Gitanjali Poem No. 89 - Summary and Analysis

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No more noisy, loud words from me - such is my master's will. Henceforth I deal in whispers. The speech of my heart will be carried on in murmurings of a song.

Men hasten to the King's market. All the buyers and sellers are there. But I have my untimely leave in the middle of the day, in the thick of work.

Let then the flowers come out in my garden, though it is not their time and let the midday bees strike up their lazy hum.

Full many an hour have I spent in the strife of the good and the evil, but now it is the pleasure of my playmate of the empty days to draw my heart on to him; and I know not why is this sudden call to what useless inconsequence!

No more noisy, loud words from me - such is my master's will. Henceforth I deal in whispers. The speech of my heart will be carried on in murmurings of a song.
Gitanjali Poem no. 89

Summary

      The moment of illumination is sudden. Man shouldn't loose the opportunity of this mystic experience. The poet asserts that God indicated him that he should sing his praises in low words. That's why he will sing in whispers only. If the language is bombastic and words are noisy they are not appealing and pleasing. True devotion and praising hymns flow through the heart in a low and humble tone. The lowness has the sweetness of devotion.

      In the busy life of buying and selling in the market place he suddenly hears the call of the Divine while the poet is busy in his worldly activity with the strife of good and evil, he suddenly hears the call of his divine playmate desiring him to come and play with him. Poet must obey His ultimate will and the act of obedience will bring ineffable joy to his soul as if flowers have suddenly bloomed in the garden of his heart and bees are murmuring lazily as they collect honey. The world is transformed and enveloped with the spiritual bliss.

Critical Analysis

      The will of God is the supreme, man must surrender himself totally under His will. He must always wave Him in his heart midst the noisy, hectic life. The way to God is not the total renunciation of this sensual world but the true devotee is the man who obeys Him, praises him profoundly, purely and finds Him while doing his part of worldly duties. The world is created for man he is encircled within the burden and boundaries of worldly duties but he should always be alert of the spiritual illumination. The divine inspiration can come at any moment and ignorance will deprive him of this mystic experience which the poet doesn't want to loose.

"No more noisy, loud words from me - such is my master's will. Henceforth I deal in whispers. The speech of my heart will be carried on in murmurings of a song."

      The poet is busy in his life, busy with buying and selling whole the day. Soon he hears the call of the Divine. While the poet is busy in his worldly activity with the strife of good and evil, he suddenly hears the call of his divine playmate desiring him to come and play with Him. The poet must obey this sudden, untimely call. He does not know the reason of this sudden call but he must obey thus. He will henceforth worship Him, devote his life to Him, and sing sweet songs in the praise of His glory. The poet will not be loud-mouthed or bombastic about his praise of God. He will not renounce work either. In the busiest part of his life he will hum his songs quietly.

Annotations

      Murmuring: low sound. Buyers and sellers: refers to the daily activities of life. Untimely: inappropriate time. In the thick of work: when work is at its busiest. Strife: struggle. Empty days: time of leisure. Inconsequence: unimportance.

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