Part B: Poetry
Poem 3: Upagupta
Poet: Rabindranath Tagore
Class 11 – General English | PSEB | A Panorama of Life
Central Idea
The poem “Upagupta” by Rabindranath Tagore highlights the impermanence of youth and physical beauty and the enduring value of compassion and humanity. It tells the story of a young ascetic, Upagupta, who encounters a beautiful dancing girl. When she invites him to visit her, he declines, saying that the time has not yet come. Later, when the woman is suffering from smallpox and has been abandoned by society, Upagupta returns to help her. He gives her water, applies sandal balm and comforts her. The poem teaches us that true love and compassion are expressed through selfless service, especially when someone is suffering. It also reminds us that physical beauty, youth and worldly pleasures are temporary.
Q.1 Comprehension
I. Answer the following questions.
1. Which lines in the poem prove that it was a dark night when Upagupta lay asleep?
The lines that prove it was a dark night are:
“The murky sky of August, dark with clouds,
Hovered like the heavy brows of a storm.”
The poem also refers to the “black night” and a flash of lightning, which reinforce the darkness of the night.
2. How does the poet describe the dancing girl?
The poet describes the dancing girl as beautiful and attractive. She wears a blue mantle decorated with stars and is adorned with jewelled bracelets. Her feet are decorated with tinkling anklets, and a lamp shines in her hand. Her beauty and youthful charm captivate Upagupta when she sees him lying asleep.
3. How can a face be austere yet beautiful?
A face can be austere yet beautiful when it is simple, calm and free from artificial decoration, while still possessing natural grace and charm. In the poem, Upagupta’s face is described as austere and beautiful, reflecting his spiritual nature and inner purity.
4. Why was the woman hurriedly removed from the town?
The woman was suffering from smallpox, a contagious disease. The townspeople feared that the disease would spread, so she was hurriedly removed from the town and abandoned outside its boundaries. She was left alone in pain and distress.
5. How did the ascetic help the woman?
Upagupta sat beside the suffering woman and placed her head on his knees. He moistened her lips with water and applied sandal balm to her body. He stayed with her and comforted her when everyone else had abandoned her. His actions showed his kindness, compassion and selfless love for humanity.
II. Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
| Column A | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Murky | Cloudy or dark |
| 2. Mantle | Cloak or loose outer garment |
| 3. Ascetic | A person who lives simply and practises self-discipline |
| 4. Blossom | Flower |
| 5. Rampart | Parapet or defensive wall |
| 6. Pestilence | Epidemic or widespread infectious disease |
| 7. Contagion | Spread of disease through contact |
| 8. Balm | Soothing ointment |
| 9. Grove | A group of trees |
III. Read the lines and answer the questions.
“The young ascetic answered, ‘Woman, go on your way.’”
1. What was “her way” and what was “his way”?
“Her way” was the path of worldly pleasures, physical beauty and sensual enjoyment. The dancing girl belonged to a world of luxury and entertainment.
“His way” was the path of spiritual discipline, renunciation and selfless service. Upagupta was an ascetic who had given up worldly pleasures to follow a spiritual life.
2. “Suddenly the black night showed its teeth in a flash of lightning.” How can you say that the figure of speech used is personification?
The figure of speech is personification. The night is described as showing its teeth, an action associated with a living creature. By giving the night a human-like or living quality, the poet makes the sudden flash of lightning more vivid and dramatic.
3. Write down the figure of speech used in the line “spotted with sores of smallpox.”
The line describes the woman’s body as covered with smallpox sores. The description creates a vivid visual image of her suffering. The phrase itself does not clearly establish a specific figure of speech; it is best understood as visual imagery rather than confidently labelling it as alliteration.
IV. Read the following lines and answer the questions.
“The ascetic sat by her side, took her head
on his knees,
And moistened her lips with water, and
smeared her body with sandal balm.
‘Who are you, merciful one?’ asked the woman.
‘The time, at last, has come to visit you, and
I am here,’ replied the young ascetic.”
1. List the things the ascetic did to lessen the woman’s suffering.
The ascetic performed the following acts to lessen the woman’s suffering:
- He sat beside her.
- He placed her head on his knees.
- He moistened her lips with water.
- He applied sandal balm to her body.
- He stayed with her and comforted her when she was abandoned by others.
2. What is the significance of the line “The time, at last, has come to visit you, and I am here”?
The line shows that Upagupta’s earlier refusal to visit the dancing girl was not an expression of cruelty or indifference. He had told her that he would visit when the right time came. Now, when she is sick, helpless and abandoned, he fulfils his promise by offering care and compassion.
The line also expresses the poem’s central message: true humanity is revealed through selfless service to people in need. Upagupta responds to the woman’s suffering without judging her past or seeking any personal benefit.