Volume : 10, Issue : 1, JAN 2024

AN ANALYSIS OF MYSTICISM IN RABINDRANATH TAGORE’S GEETANJALI

DR. ANAND KUMAR MINJ

Abstract

Mysticism is the faith that knowledge of God and of real truth is independent of the mind and sanity. Rabindranath Tagore was originally a Bengali writer but he belongs to Indian Literature in English too. In facts the emergence of Indian Literature in English can be traced by Tagore's initial English translation of his work, notable among them being Geetanjali which earned him the Nobel Prize in 1913. Tagore's work in caught in the complex meshes of tradition, history and modernity. He was very much influenced by Vaishnava lyrics and his works are found to be embodied to great extend in Indian religious beliefs and Upanishadic themes. His philosophical works also made a wide spread impact all over the world through English Literature. He was a great mystic poet. Mysticism is a spiritual force which has always done enormous to God to Mankind. Mystic has preserved the spiritual heritage of mankind through the ages, and among them. A mystic need not renounce the world together hut an attitude of detachment is absolutely necessary.

Mysticism is "a constellation of distinctive practices, discourses, texts, institutions, traditions, and experiences aimed at human transformation, variously defined in different traditions". Mysticism categorically lacks an authority and anything and everything that is related to God is put under the term mysticism. An analysis of words and ideas reveals that it is the love for "nature" and "God" that made Tagore enters the realm of mysticism. However, his mystical experiences are quite different from those of the experiences of enlightened saints of India. Saints mysticism is a result of the union achieved through deep meditation, but in Tagore's case it is only love and desire for the union. As a result of this, his Gitanjali can be considered as "Nature Mysticism" rather than Soul or God Mysticism only which enlightened saints and poets like Kalidasa or Auribindo can achieve.

The mystical experience expressed in Gitanjali has largely been neglected by Indian scholars. They have always been trying to emphasize the humanism of Tagore. Even those critics who acknowledge its presence in Gitanjali feel that Tagore cannot claim any originality here. Mysticism shares a common world with magic, prayer, worship, religion and metaphysics. It may not be easy to distinguish mysticism from these but its approach and emphasis different. Prayer, worship and religion may form a part mysticism but they are usually viewed as means essence: also, they are and not usually continuations of sensory expertence. whereas mysticism is a pure unitary consciousness or a union with God.. As for magic and metaphysics. It is analytic and discursive and expresses itself and its findings in precise and abstract formulas: mysticism, however, like poetry, depends more on paradoxes and an unusual use of language.

Tagore's Mysticism is mainly expressed through his concept of inter- personal (I and thou) relationship. This paper shall discuss here Tagore's Mysticism. Tagore has reflected comprehensively and intensely on the ontological status of man in idiosyncratic dimensions and the revelation of the meaning in relation (a) to nature and (b) to modes of inter-personal relationship.

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