Leave this chanting and singing and telling of beads!
Whom dost thou worship in this lonely dark corner of a temple with doors all shut?
Open thine eyes and see thy God, not before thee!
He is there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and where the pathmaker is breaking stones.
He is with them in sun and in shower, and his garment is covered with dust.
Put of thy holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!
Deliverance? Where is this deliverance to be found?
Our master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation; he is bound with us all forever.
Come out of thy meditations and leave aside thy flowers and incense! What harm is there if thy clothes become tattered and stained?
Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.
Leave This Chanting Poem Summary
Rabindranath Tagore criticizes those ascetics who try to find God in seclusion.
The poet wants ascetics to participate in the daily humble activities of life for the realization of God.
The poet advises the ascetics to give up chanting of Mantras, singing of Bhajan, and counting the beads of a rosary. They cannot find God by alienating themselves from the rest of humanity. Hence, God’s remembrance with half-shut eyes in the dark corner of a temple is the least helpful in the realization of God. If they really want to search for God, they should search Him within those who plough the hard land or break stones in the sun. God lives in the company of those who toil in sun and shower and whose clothes are soiled with dust. Priests should give up their holy clothes and work with farmers and labourers in dust and soil. The ascetics seek for deliverance from the bondage of life and death through the renunciation of life. But such a deliverance is a mere illusion. God, Himself is bound to us in chains of love. He Himself is not free as He has voluntarily bound Himself to the work of creation and to the objects He has created. How can then man ever hope to be free from creation? Deliverance is merely an illusion. Ascetics should accept life and discharge the humble duties of life with their fellow beings. The poet asks the ascetics to give up meditating in isolation, offering flowers and incense, and participating in the humble activities of everyday life. There is no harm if their clothes are stained or torn in discharging their humble duties. God lives among humble tillers and labourers, and He loves them, despite their stained and torn clothes. Participation in the activity of life is essential for the realization of God.