Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali poet, philosopher, and polymath, delivered a series of lectures at Oxford in May 1930. These lectures covered his thoughts on religion and humanity. Later, he gave similar lectures around the world, mostly on the same topics.

In an attempt to bring them all together, he created an anthology titled The Religion of Man, which he edited himself. In this collection, he shares "the evidence of his own personal life," hoping that it will hold its own value, particularly in the context of religion.

In The Religion of Man, Tagore presents a unique perspective by framing religion not as a devotion to God but as a dedication to humanity. His core idea revolves around the concept of "God within us," suggesting that the divine and the human are interconnected.

This perspective seems to emerge in response to the ethnological and religious tensions and conflicts of the post-World War I era, a time marked by widespread disillusionment and questioning of established norms. Tagore's exploration of universal spirituality and the interconnectedness of humanity can be seen as a call for a more inclusive and harmonious worldview amidst global conflicts.

What is intriguing about Tagore's perspective is that, despite being born into a family “earnestly developing a monotheistic religion based upon the philosophy of the Upanishad,” he managed to maintain an independent stance unaffected by any specific religious influence. Even though everyone around him followed a particular faith, strongly convinced of its truth, Tagore remained unfazed. His mind was focused on achieving freedom from belief in any divine authority or scripture.

Everything changed when he had a vision that revealed to him a "luminous unity of truth." This experience enlightened him to the profound depth and power of spiritualism and faith. Despite his upbringing and surroundings, Tagore's journey led him to a personal realization that transcended the boundaries of conventional religious beliefs.

Perhaps this is why he sees a deep connection between humanity and religion. His focus is primarily on the true meaning and purpose of life and the mysterious nature of human existence.

He recognizes that the human body has physical limitations, but the mind is limitless and can achieve perfection. It can establish a connection with the infinite and immortal essence within humans. The avenue to express this immortal essence is through creativity, imagination, and freedom of thought—whether in science, philosophy, art, literature, service, or worship.

In a conversation with Albert Einstein about the meaning of divinity and truth, Tagore describes his religion as "the reconciliation of the Superpersonal Man, the Universal human spirit in my own individual being." He calls this belief "the religion of man."

Here, "man" is used to represent humanity collectively. The point being made is that there is an inherent connection between humanity and the universe; they are not separate entities. This connection is so profound that Tagore argues that anything in the universe can be encompassed by the human personality.

Hence, it is entirely accurate to label Tagore as a universalist and humanist. In fact, Tagore is credited with formulating his own philosophy, called spiritual humanism. This philosophy integrates ancient Indian teachings, particularly those influenced by the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita, with Western philosophies.

Tagore’s primary assertion is that individuals can realize their full potential by pursuing love, wisdom, truth, creativity, and freedom. This pursuit ultimately enables a connection with the Supreme Being, which represents the “eternal in human personality" and involves transcending time and space.

In this context, he also introduces the idea of "dharma" as the guiding principle that leads to unity and perfection in the human spirit....