The small wisdom is like water in a glass: clear, transparent, pure. The great wisdom is like the water in the sea: dark, mysterious, impenetrable.
And because I love this life_x000D_ _x000D_ I know I shall love death as well_x000D_ _x000D_ The child cries out when_x000D_ _x000D_ From the right breast the mother_x000D_ _x000D_ Takes it away, in the very next moment_x000D_ _x000D_ To find in the left one_x000D_ _x000D_ Its consolation.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Embracing both life and death as integral parts of existence, indicating that love for life leads to acceptance of death.
Rabindranath Tagore's quote expresses a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of life and death. It suggests that just as a child experiences both the sadness of losing something cherished and the comfort of finding solace in something new, individuals must recognize that love for life naturally encompasses acceptance of death. This perspective invites a deeper appreciation for the cycles of existence, highlighting that love invites both joy and sorrow, fulfillment and loss, and that each experience contributes to our overall journey.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial service, one might reflect on Tagore's words to highlight the beauty of life and the inevitability of death.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
All quotes →Music fills the infinite between two souls. This has been muffled by the mist of our daily habits.
True deliverance of man is the deliverance from Avidya i.e. ignorance. It is not in destroying anything that is positive and real, for that cannot be possible, but that which is negative, which obstructs our vision of truth.
The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
To be outspoken is easy when you do not wait to speak the complete truth.
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