I Had Gone A-begging by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem & Summary)

 

I Had Gone A-begging

by Rabindranath Tagore

(Poem & Summary) 

The 50th poem of Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore tells the story of a beggar who encounters a king in a golden chariot. Hoping for an end to their hardships, the beggar is surprised when the king playfully asks what they have to give. Confused, the beggar offers a tiny grain of corn. Later, upon emptying their bag, they find a small grain of gold among the meager contents. The poem explores the transformative power of selfless giving and the unexpected blessings that can arise from even the smallest acts of generosity. It conveys the message that true wealth lies in the ability to give from the heart.

I Had Gone A-begging

I had gone a-begging from door to door in the village path, when thy golden chariot appeared in the distance like a gorgeous dream and I wondered who was this King of all kings!

My hopes rose high and me thought my evil days were at an end, and I stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for wealth scattered on all sides in the dust.

The chariot stopped where I stood. Thy glance fell on me and thou earnest down with a smile. I felt that the luck of my life had come at last. Then of a sudden thou didst hold out thy right hand and say "What hast thou to give to me?"

Ah, what a kingly jest was it to open thy palm to a beggar to beg! I was confused and stood undecided, and then from my wallet I slowly took out the least little grain of corn and gave it to thee.

But how great my surprise when at the day's end I emptied my bag on the floor to find a least little grain of gold among the poor heap. I bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all.

Summary

This poem talks about Indian values, focusing on the importance of charity, humbleness, and surrendering to God's will. The poet imagines himself as a beggar going from house to house in a village, asking for help. Suddenly, a magnificent golden Chariot appears before him, leaving him amazed by its beauty and grandeur. He sees it as a wonderful dream and feels hopeful that his difficult times are coming to an end. He expects to receive generous donations from this glorious king.

However, his dream is interrupted when the king steps out of the Chariot with a heavenly smile and asks the poet, "What do you have to give me?" The poet is shocked and thinks it's a royal joke that a king would ask a beggar for something. He doesn't understand the purpose behind the king's act of begging. The king is actually testing the poet's generosity.

Feeling bewildered and confused, the poet gives the king a grain of corn from his wallet. At the end of the day, when the poet empties his bag on the floor, he is greatly surprised to find a small piece of gold among the grains. He cries and regrets not giving everything he had to God.

This poem by Tagore reflects Indian values and highlights the importance of charity, humbleness, and sacrifice. The main message is that when you give, you receive in return. The poet, unaware of this truth, gives a single grain of corn to God and later regrets not being more generous.

Tagore's style and verse in this lyric are simple, maintaining the reader's interest. The poem is in the form of a parable, which effectively conveys its message. This parable praises the practice of charity. It encourages individuals not to expect favors from others or God without giving in return. Instead, they should do whatever they can for those in need.

In the poem, the poet portrays himself as a beggar, and God as a magnificent prince who is expected to give generous alms. However, the beggar's expectations are shattered when the prince asks the beggar what he has to offer instead of giving anything himself. The beggar gives a small grain of corn, only to discover at the end of the day that one of the collected alms contains a grain of gold. Thus, God rewards charity.