Indian Philosophies In Gitanjali

Tagore's Gitanjali seems to be a book of Indian philosophy, Indian thought, culture and tradition, The heritage and legacy of it, So much so full of Vedism, Upanishadism and Puranic elements. Instead of fatalism and its acceptance, he approaches the Divine Without doubting Him, With his full blind faith, Accepting the writ of Destiny and its concurrence. The philosophy of karmayoga is therein when he exhorts to walk alone If none comes hearing the call, Then walk alone. Something he has got from the concept of sadhna, Seasoning in the furnace of hard work and forebearance, Do your work, wait not for the fruit of it. What it is satyam is shivam and shivam sundaram, Satyam shivam sundaram, Truth, beauty, goodness. The philosophy of maya is therein As and when he talks of the unison, Trying to meet Him in the cottage With the folded hands. Yama as the messenger of God or the God of Death lies Pictured in Gitanjali And the soul doing the mrituyanjaya-japa, The death conquering mantras. In the Kathopnishada, there lie in discussions in this context Between Nachiketa and Yama, The debatees on life and death. Savitri's following into the footsteps of Yama's carrying Of Satyavan's soul And the return of life After a questioning and follow-up too conjures up. King Harishchandra guarding the ghat as a chandal And in his duty Failing to recognize his snake-bitten dead son Rohit Which Sabya is with to cremate And he not allowing her to cremate without taking the taxes As for truth sake. Siddharta's accomplishment of sadhna under a peepul tree After escaing from the house one midnight After leaving Yasodhara and Rahul in bed As for the betterment of the world, too is an image. In the wails of Yasodhara and Sabya, we can hear the breaking Of Maya, Illusion as wife, son, daughter, house and the world And the soul's maya for the body too. King Bhartrihari's vairagya, renunciation as for infidelity Of Pingla, the queen And her false love for the king And he leaving the palace, turned into a wandering sadhu, A renouncer. Shankaracharya's interpretation of the cycle Of repeated birth and death With the bhaja-govindam, recite the name of the Lord Also serves as the context to the string of outpourings And it is said that the Lord Shiva Himself has shown him As Daridranarayan. Philanthropy, charity, chastity, piety, purity and clarity, All these he talks about in this work, The world of maya-moha, The jiva, creature and the Parmatma, Greater Soul. One lamp, earthen lamp meeting into the Dazzling Light, The source of all, Lead us from darkness to light And let there be light. Sometimes he approaches the Divine in too much of his confidence Calling Him his kith and kin, near and dear ones, But sometimes the terror of death strikes the poet And he sees Him as dreadful Yama standing before to take him away, I mean the jiva, creature, the soul of his.