When the creation was new and all the stars shone (Song 78) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis)

 

When the creation was new and all the stars shone (Song 78) by Rabindranath Tagore (Poem, Summary & Analysis) 

When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang "Oh, the picture of perfection! The joy unalloyed!"

But one cried of a sudden - "It seems that somewhere there is a break in the chain of light and one of the stars has been lost."

The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and they cried in dismay - "Yes, that lost star was the best, she was the glory of all heavens!"

From that day the search is unceasing for her, and the cry goes on from one to the other that in her the world has lost its one joy!

Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper among themselves - "Vain is this seeking! Unbroken perfection is over all!"

When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang "Oh, the picture of perfection! The joy unalloyed!"

 

Summary

The poem tells a story. It talks about a beautiful myth that makes the poem more interesting. The poet says that feeling sad about loss is pointless because the world is already perfect. This perfection made all the gods happy. The stars shone brightly, and the gods gathered in heaven to admire the beauty of the newly created universe.

But one god noticed something missing and felt sad. They believed a missing star was the best one, and its absence broke the chain of light. The joy among the gods ended, and they began searching for the lost star, but they couldn't find it.

Later, in the quiet night, the stars understood that perfection still exists everywhere. The search for the missing star was unnecessary. They realized that the feeling of imperfection comes from how we see things, not from reality itself. God's creation is perfect.

 

Critical Analysis

Tagore had a special way of using myths to make his writings more interesting and relatable. He criticizes people who are always unhappy with the world, focusing on what is missing or lost. These people often think that what they don’t have is better than what they do have. But in truth, everything in the world is already perfect in its own way. Instead of wishing for things that aren’t there, it’s better to appreciate and make the most of what we already have.

"The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and they cried in dismay - yes, that lost star was the best, she was the glory all heaven!"

The poem talks about hope and staying positive. The poet shares a story where gods are sad because they lost the most beautiful star in the sky. The happy music turns into sadness and worry. Tagore’s main message is that God’s creation is perfect, and nothing is truly wrong. It is only our lack of understanding and fear that makes us feel otherwise. The poet does not agree with people who always find problems in the world. Like the sad gods, they keep thinking about what they don't have. But the truth is, everything is perfect just as it is. So, we should live with hope, happiness, and positivity.