Garden: It is but an empty dream...

It is but an empty dream that the soul shall have union with Him because it has passed from the body: if He is found now, He is found then; if not, we do but go to dwell in the City of Death. If you have union now, you shall have it hereafter.

---

Next: This is the end of a path, but not the end of the garden. Return to the beginning: would you like to follow the FLUTE, or answer the call of the VEENA?

---

[Source: RT 3 (partial); 1.57. sâdho bhâî, jîval hî karo âs'â]

Here is the full poem:

III

I. 57. sâdho bhâî, jîval hî karo âs'â

  O friend! hope for Him whilst you live, know whilst you live,
    understand whilst you live: for in life deliverance abides.
  If your bonds be not broken whilst living, what hope of
    deliverance in death?
  It is but an empty dream, that the soul shall have union with Him
    because it has passed from the body:
  If He is found now, He is found then,
  If not, we do but go to dwell in the City of Death.
  If you have union now, you shall have it hereafter.
  Bathe in the truth, know the true Guru, have faith in the true
    Name!
  Kabîr says: "It is the Spirit of the quest which helps; I am the
  slave of this Spirit of the quest."

Garden: He is dear to me indeed...

He is dear to me indeed who has power to dive deep into Brahma, whose mind loses itself with ease in His contemplation. He is dear to me who knows Brahma and can dwell on His supreme truth in MEDITATION, and who can PLAY the melody of the Infinite by UNION love and renunciation in life.

---

Where to next: the PLAYING or the MEDITATION, or perhaps the UNION?

---

[Source: RT 40 (partial); 1.65. avadhû bhûle ko ghar lâwe]

Brahma = Brahman: The "ultimate reality" or "creative principle" (ब्रह्मन्), usually transliterated into English as Brahman, while Brahma (ब्रह्मा) is the creator god. (Tagore uses the English spelling Brahma for both.)

renunciation. This refers to the life stage known as sannyasa, the final stage of the four stages of life known as ashramas.

Here is the full poem:

XL

I. 65. avadhû bhûle ko ghar lâwe

  He is dear to me indeed who can call back the wanderer to his
    home. In the home is the true union, in the home is enjoyment
    of life: why should I forsake my home and wander in the forest?
  If Brahma helps me to realize truth, verily I will find both
    bondage and deliverance in home.
  He is dear to me indeed who has power to dive deep into Brahma;
    whose mind loses itself with ease in His contemplation.
  He is dear to me who knows Brahma, and can dwell on His supreme
    truth in meditation; and who can play the melody of the
    Infinite by uniting love and renunciation in life.
  Kabîr says: "The home is the abiding place; in the home is
    reality; the home helps to attain Him Who is real. So stay
    where you are, and all things shall come to you in time."