A Hundred Devotional Songs of Tagore

Express Shipping
$13.60
$17
(20% off)
Express Shipping: Guaranteed Dispatch in 24 hours
Quantity
Delivery Ships in 1-3 days
Item Code: IDD457
Author: Mohit Chakrabarti
Publisher: MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PVT. LTD.
Language: Transliterated Text with Translation
Edition: 1999
ISBN: 8120816870
Pages: 124
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.5" X 5.5"
Weight 190 gm
Book Description

About the Book:

Devotion is dedication of the self to the All Serene. To Rabindranath Tagore, it is more than mere dedication. It is a vrata to be I perfect unison with the Vratapati, the Lord of askance in sincerity, purity and poignance.

To be christened with the spirituality of Tagore in the most intrinsic and poignant pattern is to muse and re-muse his devotional songs, and in doing so, one cannot but discover within oneself the lotus-land of spiritual excellence. Indeed, somewhere in the heartland of everyone lurks the unending beckoning of the All Beautiful.

Here are a hundred devotional songs of Rabindranath representing prayer and worship with diverse dimensions of joy, sorrow, awakening, introspection, aspiration, resolution and so on to encounter the All Beautiful.

Hitherto unknown to the national and the global lovers appreciators of Tagore due to language-constraints, A Hundred Devotional Songs of Tagore, the first of its kind in India and abroad, might be a resourceful and thrilling companion to the study of and quest for devotion.

About the Author:

MOHIT CHAKRABARTI, D. Litt., is a teacher of English at Visva-Bharti University, Santiniketan. He has participated in so many national and international conferences and has been a regular contributor in a number of journals of repute. Besides being a contributor to children's literature in English and Bengali he is a regular contributor to the studies and researches being to the studies and researches being held on Rabindranath Tagor, Mahatama Gandhi and Swami Vivekanand. He has a number of books to his credit and has also got National Award.

About the Translation:

Translating the songs of Rabindranath Tagore is undeniably a very challenging but thrilling task. Care is taken to be justified to the original as far and as best as possible. One cannot but admit the constraints related to translating a few typical words, phrases and idiomatic expressions, where a judicious approach to retain the nuances called forth is undertaken. At the same time, the imagery patterns of Tagore in each song have been given due importance in the task of translation.
 

Preface

To Rabindranath Tagore devotion is like an ektara always playing on within. It is a state of mind poignant and serene joyous and simple to be in unison with the all beautiful.

A creator of no less than three thousand songs Tagore is undeniably at his best when he composes devotional songs. In the quest for maner manush his devotion finds a new language a new rhythm a new world of thought feeling and emotion incomparable and beyond any parallel in depth and vision.

Here is a humble presentation of a hundred devotional songs of Tagore translated into English and preceded by the original ones in italics for the convenience of those who want to have a glimpse of the original. Moreover the revered readers might tune on within themselves in moments of deep involvements with some of these devotional songs and if so perhaps therein lies the translator’s success.

I cannot but recall the continual enthusiastic words of Professor Himadri Ranjan Bhattacharya my teacher and colleague and the invaluable words of advice tinged with love and affection of Shri Jagadindra Bhowmik a great Tagore scholar and member Board of Editors Rabindra Rachanavali. I humbly dedicate this book to them as a token of my reverence and gratitude.

I would also like to convey my ardent gratefulness to Rabindra Bhavana Visva-Bharati Santiniketean for the matter for illustration.

If the book appeals to everyone interested in devotional songs I would feel me endeavor amply rewarded.

 

A Note on Spirituality in the devotional songs of Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore is at his best in efflorescence of spirituality in his devotional songs. In these songs the spiritual concept of the all serene finds newer avenues in sorrows and sufferings agonies and expectations languishment and laughter. What brings forth a definite and distinct point of departure in the essence and ascent of spirituality is that he endearingly nursles optimism crystallized in the effulgence of purity and catholicity of vision. Even death becomes a caressing partner to encounter the all beautiful. As he characteristically muses.

 

If thy auspicious light is enkindled with
the darkness of sorrow
Let it be so
If death brings nearer the land of nectar
Let it be so

Duhker timire tumi, p.l.(Translated by me)

The spiritual vision of inner consciousness to be in unison with the all serene as Tagore reveals in his devotional songs is the ardent prayer for a birth anew form the legion to the one. The prayer also finds a lucid language of welcome

 

Come ye to my heart in newer appearances
Come with fragrance and color come with songs
Come with Joyous touch in limbs
Come with juicy laughter in the mind

Come in closed eyes enamoured
Come with physique pure and bright
Come O beautiful refreshing and calm
Come O come in Variegated dress
Come in joy and sorrow come in the core
Come Daily in all activities
Come at the end of all work

Tumi naba naba ripe P.10 (Translated by me)

Interestingly Tagore does away wit the intense and rigorous methods and techniques of spiritual poignance and loves to enjoy the warmth of spiritual freedom and spontaneity in day to day affairs of life. Love to him becomes an eternal gateway to the wonderland of spirituality. So is joy wherein he sincerely longs for unison with the all true amidst an aura of beauty all around

With the light of the new sun awake today in joy anew in life pure and lovely, loving and shining and clean

The new fountain of life is o’erflooded the songs of hope surging

In this air adorned with peace the fragrance of nectar like flowers flows.

Naba anande jago p.24 (translated by me)

How does Tagore come closer to the all Endearing? Here is an exquisite dramatic muse in which his sense of spirituality finds a living and thrilling resonance.

Yonder rings the sound of thy opening the door amidst my heart.

If the bar is removed in thy room at night and at dawn
In what shame shall I then remain in my room
Much have I Said lies are they all
Much have I trekked false are those trekking
At the End of all paths let me stand at thy door today

Tomar Duar Kholar Dhvani p.42 (translated by me)

To be christened with the spirituality of Tagore in the most intrinsic and poignant pattern is to muse and remuse his devotional songs and in doing so one cannot but discover within oneself the lotus-land of spiritual excellence. Indeed somewhere in the heartland of everyone lurks the unending beckoning of the all beautiful in the soulful words of prayer. This boon do y pray to thee let me rise from death in the tunes of songs.

Tomar Kache e bar magi p.45 (translated by me)

A few words about the basis and rationale of selection. I have excluded the other writings of Tagore primarily because I would like to humbly present his genius and excellence in devotional songs an illuminating area where let us frankly admit nothing is presented especially to the revered and interested readers to Tagore till now. The world of the songs of Tagore is too vast to be encompassed and appreciated either in translation or in critical appreciation his entire writings notwithstanding. As such selection is restricted to a hundred songs that’s reveal the diverse dimensions of devotion. This however does not at all eliminate the immense possibilities of unfolding the unparalleled genius of Tagore in his other devotional songs. Moreover any selection including the present one always arrests every esteemed reader’s attention on assessing the selector within a limited but definite and therefore existing parameter. If this axiom stands valid I would really feel myself unerringly justified and amply rewarded.

 

Contents

 

  Preface vii
  A Note on Spirituality in the Devotional songs of Rabindranath Tagore xiii
  Sources xvii
1 If thy auspicious light 1
2 From fear unto thy fearlessness 2
3 Blessed am I says the flower 3
4 Tell me not to work today 4
5 What a beauty have ye shown 5
6 With thy name have I opened my eyes 6
7 O Lord of my heart 7
8 All my truth and falsehood 8
9 With the touch of thy feet 9
10 Come ye to my heart 10
11 With Silent Drops 11
12 Who called O Lord 12
13 O who came to my temple 13
14 Empty handed O Lord 14
15 With What pretext 15
16 where on the sea shore 16
17 O my Lord my dear 17
18 With One salute O Lord 18
19 Awake in eyes distinct 19
20 If Sorrow does embrace you not 20
21 Day and Night look 21
22 I’ve got my leave 22
23 The Sea of peace thou art 23
24 With the light of the new sun 24
25 Let me receive thy kindness 25
26 It won’t be 26
27 If my Lord 27
28 Lord eyes awake for thee 29
29 Why will ye keep me 31
30 Let all the enlivening dream 32
31 Thou hast remained standing 33
32 No Fear no fear in this world 34
33 No End is there 35
34 No O no 36
35 Flooding this sweetness 37
36 Eternal is not thy sorrow 38
37 Hold on this 39
38 Be easy be easy 40
39 O coward 41
40 How do you play on 42
41 The light dances in my heart today 43
42 Yonder rings the sound 44
43 No more late shall I be 45
44 Go Shall I go 46
45 This boon do I pray 47
46 Stand out 48
47 This veil would be emaciated 49
48 He whom dost thou strike 50
49 All thro life 51
50 O what fear is there 52
51 A traveler thou art 53
52 Amid Happiness have I seen thee 54
53 O Companion on the way 55
54 Anew shall I have thee 56
55 In the light of the eye 57
56 Victory, victory 58
57 My Dearest one 59
58 The waves of joy 60
59 Bring the world embracing seat 61
60 Thine eyes have told me 62
61 Wash today 63
62 Ah O beauty 64
63 The day came to an end 65
64 No Need of argument 66
65 O tell me 67
66 Make my heat swing 68
67 In the Pretext of play 69
68 The Smile adorns my tune 70
69 Even now darkness dies not 71
70 The Veena beyond beauty plays on 72
71 When thou wouldst dispel 73
72 Now the sky of the heart 74
73 In Exchange of my languor 75
74 The Vessel of leaves 76
75 Thy Chain won’t make 77
76 O fool 78
77 Blessed am I 79
78 Ah this joyous evening 80
79 O my mind 81
80 With my demise 82
81 Now to the distant 83
82 Call me or not 84
83 On my journey alone 85
84 When the goddess of wealth 86
85 Trim on yourself 87
86 In the secret lonely chamber 88
87 All thro the universe 90
88 In this morning 91
89 In diverse strategies 92
90 Infinite wealth thou hast 93
91 The hurricane of laughter 94
92 When like a flower 95
93 Not a pleasant game 96
94 In thy assembly 97
95 when my pain 98
96 Lord as soon as the veena 99
97 The night when my doors 101
98 The wind touches 102
99 In the morning 103
100 As my life is going on 104

Click Here for More Books on Rabindranath Tagore

Sample Pages









Add a review
Have A Question

For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy