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
By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Destruction does not yield beauty; appreciation does.
This quote suggests that attempting to possess or exploit something beautiful through destruction only diminishes its essence. Instead of gaining beauty by taking it apart, one should appreciate and admire it in its natural state, recognizing that some things are meant to be cherished rather than owned.
Themes
BeautyFlowerAppreciationDestructionNature
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a discussion about the importance of preserving nature over exploitation.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
All quotes βMusic 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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