# XCVII explained — Gitanjali

> Chapter companion for Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore.

## What happens

The poet reflects on a past time of playful, innocent companionship with the divine, contrasting it with the present moment of awe and reverence as the playtime ends and the divine's true majesty is revealed.

## Themes in this chapter

### Divine Love and Devotion

The shift from playful companionship to reverent awe reflects a deepening of devotional love.

### Playtime over, divine sight appears

The chapter directly describes the end of play and the sudden vision of the divine's grandeur.

## Character check-ins

### The Poet

Recalls past playful intimacy with the divine and now experiences a sudden, awe-filled revelation.

### The Divine

Addressed as 'thee'; once a comrade in play, now revealed in majestic silence.

## Key lines

> When my play was with thee I never questioned who thou wert. I knew nor shyness nor fear, my life was boisterous.

When I played with you, I never wondered who you were. I felt no shyness or fear; my life was full of energy.

_Describes the innocent, carefree nature of the past relationship with the divine._

> Now, when the playtime is over, what is this sudden sight that is come upon me? The world with eyes bent upon thy feet stands in awe with all its silent stars.

Now that the play is finished, what is this sudden vision I see? The whole world, with its silent stars, gazes at your feet in reverence.

_Contrasts the past playfulness with the present moment of awe and worship._

## Links

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