Debendranath Tagore translated Upanishads into Bengali, founded Shantiniketan

India Today

15-05-2025

In 1838, something shifted within the young Debendranath Tagore. Though surrounded by wealth and privilege at the Jorasanko mansion, he felt a growing emptiness. The recent loss of close family members, especially his grandmother, pushed him into deep spiritual reflection. That same year, he stumbled upon a copy of the Isha Upanishad -- and it changed everything.Born into the wealthy and influential Tagore family of Jorasanko, Debendranath was expected to follow his father Dwarakanath Tagore's path -- an opulent businessman known as the 'Indian Croesus.'advertisementBut the events at that point in his life stirred something inside him. The glitter of Calcutta's high society no longer appealed. He began to look inward, and from that moment on, his life became a quest for spiritual truth.FROM PRIVILEGE TO PURPOSE
Debendranath Tagore was born on May 15, 1817 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), into a family that stood at the crossroads of tradition and modernity.While his father embraced colonial capitalism and British-style success, his mother Digambari Devi remained deeply spiritual and conservative. Young Debendranath inherited both worlds -- he was well-educated, fluent in English and Sanskrit, but also drawn to India's philosophical roots.His inner transformation led him to explore the ancient texts of Hinduism. Inspired by Raja Rammohan Roy, who had translated key Upanishads like the Kena, Isha, Katha, and Mundaka into English to showcase the spiritual richness of Hindu philosophy to both Indians and the British, Debendranath felt the need to make these texts even more accessible.
Early photo of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
advertisementWhile Roy had spoken to reformers and colonial audiences, Debendranath chose to speak to his own people. He began translating the Upanishads into Bengali and published them in the Tattwabodhini Patrika, the mouthpiece of the Tattwabodhini Sabha -- a philosophical society he founded in 1839. This work helped spark a quiet revolution of ideas in Bengal's middle class.By 1842, Debendranath joined the Brahmo Samaj, the reformist religious movement founded by Rammohan Roy. Under his leadership, the Samaj entered its second phase -- emphasising scriptural study, monotheism, and moral living without the rituals and idol worship that had dominated mainstream Hinduism.He didn't reject tradition outright; rather, he reimagined it with reason and compassion.A VISION OF A FORMLESS GODAt the heart of Debendranath's philosophy was his faith in a single, formless, universal God. This wasn't a god of fear or rigid commandments, but one of truth, unity, and presence -- beyond rituals, temples, or caste boundaries.He believed that human beings could reach this divine essence through self-inquiry, meditation, and ethical living.He formalised these ideas in Brahmo Dharma (1869), a scripture-like text that laid down the tenets of the Brahmo faith -- free from superstition, grounded in the Upanishads, and deeply rational. He also introduced new rituals that reflected these values.
Debendranath Tagore (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Instead of elaborate pujas, he advocated for simple, reflective festivals like Magh Utsav and Diksha Din, encouraging spiritual gatherings, discourses, and prayers rooted in universal values.It was a compilation of his earlier works and translations, including those serialized in the Tattwabodhini Patrika starting from 1848.SANTINIKETAN WAS DEBENDRANATH'S BRAINCHILDWhile most people associate Shantiniketan with Rabindranath, it was his father who laid the groundwork for it, quite literally.In 1863, Debendranath bought a tract of barren land in Birbhum and named it Santiniketan -- 'abode of peace.' At first, it was just an ashram, a place of quiet contemplation, where people could connect with nature and their inner selves.He believed that true spirituality needed space -- space away from city noise, orthodox institutions, and rigid classrooms. This wasn't just a retreat; it was a social experiment in holistic living.
Debendranath Tagore's bust in Jorashanko Thakur rabi (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
advertisementThe ideas he sowed there would later blossom into something extraordinary when his youngest son, Rabindranath Tagore, transformed the space into Visva-Bharati University -- a centre of global education and cultural exchange.But even in Debendranath's time, Santiniketan had started becoming a sacred ground for thought and simplicity, drawing seekers, thinkers, and poets.A FAMILY OF FIREBRANDSDebendranath and his wife Saradasundari Devi had 14 children -- each one a spark in their own right. Dwijendranath, the eldest, was a philosopher and poet. Satyendranath broke colonial barriers by becoming the first Indian to crack the Indian Civil Service.Hemendranath was a science enthusiast and education reformer, known for his bold stance on women's rights. Jyotirindranath was a dramatist and musician.Swarnakumari Devi stood out as one of the first female novelists in Bengal, championing women's education and social reform.
Jnanadanandini Devi (Satyendranath's wife), Satyendranath Tagore, Kadambari Devi (Jyotirindranath's wife and famed muse of Rabindranath Tagore) and Jyotirindranath Tagore (sitting, another elder brother of Rabindranath) (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
advertisementAnd then, of course, came Rabindranath -- the Nobel laureate who redefined Indian literature and music.Debendranath shared a particularly reflective bond with Rabindranath. Though reserved in expression, he had a deep influence on the young poet's philosophical leanings.Rabindranath often spoke of his father's silent meditations at dawn, the spiritual atmosphere of their home, and the disciplined calm that shaped his worldview.Their relationship wasn't overly emotional -- but it was profoundly spiritual. Rabindranath once wrote that his father's presence felt like 'a lamp in a quiet room, burning with a steady flame.'LEGACY OF A QUIET GIANTWhile he never courted the limelight, Debendranath's influence was wide-reaching. He opposed child marriage, polygamy, and religious dogma. He supported widow remarriage and the spread of rational, values-based education.He served as secretary of the British Indian Association and even petitioned the British Parliament demanding greater Indian autonomy. Yet, he always returned to introspection, valuing inner reform over political grandstanding.Debendranath passed away in 1905, leaving behind not just a lineage of luminaries, but a legacy of clear thinking, compassionate belief, and reform from within. In a world increasingly driven by noise, his life reminds us of the power of quiet conviction.