Rabindranath Tagore’s reflections on nationhood make a significant contribution to Indian philosophical thought, yet his philosophical and literary writings are often examined as separate intellectual domains. Such an approach obscures the continuity of the ethical and philosophical principles that shape his understanding of the individual, society, and the nation. This paper examines how Tagore’s philosophy of life informs his conception of nationhood through an integrated reading of Sadhana: The Realisation of Life, Nationalism, Gora, and “Kabuliwala”. By situating these works within the broader framework of Indian philosophy, the paper investigates the relationship between self-realisation, ethical responsibility, universal humanism, and national consciousness.
This article adopts a qualitative research design employing close reading, philosophical interpretation, and comparative textual analysis. The philosophical arguments articulated in Sadhana: The Realisation of Life and Nationalism are examined alongside their literary expression in Gora and “Kabuliwala” to identify the continuity of Tagore’s ethical vision across philosophical and creative writings. The analysis draws on Indian philosophical concepts, particularly the unity of existence, the interconnectedness of life, and the individual’s moral responsibility to society.
The analysis reveals that Tagore reimagines nationhood not as a political or territorial construct but as an ethical community sustained by compassion, freedom, and respect for human dignity. “Bengal’s cultural space was always dominated by the Brahmanical narratives and the people from other marginalized groups such as Dalits, Tribals and Muslims couldn’t manage to have a voice in that “elite” cultural sphere" The transformation of identity in Gora, the universal humanism embodied in “Kabuliwala”, and the philosophical critique of political nationalism in Nationalism collectively reflect the ideals articulated in Sadhana: The Realisation of Life. Read together, these writings present a coherent philosophical vision in which national identity is inseparable from ethical consciousness and universal fellowship. By bringing Tagore’s philosophical and literary writings into dialogue, the paper offers an integrated interpretation of his idea of nationhood and demonstrates its continuing relevance to contemporary discussions on ethical citizenship, cultural pluralism, value-based education, and Indian philosophical thought.