The songs of Rabindranath Tagore are the eternal treasures of our quest for the true identity of man in terms of music. His songs of awakening are a prelude to the why and how of this quest in a very crystallised and transparent pattern presented in poignant and telling words of the mind and the heart. Our moments of joy, sorrow, love, languishment, hope, disappointment, loneliness and wonder are woven in unparalleled words in these songs of awakening. As one reads and attunes with the very words of these songs, one is blessed with a new dawn of awareness for marching ahead in search of excellence and ascent.
A permanent companion to anyone who wants to be in perfect tuning with Tagore for awakening anew and afresh any time anywhere.
Mohit Chakrabarti, D. Litt.: Teaches Education and English at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India. Honoured with National Award as Teacher Educator.
Credited with participation/ presentation/ acceptance of papers in international/ national conferences/ symposia/ seminars etc. like The World Assembly of Teacher Educators, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica; Beijing Normal University, Beijing; Institution of Education, Singapore; First International Conference on “Literature in Translation”, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; First International Symposium on “India and World Literature”, University of Delhi, Delhi; Workshop on “Setting the Agenda for Change for Central Universities for the 21st Century, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
Associated with different Universities, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and Educational institutions, Professor Chakrabarti has recently acted as member, Teacher Education for Curriculum Renewal, National Focus Group on Teacher Education, NCERT, New Delhi.
Consistent and prolific contributor to studies and researches on Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda. Writer of books for children in Bengali and English.
The songs of Rabindranath Tagore bring forth a vision of life in fullness. His catholicity of vision in delving deep into the finer feelings and softer emotions of life in aesthetic and mystic grandeur is incomparable and unparalleled. This is perhaps all the more justified when his songs of awakening ring in the innermost core of the mind and the heart.
What makes Tagore’s songs of awakening so significant? What are the very essential points of departure in which these songs are enriched? Why should one consider these songs of awakening as milestones of one’s ascent and excellence as the best creation of the All Beautiful? One might go on supplementing numerous other questions prompting, of course, apposite answers. What is really very amazing is that his songs of awakening simply prepare us to be more vibrant and spontaneous in making newer and more challenging adventure within ourselves where the diverse components of the human feelings and emotions –freedom, joy, love, sorrow, loneliness, separation, pains, trials, doubts, disturbances, devotion and dedication—all await a symphony in all brilliance and perfection in consciousness par excellence.
When love is considered to be a serene component of awakening, it turns out as a perennial force not only for the time present but remarkably for the time past with all its glorious moments also, and for the time future that beckons with promises and perfume of perfection. In fact, Tagore’s songs of awakening with fullness of the vision of love are the benchmarks of the quest for the beyonding of man. Moreover, love embodied and personalised in and through Nature unfolds a newer horizon of the soul of love which is the All Soul, Infinite, All Illumined One. What a quest for love in the muse in awakening?
Hope in Tagore’s songs of awakening also plays a very characteristic role. He adores and embraces it in terms of pain, desolation and disappointment so much so that in the final analysis we come across a newer avenue of awakening with absolute glory and serenity. Tagore also introduces the songs of awakening not simply as an exercise in optimism but more than that. These reveal how one can undergo an inward endeavour at viewing life as a variegated casket to finer and softer sensibilities that moderate and crystallise whatever stands for excellence and ascent to man. The oyster in every mind looks more illumined with the exquisite exploration of feeling and emotions sensitised in one’s own approach to soul consciousness.
Humility is the essence of Tagore’s songs of awakening. Therefore, a positive and vibrant attitude to all constraints is the hallmark of the true identity of humans continually striving for oneness with the All Serene. Distress and disgrace, darkness and desolation, wounds and agonies-all are warmly welcome as boosters to awakening and reawakening in contemplation and action, and, with these ends-in-view, his songs make a calm and serene call complimenting everyone with askance and counter askance for finding out the true inward world of freedom and joy, serenity and extinction of personality.
In selecting the songs, care has been taken to be justified to Tagore as far as possible in highlighting the most natural and significant components that adorn as marvels of awakening. At the same time, these songs are so poignant in unfolding the true image of man in pursuit of fullness that even a cursory effort to be attuned through the invaluable words would always pay startling dividends.
I earnestly carry forward within myself the endless warmth of love and affection from my eldest sister, Shrimati Madhabilata Brahmachari. I humbly dedicate this book to her as a token of reverence and gratitude.
Sobdo, my son, has satisfactorily processed the computer work for the book. Hearty congrats!
If the book appeals to all lovers of Tagore, I would recall his own words as a tyro in appositely attuning myself: “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.
Preface | vii | |
1 | Your White New Conchshell Blows All Through the Sky | 1 |
2 | In the Eastern Part of the Sky | 2 |
3 | Awake, My Mind, in the World of Goodness | 3 |
4 | When Have You Come at Dawn and Touched with a Smile | 4 |
5 | Even Now Your Numbness Does Not Slip Away, Eyes Do Not Open Up | 5 |
6 | Who Awakes Today in the Fearlessly Asleep World? | 7 |
7 | The Night Dawned, the Path Ended | 8 |
8 | O the Dream at Night Removed, O Just Removed, the Strings Cut Off | 9 |
9 | My Void of Many Days Would Have to be Filled In | 10 |
10 | O the Ever New, Today in This First Song | 11 |
11 | The Life of Life is Awaking in Your Very Life | 13 |
12 | Awake in Eyes Distinct on the Other Shore of Night | 14 |
13 | If Thou Dost Shatter the Dream at the Dawn of Night | 16 |
14 | Play On, O Poet, Your Pleasant Music | 17 |
15 | O Enchanter of Mind, at the End of Dense Night | 18 |
16 | Traveller, Why With Idle Limbs Even Now! | 19 |
17 | Who Called O Lord, on the Night of Sorrow! | 20 |
18 | Call on Me Tonight at Dead Hours | 21 |
19 | Awake in Joy, O Awake with Him | 22 |
20 | O Awake in Pure Joy | 23 |
21 | All Make Merriments | 24 |
22 | Awake Me with the Touch of Thy Drink Thyself | 25 |
23 | Friend of My Heart, Give New Life in Today's Auspicious Morning | 26 |
24 | Listen to His Pleasing Message on the Auspicious Moment in a Calm Heart | 27 |
25 | Day and Night Look at His Countenance | 28 |
26 | Awake O Awake -the Morning Passes in Vain! | 29 |
27 | Who Has Sat Today on the Seat of the Heart, Lord, the God of the Earth! | 30 |
28 | Spreading a Seat on the Two Hearts, Be Seated, O Lord | 31 |
29 | The Calm Evening Came, the Tired Sun Went Down the Setting Horizon | 32 |
30 | From Fear to Thy Fearlessness, O Deliver Me to Birth Anew! | 33 |
31 | In Thy Name Do I Today Open My Eyes in the Auspicious Morning | 34 |
32 | Lord, Saluting You, Shall I Go On with Worldly Work | 35 |
33 | In Deep Sorrow Did I Awake, the Night Dense and Gloomy | 36 |
34 | Why Sleep is Not There in Your Eyes Alone | 37 |
35 | When Tears Trickled Down with the Rains of Sorrow | 38 |
36 | The Bee Came Inside the Room Humming | 39 |
37 | Day and Night Sans Happiness in Yoke, You are Wandering With a Poor Life | 41 |
38 | Who Knew That You Would Call on Me! I was Immersed in Slumber | 42 |
39 | Arise and Let Us Go, the Good Day Arrived, the Fragrance of Joy Overflowed | 44 |
40 | Lord, If You Awaken Me Today | 45 |
41 | More Strike I Would Bear, I, Too, Would Bear | 46 |
42 | Give in the Heart Thy Pure Juice of the Touch, Thy Cool Calm Virtuous Hands | 47 |
43 | O Wherefrom Rings the Pain of Love! | 48 |
44 | The Dark Night Dawned, in Joy Was the World Filled | 49 |
45 | In the Sea of Nactar Do I Immerse, the World Do I Forget | 51 |
46 | Let Me Receive Thy Kindness in My Heart | 52 |
47 | Awake, O Rude, Awake! | 54 |
48 | This Course of Test Came to An End | 55 |
49 | Awake, Awake O Awake Songs, Make the Sky of the Mind Wavy | 56 |
50 | Eyes Floated in Water | 57 |
51 | Victory, O Poet, to Thy Diverse Joy! | 58 |
52 | Where the God of the Silent Heart Awakes Alone | 59 |
53 | The Lord Awakes in the Moonlit Night | 60 |
54 | When the World is Rapt in Slumber and the Sky is Dark | 61 |
55 | That She Came and Sat Beside Me, Yet I did Not Awake | 62 |
56 | When I Came out Singing Your Song | 63 |
57 | In Thunder Your Flute Plays on. Is That a Simple Song? | 65 |
58 | My Massage Touches My Heart | 66 |
59 | O We Would Have to Awake! | 67 |
60 | Amidst the Awakening Noise of the Universe | 68 |
61 | To Break the Doors in the Retreat of the Demons of Dry Heat | 69 |
62 | What Massage of the Very Spring Did the Yonder Full Moon Bring Forth! | 70 |
63 | In Drizzles Drops the Fountain of Colours | 71 |
64 | With Whose Letter Did the Full Moon Come! | 72 |
65 | O My Moonlight, Today in the Evening of the Early Spring | 73 |
66 | The House of Play Have I Started Building Amidst the Mind | 74 |
67 | The Heart of Midnight | 75 |
68 | Moon, Who Will Give You the Swing! | 76 |
69 | Slowly, Slowly, Blow Slowly, O Restless Wind! | 77 |
70 | How Would He Remain Secret by Hiding the Seized Heart! | 78 |
71 | That Thou Hast Come to My Residence, the Sound is Surging all Thro' the World | 79 |
72 | In the Full Moon Tonight Everyone Has Gone to the Forest | 80 |
73 | This Flower of the First Moment of My Morning | 81 |
74 | Become One in Unison, Place the Head at the Feet of One | 82 |
75 | Adorning the Sail With Your Open Wind by Cutting Off the Rope | 83 |
76 | O My Mind, When You Awoke Not | 84 |
77 | In the Heart You were Awake | 85 |
78 | Wherefrom I As If Listen | 86 |
79 | With What Affection the Spring Goes on Writing Its Song on the Dust! | 87 |
80 | The Last Star of Night, in Secret Half-Slumber | 88 |
81 | My Lamp is Put Out in the Wind at Midnight | 89 |
82 | Would Your Work Be Finished By Stringing Wires | 90 |
83 | Let Victory, Victory Be to New Sunrise | 91 |
84 | With the Very Beginning of the Early Spring, All Dry Leaves that Dropped Down | 92 |
85 | Come O Come, the Water for Quenching Thirst | 94 |
86 | From His Eternal World of Goodness | 96 |
87 | Plays On, O Plays On, the Drum Plays On Amid the Heart, Amid the Heart | 98 |
88 | I Know Not When With the Touch of Rains | 99 |
89 | Giving, Taking and Returning Between You and ME | 100 |
90 | My Heart, Perhaps Yonder Your Early Summer Storm Arrives | 101 |
91 | Yonder in the Blue Horizon the Fire of Flowers Caught | 102 |
92 | Today the Inner Words of the Sky in Drizzles Ring | 103 |
93 | What a Poignant Massage Came Along the Shade of Dense Cloud | 105 |
94 | Slowly is Plunging the Dense Night in My Life | 106 |
95 | Sing Shall I with Thy Tune, Give Me that Veena | 107 |
96 | Sorrow There is, Death is There, the Pangs of Separation Ache | 109 |
97 | Take, Take the Silent Veena Up | 110 |
98 | The Wind Touches the Sail of Songs | 112 |
99 | The Permanent Words That You Have Strung in the Global Tune | 113 |
100 | Look At Me Not, Knowing Me Old | 114 |
The songs of Rabindranath Tagore are the eternal treasures of our quest for the true identity of man in terms of music. His songs of awakening are a prelude to the why and how of this quest in a very crystallised and transparent pattern presented in poignant and telling words of the mind and the heart. Our moments of joy, sorrow, love, languishment, hope, disappointment, loneliness and wonder are woven in unparalleled words in these songs of awakening. As one reads and attunes with the very words of these songs, one is blessed with a new dawn of awareness for marching ahead in search of excellence and ascent.
A permanent companion to anyone who wants to be in perfect tuning with Tagore for awakening anew and afresh any time anywhere.
Mohit Chakrabarti, D. Litt.: Teaches Education and English at Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India. Honoured with National Award as Teacher Educator.
Credited with participation/ presentation/ acceptance of papers in international/ national conferences/ symposia/ seminars etc. like The World Assembly of Teacher Educators, The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica; Beijing Normal University, Beijing; Institution of Education, Singapore; First International Conference on “Literature in Translation”, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; First International Symposium on “India and World Literature”, University of Delhi, Delhi; Workshop on “Setting the Agenda for Change for Central Universities for the 21st Century, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
Associated with different Universities, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and Educational institutions, Professor Chakrabarti has recently acted as member, Teacher Education for Curriculum Renewal, National Focus Group on Teacher Education, NCERT, New Delhi.
Consistent and prolific contributor to studies and researches on Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda. Writer of books for children in Bengali and English.
The songs of Rabindranath Tagore bring forth a vision of life in fullness. His catholicity of vision in delving deep into the finer feelings and softer emotions of life in aesthetic and mystic grandeur is incomparable and unparalleled. This is perhaps all the more justified when his songs of awakening ring in the innermost core of the mind and the heart.
What makes Tagore’s songs of awakening so significant? What are the very essential points of departure in which these songs are enriched? Why should one consider these songs of awakening as milestones of one’s ascent and excellence as the best creation of the All Beautiful? One might go on supplementing numerous other questions prompting, of course, apposite answers. What is really very amazing is that his songs of awakening simply prepare us to be more vibrant and spontaneous in making newer and more challenging adventure within ourselves where the diverse components of the human feelings and emotions –freedom, joy, love, sorrow, loneliness, separation, pains, trials, doubts, disturbances, devotion and dedication—all await a symphony in all brilliance and perfection in consciousness par excellence.
When love is considered to be a serene component of awakening, it turns out as a perennial force not only for the time present but remarkably for the time past with all its glorious moments also, and for the time future that beckons with promises and perfume of perfection. In fact, Tagore’s songs of awakening with fullness of the vision of love are the benchmarks of the quest for the beyonding of man. Moreover, love embodied and personalised in and through Nature unfolds a newer horizon of the soul of love which is the All Soul, Infinite, All Illumined One. What a quest for love in the muse in awakening?
Hope in Tagore’s songs of awakening also plays a very characteristic role. He adores and embraces it in terms of pain, desolation and disappointment so much so that in the final analysis we come across a newer avenue of awakening with absolute glory and serenity. Tagore also introduces the songs of awakening not simply as an exercise in optimism but more than that. These reveal how one can undergo an inward endeavour at viewing life as a variegated casket to finer and softer sensibilities that moderate and crystallise whatever stands for excellence and ascent to man. The oyster in every mind looks more illumined with the exquisite exploration of feeling and emotions sensitised in one’s own approach to soul consciousness.
Humility is the essence of Tagore’s songs of awakening. Therefore, a positive and vibrant attitude to all constraints is the hallmark of the true identity of humans continually striving for oneness with the All Serene. Distress and disgrace, darkness and desolation, wounds and agonies-all are warmly welcome as boosters to awakening and reawakening in contemplation and action, and, with these ends-in-view, his songs make a calm and serene call complimenting everyone with askance and counter askance for finding out the true inward world of freedom and joy, serenity and extinction of personality.
In selecting the songs, care has been taken to be justified to Tagore as far as possible in highlighting the most natural and significant components that adorn as marvels of awakening. At the same time, these songs are so poignant in unfolding the true image of man in pursuit of fullness that even a cursory effort to be attuned through the invaluable words would always pay startling dividends.
I earnestly carry forward within myself the endless warmth of love and affection from my eldest sister, Shrimati Madhabilata Brahmachari. I humbly dedicate this book to her as a token of reverence and gratitude.
Sobdo, my son, has satisfactorily processed the computer work for the book. Hearty congrats!
If the book appeals to all lovers of Tagore, I would recall his own words as a tyro in appositely attuning myself: “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.
Preface | vii | |
1 | Your White New Conchshell Blows All Through the Sky | 1 |
2 | In the Eastern Part of the Sky | 2 |
3 | Awake, My Mind, in the World of Goodness | 3 |
4 | When Have You Come at Dawn and Touched with a Smile | 4 |
5 | Even Now Your Numbness Does Not Slip Away, Eyes Do Not Open Up | 5 |
6 | Who Awakes Today in the Fearlessly Asleep World? | 7 |
7 | The Night Dawned, the Path Ended | 8 |
8 | O the Dream at Night Removed, O Just Removed, the Strings Cut Off | 9 |
9 | My Void of Many Days Would Have to be Filled In | 10 |
10 | O the Ever New, Today in This First Song | 11 |
11 | The Life of Life is Awaking in Your Very Life | 13 |
12 | Awake in Eyes Distinct on the Other Shore of Night | 14 |
13 | If Thou Dost Shatter the Dream at the Dawn of Night | 16 |
14 | Play On, O Poet, Your Pleasant Music | 17 |
15 | O Enchanter of Mind, at the End of Dense Night | 18 |
16 | Traveller, Why With Idle Limbs Even Now! | 19 |
17 | Who Called O Lord, on the Night of Sorrow! | 20 |
18 | Call on Me Tonight at Dead Hours | 21 |
19 | Awake in Joy, O Awake with Him | 22 |
20 | O Awake in Pure Joy | 23 |
21 | All Make Merriments | 24 |
22 | Awake Me with the Touch of Thy Drink Thyself | 25 |
23 | Friend of My Heart, Give New Life in Today's Auspicious Morning | 26 |
24 | Listen to His Pleasing Message on the Auspicious Moment in a Calm Heart | 27 |
25 | Day and Night Look at His Countenance | 28 |
26 | Awake O Awake -the Morning Passes in Vain! | 29 |
27 | Who Has Sat Today on the Seat of the Heart, Lord, the God of the Earth! | 30 |
28 | Spreading a Seat on the Two Hearts, Be Seated, O Lord | 31 |
29 | The Calm Evening Came, the Tired Sun Went Down the Setting Horizon | 32 |
30 | From Fear to Thy Fearlessness, O Deliver Me to Birth Anew! | 33 |
31 | In Thy Name Do I Today Open My Eyes in the Auspicious Morning | 34 |
32 | Lord, Saluting You, Shall I Go On with Worldly Work | 35 |
33 | In Deep Sorrow Did I Awake, the Night Dense and Gloomy | 36 |
34 | Why Sleep is Not There in Your Eyes Alone | 37 |
35 | When Tears Trickled Down with the Rains of Sorrow | 38 |
36 | The Bee Came Inside the Room Humming | 39 |
37 | Day and Night Sans Happiness in Yoke, You are Wandering With a Poor Life | 41 |
38 | Who Knew That You Would Call on Me! I was Immersed in Slumber | 42 |
39 | Arise and Let Us Go, the Good Day Arrived, the Fragrance of Joy Overflowed | 44 |
40 | Lord, If You Awaken Me Today | 45 |
41 | More Strike I Would Bear, I, Too, Would Bear | 46 |
42 | Give in the Heart Thy Pure Juice of the Touch, Thy Cool Calm Virtuous Hands | 47 |
43 | O Wherefrom Rings the Pain of Love! | 48 |
44 | The Dark Night Dawned, in Joy Was the World Filled | 49 |
45 | In the Sea of Nactar Do I Immerse, the World Do I Forget | 51 |
46 | Let Me Receive Thy Kindness in My Heart | 52 |
47 | Awake, O Rude, Awake! | 54 |
48 | This Course of Test Came to An End | 55 |
49 | Awake, Awake O Awake Songs, Make the Sky of the Mind Wavy | 56 |
50 | Eyes Floated in Water | 57 |
51 | Victory, O Poet, to Thy Diverse Joy! | 58 |
52 | Where the God of the Silent Heart Awakes Alone | 59 |
53 | The Lord Awakes in the Moonlit Night | 60 |
54 | When the World is Rapt in Slumber and the Sky is Dark | 61 |
55 | That She Came and Sat Beside Me, Yet I did Not Awake | 62 |
56 | When I Came out Singing Your Song | 63 |
57 | In Thunder Your Flute Plays on. Is That a Simple Song? | 65 |
58 | My Massage Touches My Heart | 66 |
59 | O We Would Have to Awake! | 67 |
60 | Amidst the Awakening Noise of the Universe | 68 |
61 | To Break the Doors in the Retreat of the Demons of Dry Heat | 69 |
62 | What Massage of the Very Spring Did the Yonder Full Moon Bring Forth! | 70 |
63 | In Drizzles Drops the Fountain of Colours | 71 |
64 | With Whose Letter Did the Full Moon Come! | 72 |
65 | O My Moonlight, Today in the Evening of the Early Spring | 73 |
66 | The House of Play Have I Started Building Amidst the Mind | 74 |
67 | The Heart of Midnight | 75 |
68 | Moon, Who Will Give You the Swing! | 76 |
69 | Slowly, Slowly, Blow Slowly, O Restless Wind! | 77 |
70 | How Would He Remain Secret by Hiding the Seized Heart! | 78 |
71 | That Thou Hast Come to My Residence, the Sound is Surging all Thro' the World | 79 |
72 | In the Full Moon Tonight Everyone Has Gone to the Forest | 80 |
73 | This Flower of the First Moment of My Morning | 81 |
74 | Become One in Unison, Place the Head at the Feet of One | 82 |
75 | Adorning the Sail With Your Open Wind by Cutting Off the Rope | 83 |
76 | O My Mind, When You Awoke Not | 84 |
77 | In the Heart You were Awake | 85 |
78 | Wherefrom I As If Listen | 86 |
79 | With What Affection the Spring Goes on Writing Its Song on the Dust! | 87 |
80 | The Last Star of Night, in Secret Half-Slumber | 88 |
81 | My Lamp is Put Out in the Wind at Midnight | 89 |
82 | Would Your Work Be Finished By Stringing Wires | 90 |
83 | Let Victory, Victory Be to New Sunrise | 91 |
84 | With the Very Beginning of the Early Spring, All Dry Leaves that Dropped Down | 92 |
85 | Come O Come, the Water for Quenching Thirst | 94 |
86 | From His Eternal World of Goodness | 96 |
87 | Plays On, O Plays On, the Drum Plays On Amid the Heart, Amid the Heart | 98 |
88 | I Know Not When With the Touch of Rains | 99 |
89 | Giving, Taking and Returning Between You and ME | 100 |
90 | My Heart, Perhaps Yonder Your Early Summer Storm Arrives | 101 |
91 | Yonder in the Blue Horizon the Fire of Flowers Caught | 102 |
92 | Today the Inner Words of the Sky in Drizzles Ring | 103 |
93 | What a Poignant Massage Came Along the Shade of Dense Cloud | 105 |
94 | Slowly is Plunging the Dense Night in My Life | 106 |
95 | Sing Shall I with Thy Tune, Give Me that Veena | 107 |
96 | Sorrow There is, Death is There, the Pangs of Separation Ache | 109 |
97 | Take, Take the Silent Veena Up | 110 |
98 | The Wind Touches the Sail of Songs | 112 |
99 | The Permanent Words That You Have Strung in the Global Tune | 113 |
100 | Look At Me Not, Knowing Me Old | 114 |