The Global Journal of Literary Studies
I
Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817
The Global Journal of Literary Studies I
February 2016
I
Vol. II, Issue I
I
ISSN : 2395 4817
A Comparative Study of Mysticism
in Select Poems of William Blake and Narsinh Mehta
Vishal A. Patel
M. Phil Scholar
Department of English
Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University
Patan, Gujarat, INDIA.
Abstract
Mysticism is one of the most interesting subjects to be studied, especially with that of poetry which holds the most
sacred place. Poetry has always been an area of interest for me and I always wanted to make a research on the
topic that can explore the poetry at its best apart from semantic, stylistic or metaphorical approach. This
research I undertake with a view to exploring the mystical aspects of the poetry that takes the readers above the
world of senses, emotions and worldly pleasures. Here, in this research paper I study two great poets from two
different locations nearly observing the traits of mysticism. Both of them are from different religions and their
ideologies are different but one that brings them under one roof is the prevalent mysticism that they have poured
in their poems. Their approach towards the beauty of life has reached a level of ‘Moksha’ as per the Indian
theology.
My vision behind doing this study is to bring the local and regional poet of Gujarat in the competitive world of
literature and to get his respect and identity recognized as a poet of equally great use of language, metaphors,
symbols and to place him at par excellence with those of greatest mystic poets of all time by comparing his poems
with those of known religious and metaphysical poet of 18th century William Blake.
Key words : Mysticism, Spiritualism, Hinduism, Vaishnavism.
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817
Introduction:
Comparative research in literature focuses on comparisons between two or more subjects. Its main focus
is to discern the difference and commonness between the subjects. In comparative research, an artist
most of the time studies literature across national borders, time periods, languages, genres, etc., between
the two subjects. In short, it can be considered to be the study of literature without borders.
“Literature of a nation is the mirror of the land. It speaks about its past and present, positive and
negative aspects. It throws the light on the dark corners of the land and brings to the world its real self.”
(Dr. Mamta K Buch, Bhakti and Philosophy)
Mysticism is the art of union of soul with the super soul. The mystic is a person who has attained that
union in greater or less degree. Narsinh Mehta and William Blake also do the same mystically through
their ‘Padas’ and poetry.
In Padas of Narsinh Mehta one can find the richness of Gujarati culture and language woven through his
mystical and spiritual ideology. Although the padas of Narsinh Mehta possess the greatest sublimity of
world literature, not much is recognized about such sublime padas outside Gujarat apart from the most
chanted pada `Vaishnava jana to tene re kahiye…' which was favorite to Mahatma Gandhi and thus
received international fame.
The state of Advaita (Non-duality) is accurately reflected by sage Narsinh in his following lines which
also give a spiritual touch to his thought.
“As salt dissolves in water, my name will dissolve in you,
Only because I truly exist, you exist! Without me, you cannot be!
You will exist only as long as I exist!”
(Sachin Ketkar, Translation of Narsinh Mehta’s Poems into English)
Thus, Narsinh, the thinker, is none but what he thinks of. Narsinh is also a Bhakta, (devotee) and
reminds his Lord that even both of their existence is dependent on each other's existence; and neither of
them is inseparable from the other. The loss of the devotee and the divine supreme lord is visible in his
following lines of ‘Love Song’:
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817
“The bliss of my lord's closeness lasted as long as the night.
Then it vanished, my lord's bliss, when my arch enemy-the Sun did rise.”
(Sachin Ketkar, Translation of Narsinh Mehta’s Poems into English)
His didactic and of course extremely popular composition is his ‘Vaishnava Jana To…’ which has given
Narsinh Mehta the universal recognition as a mystic poet. It is truly noteworthy to say that the pada
“Vaishnav Jana To…” is such an incredible creation in which human service is given the highest stature
of the divine service. The root level humanitarian ideology which One can perceive is that one who
knows the pains and sufferings of others is a true Vaishnava Jan (The Man of Lord Vishnu) and not the
one who is only hypocritically religious in observing karma-kanda! Thus chants Mehta Narsinh,
“One who feels others grief as his own,
Who obliges others in distress
Without being swollen with pride,
He alone can be called a Vaishnava!
Humbly he bows before everyone in the world and indeed scorns none .
He is resolute in his words,
Deeds and mind - Glory be to his mother!
For he alone is a true Vaishnava!
He views everyone with equal eyes;
He has relinquished the tormenting thirst
And looks upon another’s woman as his own mother!
He alone can be called a Vaishnava!”
(Sachin Ketkar, Translation of Narsinh Mehta’s Poems into English)
The sublime mystic flow of this Gujarati Adi Kavi is highly reflected in his above cited padas. Century
back written padas give the same pleasure and charm of divinity even when read today. The feelings like
love, bhakti, search of self in the other, agony, pain of old age, acceptance of the moment, etc. are
themes inscribed mystically by Narsinh Mehta which undoubtedly seem compulsory for common
human beings to accept. All his padas of Narsinh Mehta have acclaimed him as a poet of the universe
and his fame as a world poet will ever be chanted like his poetry.
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
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ISSN : 2395 4817
Like Narsinh Mehta, William Blake believed that whatever was divine in God must be divine in man.
His poetry is dense and multi-layered and expresses the wide range of emotions and thoughts that passed
through his brain.
Blake’s collection of poems ‘Songs of Innocence’ is a smooth manifestation of releasing power of the
imagination which consists of dreams and elegant visions. In this collection, his poem "The Divine
Image "expresses the visionary views of mysticism and what they mean for humanity.
“To Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
All pray in their distress:
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is God our father dear:
And Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
Is Man his child and care.”
(The Divine Image By William Blake - Poetry Foundation)
Through these lines, Blake shades light on four features of both God and Man i.e. mercy, pity, peace and
love. These four divine virtues are nothing but the reflection of Supreme Lord in Man, the best creation
of him. It is conveyed through these lines that man should be in accordance with the mystical powers
which he wrestles with his own soul; which not shadowed by harsh experience will surely attain oneness
with the lord. It is no empty boast to say that Blake would value his conception of divinity amidst his
own visionary experiences. One can undoubtedly see the oneness of Blake’s own self with the mystical
power of his own life which is demonstrated through his poetry. He seems to be soaring freely amid his
own mystical space with the realization of his own spiritual power hidden in him. It is also correctly
viewed that innocence, forgiveness and love are the highest characteristics expressed philosophically in
his poem. Moreover, rather than expressing Christian charity, here Blake emphasizes on each individual
to recognize the very creativity and imagination potentially hidden within them.
The theme of "He who sees the Infinite in all things sees God” is the sole idea of his master creation
poem “The Tyger”
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817
"Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame they fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes!
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the Hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears;
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger, Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?”
(The Tyger By William Blake - Poetry Foundation)
One such poet of grand stature Charles Lamb rightly deems William Blake’s “The Tyger” as
‘Glorious.’ (Blake’s Mysticism and Symbolism with Special Reference to the Lamb and the Tyger by
Ashesava Mazumdar) Most of the poems of Songs of Experience are counter points to the earlier poems
in Songs of Innocence, the tiger being a counter point to the lamb. The tiger symbolizes fierce, spiritual
forces which are required to break the shackles of experience. The visible wickedness in the tiger is only
an expression of divine strength and energy. Thus Blake’s presentation of good and evil, as declaration
of the same heavenly spirit, is essentially mystical. In fact, Blake’s saying, ‘without contraries is no
progression’, is at the root of his philosophy.
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
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ISSN : 2395 4817
“Critics like Kathleen, Raine and Roy. P.Basler, however, find the traditional explanation –that the
tiger symbolises the wrath of God-unacceptable. According to Roy.P.Basler, the tiger may not represent
supernatural at all., but something within the soul of man. Blake’s poetry testifies abundantly to the fact
that he was most appalled by the infinite extremes of the human psyche., - love-hate, trust –fear. This
interpretation is, of course, thought provoking but the symbolism inherent in the tiger seems to be, in all
probability , that energy is, after all, eternal delight. So the tiger may symbolize for Blake , as it has
been rightly suggested, the ’abundant life’ assured by Christ. When the lamb is destroyed by experience,
the tiger is needed to restore the world.” (Blake’s Mysticism and Symbolism with Special Reference to
the Lamb and the Tyger Ashesava Mazumdar)
Conclusion:
Both Narsinh Mehta and William Blake, even though from two different ages, cultures and entities,
resemble to each other’s views much to an extent. As Narsinh Mehta has completely kept in mind
Vaishnavism as his subject matter of his Padas which is a branch of great Indian Philosophy Hinduism,
on the other hand William Blake has kept in mind the spiritual ideology of Christian mysticism. But
both in manifestation view mysticism as being one with Supreme Soul. They have presented different
themes i.e. Life, Death, Love, Suffering, Forgiveness, Search of God, etc. in one or the other way
advancing one to attain the liberation. The above comparison concludes that Narsinh Mehta is par
excellent and equally great poet with William Blake as a world poet. Mysticism as defined is prevalent
in both the Padas and Poetry of Narsinh Mehta and William Blake at their best.
References
Abrams, M.H. Norton's Anthology of English Literature. Ninth Edition. W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
Buch, Dr. Mamta K. Bhakti and Philosophy in Narsinh Mehta's Padas and Tagore's Gitanjali A Comparison.
Ahmedabad: Shanti Prakashan, n.d.
Chaudhary, Raghuvir. Narsinh Mehta - Aaswad Ane Swadhyay. Ahmedabad: Naxatra Trust, 1983.
D.A.Uchat. Research Methodology in Education and Social Sciences. Second Edition. Rajkot: Paras Prakashan,
2012.
Ketkar, Sachin. "Translation of Narsinh Mehta's Poems into English with a Critical Introduction." P.hd. Thesis.
n.d.
M.H. Abrams, Greggrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Tenth Edition. Delhi: Engage Learning,
2012.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Seventh. East-West Press, 2009.
Shah, Rannade. Ramya Ane Bhavta Narsinh Mehta. Ahmedabad: Parshva Publication, n.d.
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
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Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817
Webliography:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narsinh_Mehta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysticism
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/underhill/mysticism.pdf
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172912
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172943
https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijsell/v2-i2/4.pdf
The Global Journal of Literary Studies
I
Volume II, Issue I
I February 2016
ISSN : 2395 4817