On the occasion of the 163rd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, we share an intriguing conversation that occurred on July 14, 1930, between two brilliant individuals, Rabindranath Tagore and Albert Einstein.
Dear Students,
Today we are celebrating the 163rd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. On this special day, I want to tell you about an interesting conversation between Tagore and the great scientist Albert Einstein. This happened on 14 July 1930, the same year when Pluto was discovered. They met in a place called Caputh, in Germany.
During their meeting, they talked about some very big ideas—like what is real, how science and spirituality are connected, and what role people play in the world. Both Tagore and Einstein later wrote about this meeting in letters and articles. Their conversation became very famous and showed how people from different cultures and fields can learn from each other.
I am sharing with you a simplified version for your understanding. The original was published in the January 1931 issue of Modern Review. I am attaching a picture of that at the end.
Now here is a simplified version …
TAGORE: You have been busy with maths and science, trying to understand space and time. I have been talking to people here about human life and the world we live in.
EINSTEIN: Do you believe there is a God who lives outside the world?
TAGORE: Not outside. I think the universe and everything in it is connected to people. What we call truth is something that people can feel and understand.
EINSTEIN: Some people think the universe depends on people to exist. Others think the universe is there even if no people are around.
TAGORE: When the world feels right and good to us, we call it truth and beauty.
EINSTEIN: That sounds like something only humans would say.
TAGORE: The world we know is a human world. Even science is done by humans. So, without people, we wouldn’t know anything about the world.
EINSTEIN: So, you’re saying that people are what make truth real?
TAGORE: Yes. We all try to understand the world through our feelings and actions. There’s something bigger than us – the “supreme man” or the “universal spirit” – and we understand it bit by bit. Science helps us learn facts, and religion helps us feel the meaning behind them. Together, they help us find truth.
EINSTEIN: So, truth and beauty only exist because of people?
TAGORE: Yes, I think so.
EINSTEIN: But if no people were alive, would the statue of Apollo still be beautiful?
TAGORE: No, because no one would be there to see it.
EINSTEIN: I agree with that about beauty. But I think truth is still there, even if no one sees it.
TAGORE: Why do you think that?
EINSTEIN: I can’t prove it, but I believe it. That’s my kind of faith.
TAGORE: We find beauty in perfect harmony, and truth in understanding the world deeply. We make mistakes and learn, and that’s how we find truth.
EINSTEIN: I believe that truth is always there, even if people don’t see it. That’s a belief from the old Greek thinkers.
TAGORE: Maybe. But I think truth only becomes truth when people understand it. In Indian philosophy, we believe in a big truth called Brahman, which can’t be put into words and is bigger than any one person. But that truth doesn’t belong to science. Science is about the kind of truth people can think about. So it’s still a human kind of truth, even if it looks really big.
EINSTEIN: Then maybe the illusion isn’t just in one person, but in all people.
TAGORE: Yes. But all people are part of one big family – humanity. So we all discover truth together.
EINSTEIN: In German, “species” means all living things, even animals. The real question is: is truth real even when no one is there to see it?
TAGORE: Truth is what makes sense between what’s inside us and what’s outside. Both are part of something bigger than any one person.
EINSTEIN: Even in daily life, we believe some things are real, even if we didn’t create them. Like this table—we believe it’s still here, even if no one sees it.
TAGORE: It’s still there, yes—but only because we have some kind of mind or spirit that can notice it.
EINSTEIN: But even if no one were in this house, I still believe the table would be there. We all believe in a reality outside of us, even if we can’t explain it.
TAGORE: Maybe. But if there’s a truth that has nothing to do with people at all, then for us, it’s like it doesn’t exist.
EINSTEIN: Then I must be more religious than you are!
TAGORE: My religion is about finding the bigger spirit of the world inside myself.
This conversation between Rabindranath Tagore and Albert Einstein is a powerful example of how two great thinkers from different fields and cultures can talk and learn from each other. They both wanted to understand the world better and help bring peace and understanding. Their talk is still remembered today and shows the value of sharing ideas across science, art, and culture.
Now the original conversation as published by Modern review in 1931.
