Here is Thy Footstool by Rabindranath Tagore (Summary)

Here is Thy Footstool

by Rabindranath Tagore

(Summary)

In the poem, Tagore says that God lives with those people who think that they are poor. The poet says, that man’s pride stops him to go to God. The rich people do not want to take the pain of searching for God. They consider themselves higher than the poor and lack humility, hence they are never able to find God. Tagore says, God is with those people, who are alone and lost somewhere in the society and we keep seeing God elsewhere.

Here is thy footstool

Here is thy footstool

And there rest thy feet

Where live the poorest,

And lowliest, and lost.

When I try to bow to

Thee, my obeisance

Cannot reach down to the

Depth where thy feet rest

Among the poorest,

And lowliest, and lost.

Pride can never

Approach to where

Thou walkest in the

Clothes of the humble.

Among the poorest,

And lowliest, and lost.

My heart can never

Find its way to where

Thou keepest company

With the companionless

Among the poorest,

And lowliest, and lost.

Summary

In the beginning of this poem, Tagore says, that God is with the poorest and the lowliest and the lost people. The poet wants to offer his life to God and bends down on His footstool. He says, that one can reach God's feet only by serving the poorest, lowliest and those who are lost and abandoned by society. True piety means that one should mingle with the low and poor humanity. Poet is living among the common people where he can see God. The poet says, that God does not leave the poor and the lost but helps them.

Tagore says, that the relationship of the God with the poorest people is deep rooted. When poet tries to bow down before the God, his obeisance cannot reach down to the depth where God’s feet rest among the lost people.

People with ego can never reach to God. The God has worn the clothes of humbleness, and he walks among the poorest, and lowliest, and lost. God does not love egoist men. Those who are rich and proud can never truly serve God, their heart cannot truly reach God because they cannot reach that plane among the poor and the lowly when God rest. God is a companion to the friendless and loves even the poorest and the lowliest. To love God means to love them.

Poet is on search; he can’t take rest in his life. He wants God always with him otherwise his life will become meaningless. He can’t find a way to reach the God, because God is with the poorest people. This makes him fear, because without His presence he can’t lead a meaningful life.

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