Song 1 and 2 of Gitanjali by R N Tagore

Song 1

Thou hast made me endless, such is
thy pleasure. This frail vessel thou emptiest
again and again, and fillest it ever with
fresh life.
This little flute of a reed thou hast 
carried over hills and dales, and hast 
breathed through it melodies eternally new.
At the immortal touch of thy hands my 
little heart loses its limits in joy and gives 
birth to utterance ineffable.
Thy infinite gifts come to me only on
these very small hands of mine. Ages pass
and still thou pourest, and still there is room to fill.

Song 2

When thou commandest me to sing it seems that my heart would break with pride; and I look to thy face, and tears come to my eyes.

 All that is harsh and dissonant in my life melts into one sweet harmony—and my adoration spreads wings like a glad bird on its flight across the sea.

 I know thou takest pleasure in my singing. I know that only as a singer I come before thy presence. 

I touch by the edge of the far-spreading wing of my song thy feet which I could never aspire to reach. 

Drunk with the joy of singing I forget myself and call thee friend who art my lord.

About Author

R N Tagore, one of the greatest poets of Indian English literature, was born in Calcutta on May, 7, 1861. His father, Devendranath Tagore, was one of the founding members of Brahmo Samaj. He completed his early education from Brighton School, England. His study of Shakespeare, Milton, The Romantics and Victorians inspired his interest in poetry. He received the Nobel Prize in 1913 for his great work “Gitanjali”. Tagore was a versatile genius.

Gitanjali and other works

Tagore’s poetry is lyrical and the themes of his poetry are full of love, religion, patriotism, nature, childhood and humanity. Gitanjali is a collection of devotional songs in which three themes – Love of Nature, Love of Mankind and Love of God are merged into each other. 103 poems were written in this collection. Song no 35, “Where the Mind is Without Fear” is the most famous song of it.

Tagore’s literary output is too enormous to be enlisted. English translation of his poetic collections, The Gardener, The Fruit Gathering; plays- Chitra, The Post Office, Sacrifice and other plays; novels- The Home and the World, Gora and The Wreak; collection of short stories – Hungry Stones and his autobiography Reminiscences are famous.

Introduction

The songs of Gitanjali deal with interrelationship between man and the god. The central theme is communion with the Divine through love, devotion, prayer, self surrender, renouncing worldliness, self enlightenment and service to humanity. The songs are more devotional than mystical in nature.

Summary of Song 1

The first song of Gitanjali has been composed around the paradox of man’s mortality and immortality at the same time. Man is frail, finite and ephemeral but the touch of god infuses endless existence into him. He acknowledges the benevolence of the Supreme Being who pours life again and again into the frail vessel to be rejuvenated with fresh life every time. He considers himself mere reed which God has designed into a flute. He is the instrument through which God the musician plays new and melodious songs, carrying it over hills and valleys. When God places his hands on the poet, his limited heart expands into unlimited bounds through joy and happiness and from this is born inexpressible joy which becomes poetry. The poem exhibits the mystical tendency of the merger to the finite with the infinite. Tagore’s mysticism sees the oneness between man and god. The poet says that god’s gifts are boundless whereas human hands are too small to hold them.

Summary of Song 2

In this song poet claims that God has chooses and inspired him to write poetry. This fills his heart with pride and it seems that it would break. In the company of god he becomes immortal. All the harshness and dissonance have been replaced by one sweet, melodious harmony. The Poet’s love for God swells and he soars like a bird soaring over the sea. The poet can come into god’s presence only as a singer because god likes his songs. His song reaches far and wide but he himself can never reach to God, he can expect to touch God's feet by the edge of his far reaching song. The joy of singing fills the poet with the ecstasy that makes him drowsy. He considers god as his friend because he forgets that he is merely a servant of god.