The Religion of Man

by Rabindranath Tagore, Philip Novak (Foreword by)

Cultural studies. Religion. Foreword by Phillip Novak. Tagore is unequivocable in his faith. He appreciates the intellectual triumphs of science, but he writes as a poet and philosopher. Man must never lose, in his material quests, his longing the touch of the Divine. Today, as he says, all barriers are down, the "God of humanity has arrived at the gates of the ruined temple of the tribe." Tagore achieved fame as a novelist, playwright, poet, painter, lecturer, politician and composer. In 1913, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, the first non-European to achieve such honor.

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, India, Poetry, Literature

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1933

About the author

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."

Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla.

The complete works of Rabindranath Tagore (রবীন্দ্র রচনাবলী) in the original Bengali are now available at these third-party websites:
http://www.tagoreweb.in/
http://www.rabindra-rachanabali.nltr....

Reviews

[Josephkohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curious work I stumbled across while perusing the philosophy section of the local library, I didn't really know what to expect. Tagore won several awards in his time, including a Nobel prize for his writing, and it certainly shows.

He directly states he is a poet, nothing more or less, and these are essentially his thoughts on God. Nothing too extraordinary is said, but it is said beautifully. He has some interesting ideas, and this work introduced me to certain aspects of Indian culture I was unfamiliar with, which I found quite pleasant.

I found it interesting while reading to note so many consistencies with contemporary culture and that of Tagore's 1920's and 30's. It seems less has changed regarding how people think than we'd like to believe these days. Perhaps he was just a progressive thinker. I recommend this to anyone looking for a different perspective on humanism and God who would like to be entertained by poetic lectures. You probably shouldn't expect something too new or life-altering though.

[Shotabdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

বইয়ের পরিশিষ্টের দশ পৃষ্ঠার জন্যই বইকে পাঁচ তারা মার্ক করা যায়। বাকি বইটুকুর নির্যাস জীবনে গ্রহণ করতে পারলে বিরাট ব্যাপার হয়৷ রবীন্দ্রনাথ যেভাবে জীবনদেবতার সাথে নিজের জীবনকে একীভূত করে দেখার প্রয়াস পেয়েছেন তারই তত্ত্ব বিশ্লেষণ রয়েছে মূল প্রবন্ধে। কোন জোর জবরদস্তি নেই, কোন উচ্চাঙ্গ ধর্মীয় বাণী নেই, তবুও এটি মানবধর্মের শ্রেষ্ঠ দলিল।
এই ধরনের বইই বারবার পড়তে হয় জীবনের বিভিন্ন মাত্রাকে ছোঁয়ার জন্য, অনুভব করার জন্য এবং নিজেকে চেনার জন্য।

[Володимир Демченко · Rating 4 out of 5]

Щільність оповіді/проповіді Рабіндраната Тагора така, що я був змушений читати по розділу (8-20 сторінок) в день, щоб мені взагалі дійшло що чувак має на увазі. При тому що тема мені доволі близька, і багато джерел на які посилається Тагор мені знайомі принаймні по стислому викладу, але тут треба всерйоз підключати не так логічно-мислєнєвий апарат, а симпатично-сенсорний. Основна думка Тагора в тому що є людина і є Людина. І от духовність якраз в спробах і в потязі людини стати Людиною. При цьому Рабінтранат починає свою оповідь з моменту утворення першої живої клітини і включає в свою логічну побудову всю еволюцію, яка в певний момент розділилась в людині на кількісну (фізичну) і якісну (духовну). Тагор змішує в своїх лекціях релігійний і духовний досвід зороастризму, християнства, ісламу і, найбільше, індуїзму виводячи його в універсальну формулу «моральної поведінки» яка перетворює тварину в людину, а людину в Людину, такий собі ідеал який охоплює собою Всесвіт і є частиною Єдиного. Будете готові - однозначно читайте.

[Ritika · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the publication. I am in no way reviewing the author, as I have said very often about Tagore. Just do yourself a favour and buy/read different publication, because my edition had tons of errors which made this beautiful theological work pretty hard at times.

About the actual substance of the book, I have always been in awe of Tagore's work and will always be.

[Alfie Shuvro · Rating 5 out of 5]

অনেক গুলো প্রবন্ধের গুচ্ছ। প্রবন্ধগুলো পড়ে বুঝতে পারা যায় রবি ঠাকুর কতখানি স্বশিক্ষিত ছিলেন। বার বার তুলে ধরেছেন মানুষের প্রকৃত ধর্মকে। জীবনের নিগূঢ় অর্থকে তুলে ধরেছেন সুনিপুণ সাহিত্যিক সুরে। জীবনের গভীর গভীর চিন্তা গুলোকে মেলে ধরেছেন । বুঝিয়ে দিয়েছেন প্রকৃত ধর্ম কি এবং কোনটি।

[Reading_ Tamishly]

You are next 💌☕

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for everyone: a book whose human interest and pervading attraction assure it an extensive appeal and lasting value. It is not a philosophical work, as its author recurrently warns us; in fact, its one semiphilosophical chapter (the first) may well be omitted. Its value is spiritual and poetical. It is principally a document of the spiritual life. To some readers the title may be a little misleading: for "the religion of man" which Tagore presents to us is very far indeed from the "religion" of the Western humanists. It is fundamentally celestial in its nature, and the name, which the poet has given it, is deceptively intended to distinguish it from the objective pantheism of much of Indian thought. Though Tagore is a firm believer in the union of man and God, he has no faith in ‘absolute identity’. He is a dualist who believes in a mysterious identity in difference. The duality is there but in his view it is not the final truth. Rhythm and harmony is the collective commandment governing all matter and all life, and this faith enables Tagore continuously to reunite and harmonise the opposites of life. In his poetry there is a constant synthesis of opposites. Thus freedom means freedom from bondage, but it can be realised only through bondage, Just as the string is bound to the harp and it produces music, so also life realises its freedom in the midst of bonds, just as the string and the harp realise it in being bound to each other. God is bound to the universe of His own creation, if He were absolutely free there will be no creation at all. "He is apart from it but also in it: His freedom is being constantly expressed through the fetters He is forging. God is infinite and eternal, but His infinity and eternity are achieved in time and space through endless forms". God for him is humanized; man deified. The religion of man is in terms of a concrete universal humanity; it is not a mere philosophical abstraction. The Eastern monistic systems of thought have the clue; there is everywhere an interpenetration of all things which in a correct perspective take on purposeful meaning; the Eternal Spirit permeates all. Similarly, he also harmonises the antagonism between illusion and truth, rather it is in truth that illusion merges itself. "Even illusion is true as illusion. The world may be Maya but it is also essential, for without appearance, reality cannot exist, and without illusion truth itself will he empty. Truth derives its meaning from the existence of illusion, appearance or Maya. World may be Maya, but its illusioriness is its reality. It is what it seems to be, and what it seems to be it is. It is through the deceptive world that the Supreme expresses itself, and it is by reaching forward to the Absolute that illusion justifies its existence. Life manifests itself through the dance of ‘is’ and ‘is not’, of ‘reality’ and ‘illusion’, and the synthesis of the two is achieved through the rhythm of this dance.

[Amit Mishra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have admired Tagore the playwright and the story teller, but this book introduces him as a theologist.

It was a revelation to understand, from his viewpoint, the idea of religion in general and of god in particular. To top it up, the book starts with a conversation with Albert Einstein, where the great minds of the last century, have a discussion about love, spirituality and god.

Even though the book was written about a century ago, the topics discussed are still very relevant. Tagore's thinking and understanding shines through the book and proves why, he was considered a writer who wrote much ahead of his times.

It is a must read for anyone, trying to understand the theme of organised religion and worship.

[mahesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tagore in this book tries not to be a poet even though his words can pierce your soul, He tries not to be a philosopher even though his words can strike a light on your slumber of darkness. If he is not trying to be a poet or philosopher, what is he then?
He is a common man.
He is a man who seeks truth by crossing the limitation of Maya to submerge in the universal spirit which connects all living and non-living beings of this endless universe.
When you read his work, you could hear the whisper of rishis and the giggle of Zoroastrians.
Reading this book was not easy, because his poetic composition required immense focus and complete involvement of all senses. I still feel I have not understood 10% of what this book has to offer. However, I have understood it echoes the spirit of the Upanishad.
It's a must-read book regardless of your personal beliefs. it's for those who believe in the human spirit to accept its diverse unity.

“I ask once again, let us, the dreamers of the East and the West, keep our faith firm in the Life that creates and not in the Machine that constructs— in the power that hides its force and blossoms in beauty, and not in the power that bares its arms and chuckles at its capacity to make itself obnoxious. Let us know that the Machine is good when it helps, but not so when it exploits life; that Science is great when it destroys evil, but not when the two enter into an unholy alliance.”

[Gurpreet Pannu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is quite a difficult book to read as it requires contemplation at every sentence which initially even if you choose not to do but later on you just can't ignore the man's intelligence. The book was clearly ahead of it's time.

[Ihor Kolesnyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Класика. Наївна віра іншої епохи, пієтет, суміш релігії, але без бога, гуманізму і поезії у прозі.

Думаю, може комусь сподобатися.

[Sajid · Rating 5 out of 5]

মানুষের দুইটি সত্তা–জীবসত্তা এবং মানবসত্তা।দৈন্দিন জীবনে নিজের চাহিদা মিটিয়ে জীবন-যাপন করাই হচ্ছে জীবসত্তা ;কিন্তু অনেকসময় মানুষ যখন নিজের সকল চাহিদাকে জগতের সত্যেকে উপলব্ধি করার জন্য,মহিমাকে বোঝার জন্য উৎসর্গ করে তখনই তাঁর মানবসত্তাটি প্রকাশ পায়।জীবসত্তা ঘরের মধ্যে সীমাবদ্ধ বস্তর ন্যায় এবং মানবসত্তা সেই ঘরের বাইরের সমস্ত কিছুকেই নিয়ে।মানুষ যখন জীবসত্তার ঘর থেকে বেরিয়ে বাইরের মানবসত্তাকে দেখতে পারে এবং উপলব্ধি করতে পারে,তখনই মানবজীবনের আসল ধর্মটা পরিলক্ষিত হয়।শুধু “আমি'র” মধ্যে সীমাবদ্ধ রেখে চিন্তা করলে ধর্মকে ও স্রষ্টাকে উপলব্ধি করা যায় না;বরং সকলকিছুকে “আমি” মনে করেই স্রষ্টাকে ও তাঁর ধর্মকে উপলব্ধি করা যায়।
সৃষ্টির সেরা জীব হচ্ছে মানুষ এবং মানুষের মধ্যেই স্রষ্টার বসবাস;ইশ্বরকে অন্য কোথায় অন্বেষণ না করে নিজের মধ্যে অন্বেষণ করলেই বোঝা যায় তিনি সকল কিছুর উর্ধ্বে।
গাছে গাছে ঘর্ষনে আগুন জ্বলে।জ্বলে বলেই জ্বলে–এই জেনে চুপ করে থাকলে মানুষকে দোষ দেওয়া যেত না।কিন্তু মানুষ ছেলে মানুষের মতো বার বার জিজ্ঞাসা করতে লাগলো,ঘর্ষনে আগুন জ্বলে কেন?।এই প্রশ্ন করার প্রবৃত্তিই মানুষকে পৌঁছে দিয়েছিল মানবসত্তার দিকে;হয়তো শুরুতে সেই প্রশ্নের উত্তরও ভূল এসেছিল,কিন্তু সেই ভূলের মাধ্যমেই মানুষ শিখতে পেরেছিল সত্যকে,বুঝতে পেরেছিল জগতের রহস্য মোচন করতে।লোভ বিশ্বের মানুষকে ভুলিয়ে বৈষয়িক মানুষ করে তোলে–কিন্তু সেই লোভকে যখন সে সংবরণ করতে পারে, তখন তাঁর মধ্যে দিয়ে ইশ্বরকে বোঝা যায়,জানা যায়।
শুধুমাত্র জীবসত্তায় সীমাবদ্ধ থাকলে মানুষ আর পশুর মধ্যে কোনো প্রভেদ থাকে না;পশুদের যেমন পেট ভরলেই চলে,সেইরুপ পেট ভরাই মানুষের উদ্দেশ্য নয়–বরং অগ্রীম কিছু আবিষ্কার করা ও সৌন্দর্যকে অনুভব করাই মানুষের উদ্দেশ্য। কেউ কেউ সেই উদ্দেশ্যকে বুঝতে পারছে;তাঁরাই ধর্মের কর্তব্য পালন করতে পারছে,আর কেউ কেউ তাঁদের উদ্দেশ্য বুঝতে পারছে না–তাঁরাই ভ্রমকে ধর্ম বলছে,ইচ্ছাকে সত্য বলছে।
উক্ত প্রবন্ধে কবিগুরুর লিখিত আত্মাধিক শক্তিসম্পন্ন এবং হৃদয় কম্পিত একটি কবিতা—
জাগিয়া দেখিনু আমি,আঁধারে রয়েছি আঁধা
আপনারি মাঝে আমি আপনি রয়েছি বাঁধা।
রয়েছি মগন হয়ে আপনারি কলস্বরে,
ফিরে আসে প্রতিধ্বনি নিজেরি শ্রবন-’পরে।

প্রবন্ধের মূলভাবঃ আমাদের সবার মধ্যেই জীবসত্তার আবরণটি জটিলভাবে বেষ্টন হয়ে আছে;যেদিন সেই আবরণ ভেদ করে প্রত্যুষের আলোর ন্যায় মানবসত্তার আলো দেখতে পাবো,সেদিনই মানুষের ধর্ম ও ইশ্বরকে উপলব্ধি করতে পারব।

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very beautiful book on many levels...Rabindranath teaches about love, how to love how to love ourselves and others,,. Or it is a book on how to see, see ourselves, see others and see God but then again if you read it you can decide,,,the other review are excellent viewpoints bout this book too... I am glad I got a better chance to know Rabindranath through his words and experiences... Cheers t o All :)

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible book. It is a must read, regardless of religious affiliation or belief. For me, this book went a long way toward putting into perspective our relationship with God, ourselves and organized religion. The ideas and thoughts in this book are perhaps even more valuable today than when they were first written in the 1930's.

[Gopal MS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book about RT's thoughts and experiences with religion. A must read for those who want to understand religion. Highly recommended.

[Sagheer Afzal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book which reveals the philosophy of Tagore is an interesting read. It shows Tagore to be an intensely spiritual man, but from the evidence of this book he was no visionary. This book is a collection of the lectures he gave when in England; some of the the earlier chapters or lectures are over-personalised and hurried. Within them he does give some bizarre philosophical musings, saying that it is strange that men should not have one eye in the back of their head, so as to protect their back. There are a few other strange anatomical observations such as these.

On page 134; he recounts how when walking with a Chinese friend in Peking; his friend exclaims with 'vehement enthusiasm' 'Look, here is a donkey' Tagore then proceeds an proceeds to extract a huge amount of philosophical insight from this.

Undoubtedly Tagore was a pioneer of Bengali poetry and the book shows how he was deeply influenced by a group of singing nomads called the Bauls. But, in all honestly, he doesn't really offer any new insights into how his spirituality derives from the Hindu and Muslim cultures. He quotes from the Vedas and from Kabir, but doesn't have much to say about the caste system that came from the Vedic religion.

All in all, a book for Tagore fans only.

[Mosharaf Hossain · Rating 4 out of 5]

এমন একটা সময়ে রবীন্দ্রনাথের প্রবন্ধগুচ্ছটি পড়া শেষে যখন ভাবছিলাম নতুন করে, ঠিক তখনি দেখলাম ধর্মতন্ত্রীদের প্রবল হিংস্র হয়ে উঠতে। আহ! এক সপ্তাহ ধরে যা পড়ছিলাম, ক্ষনিকের মধ্যে সব চোখের সামনে মিথ্যে হয়ে গেল।

ফিরে আসি প্রবন্ধে। পুরো বইতে রবীন্দ্রনাথ মানুষের ভেতরে থাকা দুটি ধর্মের অস্তিত্বের কথা বলেছেন। প্রথমটি জৈব ধর্ম, যা নিতান্তই জৈবিক।

রবীন্দ্রনাথ বলেন, "গাছে গাছে ঘর্ষণে আগুন জ্বলে। জ্বলে বলে'ই জ্বলে, এই জেনে চুপ করে থাকলে মানুষের বুদ্ধিকে দোষ দেওয়া যেত না।... কিন্তু, মানুষ ছেলেমানুষের মতো বারবার জিজ্ঞাস করতে লাগল, ঘর্ষণে আগুন জ্বলে কেন। বুদ্ধির বেগারখাটুনি শুরু হল।"

এই যে বুদ্ধির বেগারখাটুনি, মানুষের জানার তীব্র ইচ্ছা এটাকেই তিনি বলেছেন মানুষের দ্বিতীয় ধর্ম, মানসধর্ম। তার কথায় বারবার উঠে এসেছে মানবজাতির মধ্যে মানসধর্মের জাগরণ হওয়ার কারণে কীভাবে মানুষ আস্তে আস্তে ছাড়িয়ে গিয়েছে তার জীবসত্তাকে। একসময় সে প্রাণীজগতের স্বভাবধর্ম থেকে উন্নীত হয় মানুষের ধর্মে।

তিনি বলেছেন, এরপরেই মানুষ কেবলই সামনে এগিয়েছে। আস্তে আস্তে কঠিন পথ পাড়ি দিয়ে সে লাভ করতে চেয়েছে পরিপূর্ণতা, অসত্যকে মাড়িয়ে সত্যকে, অন্ধকারকে দূরে ঠেলে জ্যোতির দিকে।

তিনি বলেন, "এই আহব্বান মানুষকে কোনোকালে কোথাও থামতে দিল না; তাকে চিরপথিক করে দিল। ক্লান্ত হয়ে যারা পথ ছেড়ে পাকা করে ঘর বেঁধেছে তারা আপন সমাধিঘর রচনা করেছে।"

রবিঠাকুর মানুষের ব্যক্তিসত্তার নাম দিয়েছেন অহং আর ব্যক্তির ভিতরের অর্থাৎ অন্তর্গত সত্তাকে বলেছেন আত্মা। তুলনা দিয়ে বলেন, ব্যক্তিসত্তাকে যদি বলি প্রদীপ, তো আত্মা হচ্ছে তার শিখা।

শতবছর আগে লেখা এই বইটির কথাগুলো এখনো বাস্তব। তিনি বারবার বলেছেন এবং দেখিয়েছেন কীভাবে মানুষকে এবং নিজেকে ভালোবাসতে হয়।

প্রথমবার পড়তে গিয়ে আমাকে বারবার থামতে হয়েছে প্রতিটা লাইনে। আপততদৃষ্টিতে বেশ কঠিন লাগলেও, দ্বিতীয়বার পড়ার সময় মনে হয়েছে "অসাধারণ।"

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

November 2025:

Tagore is a profound and beautiful thinker. This book is a wonderful little compendium of his wisdom and poetic philosophy.

June 2022:

A truly profound book which demands sustained contemplation throughout. Tagore explores his humanistic theology in poetic prose, exploring the fundamental humanism at the heart of all creeds. Moving away from the narrow political sectarianism, he asks for a 'harmony of interdependence' and a 'unity of interrelationship', which can help us move beyond the artifical barriers that divide us from one another.

Discussing evolution, the nature of the Divine and then Zarathustra's universalist, ethical revolution; as well as the beauty of nature- the author has some pretty compelling insights. His God is neither the God of the priests, nor of the theologians, nor of the philosophers, nor of a particular tribe. Tagore, 'the greatest of the Bauls', holds to a more pantheistic notion of God as part and parcel of nature and man, and as a symbol of our fundamental human unity.

There are also two essays by Kshitimohan Sen enclosed in the appendix: on the Bauls and the mystic, Dadu, extracts from the book 'The Medieval Mysticism of India' (also reviewed)

[Fadillah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the second book by Tagore that i read. His writing is never disappointing especially how well he put together his point. Sure, everybody had their own perspective on religion but Tagore decided to look at it in the humanity approach and how god can exist in our inner self. He clarified how the relationship of human being with environment, cosmic and those around him is one of God's greatest values. Tagore is no poet but reading this book made me wanna beg to differ. I can't believe this book released around 1920-1930, it is still relevant until today. To cut short, this is such an interesting and insightful book.

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could remember a quote by a scientist trying to find where life begins by looking at smaller and smaller particles until life slipped through his hands. For Tagore, his search for God is not in the thing but in the relationship of things to one another. His view of creation itself is a series of overcome obstacles. I'd love to know where the Muslim village is in Bengal was where he saw what sounds like a passion play. And I'll always love the paragraph that starts "In the night we stumble over things and become acutely conscious of their individual separateness. But the day reveals the greater unity which embraces them."

[Rajon Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

"গাছে গাছে ঘর্ষণে আগুন জ্বলে। জ্বলে বলেই জ্বলে, এই জেনে চুপ করে থাকলে মানুষের বুদ্ধিকে দোষ দেয়া যেতনা। কিন্তু মানুষ ছেলেমানুষের মত বারবার জিজ্ঞাসা করতে লাগল, ঘর্ষণে আগুন কেন জ্বলে। খুব সম্ভব গোড়ায় ছেলেমানুষের মতই জবাব দিয়েছিল; হয়তো বলেছিল গাছের মধ্যে এক রাগী ভুত বাস করে। এইরকম সব উত্তরে মানুষের পূরাণ বোঝাই করা। যাদের শিশুবুদ্ধি কিছুতেই বাড়তে চায় না তারা এইরকম উত্তরকে আঁকড়ে ধরে থাকে।"

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was introduced to Tagore by Michael Miley, just after high school. This book, insofar as I can recollect it, represents his humanistic theology.

[Абрахам Хосебр · Rating 5 out of 5]

14 липня 1930 року в Кейпуті відбулася розмова між двома геніями людської цивілізації: Рабіндранатом Тагорам і Альбертом Ейнштейном. Нижче я хочу привести уривок з цієї розмови.
“Ейнштейн: Нашу природну точку зору стосовно існування істини незалежно від людства не можна пояснити чи довести, але це є віра, яка може бути у всіх, навіть у примітивних істот. Ми приписуємо Істині надлюдську об’єктивність; це необхідно для нас; це реальність, яка незалежна від нашого існування і нашого досвіду, і нашого розуму, хоча ми не можемо сказати, що це значить.
Тагор: Наукою доведено, що цей стіл є твердим об’єктом, є видимим явищем, і отже те, що людський розум сприймає як стіл, не існувало б, якби того розуму не було. Разом з тим слід зауважити, що той факт, що остаточна фізична реальність стола є не що інше, як безліч окремих обертаних центрів, - електронних сил, - також належить людському розуму.
У розумінні істини точиться вічний конфлікт між всесвітнім людським розумом і таким же розумом окремого індивіда. Вічний процес примирення розгортається в нашій науці і філософії, і в нашій етиці. У всякім разі, якби існувала будьяка істина, що абсолютно не стосується людства, тоді для нас вона була б абсолютно неіснуючою.
Неважко уявити розум, для якого послідовність речей траплялася не в просторі, але тільки в часі, як послідовність нот у музиці. Для такого розуму його концепція реальності схожа на реальність музичну, в якій геометрія Піфагора може не мати жодного значення. Є реальність паперу, безкінечності, відмінної від реальності літератури. Для розуму молі, що їсть той папір, ніякої літератури нема і в заводі, хоча для людського розуму сама література має більшу цінність відносно істини, ніж сам папір. Так само, якби існувала якась істина, що не має жодного корисного чи раціонального стосунку до людського розуму, вона б завжди залишалася для нас нічим, оскільки мизалишаємося людськими істотами.
Ейнштейн: Тоді я релігійніший за вас!
Тагор : Моя релігія полягає в освяченні Надособистої людини, Всесвітнього людського духу у моєму власному індивідуальному єстві. Це був предмет моїх Лекцій Гібберта, які я назвав «Релігія Людини».”

Коли я підступався до читання цієї книги, то підсвідомо готував себе до того, що не почую нічого нового. Бо, ж думалось мені, що може бути після Фрейзера, Тейлора, Ґрейвса і Еліаде… Я помилився.
Работа Тагора спочатку бентежить позірною складністю і нагромадженням само повторів, але вже десь з третього розділу, коли автор описує секту Бенгальських Співців Баюл, стає по-справжньому цікаво. Це вчення захоплює тим, що його послідовники займаються постійними пошуками бога в собі і в зовнішньому світі. Кабір, Нанак, Равідас, Даду та їх послідовники вважають тіло людини єдиним можливим храмом Бога. В них немає релігійних текстів, чи заповідей, натомість вони в якості молитви створюють пісні, котрі співають для Бога Особи і Людей:
“У цьому тілі є Райський Сад; у ньому сім морів і міріади зір; тут істинний Творець”
Баюли кажуть, що пустота часу й простору потрібні, як майданчик для гри. Тому Бог приготував пустоту в серці людини для своєї Гри Любові.
Тут читачеві стає зрозуміла релігійна концепція Тагора, аналізуючи зороастризм та буддизм, він приходить до висновку, що люди всіх часів вигадували для себе якийсь прообраз Надлюдини. Бог насправді був Досконалою Людиною, бо як каже Лукіан, що в корів, бог мав би роги, а у свиней – рило.
Відповідно, все сприйняте людиною є було і буде людським.
Тут постає концепція Бога Особи, який мені дуже схожий на кабалістичного Адама Кадмона – первочоловіка, котрий своїм тіло стоїть на землі і в небі, поєднує в собі свідоме і несвідоме, день і ніч.
Другий цінний аспект релігійної думки Тагора – повстання проти споживницького суспільства, в котрому людина і її внутрішній світ відходять на задній план, а зразком успішності стає можливість безконечного придбання товарів та брендів. Великий геній передбачив дегенеративну модель, котра панує в сучасному світі. “Людина яскраво блисне в твоїх очах, мій дорогий, коли ти закриєш двері жадання”
Також Тагор говорить про еволюцію релігій. Наприклад, первісні культи були поклонінням стихіям, тваринним тотемам і жорстоким богам війни – тим первісним силам, котрі двигали людство на початку його становлення. Потім політеїзм поступово почав приходити до монотеїзму і врешті, погляд самого Тагора можна назвати Пантеїзмом .
Свою книгу він закінчує такою сентенцією: “Бог не є загальною сумою фактів, а метою, що перебуває незбагненно вище від усього, охопленого минулим і теперішнім.”
Напевно, такій релігії і належить майбутнє. Ідеальний Бог це Дорога, Висока Мета, котру здійснює не одна людина, а все людство загалом.

[فاروق · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written towards the end of his life, and after his famous lectures on Nationalism, this collects a series of lectures Tagore gave at Oxford describing his religious thought. I'll share some excerpts below, but overall the book is filled with lots of precious insights from someone who was clearly a great soul and took spiritual cultivation very seriously. Tagore was raised in a Brahmin family, was monotheist from a young age, and believed that the fruit of religious contemplation and devotion should be the union with the Divine and a recognition of humanity's shared bonds. Tagore cites heavily from the Upanishads and other Hindua texts, but also references Buddhism, Chinese religious figures, Eve, and evolutionary theory. By referencing all of these traditions, and then focusing on cultivating one's heart and soul, he makes a strong attempt at articulating a universalist theory of religion.

“For man by nature is an artist; he never receives passively and accurately in his mind a physical representation of things around him. There goes on a continual adaptation, a transformation of facts into human imagery, through constant touches of his sentiments and imagination.”

Contemplating the gayatri verse of meditation in his initiation ceremony of Brahminhood, he wrote, “this produced a sense of serene exaltation in me, the daily meditation upon the infinite being which unites in one stream of creation my mind and the outer world.”

“Simplicity takes no account of its own value, claims no wages, and therefore those who are enamored of power do not realize that simplicity of spiritual expression is the highest product of civilization.”

“Civilization is to express Man’s dharma and not merely his cleverness, power, and expression.”

“Gladness is the one criterion of truth, and we know when we have touched Truth by the music it gives, by the joy of greeting it sends forth to the truth in us. That is the true foundation of all religions.”

“Somewhere in the arrangement of this world there seems to be a great concern about giving us delight, which shows that, in the universe, over and above the meaning of matter and forces, there is a message conveyed through the magic touch of personality. This touch cannot be analyzed, it can only be felt."

“The sky seemed to bring to me the call of a personal companionship, and all my heart—my whole body in fact—used to drink in at a draught the overflowing light and peace of those silent hours.”

"For it is evident that my religion is a poet’s religion, and neither that of an orthodox man of piety nor that of a theologian. Its touch comes to me through the same unseen and trackless channel as does the inspiration of my songs.”

“The truth which is not reached through the analytical process of reasoning and does not depend for proof on some corroboration of outward facts or the prevalent faith and practice of the people—the truth which comes like an inspiration out of the context with its surroundings bring with it an assurance that it has been sent from an inner source of divine wisdom, that the individual who has realized it is specially inspired and therefore has his responsibility as a direct medium of communication of Divine Truth.”

[Joseph Knecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable prose on eastern thought. Although Tagore draws many of his inspirations from the Vedas, Upanishads and the Gita, Tagore gives it all a personal touch. He explains everything through his personal experience. And that is the only way to experience the Brahman, the only truth.

Some excerpts I really liked:
And this is why there is such a thing as progress in our civilization; for progress means that there is an ideal perfection which the individual seeks to reach by extending his limits in knowledge, power, love, enjoyment, thus approaching the universal.

Life’s story of evolution, the main subject of which is the opening of the doors of the dark dungeon, seems to develop in the same manner. Difficulties were created, and at each offer of an answer the story had to discover further obstacles in order to carry on the adventure. For to come to an absolutely satisfactory conclusion is to come to the end of all things, and in that case the great child would have nothing else to do but to shut her curtain and go to sleep.

What am I?” Man is not happy or contented as the animals are; for his happiness and his peace depend upon the truth of his answer.

To gain truth is to admit its separateness, but to be true is to become one with truth.

The truth which filled his mind was not a thing which he borrowed from books or received from teachers; he did not come to it by following a prescribed path of tradition, but it came to him as an illumination of his entire life, almost like a communication of his universal self to his personal self,

And Brahma, according to those Indians, could neither be apprehended by mind nor described by words, even as matter in its ultimate analysis proves to be.

Truth is both finite and infinite at the same time, it moves and yet moves not, it is in the distant, also in the near, it is within all objects and without them

[Sumit Dhamija · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Religion of Man by Rabindranath Tagore is a commanding exposition on the meaning and significance of religion in the cultural history of man.

The depth in Tagore’s prose & poetry is hard to be fathomed. In this book, Tagore explores the concept of religion not merely as a philosophical subject, but as a thing of experience.

In Sanskrit language, religion goes by the name dharma, which in the derivative meaning implies the principle of relationship that holds us firm. Religion consists in the endeavour of men to cultivate and express those qualities which are inherent in the Supreme being (read Brahman), and to have faith in Him. If these qualities were absolutely natural in individuals, religion could have no purpose.

The great Chinese sage Lao-tze has said: ‘One who may die, but will not perish has life everlasting’. In this saying it is suggested that there is a life which is truer for men than their physical life which is transient. For we die when we lose our physical life, we perish when we miss our humanity. And humanity is the dharma of human beings.

A village poet of Bengal says:
He is within us, an unfathomable reality. We know Him when we unlock our own Self and meet in a true love with all others.

This is the infinite perspective of human personality where man finds his religion.

[Leonardo]

[Tagore] ...en La religión del hombre, de 1930, sostuvo que la humanidad sólo avanzaría si cultivaba la capacidad de comprensión y de integración, lo que podría lograrse sólo mediante una educación que colocara el acento en el aprendizaje global, las artes y la autocrítica que propone Sócrates.

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En La religión del hombre, hace extensivo el análisis al plano mundial cuando afirma que las naciones del mundo se encuentran frente a frente y que sólo pueden evitar la debacle si aprenden a entenderse y a forjar el futuro de la humanidad mediante la cooperación.

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[Yun Rou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Religion gets a bum rap these days in some quarters, and yet the forthright tone of this, the pure faith that shines through all the observations and feelings, make it an important and thought-provoking piece of work for those at work on the way they see the world.

[Ave R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mereka berkata, apa perlunya kuil lain bagi kami, bukankah tubuh kami ini adalah kuil di mana Roh Tertinggi menjadikannya sebagai rumah-Nya? Tubuh manusia, meski direndahkan oleh kebanyakan agama, bagi mereka adalah paling suci, karena di dalamnya berdiam Ilahi sebagai Manusia Hati.

[Souvik Khamrui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polymath Tagore's phylisopoic views on human life - insightful as usual.