I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless (song 100) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis)

 

I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless (song 100) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis) 

I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless.

No more sailing from harbour to harbour with this my weather-beaten boat. The days are long passed when my sport was to be tossed on waves.

And now I am eager to die into the deathless.

Into the audience hall by the fathomless abyss where swells up the music of toneless strings I shall take this harp of my life.

I shall tune it to the notes of for ever, and, when it has sobbed out its last utterance, lay down my silent harp at the feet of the silent.

I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless.

 

Summary

The main idea of the poem is that the best way to meet God, our Almighty, is by letting go of our own selves and accepting death. Earlier, the poet compared the universe to a vast sea and life to a journey across it. He continues this idea, saying he dives deep into the ocean of many forms to discover the formless and perfect treasure: the Divine spirit, the Infinite God. Throughout his life, the poet has been searching for this treasure, sailing back and forth like a boat tossed around by the waves. His life has been filled with this mysterious quest.

There was a time when he enjoyed the ups and downs of life, but now he longs for death and wishes to reach the sea of eternity. The poet desires to enter the grand hall of the Almighty in the endless sea of eternity, where the music of the divine fills the air. He wants to bring his harp of life there, playing it until his last breath is a soft sigh, and then he will lay his silent harp at the feet of the Silent One.

 

Critical Analysis

The vivid imagery expresses a deep longing for a special reunion with the Supreme, Infinite, and Silent God, which the speaker hopes to achieve through death. In these last ten lines by Tagore, the themes of death, enlightenment after death, and a strong desire to meet the Almighty are explored. However, each time, different images are used to present these similar ideas in unique and artistic ways. For example, God is compared to a perfect pearl, the world is described as an "ocean of forms," earthly life is likened to a "weather-beaten boat," and life itself is compared to a "harp."

"I shall tune it to the notes of forever, and when it has sobbed out its lost utterance, lay down my silent harp at the feet of the silent."

The poem from which this stanza comes is another reflection on the theme of death. Here, death is seen as the final goal the poet has been moving toward his entire life. He compares himself to a sailor who has been traveling from port to port, but now, his journey on the rough seas is over because he has finally arrived at his destination.

In the final lines of the poem, the poet uses the image of a musical instrument—a harp—to describe his life. He says that with this harp, he will enter a hall filled with the sound of music from silent strings. He will tune his own harp to eternal melodies and play one last heartfelt note. After that, he will place his silent harp at the feet of God, who is without form and sound. As he mentioned earlier in the poem, through death, he will achieve immortality and become one with the eternal.