and made a brother of the stranger. I

uneasy

my accustomed

heart

shelter;

when I

have to leave

forget

that there abides the

old in the new, and that there also thou abidest.

Through

birth and death, in this world or in others

wherever thou

leadest

it is

one companion of my endless

thou, the same, the life

who

everlinkest

heart with bonds of joy to the unfamiliar.

When

one knows

then no door

is shut.

never lose the

bliss

thee, then alien there is none,

Oh, grant me

prayer that

may

of the touch of the one in the play

of the many.

Since

God

things, everything

present everywhere, in is

all

persons and

alii

holy and divine and deserving of our wor-

ship.

and

But we must not be the sweetness of

lost

human

much

too

in the

relationship

one God whose manifestations these

outward things Him-the

to forget

are.

66 She

who

ever bad remained in the depth of my being, in the twilight of gleams and of glimpses, she

in the

morning

folded in

who

never opened her veils

light, will

to thee,

God,

fi^al song.

Words have wooed

yet failed to

win her

persuationhas stretched to her I

last [gift

its

;

eager arms in vain.

have roamed from country to country keeping her in the core of

heart;

and decay of

Over

and around her have risen and

thoughts and actions,

she reigned yet dwelt alone

Many

man knocked

fallen the

growth

life.

slumbers and dreams,

and

apart.

door and asked for her and

turned away in despair.

There was none in the world who ever saw her face to

and she remaind in her loneliness waiting for thy

face,

recognition,

This

Hidden deep

a beautiful description of the soul or psyche. in the core of man's being, she Is waitiong to be

recognised, and received into

Then comes

its

arms by the divine

spirit.

the sorrow of separation. 79.

If it

then

let

not

portion to meet thee in this

ever feel that

not forget for

sorrow in

have missed thy

my life

sight-let

let

carry the pangs of

dreams and in

wakeful hours.

moment,

me this

102

(

The to be is

spirit

man and

the

life

one with the divine

ignorant of the object of

)

this

of things are always yearning

spirit

and

yearning,

life infinite. it

yet

Man

does not fail

produce its pain. And this pain of separation is universal. It is born of the urge in man and things to find their fulfilto

ment

in union with the infinite.

cious spiritual possession of

This pain

is,

therefore, a pre-

man. 84.

pang of separation

the

It is

that

spreads

throughout the world and gives birth to shapes

innumerable in the infinite sky.

sorrow of separation that gazes in silence night from star to star and becomes lyric among rustling

It is this all

leaves in rainy darkness of July. It is this

and

overspreading pain that deepens into loves desires, into sufferings

this it is that

andjoysin human homes; and

ever melts and flows in songs through

poet's heart.

Then comes

the final goodbye to this

death,

visible universe, a last lingering

book at

it,

and

beautiful

the

final

meeting with the Lord, the Infinite Formless. 91.

Othou

last

fulfilment of life, death,

come and whisper

Day I

after

day have,

death,

me.

kept watch for thee, for thee have

borne the joys and pangs of life.

All that

am,

have ever

I have that I hope and all my love, flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy.

that

glance from thine eyes and

life will

One final

be ever thine own.

103

The

woven and

flowers have been

the bridegroom. After the

)

the garland

ready for

wedding the bride shallleave her

and meet her lord alone in the solitude of night.

The body

laid

rest

and the

soul meets her divine

But

loid in the solitude of the night oi the formless Infinite.

and

salutation

what a parting

tribute to the world of fcim

btfore passing out into the formless, (the visible infinite) 96.

When what I

go frcm herce

have seen

let this

that

v.ord,

partirg

unsurpassable.

have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus that expands

the ocean of light, and thus

blessed -

let this

parting word.

In this playhouse of infinite forms

have had

play

and here have I caught sight of him that is formless. My whole body and my limbs have thrilled with his touch touch; and

who is beyond let this

if the

end

to the last farewell

departure.

lord of the visible world, the departure invisible.

this earth

which

him

Both are the same.

is is

subject to

immortal and that

life

it is

But

The

come-

let it

songs of

The approach

Gitanjali roughly follow this scheme.

here,

proach

comes

parting word.

But here call it poetry. philosophy, call it religion, salutation of the apfirst worship of the divine from the

Call is

man this

able to see the infinite

of forms and the world of the formless.

to the

into the lord

who

being a creature of

and death. Yet there by means of

the

that in

him

immortal principle bcth in the world

104

(

And

last

comes the

)

final saluta;ion

103. In one salutation to thee,

God,

let all

senses

spread out and touch this world at thy feet.

Like a rain-cloud of July hung low with let all fto

'Let all

my mind

band down

its

thy

burden of unshed showers door

one

salutation

thee.

songs gather together their diverse strains into

single

current and flow to a sea of silence in one salutation to thee.

a flock

of homesick cranes flying night and day back to their

mountain nests

let all

in one salutation to thee.

life take its

voyage to

its

eternal ho me

PART

III

Conclusion

In this book an attempt has been made to trace the -continuity of development of the spirit of Rabindranath. Beginning

with the Juvenalia which are sometimes mere imitation, sometimes exercises in versification

and music, he gradually discovers

himself and in the Evening Songs he first finds his genius. From the Evening Songs where his spirit is stifled, disconso-

he gradually proceeds through the Morning Songs and Picutures and Songs to its unfoldment.

late for

want of

direction,

The development

various experiences of stages of a

hand,

life

the growing

leavened, on the

apace

which are incidental

man's growth,

reflects

goes on

of his genius

to the successive

so that while his poetry,

mind of

other, by

the auther,

the mysticism

through the

on the one

it is

througout

peculiar

his

nature.

a practical experience, and His it unfolds as his mind develops, from stage to stage. reveals in of Calcutta first at the vision age twenty-one, very

This mysticism in the author

him

which

that this physical world is

limitless

are lost in

for

a unity, a continuity, a flow

and unending. His senses, his consciousness, a time, and though the vision fades away, its

memory and the sense of the oneness of human existence with and sustains him through periods of comparative it, remains darkness,

when he

This memory and

more preoccupied with worldly concerns. must have also been fed by his

this vision

106

(

)

of contemplation, his study of ancient Indian scriptures, and his surroundings which were full of a spiritual and artistic

habit

atmosphere.

This

initial vision

belief that

life

naturally leads to two things

can never suffer destruction, that

first,

;

the

even death

is-

only a change and that in this universe nothing is lost. This realization did not come to him through a study of the physical sciences but as a living, palpable experience. Death, therefore,, and the fear of complete annihilation which have struck the

greatest terror to the spirit of man, through all ages, completely

There

lose their sting.

The sorrow

poetry. is

like that

therefore no

who cannot bear even

of a loving person

from

separation of her.

genuine sorrow in

his,

only temporary and much of the sorrow

or the least

his beloved,

the least

forget fulness-

little

by the denial of satisfaction of seme physical appetite which we in our ignorance regard as one oF the sources of happiness or by separation from some dear one. Sorrow

The

either caused

poet says of the one

didst thou save

All denial

How

nearer to God.

God and is

all

is pitiful,

but ever

worldly pleasures brings us

his

the final hope of. meeting -Him, give

And

besides, the vast

a peculiar

mass of Tagore's

of direct joy, the enjoyment of the sights this earth> and the beauty and tenderness of

full

and sounds of

human

cry

hard refusals

poetry dealing with this phase any stretch, poetry of sorrow? The nearness

can

undertone of optimism. poetry

many and my

me by

of satisfaction

thus be called by to

desires are

relationship, through

which the

spirit of

God

always.

107

(

us to

trying to attract to

him becomes

selfishness

itself.

)

Thus

spiritualised.

all

No rocm

or nariow grabbing.

worldly left

commerce

for greed or

All earthly dealings are ulti-

mately dealings with Him and the perpetual consciousness of this fills the mind with a feeling of divine bliss. Secondly, sorrow in poetry, is a result of separation from, we love. And since in the poet's view the dead are

those

received into His there to be

bosom by the Lord and

reunited with us, the

since they are waiting

sorrow changes 'into sweet

remembrance'and love and joyful longing and ultimate certainty Only physically they have disappeared frcm our world, but since the poet is daily in communion with God, he of union.

presence of these departed souls quite near him, even in his own heart. The comfort of this is, indeed, great. The feels the

sorrow changes into spiritual contentment and even in joy. The second point of this treatise is that there is no consciousness of sin

and the resultant desolation and despair of

of which Dr. Faustus

a classical example.

beginning Rauindranath's

poetry

From

spirit

the very

of the sings of the oneness

universe and the immortality of the

spirit.

The

bright green

blades of grass breaking out of the silent earth are an intimation of His coming. The lover standing under the shade of the tree

and hearkening

feet,

or listening

lady and her secret

and

on his beloved's

the ripple of the silver laughter of his at their noticing his

companions,

probably

is in. presence, are an echo of the music that And the ultimate destiny of man is to be united

silent

the universe.

with God.

to the tinkling of the anklets

God is

always waiting for the

spirit of

man

to reeog-

108

(

nise His presence

and come

of narrow egoism, which gives All Rabindranath's poetry

)

Him.

Sin

born of

instinct with a

selfishness,

rise to greed, lust, hate,

deep

murder.

vision of the

oneness and reality of this universe. Though the depth of this vision increases with the passing of time, the vision is all the time there

The moment one

takes

one

captivated by

and

even soul

after the poetry has is

converted and

its

up Tagore's poetry and reads

absorbed by

been laid aside, the vision

whole outlook on

persists, the

changes. There

life,

remains only one desire, one dominant passion and that feel

Heaven

the soul's unity with the divine spirit.

transported to this living earth

not even dream of what sin

and there

made

Das Gupta and

temperament shows

hell.

thus

One

does

growth of Tagore was a mystic.

to trace the

mysticism inTagore and its different stages. A mystic is born and not made. Mysticism

According

is.

Thirdly, an attempt had been

to Prof.

it,

this vision so that

certain

others,

temperamental. ..

the mystic

physical dreaminess, and cons-

phlegmatism, want of interest things of life and a certain intense

titutional qualities, like a certain

the ordinary useful devotion to matters which appear idle and useless in the eyes of this world. Tagore's want of interest in his school and his routine studies, his absence of desire for worldly progress and

promotion, show

this.

His

lonely wanderings in his

garden, and his deep interest as in solitude this.

and such other

a boy in his

own

musings

things, are a further evidence of

109

(

)

According to Everlyn Underbill, the mystic perception is aroused by religion, pain and, beauty. It is fortunate that in Tagore his first mystic vision comes not in any theological context but in the most

common

of intensified

sensibilities

and craving.

The

first vision reveals

a result

It is

surroundings.

and an inner

spiritual dissatisfaction

him the world

deep limitless ocean flowing with life. All life, even his own, become one continuous flow, tossing up and down like waves.

stream of joy wells up in the poet's heart at this discovery, joy which comes with the realization that there is no end to

no death, and that

life,

all life is

buoy him up

continues to

recedes and the poet

for

drawn

one and

This vision

limitless.

some time but

into the interests

gradually

and

cares

life.

His second vision comes to him at Sealdah where he

managing

his father's

estatates.

partly of introspection to

This seems to be

which

busy

a result

must have been given

and of the realization of the futility of mere worldly satisfac-

What

tion.

the poet discovers

deeper

principle of

life

which not only embraces his cwn present life but goes back into the limitless past and runs into the future. The scientific atmosphere of

his

age makes him trace

all

its

does not, like the ancient mystics, see it But the poetic and devoticnal deity.

ramifications. in the

shape of a side of his nature

make 'him call it by the name of Jivan devata. of this new reality which is discovered by him true to

it,

;

only the

may

name

given to

not be very exact.

and the

The is

limitations

Then comes a

vision

absolutely

attached

period of poetic

(

Activity again in

which the poet

relationship and of

his

down

settling

dedicate his

decides to

interested service

and human

at Shantini-

by the rebuff he receives from

Disillusioned

patriots, he

sings of nature

love.

His third period comes with :kstan.

)

life to

of his motherland.

His

his

God and chief

com-

the dis-

inspiration

at this time are the Upznishads

of their truth leads him the

Supreme

in the

spirit.

Naivedya.

The poems

of this period are contained Henceforward the deep spiritual and

that

religious tone

'to

and, constant contemplation a new realisation of the presence of

his

poetry takes

on,

never

His

lost.

mystic vision at this time seems to be at the stage of -illuminaHe has all along kept himself under discipline. Though and a life of it may not amount to leading as ascetic life

tion.

mortification,

has yet been a

life

led, attending to their daily duties

they

live

and move

and have

such as the ancient Rishis

and never

the poems of the Naivedya, his position is that having a rightful place in this universe which

of the Lord.

tion

that

forgetting

their being in the Lord.

feels the

of a is

person

the habita-

pride and joy and privilege

it.

But

in the Gitanjali, his attitude

marked

by a

deep

craving and utter humility. This may be called his fourth stage. The poet has passed through a period of excruciating pain, and the suffering of breavement. His need for, and his dedication to,

God become

personal.

now

in the position of a

seeker, a lover, a devotee, in quest of his Lord, his

God.

And

the craving

insistent.

his

Beloved,

won't stop

until

111

(

Jiis ;all

His religious meditation

complete.

The

the time.

)

inspiration

ing period lend to the poems of the

an intensely devotional

Gitanjali

tone, all

its

own

by spirit and passionate supreme eagerness to meet his God. utter humility of

Again, Ravindranath's mystic outlook theorist,

there

all

But the suffering and beleavement of the interven-

through.

sonal,

has gone on

of the upanishads

but

;

a deeply pera tone marked

and

importunity

actual practical outlook.

not It

of a

that

born of his

own

experience and part and parcel of his life. It has come to him in stages, through a joyous mood unclouded by narrow selfishness, through disillusionment about mere worldly things,

through the suffering and detachment from worldly

bathed

in a

new

deep spiritual nature. world revealed to him in a

its

dered into poetry.

feels its

new

his vision

sees the underlying essense of it

all this

and

its

creation

;

and

beautiful sights

this

his

interests.

and

light

travail

spirit,

glory and this

its

that

light

through world

joy

experience

deepens and

all,

the

sees

and

he has

the ren-

crystalises,

God, who is the inner spirit is His manifestation,

world which

and sounds,

intimations of His

presence.

These phases of illumination may roughly be compared to the phases of illumination in the life of a recognised mystic,

Jacob Boehme. mysticism

"In

quote from Elelyn Underbill's

uook on

Boehme's

life,

as described in the introduct

English translation of his collected

works, there

on to the

were three

112

(

distinct onsets of illumination

;

all

)

of the

pantheistic

and

ex-

ternal type. In the first, which seems to have happened while he was very young, we are told that "he was surrounded by a divine light for seven days, and stood in the highest contem-

plation

and kingdom of

with mystical

tiated

awakening

1600 occurred the second illumination,

the year

About

This we may perhaps identify of the kind experienced by Suso.

joy.

a trancelike state of consciousness,

This experience brought with

disc ing at a polished it

that

peculiar

and

ini-

the result of gaz-

vision of the inner reality of the

lucid

in which as he phenomenal world

says,

looked

into the

of things. deepest foundation ''In the unfolding of these mysteries before his

understand-

measure -ofjoy, yet returned home and took ing, he had a great lived in great peace and silence, scarce and care of his family intimating

any these wonderful things that had befallen

we can

him.

"So

far

from this time onwards

and growing though there

tell

from

evidence that he

seasons of darkness

1610-perhaps as the

scattered statements

"many result

transcendental

like all

world

other mystics,

shrewd Repulse"

;

knew .

of such intermittent struggles, the

vivid illumination of ten years before

hanced form

own

of the

conscieusness is

his

Boehme must have enjoyed a frequent

was

repeated in an en-

similar process appears to have gone on in the life of The difference is that Ravindranath Has re-

Rabinranath.

similar process appears to have gone on in the life of Rabindranath. The difference is that Rabindranath has re-

corded only his first experience of illumination in his Remini scences. His other experiences of illumination do not seem to be separately recorded, but find expression in his poetry and

But the

essays.

intensified,

persisfed and deepened and be the central point of his being.

illumination

came

phase of his vision, illustrated in the Morning of the 'Jiwandevata' pantheistic. The second phase that

The songs

till it

first

some kind of realization of the immanence of the Deity. And his third which persists and develops into his fourth is the transcedence of God. Yet in his poetry of this period, the vision of pantheism and immanence both mix into his realization of the transcendence of God. So that he makes use of all kinds of metaphor and illustration. He is mors a poet than a religious man from the very beginning, but the visions and realizations that come to him reveal the Presence of an All-Pervading Deity, of which the innerself or Soul of ours is a part. All the love, the Beauty and strength that are in life, emenate from this Supreme Deity and therefore, He should be the object of all our worship, of love, and Beauty, and

Rabindranath' s

realization of

this

gradual developement which he reaches after a good deal of travail, and through the experiences of life. Nourished on the truths

strength.

of the Upanishads which creed, and given

came

had been

to meditation,

the

basis of his

Brahmo

the visions of Reality

which

Tagore sometimes at odd moments and unfolding and gradually through the depths of his being, were his own. They were a part and parcel of his experience and take colour from his personality and environment. to

secretly

uc>

;

.:..-.

bflfi

i .

.:.':.'

l>ii/j

iloi'lffj

: -

i .

E^b

' '

>-'

' '

".:

' '

. .

:'..-.

^iU^i '

" :}

;

...>;.

KiixU

frf

-;:-

':...

10 8i'd

'' ;

.--

:...'

}iiO

L'ii

L>i'i;

Page

Page 63 64

No. 3 1

Cremation ground in Calcutta. of Maharshi Autobiography

Devendranath

Tagore.

Ibid.

Rabindranath

Poet's Reminiscences

pp 221-22;

Ajit

Kumar

Chakraverty

p. 45.

82 85

2 1

Translated by writer. from Ravindra Rachanavali Vol. IV, translated by writer. Ibid p. 46.

Gardener

The is

18.

verse of hopanishad, meaning 5 for habitation by the Lord. first

Isopanishad translated by C. note p. 31, line 4 above.

(

Dutt

from Ravindra Rachanavali Vol. VIII, lated from Bengali -by writer.

Naivedya

translated by writer.

;

Utsarga Song 9 translated by writer. from Utsarga translated by writer, ;

English Gitanjali 45.

all

this

See trans-

INDEX 'Cat and Fiddle, 65 Chaitali, 19, 20, 78

Adonis, 89

Chaitra, 78

Adwait, 70, 72

Almora,

Amara

Chakravai-ti, Ajit, 24

36, 89

Chitra, 12, 18, 20, 21,

Tomra, 15

Antaryami

Crescent

Moon,

36, 91

Ashada, 43

Dan a, 42

Ashram, 25, 26, 32

Das Gupta,

Awakening of

the Fountain, 2,

Awakeuiugof

the Waterfall, 62

Awhangeet, 10

Prof, S. M., 85, 108

Deserted Village, 32

Destroyer, 23

Destruction of Madan, 23

B Bandhan, 15, 16, 70 Bengal, 10, 42, 43, 69

Benga darshan, 25 Bengali, 25, 35, 50

Didima's, 63 Divine, 32, 46, 47, 50, 53 c>7

Divinity,

Dukhamurti, 40

Durga, Goddess, 10

Bharati, 17

Shyamacharan, 85 Boehme, Jacob, 111, 112

Eastern, 76

Bolpur. 25, 28

English, 75. 84, 111

Bhattacharya,

Brahman,

75,78

Christian, 44

Anant Jiwan, 3 Anant Maran, 3

(Echo), 47

Evening Songs,

Brahman, 86

Brahmo Samaj, 17 Breast, 9

Browning, 11 Browning's, 33. Buddhist, 20

F Farewell

Heaven, 21, 72

Faustus, Dr.. 59, 107 Forest Shade, 1

Free School, 62

G Ganga, 11

Calcutta, 3, 61, 105

2, 6, 21, 41, 62, 81,

Gardener, 26

105

Gazipur, 11,69 Gitanjali, 1, 38, 43,44, 50, 59, 94, 96,98, 103,110,111

76,

81,

God, 1, 24, 26, 30, 38, 42, 47, 50, 51 54, 56, 66, 67, 75, 77, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91,'92, 94, 96,98-101,106, 107, 110, 111

Kahani, 20, 78, 83 Kali, 71, 72

Kalidas, 20, 79

Kalpana, 20, 78-80

Kamala Lectures, 46

(God), 65

God-consciousness, 77

God- realization, 77,

78, 98

Katha, 78, 79

God's, 17, 38

God

Katogalirii,

Kanika, 78

ward, 27,46,47

Khela, 15, 16, 70

Kheya, 39,41,42,92, 93

Kshanika, 26, 78,

8083

Kumar Sambhava, 20 Hamlet, 41 Hari, 63

Himalaya, 65 (Himalayas), 64, 89

Lord, 32, 34, 40, 44, 45, 50. 52, 59,86, 89, 91, 96, 98, 102, 110

Hindus, 70

Lord's, 50

Love-god, 23

M India, 28. 106, 111

Indian (myth), 13, 20

Madan, 23

Infinite, 28, 89 j

Infinite Formless,

102

Intimations Ode, 76 Isa

Macclesfield, 65

Upanishad, 31

Usavasyamidam Sarvam, 85 Isopanishad, 85

Madhyanne' 6 Maharshi, the 63, 64, 66, 84

Mahaswapna, 67 Manasi,

8, 11, 13, 14,

Marlowe's, 59 fames, William, 65 ]eint

nahi Debo, 15

[ivandevata, 17, 18, 19, 21, 109

20, 21, 69,83

Man's Rejoinder, 12, 82 Maratha, 20 Master, 54

(Maya), 70, 72

Meghdoot, 20 Miltonic, 53

Uvandevata,!!, 18, 44-77, 79

Milton's,

[uvenalia, 105

Mongyr, 42

(

Morning Songs,

2, 3, 6, 21, 56, 67,

76, 105

Sadhana, 17

Mother, 10 Mother, 15

Sadhana, 70, 78

Mukti, 15, 16, 70, 72

Sakti, 70, 71

Samapti, 83

Sanskrit, 84

Naivedya, 25, 28, 32, 40, 91,94, 110

85, 86,

Sealdah, 14, 64, 109

Naivedya, 85

Shantiniketan, 25, 83, 84, 110

Nareer Ukti, 12

Nava

Sharps and Shaw's, 30

Jitvan, 70

Nimatola Ghat, 63

Nobel

Sanyasin, 7

Flats,

Shelley's, 7,

Prize, 43

710,

21, 69

Shishu, 36, 37 Shiva, 23

the shore

of the ocean, 8

Shravana, 43

P Padma,

Sikh, 20 Sl5H, 91

14, 69, 78

Pictures and Songs, 4,

21,

68, 74,

105

Skylark,

Smaran, 89

Pilgrims Progress, 44

Smarana, 33. 35, 36, 40,

Plaything, 90

Sonar Tari, 14, 17, 20, 21, 69, 75

Poornimaya, 5

Sorrow Personified, 39

Pratidhwani, 67

Spirit, 51

Pratiksha, 40

St.

Prospice, 33

Sudder

Purusher Ukti, 21

Joan, 30 Street, 62,

Supreme,

38, 53, 77,

Supreme Being, 28,

87 29, 32, 33, 38, 47,

85 11, 24,33, 36, 43, 61, 74, 76, 77, 84, 85, 95, 105, 112

Rabindranath,

1, 3,

Rabindranath' s 107, 108, 111 Religion of Man, 46

Renuka, 89 Rishis, 84

Supreme Deity, 84 Supreme One, 31, 44 Supreme

Spirit,

110

Suso, 112

Rishis, 26, 28, 110

109 Tagore, 56, 76, 79, 88, 89, 92, 106,

Ritusanhara, 20

Tagore's 13, 42, 46, 56, 58, 59, 75, 89, 94, 106, 108

Roy, 42

(

vii

)

Tag ore, 41

Varie ties of Relig to us Exper fence, 65

Tapovana, 84

Vasanta, 23

Thompson,

Prof., 13,

24,

41,

75, 76,

Vasanti, 7

(Vedic),86 Trevor,J., 65

Vidyavagish,85

Vision beautific, 47

Underfill!, Evelyn, 109, 111

Vivasana, 9

Upani shads, 85

Upanishads, 28, 31, 32, 84, 86, 88, 110,

Western, 76

HI Urvasi,

9, 12, 13, 23, 73,

Urvasi, 12, 13, 23,73

Woman's

Utsarga, 37, 39 Utsarga, 91

Vaishnava Kavita, 16 78

rejoinder, 12 rejoinder,

V y<ttta >

Woman, 38

Woman's

Yauvan.Swapna, 8 .

Year's end, the 19

Yeats,

B., 1