Rabindranath Tagore said, “The mental world and the outer world are different. How can we conceive these two worlds? The mental world always carries with it an urge to create something, in the outer world, and unless this manifestation comes, the mental world is simply born and simply dies. But its urge does not end. It is always wanting its manifestation and expression. Some of these inner urges come out in the form of literature. We use language to express our thought. We speak and sing. The tuning of our hearts to the impulses of both the inner and outer world and its expression in words are literature. The correct expression of what we get from life may be called literature. Or, simply, literature is “the word of God.”
Literature therefore is not just consistency in story- telling, or character drawing, or interpretation of the daily news. Nor is it the recital of some writer’s sorrows, sufferings, joys, moods, and desires. Nor the announcement of some individual or collective problems. What Valmiki, Vyas, Chaucer, Shakespeare, and others wrote came from some inner impulse connected with some higher world. We called that world the world of truth. If we observe the activities of men, we will see everywhere an urge to create something beautiful and enjoy it. This urge comes from the Creator. Literature too is for the creation of the beautiful and good. And when she speaks in a strong Voice, with all the best in language, rhythm, and form, we say she is art.
Literature cannot grow in the desert or snowy mountains. Such environments do not give the impules. When we go to a big environment, we get much for our life and much for our literature. We cannot even say that the army, navy and air force have no use in the literary world. We need everything that is practical for living and for developing our souls. The purpose of literature is to build the country, to bring good all around. We say she is “the word of God.” Will she not sing His song?
We may get truth through literature. But truth is not just the impression of lovely words. Nor is it a picture on the other hand of the baser world. What automatically comes into our mind in concentration is truth and the expression of that in language is literature. It is beautiful and helps mankind. Men of highly developed soul can produce better literature because their thoughts do not harm people. Realizations are the essence of literature. The mind must be raised to produce it. The finer soul feels more than the gross. Thus we say again literature is “the word of God.”
Literature has many avenues: verse, story, history, science, etc. To write any kind of literature fine conception, judgement, truth-finding attitude, and balance are needed. These priceless things can be had when we are in tune with the Lord. Without them no good literature can be expected from us.
There are other qualities necessary too: style, rhythm, appropriateness of words, rationality, beauty. Without these the reader is not elated. By practice style and the rest can be developed, but without some instinct, no literature can unfold in a man. Those who have literary instinct or talent get automatic honor and fame. Instinct is the previous acquisition by forefathers which is stored up in the genes. It is the basis of ability in writing as it is in other things. Great writers have stood on the acquisitions of their ancestors and their predecessors and they did well. Doing the same, we shall do well. We do not say that what we acquire in one life is not worthy. Far from that. But we want to emphasize that what comes from instinct is real and basic. It makes men true historians, scientists, poets, etc. Instinct plus realization. We always need the connection with higher spiritual being. That comes first really, before instinct. We need a spiritual man first, then his literary instinct. In Bengali the word for literature literally means ‘with God’. Hence literature is “the word of God.”