# The Beggar's Gift explained — Gitanjali

> Chapter companion for Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore.

## What happens

The poet, having gone a-begging, encounters a divine king who asks not to give but to receive. The poet offers a single grain of corn, only to find it transformed into gold at day's end, prompting regret for not giving everything.

## Themes in this chapter

### Surrender and Egolessness

The poet's hesitation to give all reveals the struggle between ego and complete surrender.

### Poverty and Humility

The poet's beggarly state and the divine's request highlight the virtue of giving from one's poverty.

## Character check-ins

### The Poet

The beggar who hesitates to give all to the divine king.

### The Divine

The king who descends from the golden chariot and asks for a gift.

## Key lines

> What hast thou to give to me?

The divine king asks the beggar what he can offer in return.

_This reversal of roles emphasizes that true giving comes from the heart, not from abundance._

> I bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all.

The poet regrets not offering everything he had to the divine.

_The transformation of the grain into gold symbolizes the infinite value of even a small gift given with full devotion._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/l
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gitanjali_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters