Gitanjali Poem 11th & 12th Summary/Analysis

Gitanjali Poem 12th Summary/Analysis

Poem 12 (Chapter 12)

THE time that my journey takes is long and the way of it long.

I came out on the chariot of the first gleam of light, and pursued my voyage through the wildernesses of worlds leaving my track on many a star and planet.

It is the most distant course that comes nearest to thyself, and that training is the most intricate which leads to the utter simplicity of a tune.

The traveller has to knock at every alien door to come to his own, and one has to wander through all the outer worlds to reach the innermost shrine at the end.

My eyes strayed far and wide before I shut them and said “Here art thou!”

The question and the cry “Oh, where?” melt into tears of a thousand streams and deluge the world with the flood of the assurance “I am!”

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Introduction

Tagore’s poem 12 is named “The time” and it is also famous by the name of Song number 12. It was published in 1910.

Summary/Analysis

He refers that I took a long time and a long way to reach you. When the world was born and when the light was born, the first ray of light came itself he was given birth but he had to travel in many worlds means he had many births and he saw all the wilderness of the worse.

Thus, the poet says; my track is there from day one when the sunlight came. So, I had many births earlier and my track is there in the stars and the planets, now I have taken this birth and he says that I want this to be my last birth.

He further says traveller who knocks on several doors during his journey and only one door accepts him, called his destiny. In the same way, I had taken so many births, I had to go to so many outer worlds to find out which world will lead me to the shrine where you are there. So, in this birth, I want to enter your temple to be with you.

At last, he says, I looked everywhere, far and wide so many places and then I shut my eyes and felt that you are there means God is within me. I know you are inside me but I am still searching for you and I am crying and tears are falling down and these tears can make a thousand streams.

Gitanjali Poem 11th Summary/Analysis

Poem 11 (Chapter 11)

LEAVE this chanting and singing and telling of beads!

Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut? Open thine eyes and see thy God is not before thee!

He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the path-maker is breaking stones.

He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust. Put off thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!

Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found? Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation; he is bound with us all for ever.

Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained? Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.

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Introduction

Tagore’s eleventh poem is named “Leave this chanting” and it is also famous for the name Song number 11 or Chapter 11. It was published in 1910.

Analysis/Summary

Tagore highlights some influential aspects of life in this lyric, that some people are always confined to praising God with their chants and singing different spells so they live in an isolated place and especially in a dark corner of the temple to offer their prayers.

Poet emphasizes to them that your God is not with you rather He is with the tillers or labours who are working hard for life and especially for others. So, God is constantly with them in the form of sunshine and rain along with His clothes which are full of dust, because these workers actually deserve His blessings.

Moreover, the poet suggests all the followers of God (for whom worship is limited to uttering some spells as well as singing several songs) put off their particular dresses and come to practical life to concentrate on the actual struggle and social welfare works.

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