Govinda's Disciple By Rabindaranath Tagore

RABINDRANATH TAGORE (1861 - 1941) was an artist and a philosopher. He composed music, songs and wrote plays, stories, poems, travelogues and novels. The national anthems of India and Bangladesh were composed by him. His ability was not just limited to making literary creations, he was also a painter. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 and was the first Asian to be honored with it. Tagore was popularly known as Gurudev.

Far below flowed the Ganga, quick and clear, above frowned the jutting bank,
Hills dark with the woods and scarred with the torrents were gathered around.

Govinda, the great teacher, sat on the rock reading scriptures,
When Raghunath, his disciple, proud of his wealth, came
and bowed to him and said,
"I have bought my poor wealth, unworthy of thy acceptance."

Thus saying, he displayed before the teacher a pair of gold
bangles studded with costly gems and emeralds.
The master took up one of them, twirling it round his finger,
and the stones darted shafts of light.

Suddenly it slipped from his hand and rolled down the bank into the water.
Raghunath jumped into the water
The teacher ser his eyes upon his book, and the water held
and hid what it stole and ran its way.

At sunset Raghunath came back.
He begged him to show him the place where it fell.
The teacher took the other bangle and threw it into the water saying, "There it is."

1.
Tick the correct options.
1. 'Hills dark with the woods' means
  1. The hills look dark because of the thick forest.
  2. The hills have trees covered with dark moss.
  3. The forest on the hills has trees with green-black leaves.
2. 'scarred with the torrents' means
  1. The hills have cuts made by the flowing river.
  2. The hills are sacred because the Ganga flows below them.
  3. The hills have cuts on them because of the torrential rainfall.
3. Why did Govinda throw the gold bangles into the river?
  1. Because Govinda wa a man - what would he do with bangles?
  2. Because Govinda did not like the gift.
  3. To make Raghunath understand the unimportance of wealth.
2.
Describe the place where Govinda sat reading the scriptures.
3.
What did Raghunath do when Govinda threw the bangles into the river? What does this tell you about Raghunath?
4.
In not more than 60 words, explain the message that Govinda tried to give his disciple by throwing the bangles into the river.
5.
Explain the meanings of these phrases in your own words.
frowned the jutting bank the water held and hid what it stole and ran its way
6.
Underline the parts of these sentences that use personification.
1. The river stole my book and carried it downstream.
2. The sun played hide-and-seek with the clouds.
3. The stars are dancing playfully in the clear sky.
4. The first rays of the morning sun tiptoed through the big glass window.
5. The fire that was running wild was soon brought under control.

3 more answer(s) available.

Gem's English Reader 7

Ratna Sagar

Chapters

Govinda's Disciple

Rabindaranath Tagore

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