Gitanjali · Chapter
The Beggar's Gift explained
The poet, having gone a-begging, encounters a divine king who asks not to give but to receive.
What happens
The poet, having gone a-begging, encounters a divine king who asks not to give but to receive. The poet offers a single grain of corn, only to find it transformed into gold at day's end, prompting regret for not giving everything.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs when the speaker surrenders to "glad humiliation" and "dim delight," abandoning the…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Surrender and Egolessness
The poet's hesitation to give all reveals the struggle between ego and complete surrender.
- Poverty and Humility
The poet's beggarly state and the divine's request highlight the virtue of giving from one's poverty.
Characters to notice
- The Poet
The beggar who hesitates to give all to the divine king.
- The Divine
The king who descends from the golden chariot and asks for a gift.
Key passages
“What hast thou to give to me?”
The divine king asks the beggar what he can offer in return.
This reversal of roles emphasizes that true giving comes from the heart, not from abundance.
“I bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all.”
The poet regrets not offering everything he had to the divine.
The transformation of the grain into gold symbolizes the infinite value of even a small gift given with full devotion.
