Peace by George Herbert - Poem / Poetry Appreciation / Exercises on Poem / Question-Answer on Poem / Theme and Summary of Poem / Poem Analysis

Peace 

Poet: George Herbert

Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell?

I humbly crave,

Let me once know.

I sought thee in a secret cave,

And ask'd, if Peace were there,

A hollow wind did seem to answer, No:

Go seek elsewhere.

I did; and going did a rainbow note:

Surely, thought 1,

This is the lace of Peace's coat:

I will search out the matter.

But while I looked the clouds immediately

Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden and did spy

A gallant flower,

The crown-imperial: Sure, said 1,

Peace at the root must dwell.

But when I digged, I saw a worm devour

What showed so well.

At length 1 met a rev'rend good old man;

Whom when for Peace

I did demand, he thus began:

There was a Prince of old

At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase

Of flock and fold.

He sweetly lived; yet sweetness did not save

His life from foes.

But after death out of his grave

There sprang twelve stalks of wheat;

Which many wond'ring at, got some of those

To plant and set.

It prospered strangely, and did soon disperse

Through all the earth:

For they that taste it do rehearse

That virtue lies therein;

A secret virtue, bringing peace and mirth

By flight of sin.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,

And grows for you;

Make bread of it: and that repose

And peace, which ev'ry where

With so much earnestness you do pursue,

Is only there.

Vocabulary List 

Ask'd (Inquired) [জিজ্ঞেস করেছিল], At (Expressing location) [তে/এ], Began (Started) [শুরু করেছিল], Bread (Food made of flour and water) [রুটি], Break (Separate into pieces) [ভেঙে যাওয়া], Bringing (Carrying or fetching) [বয়ে আনা], But (Except; however) [কিন্তু], Cave (A large underground chamber) [গুহা], Coat (An outer garment) [পোশাক/কোট], Crave (Feel a powerful desire for) [প্রার্থনা করা/আকাঙ্ক্ষা করা], Crown-imperial (A tall spring-flowering bulbous plant) [এক প্রকার রাজকীয় ফুল], Death (The end of life) [মৃত্যু], Demand (Ask authoritatively) [দাবি করা/জানতে চাওয়া], Devour (Eat hungrily or quickly) [গোগ্রাসে গেলা/ধ্বংস করা], Did (Performed an action) [করেছিল], Disperse (Distribute or spread over a wide area) [ছড়িয়ে পড়া], Dost (Archaic for 'do') [করো], Dwell (Live in or at a specified place) [বাস করা], Dwelt (Lived) [বাস করত], Earnestness (Sincere and intense conviction) [ব্যাকুলতা/আন্তরিকতা], Earth (The planet on which we live) [পৃথিবী], Elsewhere (In, at, or to some other place) [অন্য কোথাও], Ev'ry (Every) [প্রতিটি/সব], Flight (The action of fleeing or escaping) [পলায়ন/দূরীকরণ], Flock (A number of birds or animals keeping together) [মেষপাল/দঙ্গল], Flower (The seed-bearing part of a plant) [ফুল], Foes (Enemies) [শত্রু], Fold (An enclosure for sheep) [খোয়াড়], For (In favor of or belonging to) [জন্য/কারণে], From (Indicating the point of origin) [থেকে], Gallant (Brave or heroic; grand) [সাহসী/রাজকীয়], Garden (A piece of ground for growing flowers or plants) [বাগান], Go (Move from one place to another) [যাওয়া], Good (To be desired or approved of) [ভালো], Got (Obtained) [পেয়েছিল], Grain (Wheat or any other cultivated cereal crop) [শস্য], Grave (A place of burial) [কবর/সমাধি], Grows (Undergoes natural development) [জন্মায়/বেড়ে ওঠে], He (Male pronoun) [সে/তিনি], Hollow (Having a hole or empty space inside; echoing) [ফাঁপা/শূন্যগর্ভ], Humbly (With a modest or low estimate of one's own importance) [বিনীতভাবে], I (First person pronoun) [আমি], If (On the condition that) [যদি], Immediately (At once; instantly) [সাথে সাথে], Increase (Become or make greater in size or amount) [বৃদ্ধি/প্রাচুর্য], Is (Third person singular present of be) [হয়], It (This thing) [ইহা], Lace (A fine open fabric; decorative edge) [ফিতা/লেস], Length (At last; eventually) [অবশেষে], Let (Allow) [দাও/অনুমতি দেওয়া], Lies (Is situated; rests) [নিহিত আছে/থাকে], Life (The condition that distinguishes active organisms) [জীবন], Lived (Remained alive) [বেঁচে ছিল], Looked (Directed one's gaze) [তাকিয়েছিল], Make (Form by putting parts together) [তৈরি করা], Man (An adult male human) [মানুষ/ব্যক্তি], Many (A large number of) [অনেক], Matter (A subject or situation under consideration) [বিষয়/ব্যাপার], Met (Came into the presence of) [সাক্ষাৎ পেয়েছিল], Mirth (Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter) [আনন্দ/উল্লাস], Much (A large amount) [প্রচুর], Must (Be obliged to) [অবশ্যই], No (A negative answer) [না], Note (Notice or pay particular attention to) [খেয়াল করা], Of (Belonging to) [এর], Old (Having lived for a long time) [পুরোনো/বৃদ্ধ], Once (On one occasion or for one time only) [একবার], Only (And no one or nothing more besides) [শুধুমাত্র], Out (Moving away from a particular place) [বাইরে], Peace (Freedom from disturbance; tranquility) [শান্তি], Plant (Place a seed in the ground to grow) [বপন করা], Prince (The son of a monarch) [যুবরাজ], Prospered (Succeeded in material terms) [সমৃদ্ধ হয়েছিল/বৃদ্ধি পেয়েছিল], Pursue (Follow in order to catch or attain) [অনুসরণ করা/খোঁজা], Rainbow (An arch of colors formed in the sky) [রংধনু], Rehearse (Repeat or recite) [পুনরাবৃত্তি করা/বলা], Repose (A state of rest, sleep, or tranquility) [বিশ্রাম/প্রশান্তি], Rev'rend (Reverend; worthy of deep respect) [শ্রদ্ধেয়], Root (The part of a plant that attaches it to the ground) [মূল/শেকড়], Salem (An ancient name for Jerusalem; meaning peace) [সালেম শহর], Save (Keep safe or rescue) [রক্ষা করা], Scatter (Throw in various random directions) [ছিন্নভিন্ন হওয়া], Search (Try to find something) [খোঁজা], Secret (Not known or seen or not meant to be known) [গোপন], Seek (Attempt to find) [অন্বেষণ করা], Seem (Give the impression of being) [মনে হওয়া], Set (Put or place in a specific position/plant) [রোপণ করা], Showed (Allowed to be seen) [দেখিয়েছিল/প্রদর্শন করেছিল], Sin (An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law) [পাপ], So (To such a great extent) [এত/এমন], Some (An unspecified amount or number of) [কিছু], Sought (Attempted to find) [খুঁজেছিলাম], Sprang (Moved rapidly upwards) [গজিয়ে উঠেছিল], Stalks (The main stem of a herbaceous plant) [ডাঁটা/চারা], Surely (With confidence) [নিশ্চিতভাবে], Sweet (Pleasing in general) [মিষ্টি/মধুর], Sweetly (In a generally pleasing way) [মধুরভাবে], Sweetness (The quality of being sweet or gentle) [মাধুর্য], Taste (Perceive the flavor of) [স্বাদ গ্রহণ করা], That (Used to identify a specific person or thing) [যে/যা], The (Definite article) [টি/টা], Thee (Archaic form of 'you') [তোমাকে], There (In, at, or to that place) [সেখানে], Therein (In that place or document) [তার মাঝে/সেখানে], They (Third person plural) [তারা], This (Used to identify a specific person or thing close at hand) [এই/এটি], Thou (Archaic form of 'you') [তুমি], Thought (An idea or opinion produced by thinking) [ভেবেছিলাম], Through (Moving in one side and out of the other) [মধ্য দিয়ে], To (Expressing motion in the direction of) [দিকে/প্রতি], Twelve (The number 12) [বারো], Virtue (Behavior showing high moral standards; divine power) [গুণ/পুণ্য], Was (Past tense of be) [ছিল], Well (In a good or satisfactory way) [ভালোভাবে], Went (Moved to or from a place) [গিয়েছিলাম], What (Asking for information) [কী/যা], Wheat (A cereal plant) [গম], Where (In or to what place) [কোথায়], Which (Asking for information specifying one or more people or things) [কোনটি/যা], While (During the time that) [যখন], Who (What or which person) [যে], Whom (Used instead of 'who' as the object of a verb or preposition) [যাকে], Wind (The perceptible natural movement of the air) [বাতাস], With (Accompanied by) [সাথে], Wond'ring (Wondering; desiring to know something/feeling surprise) [বিস্মিত হয়ে], Worm (An invertebrate animal with a long, slender soft body) [পোকা], Yet (But at the same time; but nevertheless) [তবুও], You (Second person pronoun) [তুমি/আপনি].

Verse Paraphrase and Translation

English Verse	Paraphrase	Bangla Meaning
Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave, / Let me once know.	O beautiful Peace, where do you live? I respectfully beg you to let me know just this once.	হে সুমধুর শান্তি, তুমি কোথায় বাস করো? আমি বিনীতভাবে প্রার্থনা করি, আমাকে একবার অন্তত জানতে দাও।
I sought thee in a secret cave, / And ask'd, if Peace were there,	I searched for you inside a hidden, isolated cave and asked if Peace resided in that solitude.	আমি তোমাকে এক গোপন গুহায় খুঁজেছি এবং জিজ্ঞেস করেছি শান্তি সেখানে আছে কি না,
A hollow wind did seem to answer, No: / Go seek elsewhere.	An echoing, empty wind seemed to reply to me, saying "No, go look for it somewhere else."	একটি ফাঁপা বাতাস যেন উত্তর দিল, "না: অন্য কোথাও গিয়ে খোঁজো।"
I did; and going did a rainbow note: / Surely, thought 1,	I continued my search, and on my way, I noticed a beautiful rainbow. I confidently thought to myself,	আমি তা-ই করলাম; এবং যাওয়ার পথে একটি রংধনু খেয়াল করলাম: নিশ্চিতভাবেই, আমি ভাবলাম,
This is the lace of Peace's coat: / I will search out the matter.	This colorful arc must be the decorative lace of Peace's garment; I will investigate this further.	এটি নিশ্চয়ই শান্তির পোশাকের ফিতা: আমি বিষয়টি খুঁজে বের করব।
But while I looked the clouds immediately / Did break and scatter.	But just as I was looking at it, the clouds suddenly broke apart and the rainbow disappeared completely.	কিন্তু আমি তাকাতেই মেঘগুলো সাথে সাথে ভেঙে ছিন্নভিন্ন হয়ে গেল (রংধনু মিলিয়ে গেল)।
Then went I to a garden and did spy / A gallant flower,	After that, I went to a garden and spotted a magnificent, brave-looking flower,	এরপর আমি একটি বাগানে গেলাম এবং একটি রাজকীয় ফুল দেখতে পেলাম,
The crown-imperial: Sure, said 1, / Peace at the root must dwell.	It was the 'crown-imperial'. I firmly declared that Peace must definitely live at the root of such majesty.	ক্রাউন-ইম্পেরিয়াল (মুকুট-সম্রাট) ফুল: আমি নিশ্চিত হয়ে বললাম, শান্তি নিশ্চয়ই এর মূলে বাস করে।
But when I digged, I saw a worm devour / What showed so well.	However, when I dug up the dirt, I saw a destructive worm eating away at the roots of this beautiful plant.	কিন্তু যখন আমি মাটি খুঁড়লাম, দেখলাম একটি পোকা সেই সুন্দর জিনিসটির মূল গিলে খাচ্ছে।
At length 1 met a rev'rend good old man; / Whom when for Peace	Finally, I met a highly respected, holy old man. When I asked him where I could find Peace,	অবশেষে আমি একজন শ্রদ্ধেয় ভালো বৃদ্ধ মানুষের দেখা পেলাম; যখন আমি তার কাছে শান্তি সম্পর্কে জানতে চাইলাম,
I did demand, he thus began: / There was a Prince of old	He began to tell me a story: Long ago, there was a great Prince (representing Christ)	তিনি এভাবে শুরু করলেন: অনেক আগে এক যুবরাজ ছিলেন
At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase / Of flock and fold.	Who lived in Salem (Jerusalem), blessed with abundant, multiplying flocks of sheep and prosperity.	যিনি সালেম শহরে বাস করতেন, যার মেষপাল ও সম্পদের প্রচুর বৃদ্ধি ও প্রাচুর্য ছিল।
He sweetly lived; yet sweetness did not save / His life from foes.	He lived a pure and gentle life, but his goodness could not protect him from being killed by his enemies.	তিনি মধুরভাবে জীবনযাপন করতেন; কিন্তু সেই মাধুর্য তাকে শত্রুদের হাত থেকে বাঁচাতে পারেনি।
But after death out of his grave / There sprang twelve stalks of wheat;	However, miraculously, after his death, twelve stalks of wheat (representing the twelve apostles) grew out of his grave.	কিন্তু মৃত্যুর পর তার কবর থেকে বারোটি গমের চারা গজিয়ে উঠল;
Which many wond'ring at, got some of those / To plant and set.	Amazed by this miracle, many people took those seeds to plant and cultivate them everywhere.	যা দেখে অনেকেই বিস্মিত হলো, এবং সেগুলো থেকে কিছু নিয়ে বপন ও রোপণ করল।
It prospered strangely, and did soon disperse / Through all the earth:	This holy wheat grew in a miraculous way and very quickly spread all over the entire world.	এটি অদ্ভুতভাবে বৃদ্ধি পেল এবং খুব শিগগিরই সারা পৃথিবীতে ছড়িয়ে পড়ল:
For they that taste it do rehearse / That virtue lies therein;	Because everyone who eats it repeatedly declares that a divine, holy power exists inside it.	কারণ যারা এর স্বাদ গ্রহণ করে তারা বারবার বলে যে এর মধ্যে পুণ্য বা গুণ লুকিয়ে আছে;
A secret virtue, bringing peace and mirth / By flight of sin.	It holds a hidden power that brings ultimate peace and joy to the soul by driving away all sins.	একটি গোপন গুণ, যা পাপ দূর করে শান্তি ও আনন্দ বয়ে আনে।
Take of this grain, which in my garden grows, / And grows for you;	The old man offered: "Take some of this spiritual grain that grows in my garden specifically for you.	এই শস্য থেকে নাও, যা আমার বাগানে জন্মায়, এবং তোমার জন্যই জন্মায়;
Make bread of it: and that repose / And peace, which ev'ry where	Bake bread from it (the Eucharist); and that true rest and everlasting peace, which you	এটি দিয়ে রুটি তৈরি করো: এবং সেই বিশ্রাম ও শান্তি, যা তুমি সব জায়গায়
With so much earnestness you do pursue, / Is only there.	Have been intensely and desperately searching for everywhere else, can only be found right there."	এত ব্যাকুলতার সাথে খুঁজছ, তা কেবল সেখানেই (এর মধ্যেই) আছে।

Summary

In George Herbert's allegorical poem "Peace," the speaker embarks on a desperate quest to find true peace. Initially, he searches in a solitary cave, but an echoing, hollow wind tells him to look elsewhere. Next, he spots a beautiful rainbow in the sky, thinking it might be Peace's garment. However, the clouds quickly scatter, symbolizing the fleeting, unstable nature of worldly beauty. He then searches the root of a majestic "crown-imperial" flower in a garden, only to discover a destructive worm devouring it, proving that earthly glory is corruptible and temporary. Finally, the speaker meets a reverend old man who tells an allegory about the "Prince of Salem" (representing Jesus Christ), whose enemies killed him. From the Prince's grave grew twelve stalks of wheat (the twelve apostles), which spread miraculously across the earth. The old man explains that this holy grain cleanses sin and brings profound joy. He offers the speaker this grain to make bread, concluding that true, lasting peace cannot be found in nature or earthly things, but only in spiritual communion and faith in Christ.

 [জর্জ হার্বার্টের রূপক কবিতা "পিস"-এ, বক্তা প্রকৃত শান্তির খোঁজে এক তীব্র অনুসন্ধানে বের হন। প্রথমে তিনি একটি নির্জন গুহায় খোঁজেন, কিন্তু এক ফাঁপা বাতাস তাকে অন্য কোথাও খুঁজতে বলে। এরপর তিনি আকাশে একটি সুন্দর রংধনু দেখেন এবং একে শান্তির পোশাক ভাবেন, কিন্তু মেঘ দ্রুত ছিন্নভিন্ন হয়ে যায়, যা জাগতিক সৌন্দর্যের ক্ষণস্থায়িত্বকে বোঝায়। এরপর তিনি বাগানে এক রাজকীয় ফুলের মূলে খোঁজেন, কিন্তু সেখানে একটি ধ্বংসাত্মক পোকা দেখতে পান, যা প্রমাণ করে যে পৃথিবীর মহিমা পচনশীল। অবশেষে, তার দেখা হয় এক শ্রদ্ধেয় বৃদ্ধের সাথে, যিনি "সালেমের যুবরাজ" (যিশু খ্রিস্ট) সম্পর্কে একটি রূপক গল্প বলেন। শত্রুরা তাকে হত্যা করেছিল, কিন্তু তার কবর থেকে বারোটি গমের চারা (বারোজন শিষ্য) জন্মায় যা সারাবিশ্বে ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। বৃদ্ধ জানান যে এই অলৌকিক শস্য পাপ দূর করে এবং আনন্দ বয়ে আনে। তিনি বক্তাকে এই শস্য দিয়ে রুটি তৈরি করতে বলেন এবং জানান যে প্রকৃত ও দীর্ঘস্থায়ী শান্তি প্রকৃতি বা জাগতিক জিনিসের মধ্যে পাওয়া যায় না, এটি কেবল আধ্যাত্মিক সংযোগ এবং খ্রিস্টের প্রতি বিশ্বাসের মাধ্যমেই পাওয়া সম্ভব।]

Theme

The central Theme of the poem is the ultimate, divine source of true peace. It illustrates that genuine, lasting peace cannot be found in the isolation of nature, the fleeting beauty of the sky, or the fragile glory of earthly status. Instead, peace is entirely spiritual. It is achieved exclusively through religious faith, salvation, and spiritual communion with God, which cleanses the human soul of sin and grants eternal rest.

[কবিতাটির মূলভাব হলো প্রকৃত শান্তির চূড়ান্ত ও ঐশ্বরিক উৎস। এটি তুলে ধরে যে প্রকৃত ও দীর্ঘস্থায়ী শান্তি প্রকৃতির নির্জনতা, আকাশের ক্ষণস্থায়ী সৌন্দর্য বা জাগতিক মহিমার মধ্যে পাওয়া যায় না। বরং, শান্তি হলো সম্পূর্ণ আধ্যাত্মিক বিষয়। এটি কেবল ধর্মীয় বিশ্বাস, পরিত্রাণ এবং ঈশ্বরের সাথে আধ্যাত্মিক সংযোগের মাধ্যমে অর্জিত হয়, যা মানব আত্মাকে পাপ থেকে মুক্ত করে এবং চিরন্তন বিশ্রাম প্রদান করে।]

Short Answer Questions on- "Peace" by George Herbert

1. What is the speaker looking for at the start of the poem?

The speaker is on a long journey to find "Peace." He talks about Peace as if it were a person or a hidden treasure that he can find by searching the world. He feels very restless and unhappy, so he goes from place to place asking where Peace lives. This shows that he is looking for a deep, quiet feeling in his heart that he currently does not have.

2. Why can't the speaker find peace in the "secret cave"?

He first looks in a hidden cave, thinking that being alone and away from people will bring him peace. But when he shouts his question, only a hollow "Echo" repeats his own words back to him. This teaches us that you cannot find real peace just by hiding or being in a quiet, empty place. True peace is more than just silence; it is something deeper than an empty cave.

3. What happens when the speaker looks at the rainbow?

The speaker sees a beautiful rainbow and hopes that Peace might be found there. However, before he can get close, a cloud breaks and the rainbow disappears. This is a symbol for the beautiful things in life that do not last very long. The poet is saying that we cannot find lasting peace in temporary beauty because it fades away too quickly.

4. What is wrong with the "garden" the speaker visits?

He finds a garden full of lovely, bright flowers that look very healthy at first. But when he looks closer, he finds a "canker" or a worm eating the roots of the flowers. This is a metaphor for worldly success or money. Even when a person's life looks perfect on the outside, there is often some hidden worry or the fear of death that ruins their peace.

5. Who is the "reverend Hermit" and what does he do?

After the speaker fails to find peace in nature, he meets a wise old man called a Hermit. This person represents a spiritual guide or a teacher of faith. The Hermit does not tell the speaker to keep walking or looking in caves. Instead, he tells him a "story" about the past. He helps the speaker stop looking at the physical world and start looking at spiritual truths.

6. Who is the "Prince" in the Hermit's story? The Hermit tells a story about a "Prince" who lived in a city called "Salem." In this poem, the Prince represents Jesus, and "Salem" refers to Jerusalem (a name that means peace). The Hermit explains that Peace is not an object to be found on a map, but is connected to the life and sacrifice of this holy Prince.

7. What grew out of the Prince's grave? The story says that the Prince was killed, but after he was buried, a special kind of "grain" or wheat grew out of his grave. This represents the idea of new life coming after death, or the Resurrection. The grain is a symbol of the "Bread of Life," which means the teachings and the love of God that can nourish a person's soul.

8. What does the Hermit tell the speaker to do with the grain? The Hermit tells the speaker to take the seeds from that special grain and make them into "bread." This bread represents faith and the religious act of Holy Communion. The message is that if you take these spiritual truths into your own life and heart, you will finally be satisfied. You won't have to go searching for peace anymore because it will live inside you.

9. How is spiritual peace different from earthly peace in this poem? The poem shows that earthly peace—like the peace found in caves, rainbows, or gardens—is weak and temporary. It always fails or fades away. But spiritual peace is a gift from God that comes through faith. While the world's peace depends on things going well around you, God's peace is a "sweet" and "quiet" feeling that stays with you even during hard times.

10. How does the speaker's search finally end? The speaker’s search ends when he stops traveling and starts listening to the Hermit’s spiritual wisdom. He learns that he doesn't need to look in nature or in success to be happy. By accepting the "bread" of faith, he finally finds the peace he was looking for. The poem concludes that true peace is not a place you visit, but a state of heart that comes from God's grace.

Multiple-choice questions based on the poem:

1. Who is the poet of the spiritual poem "Peace"?

• A) William Wordsworth

• B) George Herbert

• C) Bruce Springsteen

• D) John Steinbeck

2. Where is the very first place the speaker goes to look for Peace?

• A) A busy marketplace

• B) A high mountain peak

• C) A secret cave

• D) A beautiful garden

3. What was the result of the speaker’s search in the "secret cave"?

• A) He found Peace sleeping there.

• B) He found a chest of gold.

• C) He heard only an Echo of his own voice.

• D) He met a wise old man.

4. Why did the rainbow fail to provide Peace to the speaker?

• A) It was too bright to look at.

• B) It faded and disappeared before he could reach it.

• C) It led him into a dangerous storm.

• D) It was hidden behind a mountain.

5. What did the speaker discover at the roots of the flowers in the garden?

• A) Sparkling clean water

• B) A canker (worm) eating them away

• C) Beautiful golden seeds

• D) A hidden map to Salem

6. Who finally guides the speaker toward the true meaning of Peace?

• A) A powerful king

• B) A group of travelers

• C) A reverend Hermit

• D) A singing bird

7. In the Hermit’s story, the "Prince" is a symbolic representation of:

• A) An earthly ruler of England

• B) Jesus Christ

• C) The poet’s own father

• *D) A mythological warrior

8. What is the symbolic meaning of the location "Salem" in the poem?

• A) A place of darkness and war

• B) A modern industrial city

• C) Jerusalem or a "Place of Peace"

• D) The name of the Hermit’s home

9. What grew out of the Prince’s grave after he was killed?

• A) A wall of thorns

• B) A special grain (wheat)

• C) A flowing river

• D) A field of colorful flowers

10. According to the poem, where is true Peace finally found?

• A) In the beauty of nature and rainbows

• B) By living in total solitude in a cave

• C) Through spiritual faith and the "bread" of grace

• D) By achieving great wealth and success

Detailed Summary of "Peace"

George Herbert’s "Peace" is a beautiful spiritual allegory that follows a traveler’s quest to find a calm and quiet heart. The poem teaches us that true peace cannot be found in the physical world, but only through spiritual faith and sacrifice.  

Detailed Summary of "Peace"

1. The Futile Search in Nature

The poem begins with the speaker traveling far and wide, asking everyone where Peace "dwells." He first looks in a secret cave, hoping that silence and being alone will help. However, he finds nothing but a hollow Echo that repeats his own voice. Next, he looks at a rainbow, but it is too fragile; before he can reach it, a cloud breaks and the rainbow disappears. This shows that peace isn't found in isolation or in the temporary beauty of nature.  

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2. The Failure of Worldly Success

The speaker then visits a garden full of "gallant flowers." From the outside, the garden looks perfect and successful. But when he looks at the roots, he finds a canker (a worm or disease) eating them away. This is a metaphor for worldly life—even when things look successful on the outside, there is always some hidden worry or the fear of death that prevents us from feeling true peace.  

3. The Wise Hermit’s Story

Feeling defeated, the speaker meets a reverend Hermit. The Hermit stops him from searching the physical world and tells him a story about a Prince who lived in Salem (Jerusalem). This Prince represents Jesus Christ. The Prince was a person of perfect peace and sweetness, but he was eventually "murdered" by his own people.

4. The Miraculous Grain

The Hermit explains that after the Prince was buried, a special grain of wheat grew out of his grave. This grain represents the Resurrection and the teachings of the Gospel. It is a gift that came out of a great sacrifice. The Hermit tells the speaker that this grain has the power to "nourish" the soul in a way that nothing else can.

5. Finding Peace in Faith

The Hermit gives the speaker some seeds from this grain and tells him to make "bread" out of them. This "bread" symbolizes Holy Communion or the act of taking God's grace into one's life. The poem ends with the realization that peace is not a destination or a place; it is a spiritual state. By accepting the "bread" of faith, the speaker finally finds the "quiet" and "sweet" peace he was looking for.

বিস্তারিত সারসংক্ষেপ

জর্জ হারবার্টের "Peace" কবিতাটি একটি আধ্যাত্মিক রূপক, যেখানে একজন পথিকের প্রকৃত শান্তির সন্ধানের কাহিনী বর্ণিত হয়েছে। এই কবিতা আমাদের শেখায় যে পার্থিব জগতে প্রকৃত শান্তি পাওয়া সম্ভব নয়; এটি কেবল আধ্যাত্মিক বিশ্বাস এবং ত্যাগের মাধ্যমেই অর্জন করা যায়।

১. প্রকৃতিতে ব্যর্থ সন্ধান:

কবিতাটির শুরুতে দেখা যায় কবি শান্তির খোঁজে দেশ-বিদেশে ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছেন এবং সবাইকে জিজ্ঞাসা করছেন শান্তি কোথায় বাস করে। তিনি প্রথমে একটি নিভৃত গুহায় শান্তি খোঁজেন, এই আশায় যে নির্জনতা তাকে শান্তি দেবে। কিন্তু তিনি সেখানে শুধু একটি প্রতিধ্বনি (Echo) পান যা তার নিজের কথাকেই ফিরিয়ে দেয়। এরপর তিনি রামধনুর দিকে তাকান, কিন্তু সেটি ছিল অত্যন্ত ক্ষণস্থায়ী; তিনি সেখানে পৌঁছানোর আগেই মেঘের আড়ালে রামধনুটি হারিয়ে যায়। এর মাধ্যমে কবি বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন যে একাকীত্ব বা প্রকৃতির সাময়িক সৌন্দর্যে প্রকৃত শান্তি নেই।

২. পার্থিব সাফল্যের ব্যর্থতা:

এরপর পথিক একটি সুন্দর বাগানে যান যা চমৎকার ফুলে ভরা ছিল। বাইরে থেকে বাগানটি দেখে খুব সফল ও সুন্দর মনে হলেও, পথিক লক্ষ্য করেন যে ফুলের মূলে কীট (Canker) লেগে আছে যা সেগুলোকে ভেতর থেকে খেয়ে ফেলছে। এটি আসলে আমাদের পার্থিব জীবনের একটি রূপক—বাইরে থেকে জীবনকে সফল মনে হলেও মৃত্যুভয় বা অজানা দুশ্চিন্তা সবসময় আমাদের প্রকৃত শান্তি থেকে দূরে রাখে।

৩. জ্ঞানী সন্ন্যাসীর গল্প:

হতাশ হয়ে পথিক একজন শ্রদ্ধেয় সন্ন্যাসীর (Hermit) দেখা পান। সন্ন্যাসী তাকে বাইরে শান্তি খোঁজা বন্ধ করতে বলেন এবং সালেম (জেরুজালেম)-এর এক রাজপুত্রের গল্প শোনান। এই রাজপুত্র আসলে যিশু খ্রিস্টের প্রতীক। সেই রাজপুত্র ছিলেন পরম শান্তি ও মাধুর্যের আধার, কিন্তু তাঁর নিজের লোকেরাই তাঁকে হত্যা করেছিল।

৪. অলৌকিক শস্যদানা:

সন্ন্যাসী ব্যাখ্যা করেন যে, রাজপুত্রকে সমাধিস্থ করার পর তাঁর সমাধি থেকে একটি বিশেষ শস্যদানা (গম) জন্মেছিল। এই শস্যটি পুনরুত্থান এবং পবিত্র বাণীর প্রতীক। এটি এক মহান ত্যাগের ফসল। সন্ন্যাসী পথিককে বলেন যে এই শস্যের এমন ক্ষমতা আছে যা আত্মার ক্ষুধা মেটাতে পারে, যা অন্য কিছু দিয়ে সম্ভব নয়।

৫. বিশ্বাসে শান্তির দেখা:

সন্ন্যাসী পথিককে সেই শস্যের দানা দেন এবং তা থেকে 'রুটি' তৈরি করতে বলেন। এই 'রুটি' আসলে পবিত্র কমিউনিয়ন বা ঈশ্বরের অনুগ্রহকে নিজের জীবনে গ্রহণ করার প্রতীক। কবিতাটি এই উপলব্ধির মাধ্যমে শেষ হয় যে—শান্তি কোনো নির্দিষ্ট স্থান নয়, বরং এটি একটি আধ্যাত্মিক অবস্থা। বিশ্বাসের সেই 'রুটি' গ্রহণের মাধ্যমেই পথিক অবশেষে সেই কাঙ্ক্ষিত 'মধুর' ও 'শান্ত' শান্তির দেখা পান।