I was not aware of the moment
when I first crossed the threshold of this life.
What was the power that made me open out into this vast mystery
like a bud in the forest at midnight!
When in the morning I looked upon the light
I felt in a moment that I was no stranger in this world,
that the inscrutable without name and form had taken me
in its arms in the form of my own mother.
Even so, in death the same unknown will appear
as ever known to me.
And because I love this life,
I know I shall love death as well.
The child cries out
when from the right breast the mother takes it away,
in the very next moment to find
in the left one its consolation.
when my sight of this earth shall be lost,
and life will take its leave in silence,
drawing the last curtain over my eyes.
Yet stars will watch at night,
and morning rise as before,
and hours heave like sea waves
casting up pleasures and pains.
When I think of this end of my moments,
the barrier of the moments breaks
and I see by the light of death thy world
with its careless treasures.
Rare is its lowliest seat,
rare is its meanest of lives.
Things that I longed for in vain
and things that I got - let them pass.
Let me but truly possess the things
that I ever spurned and overlooked.
♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥
On the day
when death will knock at your door
what will you give to him?
Oh, I will set before my guest
the full vessel of my life—
I will never let him go
with empty hands.
All the sweet vintage
of all my autumn days
and summer nights,
all the earnings and gleanings
of my busy life will I place before him
at the close of my days
when death will knock at my door.
♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥
I have got my leave.
Bid me farewell, my brothers!
I bow to you all and take my departure.
Here, I give back the keys to my house—
and give up all claims.
I only ask for last kind words from you.
We were neighbors for long,
but I received more than I could give.
Now the day has dawned
and the lamp that lit my dark corner is out.
A summons has come and I am ready for my journey
♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥
At this time of parting,
wish me good luck, my friends!
The sky is flushed with the dawn and my path lies beautiful.
Ask not what I have with me to take there.
I start on my journey with empty hands and an expectant heart.
I shall put on my wedding garland.
Mine is not the red-brown dress of the traveler,
and though there are dangers on the way
I have no fear in my mind.
The evening star will come out
when my voyage is done
and the plaintive notes of the twilight melodies
will be struck from God's highway.
♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥
When I go from hence let this be my parting word,
that what I have seen is unsurpassable.
I have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus
that expands on the ocean of light,
and so I'm blessed—
let this be my parting word.
In this playhouse of infinite forms
I have had my play
and here have I caught sight of him that is formless.
My whole body and my limbs have thrilled
with his touch who is beyond touch;
and if the end comes here, let it come—
let this be my parting word.
♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥
On the seashore of endless worlds children meet.
The infinite sky is motionless overhead
and the restless water is boisterous.
On the seashore of endless worlds the children meet
with shouts and dances.
They build their houses with sand
and they play with empty shells.
With withered leaves they weave their boats
and smilingly float them on the vast deep.
Children have their play on the seashore of worlds.
They know not how to swim,
they know not how to cast nets.
Pearl fishers dive for pearls,
merchants sail in their ships,
while children gather pebbles
and scatter them again.
they seek not for hidden treasures,
they know not how to cast nets.
The sea surges up with laughter
and pale gleams the smile of the sea beach.
Death-dealing waves sing
meaningless ballads to the children,
even like a mother while rocking her baby's cradle.
The sea plays with children,
and pale gleams the smile of the sea beach.
On the seashore of endless worlds children meet.
Tempest roams in the patess sky,
ships get wrecked in the trackless water,
death is abroad and children play.
On the seashore of endless worlds is the great meeting of children.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Gitanjali
http://www.desicolours.com/rabindranath-tagore-gitanjali-poems-wallpapers/02/10/2010
Give Me Strength
This is my prayer to thee, my lord—strike,
strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor
or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.
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