Gitanjali · Chapter
VI explained
The poet urgently requests the divine to pluck a humble flower before it fades, acknowledging its modest beauty and offering it in service before time runs out.
What happens
The poet urgently requests the divine to pluck a humble flower before it fades, acknowledging its modest beauty and offering it in service before time runs out.
Themes in this chapter
Beauty of the Ordinary and Nature
The flower, though small and faint, is cherished and offered as a symbol of humble beauty.
Surrender and Egolessness
The poet surrenders the flower to the divine, accepting its modest place in the garland.
Characters to notice
- The Poet
The speaker who offers a humble flower to the divine, fearing the passage of time.
- The Divine
The recipient of the flower offering, addressed as 'thy' and 'thy hand'.
Key passages
“Pluck this little flower and take it, delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust.”
Take this small flower now, without hesitation, because I am afraid it will wither and fall to the ground.
The poet expresses urgency in offering the flower before it perishes.
“Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is time.”
Even though the flower is not brightly colored or strongly scented, please accept it for your service and pick it before it's too late.
The poet acknowledges the flower's modesty but insists on its worth in divine service.