Part four — Reflections on Tagore

//Sri Chinmoy was an ardent student of Tagore's poetry and songs. Almost every day he listened to Bengal's best vocalists singing selections from Tagore's opus, and he himself at times performed Tagore's songs in concerts around the world. In his conversations and talks, Sri Chinmoy made many references to Tagore's unparalleled contribution to Bengali literature, as well as his profound impact on the West that culminated in his being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Sri Chinmoy was also charmed by Tagore's unique personality and was particularly appreciative of Tagore's magnanimous heart, which often manifested in lofty praise of his contemporaries. This chapter contains some of Sri Chinmoy's comments and reflections gathered from his talks and writings over the years.//

1.

I happen to be a great admirer of Tagore’s music. Almost every morning or during the day, I listen to Tagore’s songs. Tagore’s poems are totally different from others’ writings. Each poem of his is from the heart. There is not a single poem by Tagore that came from the mind. An Irish poet — W.B. Yeats — saw something in Tagore which was unique, and that is why he brought Tagore to the fore. When he sent Tagore’s poems to the Nobel Prize Committee, he pointed out that this was something totally new, a new approach.¹⁶