What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the original text of which has been published digitally on the Bahá’í Reference Library here.
See here for an earlier Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that also mentions Rabindranath Tagore.
While the provisional translation below is not technically an authorized (official) translation, it has been reviewed for accuracy by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.
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He is God
New York
To my dear daughter, Miss Juliet Thompson, upon her be salutations and praise
O my dear daughter! Thy letter hath arrived. From the contents thereof, it hath become known that Rabindranath Tagore will quickly travel from India to America. In India, this person showed the utmost consideration to Mrs. [Jean] Stannard, and it is heard that he is among the promoters of peace who treateth all people with kindness. Now he is coming to America and will travel throughout all its states. In every city, therefore, the loved ones of God should give him a warm welcome, exhibiting the profoundest respect and regard, so he may observe how kind and appreciative are the loved ones of God.[1] Upon his arrival in New York, show him great courtesy and explain to him the divine teachings.[2] The servants and handmaids of the Most Merciful must be the well-wishers of everyone and treat them with kindness.
Convey thou my greetings and praise to all the believers, men and women alike. The news of unity and concord among the Baháʼís of New York hath brought about the utmost gladness.
Upon thee be salutations and praise.
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[1] In an obituary for Anna Kunz (1889–1973) published in The Bahá’í World, vol. 16, it is written that she and her husband, Dr. Jakob Kunz, “entertained Rabindranath Tagore and other philosophers and scientists” (p. 521) at their home in New York.
[2] In the American periodical Bahá’í News, no. 48, p. 4, it is mentioned that “the recipient of this Tablet [Juliet Thompson] was enabled to meet Tagore during his recent brief sojourn in New York, and to present to him the blessed Tablet revealed in his honor.” (That note is also preceded by an earlier translation of this Tablet.) Since this report was published in the February 1931 issue of Bahá’í News and the word “recently” is used, this likely refers to Tagore’s fifth and final trip to the United States in October–December 1930. It could not have been his first trip (1912–13), as Jean Stannard’s stay in India from December 1913 until November 1914 (mentioned in this Tablet) had not yet taken place, and it was presumably not his second trip (1916–17, mentioned in the prefatory note to this translation) or his third trip (1920–21), since those would have probably been too far in the past to call them “recent.” It also could not have been his fourth trip (1929) because it was cut short due to an untoward incident in Vancouver, his port of entry, and ultimately involved a stay of just three weeks in Los Angeles before leaving America for Japan.
A typescript of the original Persian text of this Tablet appears below.
Adib Masumian 