Buddhism believes in the principle of equality, liberty, and fraternity. According to Buddhism, all human beings are equal, for they have been created by the same Father. There is no difference between man and man in His eyes. Therefore, everyone should have his own right in the society. In Mukta-Dhara, a play by Rabindranath Tagore, Abhijit, a prince, sacrifices his life for the freedom of the Mukta-Dhara, a spring on which a dam is constructed. When Abhijit realizes that stopping the water of the spring is adversely affecting the economic welfare of Shiv-tarayans, low-caste people, he breaks the dam risking his life and eventually drowns in the river. Buddhism always talks of non-violence. Even Gandhi has been the worshipper of this principle throughout his life. In this way, we may say that Buddhism has a great impact on Tagore, and it is reflected in his writings. The present paper aims at exploring Mukta-Dhara from the perspective of Buddhism.
University Professor and Head, P.G. Dept. of English, Nalanda College, Bihar Sharif (Nalanda)
