Also Read
Thou hast made me known to friends whom I knew not. Thou hast given me seats in homes not my own. Thou hast brought the distant near and made a brother of the stranger.
I am uneasy at heart when I have to leave my accustomed shelter; I 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 me it is thou, the same, the one companion of my endless life who ever linkest my heart with bonds of joy to the unfamiliar.
When one knows thee, then alien there is none, then no door is shut. Oh, grant me my prayer that I may never lose the bliss of the touch of the one in the play of the many.
 |
| Gitanjali Poem no. 63 |
Summary
The poet believes that the communion with God is self-sufficient. If He is there beside you everything is fair with you and you flourishes everywhere. The poet is very thankful to God for His blessing for him. This is his kindness that he is no more a stranger. Everyone knows him and this is His mercy that all the distances are turned into nearness. The poet is afraid of death. He thinks that death means the departure of the soul from the old shelter, from our body to some unknown, unfamiliar place from the present world. He forgets that nothing is new. He reminds the doctrine of oneness, he remembers that God is omnipresent and everything, is an expression of the divine. Thus old is still there in the new and the Almighty is always there with His child, poet. He is the everlasting companion of the poet not only in this world but also in the next world. Human life is endless and God always links his heart to the unfamiliar with the bonds of joy.
The ignorance to the divine develops the fear of unknown and unfamiliar once the man is aware of oneness and reincarnation, nothing will be unknown and new to him. He prays God to give him the divine wisdom so that the fear of alien is removed and every door is open for him. He prays that he may never loose the bliss of God which makes a man aware of His omnipresence and oneness in different shapes and forms.
Critical Analysis
The mysticism of Tagore is reflected in this poem. The theme of reincarnation and oneness is dwelling in his lyric.
The fear of death and strangeness is no more in the poet's heart. He feels that God is always there as your companion for endless life cycle and when He is there with you there is nothing that is strange, new ana unfamiliar for you. The eternal process of renewal of old is enjoyed by the God. The poet is perceiving the existence of God in every renewal. The grace of God and His blessings gives you the divine wisdom and you are linked with the ties of love and familiarity with everything.
"When one knows thee, the alien there is none, then no door is shut. Oh, grant me my prayer that I may never lose the bliss of the touch of one in the play of the many."
The theme of God's omnipresence and benevolence is expressed. Tagore is grateful to the God. He shows the feeling of his gratitude towards God for being so humble and kind to him. Tagore believes that if God is with you, if He knows you, accept that the whole world is known to you. There is no one alien for you. Every door is open for you. Tagore thanks God for His bliss showered upon him which make him renowned everywhere.
Tagore speaks about his Omnipresence. He is everywhere. He is the companion of the poet, and of every man, at all times, in birth and in the death too. If you are close to Him, if you can feel His presence, if you are in communion with Him then nothing is strange for you. Every path, every door is open for you. There is no obscurity in your way. It is the one, the mighty force who pervades the many, and it is the prayer of the poet that in his involvement with the many people in the world, he may never lose the bliss of the touch of God Himself who is behind everything.
Annotations
Seats in homes not my own: hospitality that Tagore received by the strangers due to God's grace. Accustomed: used to. Abides: lives. Linkest: joins. Alien: stranger. Bliss: happiness, blessing.