2. This is My Prayer to Thee, My Lord!
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| Rabindranath Tagore |
Questions & Answers
1. How unique is Tagore’s prayer to God ?
Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, dramatist and a philosopher. He was a Nobel laureate for the book Gitanjali. In the 36th song of Gitanjali, Tagore submits himself to God. He prays to God to help him by means of striking at the depths of his heart. This prayer is aimed at getting the strength to serve the poor. His thoughts should be at the higher level. He should submit himself to God wholeheartedly. Thus this small poem extends the aim of love and service. Both joys and sorrows should be taken equally. Thus the prayer is filled with unique ideas.
2. What kind of strength does Tagore seek and why?
Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, dramatist and a philosopher. He was a nobel laureate fot the book Gitanjali. In the 36th song of Gitanjali, Tagore submits a prayer to God. He prays to God to strike him at the penury of heart. He needs strength to love the poor and the needy. He should bear the difficulties and enjoy the happy occasions. There are so many trifles in the life of a man. He should not think of these problems in the journey of life. He should have a heaven on Earth. He should get the divine qualities. He should build India on the base of qualities like kindness and love. His love should not be selfish. He should have real service towards the needy. Thus an individual seeks the strength to beat and he wants it because he likes it.
3. What are Tagore’s views on equanimity ?
Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, dramatist and a philosopher. He was a Nobel laureate for his book Gitanjali. In the 36th song of this poem, Tagore submits a prayer to God. He prays to God to strike him at the penury of heart. The concept of equanimity is suggested by Tagore in the poem. There are difficulties as well as joys in the life of an individual. He prays to his God to bestow his lovely by keeping him equal at both the experiences. He should love the poor and the needy. He should rise to the occasion when there were trifles. To have the same experience at both the occasions is expected by Tagore. He should be faithful in his service at both the circumstances. Equanimity is a virtue of life.
Annotations
1. Strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Poem and Poet: This is an important line in the poem “This is my prayer to thee my Lord’ written by Rabindranath Tagore. It is an extract from the book ‘Gitanjali’. Rabindranath Tagore prays to God, from the depths of his heart.
Context and Meaning: The prayer taken from the book Gitanjali, is a common prayer of the poet. He prays to God to give him the strength to strike at the penury of heart. He thinks that he has no strength at the heart of hearts. He prays to God to fill his heart with love and selflessness. He should with stand the sorrow in life. At the same time he should enjoy occasions of joy. He should show equal behaviour at both the experiences. He suggests at the inhuman treatment of the British and wants to destroy it.
General relevance: Here the prayer is a universal appeal to God. ‘Hit at the penury of heart’ suggests that the heart should be filled with love and selflessness. He had such a great mind, for the people of India.
2. Give me strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles”.
Context: These lines are extracted from the poem “This is my Prayer to thee my Lord” written by Rabindranath Tagore. He was a Nobel laureate and his poems are filled with philosophy. Here this small poem is a prayer to God to make him a real follower.
Explanation: In this prayer, he aspires to have so many things. He prays to God to go deep into the heart and strike the penury. He wants to have a mind with belief in love. He wants to love the poor and the needy. He should strive to have a widening thought in his mind. Tagore wants to drive away the trifles and to raise his deeds, to the supreme level.
General relevance: Tagore’s intention is to rise to the supreme heights of character. One should think of the aspirations in making one’s deeds successful. Transparency of thought and word, should be there, to make the life, successful.
3. Give me the strength never to disown the poor.
Context: These lines are extracted from the poem “This is my Prayer to thee my Lord” written by Rabindranath Tagore. He was a Nobel laureate and his poems are filled with philosophy. Here this small poem is a prayer to God to make him a real follower.
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore’s prayer is honest. He prays to the God Almighty to make him successful in his deeds of love. He wants to have equanimity both at happinesss and at difficulties. He wants to show affection towards the poor and the needy. His mind should rise to the supreme level of showing love at others without selfishness. He wants to utilise his strength for the good of the people.
General relevance: The prayer is a universal appeal. It pertains to the world of truth, love and service. It is a general ambition that the righteous people aim at.
4. Give me strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Context: These lines are extracted from the poem “This is my Prayer to thee my Lord” written by Rabindranath Tagore. He was a Nobel laureate and his poems are filled with philosophy. Here this small poem is a prayer to God to make him a real follower.
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore gave interesting explanations in the poem. He prays to God that he should have equinimity in his life. The moral from the poem in maintaining equanimity is very important, in one’s life. There should be a balance between the two things. At the times of happiness and at the time of sorrow, his heart should not be disturbed. He aims at a mind that is high above all the “other trifling things”.
General relevance: The prayer of Tagore is filled with the best ambitions. He wants to show love and affection to the poor and needy people. He aims at a successful love.
Reading Comprehensions
I. Read the following passage given below and answer the questions.
Rabindranath Tagore’s family’s outlook on religion and life was influenced by the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita. When Rabindranath was twelve and went to the Himalayas with his father, they chanted the Upanishads together. His father insisted that he should know the verses by heart. Rabindranath Tagore’s writings are full of references to the Upanishads.
The Upanishads are a collection of writings that were originally orally transmitted. Upanishad literally means ‘sitting close to”, and implies listening closely to the mystic doctrines of a gun. It has also been translated as “secret wisdom” that include philosophical discussions of concepts such as : Salvation (moksha / mukti), ultimate reality (brahman), the individual soul (atman), such as : religion, duty, essence (dharma). The Upanishads build the foundation of what is called Vedanta (which means “the end of the Veda” – goal, conclusion, highest aim).
Now answer the following questions
1. What influenced Tagore’s religion and life ?
Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita.
2. With whom did Tagore go to the Himalayas ?
With his father.
3. What does ‘Upanishads’ literally mean?
Sitting close to.
4. Pick out the translated word for ‘Upanishads’.
Secret wisdom.
5. What part of speech is the word ‘highest’.
Adjective.
II. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Tagore insisted that education should be imparted in an atmosphere of nature with all its beauty, colours, sounds, forms and such other manifestations. In his opinion, education, in natural surroundings, develops intimacy with the world and the power of communication with nature. Nature, according to him, was manuscript of God. So he emphasized that education must enable a person to realize his immediate relationship with nature.
It should take the child nearer nature and, therefore, in close proximity of God. It should help him to learn freely and spontaneously from the book of Nature. Since nature never betrays the heart that loves her, she will provide the child with spontaneous development and natural growth.
Now answer the following questions
1. What according to Tagore develops intimacy with the world ?
Education in natural surroundings.
2. What was considered as the manuscript of God ?
Nature.
3. “It should take the child nearer nature”, ‘it’ refers to what ?
The immediate relationship with nature.
4. Name the two things that are provided by Nature.
She will provide the child with spontaneous development and natural growth.
5. Write the present tense form of ’emphasized’.
Emphasize.
Summary in English
Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, dramatisť and a philosopher. He got the Nobel Prize for his Gitanjali. He produced a lot of literature which made him world famous. This is my prayer to thee my Lord’ is taken from the 36th song of Gitanjali.
All the poems in Gitanjali have got a universal appeal. All the poems show his inner most feelings of regard at God. His poems express true love and selfless service to God. This poem starts with the words “This is my prayer to thee my Lord”. The poem is a universal appeal to God. He wants to get spiritual strength by means of his prayer. The poet asks God to strengthen him to withstand the sorrows in his life. His heart is with penury of thoughts. His love should become fruitful at each level. He wants to give respect to the poor and the needy. He also wants to drive his mind towards great things. Finally, the poet surrenders himself to the will of God. He would never leave the strength. He keeps the people nearer to the will of God. He wants to surrender himself to the God Almighty.
He wishes that people should have kindheartedness and concern towards the poor and the needy. Tagore’s poem has got a concern towards the British. They were cruel towards the Indians. Tagore prays to God that he would submit himself to the strength of God. It is a prayer from the depths of his heart.
