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Kavyanjali

Gitanjali: Song 24

Rashmi Om

If the day is done, if birds sing no more, if the wind

has flagged tired, then draw the veil of darkness

thick upon me, even as thou hast wrapt the earth

with the coverlet of sleep and tenderly closed the

petals of the drooping lotus at dusk.

From the traveller, whose sack of provisions is

empty before the voyage is ended, whose garment

is torn and dust-laden, whose strength is exhausted,

remove shame and poverty, and renew his life like

a flower under the cover of thy kindly night.

Interpretation of the Poem

The poet-speaker imagines the end of his life. He thinks that it would be as natural as the ending of a day and the silent coming of night. Humans dread death. In the popular imagination, it is viewed with uncertainty and fear. Tagore ascribes a ‘naturalness’ to death by likening it to the close of a day. It can be embraced just like the earth wraps up ‘the coverlet of sleep’ around itself after dusk. The natural progression of Human life — similar to a flowering lotus — is to wilt; the blooming petals close in the evening.

Tagore conjures up the image of a tired traveller, who is done selling all his wares. He has been through the carnival of life and seen all the spectacles there were to witness. His clothes bear the dust from the long journey. The exhausted traveller is ready to embrace death, which does not mark finality. The cyclical nature of life will continue. Death is an end that promises renewal. With a strong belief in such rejuvenation, the poet speaker surrenders to the divine.

Geetanjali is a collection of sublime devotional poetry that glorifies the divine energy that pervades through this universe. Cultivating devotion is the most beautiful way to lead a meaningful and rich life. How do you identify the deity you connect to and then perform daily rituals that deepen your bond with them? The answer is the free and incredible Vedic Sadhana app, which makes the ancient rituals and practices followed by the sages of India available for you.

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