An Exploration of Ethical Duty (Dharma) and Spiritual Humanism in the Views of Rabindranath Tagore

Abstract:

My paper intends to present the thoughts of Tagore on Spiritual Humanism and Ethical Duty. Tagore advocated for the underlying unity of humanity and spiritual perfection. His ideas were centred on a humanistic and spiritual worldview. In Tagore's works, ethical duty is not a rigid system of caste, creed or other obligations; it is spiritual view of freedom of human. He believed that "Devine Nature in Devine Body". In his views ethical duty is spiritual awakening of the soul, love and affection for humanity and sense of social responsibility. According to Tagore, social duty and moral growth are connected. He promoted a moral society based on fairness, equity, and the eradication or elimination of social inequities and injustice through respect and understanding. Tagore believed in the fundamental goodness and potential for moral growth in every human being. He saw spiritual awareness as inseparable from moral action, with the devine presence in all individuals guiding them to behave ethically. This paper mainly analyse the ideas of Tagore on dharma (Ethical duty). It aims to study the thoughts of Tagore on spiritual humanism. To understand the philosophical views of Tagore on ethics and spiritualism, to establish a new pattern in human life by emphasizing a person's ethical, ideal and spiritual life. This paper is purely based on qualitative methods. Data collection of the paper is primarily based on secondary sources like books, journals and articles etc....taken into consideration for the analysis of The Tagore's thoughts on Dharma (Ethical Duty) and Spiritual humanism.