Chapter Name: Gitanjali (POEM)
Subject: Modern English
Class: 7
Board: Board Of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM/BSEM)
Contents: The Substance of the Poem, Questions and Answers
Solutions for class 7 English Chapter 1 Gitanjali
The Substance of the poem
“Gitanjali” is a beautiful poem written by Rabindranath Tagore. In it, the poet expresses the idea that man cannot attain God’s blessings just by worshipping and offering flowers and incense sticks in the temple. Instead, God can only be attained through hard work. Man has to struggle and work diligently to achieve success in life. In this way, God favours those who truly work hard.
The poet urges people to stop praying and singing with half-shut eyes in the lonely, dark corners of the temple where the doors are shut. Instead, he encourages them to join the labourers working hard in the fields or at the workplace. God is engaged in the work of creation and can be found among those toiling on the hard ground, facing the hot sun and rain, covered with dirt. The poet concludes by asking devotees to work hard to attain God’s blessings.
Questions and Answers
Access all the solutions for BSEM class 7 English chapter 1 “Gitanjali” below
Answer the following questions
1. What is the poet trying to express in this poem?
Ans: The poet is trying to express that God blesses or favours those who work hard in life facing the hot sun and rain.
2. What does the poet mean by “Chanting” and telling of beads”?
Ans: By “Chanting”, the poet means the recitation of devotees in a singing manner.
And “telling of beads”, means counting beads and praying to god by the devotees.
3. The poet says that god is not to be found in the temple. What is your opinion on this?
Ans: The poet says that God is not to be found in the temple because God is among those who work hard in the field, tilling the hard ground and making the path-breaking stones covered with specks of dirt facing the hot sun and rain.
4. According to the poet, where can God be found?
Ans: According to the poet God can be found working with the labourers in the fields, breaking stones, and making paths facing the hot sun and rain all covered with dirt.
5. What does the poet mean by deliverance?
Ans: By deliverance, the poet means setting free from bondage.
6. What does the poet mean by “meditation” and “flowers and incense”?
Ans: By “meditation” the poet means the act of thinking deeply for the sake of seeking God’s blessings. “Flowers and incense” means the devotees’ prayers and offerings to God.
Read the quotations and answer the questions that follow:
1. “whom dost thou worship in his lonely dark corner of a temple with doors shut”?
a) Who is “thou”?
Ans: “Thou” represents the devotees.
b) Whom is he worshipping?
Ans: He is worshipping “GOD”.
c) What does “worshipping in this dark corner of a temple with the door shut mean?
Ans: It means the devotees do not want to be disturbed while meditating inside the temple.
2. “He is with them in the sun and shower and his garment is covered with dust.”
a) Who is “he”?
Ans: “He” represents God.
b) To whom does the word “them” refer to?
Ans: “Them” refers to the labourers, working in the field and breaking stones to make the path.
c) Whose garment is covered with dust and why?
Ans: God’s garment is covered with dust because he is the labourer working hard and facing the hot sun and rain all covered with specks of dirt and dust.
3. “He is bound with us forever”
a) Who is “he”?
Ans: “He” represents the God.
b) Why is “he” bound with us forever?
Ans: He is bound with us forever because God is the creator of all the creatures on the earth. He has a strong relationship with his creation.
Explain the meaning of the following lines:
1. Put off the holy mantle and even like him come down on the dusty soil!
Ans: These lines are taken out from the poem, “Gitanjali” written by Rabindranath Tagore.
In these lines, the poet asks the devotees to leave aside their prayers and offerings wearing holy garments. He urges the devotees to work hard and face the difficulties in life so that they can attain God’s blessings.
2. Our Master himself has joyfully taken upon him the bonds of creation
Ans: In these lines, the poet praises God and his work of creation. He himself is always bound with his creation. So, the devotees should work hard in life.
3. Meet him and stand by him in toil and in sweat of thy brow.
Ans: In this line, the poet expresses that God is not to be found in the temple. One cannot get his blessings just by prayer and offerings, It is only through hard work that God will shower his blessings. God favours those who sweat by working hard facing the hot sun and rain.
