Deliverance is not for me in renunciation (Song 73) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis)

 

Deliverance is not for me in renunciation (Song 73) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis) 

Deliverance is not for me in renunciation. I feel the embrace of freedom in a thousand bonds of delight.

Thou ever pourest for me the fresh draught of thy wine of various colours and fragrance, filling this earthen vessel to the brim.

My world will light its hundred different lamps with thy flame and place them before the altar of thy temple.

No, I will never shut the doors of my senses. The delights of sight and hearing and touch will bear thy delight.

Yes, all my illusions will burn into illumination of joy, and all my desires ripen into fruits of love.

Deliverance is not for me in renunciation. I feel the embrace of freedom in a thousand bonds of delight.

 

Summary

Tagore does not believe in giving up the world. Instead, he finds joy in the many pleasures that God has given. For Tagore, true freedom isn't about turning away from life. It is about enjoying the happiness that life offers. Some people, like mystics, believe that the world we see and feel isn't real, and that a more real, spiritual world exists beyond our senses. They often give up normal life and pleasures to reach this spiritual world.

But Tagore does not agree with this. He believes in enjoying life and does not reject the experiences of the senses. Instead, he sees them as a way to connect with the spiritual. He knows about asceticism (a life of self-denial), but he balances his spiritual beliefs with a deep love for life and humanity.

Tagore believes that God has filled life with beauty and joy, and to ignore these gifts would not lead to true salvation. The pleasures of life, given by God, should be enjoyed. The joy and light of God have brightened the world, like flames lighting up lamps on earth. Even human illusions and desires have their place; they can bring happiness and eventually turn into love.

 

Critical Analysis

A man who stays away from worldly things but stays active is braver than someone who just gives up on the world. Tagore enjoys God's creation but doesn't get caught up in physical desires. He doesn't want to be trapped by them. In the Gita, desires are seen as man's enemies. Just like smoke covers a flame, dust covers a mirror, and a baby is wrapped in a womb, desire covers this world. Desire hides wisdom and is like a fire that never stops burning. The senses, mind, and reason are where desire lives, and it confuses the person within the body.

The poet enjoys the pleasures of the world because they are part of God's joy in creation. But he also wants to turn these desires into pure joy and love. He feels free, even when surrounded by pleasure. He doesn’t suggest living a life only for physical pleasure. Instead, physical joy should be transformed into something spiritual.