This Is My Prayer to Thee by Rabindra Nath Tagore (Text & Summary)

 

This Is My Prayer to Thee

by Rabindra Nath Tagore

(Text & Summary) 

This is the 36^th poem of Gitanjali. In this poem, Tagore prays God to grant him strength in various forms to carry out the needful and come into God's presence completely.

 

This Is My Prayer to Thee

This is my prayer to thee, my lord ⎯ strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.

Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.

Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.

Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.

And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.

 

In this poem, Tagore prays God to end the poverty of his spirit and help him to serve God with love. He prays God is to strike at the very root, the very beginning, of his spiritual poverty. He prays God to grant him strength to bear his joy and sorrows and yet not be too affected by them. He prays God again for the strength, so that his love would be used in the service of God and thus be fruitful. Tagore goes on to pray for strength that would make him strong before the arrogant and proud and never bow before them or ever to be weak and disown the poor. He also prays for strength to raise himself above the insignificant daily events. And finally asks for strength to completely surrender to the service of God.