Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore: A Masterpiece of Poetry and Music
Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore: A Poem of Eternal Love
Have you ever wondered what it means to love someone unconditionally and endlessly? Have you ever felt a connection with someone that transcends time and space? Have you ever expressed your love through poetry and music? If you have, then you might relate to Unending Love, a poem by Rabindranath Tagore, one of the most celebrated poets and thinkers of India.
unending love by rabindranath tagore pdf download
Introduction
Unending Love is a poem that expresses the speaker's devotion and admiration for his beloved, whom he seems to have loved in many forms and lifetimes. The poem celebrates the idea of eternal love, which is not bound by time, place, or circumstance. The poem also reflects Tagore's own views on spirituality, reincarnation, and poetry.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a Bengali poet, writer, philosopher, artist, musician, and social reformer. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection Gitanjali, which contains poems that express his mystical vision of life and his deep reverence for nature. He was also a pioneer of modern Indian literature, who wrote in various genres and languages. He was influenced by both Eastern and Western traditions, and he sought to create a harmony between them.
Unending Love is one of his most famous poems, which has been translated into many languages and adapted into various forms of art. It was originally written in Bengali and titled Ananta Prem, which means "infinite love". It was published in his collection Sanchayita in 1910. It has been quoted by many celebrities and personalities, such as Audrey Hepburn, Ray Martin, Khaled Mattawa, and others. It has also been used in movies, such as The Last Lear and The Vow.
Summary and Analysis of the Poem
The poem consists of four stanzas, each with six lines. The rhyme scheme is ABABCC, and the meter is iambic pentameter. The poem uses various poetic devices, such as imagery, metaphor, repetition, alliteration, and personification. The poem can be divided into four parts, each corresponding to a stanza, which we will analyze below.
First stanza
I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times In life after life, in age after age, forever. My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs, That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms, In life after life, in age after age, forever.
In the first stanza, the speaker declares his unending love for his beloved, whom he has loved in countless forms and times. He uses the word "seem" to suggest that his love is beyond his comprehension and rationality. He believes that his love is eternal and transcendent, that it persists through different lives and ages. He repeats the phrase "in life after life, in age after age, forever" to emphasize the idea of reincarnation and infinity.
The speaker also compares his love to a necklace of songs, which he has made and remade for his beloved. This metaphor implies that his love is expressed through poetry and music, which are beautiful and precious gifts. It also implies that his love is adaptable and flexible, that it can suit his beloved's different forms and personalities. The image of the necklace also suggests a connection and a bond between the lovers, who wear each other's songs around their necks.
Second stanza
Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, its age-old pain, Its ancient tale of being apart or together. As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge, Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time: You become an image of what is remembered forever.
In the second stanza, the speaker reveals that his love is inspired by old stories of love, which have been told for ages. He mentions the pain and the joy of love, which are common themes in literature and history. He says that whenever he hears these stories, he looks back into the past and sees his beloved emerging from the darkness of time. He compares his beloved to a pole-star, which is a bright star that guides travelers and sailors. This metaphor suggests that his beloved is a constant and reliable source of light and direction for him. It also suggests that his beloved is unique and distinguished among all other stars.
The speaker also says that his beloved becomes an image of what is remembered forever. This implies that his beloved is not only a part of his past, but also his present and future. His beloved is etched in his memory and imagination, which are timeless and immortal.
Third stanza
You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount. At the heart of time, love of one for another. We have played alongside millions of lovers, shared in the same Shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell- Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever.
In the third stanza, the speaker expands his perspective from his personal love to the universal love. He says that he and his beloved have floated on the stream that brings from the fount, which is a metaphor for the source of life and love. He says that at the heart of time, there is love of one for another, which is the essence and purpose of existence. He says that he and his beloved have played alongside millions of lovers, who have experienced the same emotions and stages of love as they have. He mentions the shy sweetness of meeting, which is the joy and excitement of finding love; and the distressful tears of farewell, which is the sorrow and pain of losing love.
The speaker also says that their love is old but in shapes that renew and renew forever. This means that their love is ancient but always fresh and new. It also means that their love changes its form but not its substance. Their love adapts to different situations and circumstances but remains true and faithful.
Fourth stanza
Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you The love of all mans days both past and forever: Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life. The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours the songs of every poet past and forever.
In the fourth stanza, the speaker concludes his declaration of love by saying that his love is heaped at his beloved's feet, and that it has found its end in his beloved. This means that his love is humble and devoted, and that his beloved is the ultimate goal and destination of his love. He says that his love is the love of all man's days both past and forever, which means that his love is timeless and universal. He says that his love encompasses universal joy, universal sorrow, and universal life, which means that his love embraces all aspects and emotions of life. He says that the memories of all loves merge with this one love of theirs, which means that their love is a synthesis and a culmination of all other loves. He says that their love echoes the songs of every poet past and forever, which means that their love is poetic and inspirational.
Themes and Symbols of the Poem
The poem explores various themes and symbols that relate to the concept of unending love. Some of them are:
Themes
Eternal love: The main theme of the poem is eternal love, which is a love that transcends time, space, and death. The speaker believes that he and his beloved have loved each other in many forms and lifetimes, and that their love will continue forever. He expresses his love through poetry and music, which are also eternal forms of art.
Reincarnation: Another theme of the poem is reincarnation, which is the belief that the soul is reborn in different bodies after death. The speaker implies that he and his beloved have been reincarnated many times, and that they have always found each other in every life. He also implies that they will be reincarnated again in the future, and that their love will never end.
Poetry and music: Another theme of the poem is poetry and music, which are the mediums through which the speaker expresses his love. He compares his love to a necklace of songs, which he has made and remade for his beloved. He also says that their love echoes the songs of every poet past and forever. He suggests that poetry and music are universal languages of love, which can convey emotions and feelings that words cannot.
Symbols
Necklace of songs: A symbol of the speaker's love is a necklace of songs, which he has made and remade for his beloved. This symbolizes that his love is expressed through poetry and music, which are beautiful and precious gifts. It also symbolizes that his love is adaptable and flexible, that it can suit his beloved's different forms and personalities. The image of the necklace also suggests a connection and a bond between the lovers, who wear each other's songs around their necks.
Pole-star: Another symbol of the speaker's love is a pole-star, which is a bright star that guides travelers and sailors. This symbolizes that his beloved is a constant and reliable source of light and direction for him. It also symbolizes that his beloved is unique and distinguished among all other stars.
Stream and fount: Another symbol of the speaker's love is a stream and a fount, which are sources of water and life. This symbolizes that he and his beloved have floated on the stream that brings from the fount, which is a metaphor for the source of life and love. It also symbolizes that their love is part of the universal stream of love, which flows through all living beings.
Conclusion
Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore is a poem that celebrates the idea of eternal love, which is not bound by time, place, or circumstance. The speaker declares his unending love for his beloved, whom he has loved in countless forms and times. He expresses his love through poetry and music, which are also eternal forms of art. He relates his personal love to the universal love, which is the essence and purpose of existence. He uses various poetic devices, such as imagery, metaphor, repetition, alliteration, and personification to convey his emotions and feelings.
The poem also reflects Tagore's own views on spirituality, reincarnation, and poetry. Tagore was a Bengali poet, writer, philosopher, artist, musician, and social reformer, who was influenced by both Eastern and Western traditions. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection Gitanjali, which contains poems that express his mystical vision of life and his deep reverence for nature. He was also a pioneer of modern Indian literature, who wrote in various genres and languages.
The poem inspires readers today by offering a message of hope and faith in the power of love. The poem reminds us that love is eternal and transcendent, that it persists through different lives and ages. The poem also reminds us that love is universal and inclusive, that it embraces all aspects and emotions of life. The poem also reminds us that love is poetic and inspirational, that it can be expressed through art and music.
FAQs
Where can I download Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore PDF?
There are many websites that offer free PDF downloads of Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore, such as Scribd, PDF Drive, Archive.org, and others. However, you should be careful about the quality and legality of these downloads, as some of them may be unauthorized or corrupted. You can also buy the PDF version of the poem from online bookstores, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others.
What is the original title and language of Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore?
The original title of Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore is Ananta Prem, which means "infinite love" in Bengali. The original language of the poem is Bengali, which is the native language of Tagore and the official language of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. The poem was published in his collection Sanchayita in 1910.
What are some other poems by Rabindranath Tagore that express unending love?
Some other poems by Rabindranath Tagore that express unending love are:
I Cannot Remember My Mother: A poem that expresses the speaker's longing for his mother, who died when he was young.
The Gardener: A poem that expresses the speaker's love for his beloved, who is compared to a gardener who tends his flowers.
Where the Mind is Without Fear: A poem that expresses the speaker's love for his country, which he hopes to be free from fear and oppression.
If You Forget Me: A poem that expresses the speaker's love for his beloved, who he asks to remember him even if they are apart.
Let Me Not Forget: A poem that expresses the speaker's love for God, who he asks to not forget him even if he forgets himself.
What are some other works by Rabindranath Tagore that are similar to Unending Love?
Some other works by Rabindranath Tagore that are similar to Unending Love are:
Gitanjali: A collection of poems that express Tagore's mystical vision of life and his deep reverence for nature.
The Home and the World: A novel that explores the themes of nationalism, freedom, and love during the Indian independence movement.
Sadhana: A book of essays that explain Tagore's philosophy of spirituality and humanism.
Chitrangada: A dance drama that tells the story of a warrior princess who falls in love with a prince.
Rabindra Sangeet: A genre of music that consists of songs composed by Tagore, which blend Indian classical and folk music with Western influences.
What are some other poems that explore the theme of eternal love?
Some other poems that explore the theme of eternal love are:
Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare: A sonnet that compares the speaker's beloved to a summer's day and claims that their beauty will never fade.
How Do I Love Thee? by Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A sonnet that enumerates the ways the speaker loves their beloved with their whole being.
I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings: A poem that expresses the speaker's inseparable bond with their beloved, whom they carry in their heart wherever they go.
by Robert Burns: A poem that compares the speaker's love to a red rose and a sweet melody, and vows to love their beloved until the end of time.
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats: A poem that imagines the speaker's beloved in old age, and reminds them of their youthful love that was true and deep.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article on Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore. If you want to learn more about Tagore and his works, you can visit his official website here. You can also watch this video here that recites the poem with beautiful visuals and music. Thank you for your attention and interest. 71b2f0854b