# Chapter XXXIII explained — Gitanjali

> Chapter companion for Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore.

## What happens

The poet describes how visitors come humbly by day, asking only for a small room and a share in divine grace, but at night they reveal their true nature by violently plundering the sacred shrine.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Sacrilege

The contrast between humble daytime behavior and violent nighttime greed highlights the hypocrisy of false devotees.

## Character check-ins

### The Poet

The narrator who observes the hypocrisy of the visitors.

### The Divine

The deity whose altar is desecrated by the hypocrites.

## Key lines

> When it was day they came into my house and said, “We shall only take the smallest room here.” They said, “We shall help you in the worship of your God and humbly accept only our own share in his grace”; and then they took their seat in a corner and they sat quiet and meek.

During daylight, visitors arrived and modestly requested only the smallest space, offering to assist in worship and accept only their due portion of grace, then sat quietly and humbly in a corner.

_Describes the deceptive humility of the visitors by day._

> But in the darkness of night I find they break into my sacred shrine, strong and turbulent, and snatch with unholy greed the offerings from God’s altar.

However, under cover of night, they forcefully invade the holy place, acting violently and greedily stealing the offerings from the divine altar.

_Reveals the true sacrilegious nature of the visitors at night._

## Links

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