Bible Times 96

  When the warriors came out first from their master's hall (song 85) by Rabindranath Tagore   When the warriors came out first from their master's hall, where had they hid their power? Where were their armour and their arms? They looked poor and helpless, and the arrows were showered upon them on the day they came out from their master's hall. When the warriors marched back again to their master's hall where did they hide their power? They had dropped the sword and dropped the bow and the arrow; peace was on their foreheads, and they had left the fruits of their life behind them on the day they marched back again to their master's hall. When the warriors came out first from their master's hall, where had they hid their power? Where were their armour and their arms?   Life on earth is brief and filled with challenges. Eternal peace, however, lasts forever and can only be found in God’s home, far beyond this world. The "warriors" refer to ...

  It is the pang of separation that spreads throughout the world (song 84) by Rabindranath Tagore   It is the pang of separation that spreads throughout the world and gives birth to shapes innumerable in the infinite sky. It is this sorrow of separation that gazes in silence all night from star to star and becomes lyric among rustling leaves in rainy darkness of July. It is this overspreading pain that deepens into loves and desires, into sufferings and joys in human homes; and this it is that ever melts and flows in songs through my poet's heart. It is the pang of separation that spreads throughout the world and gives birth to shapes innumerable in the infinite sky.   The song speaks of the sorrow that comes with being apart, but this time, the poet feels something different. Instead of being overwhelmed with sadness, the poet finds hope in the separation. The pain of being apart is everywhere in the world. God placed a distance within His own soul, and from ...

  Mother, I shall weave a chain of pearls for thy neck with my tears of sorrow (song 83) by Rabindranath Tagore   Mother, I shall weave a chain of pearls for thy neck with my tears of sorrow. The stars have wrought their anklets of light to deck thy feet, but mine will hang upon thy breast. Wealth and fame come from thee and it is for thee to give or to withhold them. But this my sorrow is absolutely mine own, and when I bring it to thee as my offering thou rewardest me with thy grace. Mother, I shall weave a chain of pearls for thy neck with my tears of sorrow.   The poem speaks about how suffering and regret for our mistakes can cleanse and save our soul. The poet addresses God as a loving mother, asking her to wear pure, white pearls made from his tears of sadness around her neck. He feels a deep need to apologize to God for his sins. He sees God as radiant and heavenly, yet this divine light also touches his own mother's feet. The poet believes that his ...

  Time is endless in thy hands, my lord (Song 82) by Rabindranath Tagore   Time is endless in thy hands, my lord. There is none to count thy minutes. Days and nights pass and ages bloom and fade like flowers. Thou knowest how to wait. Thy centuries follow each other perfecting a small wild flower. We have no time to lose, and having no time we must scramble for our chances. We are too poor to be late. And thus it is that time goes by while I give it to every querulous man who claims it, and thine altar is empty of all offerings to the last. At the end of the day I hasten in fear lest thy gate be shut; but I find that yet there is time. Time is endless in thy hands, my lord. There is none to count thy minutes.   The poem reflects on the nature of time. In the world of humans, time feels fleeting and always running out. Days, nights, and years slip away quickly. However, God exists beyond the flow of time, in a place that is still and eternal. While God ca...

  On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time (Song 81) by Rabindranath Tagore On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands. Hidden in the heart of things thou art nourishing seeds into sprouts, buds into blossoms, and ripening flowers into fruitfulness. I was tired and sleeping on my idle bed and imagined all work had ceased. In the morning I woke up and found my garden full with wonders of flowers. On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands.   The poem carries a message of hope. At first, the poet feels sad for losing time and experiencing failures. But then, he realizes that no time is truly wasted because God is in control of everything. God takes care of all the work in nature: turning seeds into plants, buds into flowers, and flowers into ripe fruits. Every effor...

  I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky (Song 80) by Rabindranath Tagore   I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky, O my sun ever-glorious! Thy touch has not yet melted my vapour, making me one with thy light, and thus I count months and years separated from thee. If this be thy wish and if this be thy play, then take this fleeting emptiness of mine, paint it with colours, gild it with gold, float it on the wanton wind and spread it in varied wonders. And again when it shall be thy wish to end this play at night, I shall melt and vanish away in the dark, or it may be in a smile of the white morning, in a coolness of purity transparent. I am like a remnant of a cloud of autumn uselessly roaming in the sky, O my sun ever-glorious! Thy touch has not yet melted my vapour, making me one with thy light, and thus I count months and years separated from thee.   In this poem, Tagore’s main wish is to ask God...

  If it is not my portion to meet thee in this my life (Song 79) by Rabindranath Tagore   If it is not my portion to meet thee in this my life then let me ever feel that I have missed thy sight - let me not forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in my wakeful hours. As my days pass in the crowded market of this world and my hands grow full with the daily profits, let me ever feel that I have gained nothing - let me not forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in my wakeful hours. When I sit by the roadside, tired and panting, when I spread my bed low in the dust, let me ever feel that the long journey is still before me - let me not forget for a moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in my wakeful hours. When my rooms have been decked out and the flutes sound and the laughter there is loud, let me ever feel that I have not invited thee to my house - let me not forget for a m...

  When the creation was new and all the stars shone (Song 78) by Rabindranath Tagore   When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang "Oh, the picture of perfection! The joy unalloyed!" But one cried of a sudden - "It seems that somewhere there is a break in the chain of light and one of the stars has been lost." The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and they cried in dismay - "Yes, that lost star was the best, she was the glory of all heavens!" From that day the search is unceasing for her, and the cry goes on from one to the other that in her the world has lost its one joy! Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper among themselves - "Vain is this seeking! Unbroken perfection is over all!" When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and san...

  I Know thee as my God and stand apart (Song 77) by Rabindranath Tagore   I Know thee as my God and stand apart - I do not know thee as my own and come closer. I know thee as my father and bow before thy feet - I do not grasp thy hand as my friend's. I stand not where thou comest down and ownest thyself as mine, there to clasp thee to my heart and take thee as my comrade. Thou art the Brother amongst my brothers, but I heed them not, I divide not my earnings with them, thus sharing my all with thee. In pleasure and in pain I stand not by the side of men, and thus stand by thee. I shrink to give up my life, and thus do not plunge into the great waters of life. I Know thee as my God and stand apart - I do not know thee as my own and come closer. I know thee as my father and bow before thy feet - I do not grasp thy hand as my friend's.   The song speaks about humanity and the way to be close to God. Helping others and doing what’s right brings us closer to God...

  Day after Day, O lord of my life, shall I stand before thee face to face? (Song 76) by Rabindranath Tagore   Day after Day, O lord of my life, shall I stand before thee face to face? With folded hands, O lord of all worlds, shall I stand before thee face to face? Under thy great sky in solitude and silence, with humble heart shall I stand before thee face to face? In this laborious world of thine, tumultuous with toil and with struggle, among hurrying crowds shall I stand before thee face to face? And when my work shall be done in this world, O King of kings, alone and speechless shall I stand before thee face to face? Day after Day, O lord of my life, shall I stand before thee face to face? With folded hands, O lord of all worlds, shall I stand before thee face to face?   This poem speaks of true devotion. The poet, with deep respect for God, surrenders himself to God’s will, recognizing that God has ultimate power. He asks to stand humbly before God, wit...

  Thy gifts to us mortals fulfil all our needs (Song 75) by Rabindranath Tagore   Thy gifts to us mortals fulfil all our needs and yet run back to thee un-diminished. The river has its everyday work to do and hastens through fields and hamlets; yet its incessant stream winds towards the washing of thy feet. The flower sweetens the air with its perfume; yet its last service is to offer itself to thee. Thy worship does not impoverish the world. From the words of the poet men take what meanings please them; yet their last meaning points to thee. Thy gifts to us mortals fulfil all our needs and yet run back to thee un-diminished.   The poet says that everything in the world is made by God and eventually returns to Him. God's gifts to humans are endless—they keep helping us and go back to God without losing anything. Like a river flowing through villages and fields, sharing water without running dry, these gifts keep moving. The river continues until it reaches...

  The day is no more, the shadow is upon the earth (Song 74) by Rabindranath Tagore   The day is no more, the shadow is upon the earth. It is time that I go to the stream to fill my pitcher. The evening air is eager with the sad music of the water. Ah, it calls me out into the dusk. In the lonely lane there is no passer by, the wind is up, the ripples are rampant in the river. I know not if I shall come back home. I know not whom I shall chance to meet. There at the fording in the little boat the unknown man plays upon his lute. The day is no more, the shadow is upon the earth. It is time that I go to the stream to fill my pitcher.   The poet's song expresses his deep longing to meet his Lord. He senses an inner guide that helps him draw closer to the heart of this desire. As evening falls, the world feels a bit sorrowful, and the air is filled with soft, melancholy music. This feeling seems to gently call the poet to his beloved as the day fades. In his ima...

  Deliverance is not for me in renunciation (Song 73) by Rabindranath Tagore   Deliverance is not for me in renunciation . I feel the embrace of freedom in a thousand bonds of delight. Thou ever pourest for me the fresh draught of thy wine of various colours and fragrance, filling this earthen vessel to the brim. My world will light its hundred different lamps with thy flame and place them before the altar of thy temple. No, I will never shut the doors of my senses. The delights of sight and hearing and touch will bear thy delight. Yes, all my illusions will burn into illumination of joy, and all my desires ripen into fruits of love. Deliverance is not for me in renunciation. I feel the embrace of freedom in a thousand bonds of delight.   Tagore doesn’t believe in giving up the world; instead, he finds happiness in the many joys God has given us. For him, true freedom means fully embracing life’s happiness. While some mystics think the world we see isn’t r...

He it is, the innermost one, who awakens my being (Song 72) by Rabindranath Tagore   He it is, the innermost one, who awakens my being with his deep hidden touches. He it is who puts his enchantment upon these eyes and joyfully plays on the chords of my heart in varied cadence of pleasure and pain. He it is who weaves the web of this maya in evanescent hues of gold and silver, blue and green, and lets peep out through the folds his feet, at whose touch I forget myself. Days come and ages pass, and it is ever he who moves my heart in many a name, in many a guise, in many a rapture of joy and of sorrow. He it is, the innermost one, who awakens my being with his deep hidden touches.   Tagore’s poem describes a spiritual journey, revealing how God lives within each person. He shows that God is the hidden energy in us all. We often search for Him outside, but He’s right inside us, awakening our spirit in mysterious yet gentle ways. God fills us with awe and shapes our...

  That I should make much of myself (Song 71) by Rabindranath Tagore   That I should make much of myself and turn it on all sides, thus casting coloured shadows on thy radiance - such is thy maya. Thou settest a barrier in thine own being and then callest thy severed self in myriad notes. This thy self-separation has taken body in me. The poignant song is echoed through all the sky in many-coloured tears and smiles, alarms and hopes; waves rise up and sink again, dreams break and form. In me is thy own defeat of self. This screen that thou hast raised is painted with innumerable figures with the brush of the night and the day. Behind it thy seat is woven in wondrous mysteries of curves, casting away all barren lines of straightness. The great pageant of thee and me has overspread the sky. With the tune of thee and me all the air is vibrant, and all ages pass with the hiding and seeking of thee and me. That I should make much of myself and turn it on all sides, thus...

  Is it beyond thee to be glad (Song 70) by Rabindranath Tagore   Is it beyond thee to be glad with the gladness of this rhythm? To be tossed and lost and broken in the whirl of this fearful joy? All things rush on, they stop not, they look not behind, no power can hold them back, they rush on. Keeping steps with that restless, rapid music, seasons come dancing and pass away - colours tunes, and perfumes pour in endless cascades in the abounding joy that scatters and gives up and dies every moment. Is it beyond thee to be glad with the gladness of this rhythm? To be tossed and lost and broken in the whirl of this fearful joy?   The poet flows with the rhythm of life, joining the natural beat of creation. He celebrates life with joy and energy, wondering if God shares in this joy and growth. God's happiness shows through nature, which is alive with joy as well. Life constantly moves forward without looking back, unstoppable. Seasons shift in a steady rhythm, wi...

  The same stream of life that runs through my veins (Song 69) by Rabindranath Tagore   The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment. The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.   The poet celebrates energy, growth, and the everlasting spirit of life. He feels deeply connected to every living thing on Earth. God is present everywhere, in everything He has created, and His spirit is within each part of nature in uniqu...

  Thy sunbeam comes upon this earth (Song 68) by Rabindranath Tagore   Thy sunbeam comes upon this earth of mine with arms outstretched and stands at my door the livelong day to carry back to thy feet clouds made of my tears and sighs and songs. With fond delight thou wrappest about thy starry breast that mantle of misty cloud, turning it into numberless shapes and folds and colouring it with hues ever changing. It is so light and so fleeting, tender and tearful and dark, that is why thou lovest it, O thou spotless and serene. And that is why it may cover thy awful white light with its pathetic shadows. Thy sunbeam comes upon this earth of mine with arms outstretched and stands at my door the livelong day to carry back to thy feet clouds made of my tears and sighs and songs.   The poem is simple and lovely, celebrating devotion to God. The poet praises God’s love, kindness, and gentle nature, thanking Him for His grace and humility. The poet feels God’s presen...

  Thou art the sky and thou art the nest as well (Song 67) by Rabindranath Tagore   Thou art the sky and thou art the nest as well. O thou beautiful, there in the nest it is thy love that encloses the soul with colours and sounds and odours. There comes the morning with the golden basket in her right hand bearing the wreath of beauty, silently to crown the earth. And there comes the evening over the lonely meadows deserted by herds, through trackless paths, carrying cool draughts of peace in her golden pitcher from the western ocean of rest. But there, where spreads the infinite sky for the soul to take her flight in, reigns the stainless white radiance. There is no day nor night, nor form nor colour, and never, never a word. Thou art the sky and thou art the nest as well.   O thou beautiful, there in the nest it is thy love that encloses the soul with colours and sounds and odours.   God reveals Himself through all creation, even in non-living things...