On
the
side
of
Nature
Is
Rule,
and
on
the
side
of
our
soul
Is
Joy.
It
is
only
by
rule
that
with
Rule,
and
it is
only
by
joy
that
with Joy
our
connection
can
happen.
This
is
why
the
side
in
which
I
belong
to
all
the
common
people,
the
side
in which
I
belong
to
the
Universal
Nature,
the
side
in
which
I
am
of
the
Human Nature,
on
that
side
if
I
do not
make
myself
obedient
to
Rule,
then
I
keep
failing
again
and again,
and
I
create
a lot
of
disquiet.
Even
from
a
single
speck
of
dust
I
cannot
earn
work,
by
deceiving;
if
I obey
its
rule,
then
only
it
obeys
my
rule.
This
is
why
our
first
education
is
learning
the
Rule
of
Nature,
and
learning
to make
ourselves
obedient
to
Rule.
It
is
verily
by
This Education
that
we
obtain
The
Introduction
of
Truth.
The
One
Who
Is
the end
of
This
Education -
(S)He,
verily,
Is
'Shaantam' -
Quiet.
Wherever
there
is
any
lapse
of
Rule -
wherever
with
rule,
Rule
Has
Not
Got Connected,
it
is
verily
there
that
unrest
exists;
wherever
a
complete
connection
has
been made,
it
is
verily
there
that
Shaantam
Exists -
That
Shaantam
Who
Is
His
Total
Experience.
In
the
midst of
Nature,
Which
Essence
of
God
do
we see?
His
Quiet
Essence.
There,
those
who see
in
a
small
way -
they
see
the effort;
those
who
see
in
a large
way -
they
verily
see
the
Peace
alone.
If
The Rule
Were
broken,
if
The
Rule
Were
not
Eternal
and
Exact -
then
within
the span
of
a single
moment,
This
Huge
Universal
Peace
Would Have
Been
destroyed,
and
a
meaningless,
endless,
wild
dance
of
destruction
would
have started;
then,
in
The
Universal
Family -
only
conflict
would
have
been
triumphant,
and
would
have
shredded
everything
into
pieces
with
its
teeth
and
claws.
But,
look over -
amidst
the
intense
ebullience
of
the
Sun
and
the Realm
of
Stars -
Great
Peace
Is
Reigning
on
The
Throne
of
Steadfast
Rule.
The
very
Essence
of
Truth
Is
Shaantam -
Quiet.
Truth -
precisely
because
It
Is
Shaantam,
Is
also
Shivam -
Beneficial.
It
is
precisely
because
He
Is
Shaantam
that
He
Contains
everyone -
He
Protects
everyone;
all,
verily,
have received
a
firm
refuge
in Him.
We,
too,
wherever
we
have
not
controlled
ourselves -
that
is to say,
wherever
we
have not
known
The
Truth
and
we
have
not
proceeded
by
keeping
truth
with
Truth -
there,
unrest reigns
in
our
inside
and
outside;
and
that unrest -
verily,
is
evil;
the
separation
of
rule
from
Rule,
verily,
is
inauspicious.
He
Who
Is
Shivam -
Auspicious,
it
is
verily
within
Him
that
Advaitam -
Unity,
Is
Being
Revealed.
Where
Truth
Is
The
Essence
of
Welfare,
it is
verily
there
that
He
Is
full
of
Joy -
He
Is
full
of
Love;
it is
verily
there
that
He
Unites
with
all.
On
one
side
Lies
Truth,
on
the other -
Joy;
in
the
middle
Reigns
Welfare.
That
is why
through
This
Welfare,
verily,
we
need
to
go
to
the Realm
of
Joy.
The
three
Aashramas1
that
reigned
in
our
country -
Brahmacharya2,
Gaarhasthya3,
and
Vaanaprastha4 -
They
Are
Established
upon
These
Three
Essences
of
God.
The
Essence
of
Peace,
The
Essence
of
Welfare,
The
Essence
of
Unity.
With
Brahmacharya,
once
we
obtain
The
Essence
of
Peace
in
life -
then
it
becomes possible
to
experience
The
Essence
of
Welfare
in
the midst
of
household
affairs;
otherwise,
Gaarhasthya
turns
into
a minefield
of
evil.
In
the household,
to
establish
That
Welfare -
all
selfish
tendencies,
verily,
get
totally
defeated,
and
The
True
Religion
of
Unity -
on
what
kind of
clear
self-sacrifice
It
Is
Established,
we
realize
that.
When
we
realize
that
completely,
then only
He
Who Is
Advaitam -
That
Supreme
Soul
Whose
Form
Is
Unity -
with
Him,
The
Union
of Love,
sans
all kinds
of
barriers,
Becomes
possible.
At
the
beginning,
The
Introduction
of Truth;
in
the middle,
The
Introduction
of
Welfare;
at
the end,
The
Introduction
of
Joy.
At first,
Knowledge;
then,
Work;
then,
Love.
This
is
why
like
our
Hymn
of
Meditation
Is:
'Shaantam Shivam Advaitam'5,
similarly
our
Hymn
of
Prayer
Is:
Asato Maa Sadgamaya, Tamaso Maa Jyotirgamaya, Mrityormaamritam Gamaya6.
From
falsehood
to
Truth,
from
sin
to
Virtue,
and
from
attachment
to
Love -
Please
Take
me
with
you.
It
is
then
only
that
Oh Manifestation,
You
Shall
Be
my
manifestation;
it
is
then
only
that
Oh Rudra,
in
my
life
You
Shall
Become
Propitious.
In
Truth
Is
Not
The End,
nor
Is
The
End
in
Welfare,
but
The End
verily
Is
in
Unity.
In
the Nature
of
the
World
Is
Not
The End;
in
the
Nature
of
the
Society,
too,
Is
Not
The End;
it
is
verily
in
The
Supreme
Soul
that
The
End
Exists;
This
Is
The
Word
of
our
India -
May
we
Be
able
to
make
This Word
successful
in
our
lives -
May
This
Be
our Prayer.
22 Paush 1315
(January 5, 1909)
Bengali original: http://www.tagoreweb.in/Render/ShowContent.aspx?ct=Essays&bi=72EE92F5-BE50-4057-6E6E-0F7410664DA3&ti=72EE92F5-BE50-4297-2E6E-0F7410664DA3&ch=c