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.
Rabindranath TagoreRead
I ask my destiny - what power is this That cruelly drives me onward without rest? My destiny says, "Look round!" I turn back and see It is I myself that is ever pushing me from behind.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the idea that our own actions and decisions shape our destiny, often pushing us forward relentlessly.
Rabindranath Tagore's quote reflects on the nature of destiny and the internal drive that compels us to move forward in life. It suggests that we often attribute our circumstances to external forces or fate, but ultimately, it is our own motivations and desires that propel us onward. The internal dialogue with destiny serves as a reminder that self-reflection is essential in understanding our role in shaping our lives and futures.
Themes
DestinySelfMotivationPhilosophyReflection
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about self-determination, this quote emphasizes the importance of individual agency.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
All quotes →Music fills the infinite between two souls. This has been muffled by the mist of our daily habits.
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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.
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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.
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If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
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To be outspoken is easy when you do not wait to speak the complete truth.
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