Rendered in the prescribed metre, it takes exactly 52 seconds to sing the Indian anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The lyrics derive from the first stanza of Rabindranath Tagore’s five-stanza poem Bharot Bhagyo Bidhata, or “Dispenser of India’s destiny”. Tagore set the poem to music himself. The anthem opens with an exaltation of the Almighty, who guides the country’s destiny: Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata Or, in English: You, the ruler of our minds, our nation To you our humble salutations! The poem then begins a virtual tour of pre-independence India, beginning in the north and circling west, mentioning the regions of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, the southern states speaking Dravidian languages, and Odisha and Bengal: Punjaba-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha Dravida-Utkala-Banga Tagore refers to features of physical geography as well: the Vindhya and Himalaya mountain ranges and the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. The Almighty’s name, the anthem says, swells and animates this land.

1. Meaning Of Indian National Anthem Line By Line

Meaning Of Indian National Anthem Line By Line

In the final part, Tagore provides a refrain: Taba Subha name jage, taba subha ashisha maange, gahe taba jaya-gatha. Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata. Jaya he, Jaya he, Jaya he, jaya jaya jaya jaya he. Or, in English: Your blessings we seek, your praises replicate you As the Protector of India's fate! Victory forever to you!