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To think deeply, to give beauty to the meaning, to perceive and then express is a role of a poet. That’s why he is called a saint, a seer and a philosopher. He possesses the skill to bring out which is hidden. A poet’s vision can penetrate and see the truth and not only it penetrates but also effortlessly flows into our hearts to feel the beauty of that truth. Many have just one skill, either to have an impression or having the skill of expression. Sometimes, people blessed with the second skill are devoid of having the idea of what to express. But our great poets are blessed with both the skills. They are well equipped with the art of ‘what to express and how to express.’

When we talk about Kahlil Gibran, we can refer him as a writer, poet, visual artist and undoubtedly a philosopher. Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American, born on January 6, 1883, in Bisharri, a mountainous region in modern-day Lebanon. He was a member of a Maronite Christian family. He was born into poverty, and his father was a tax collector who was imprisoned for embezzlement, when Gibran was young. His mother, Kamila Gibran, played a significant role in his upbringing. Despite his family's financial struggle, Gibran developed an early interest in art and literature. His relationship with his father was difficult and overstrained. The boy never felt very close to his autocratic, temperamental father who was hostile to his son’s artistic nature. His mother on the other hand was with deepest affection and admiration. She had beautiful singing voice with religious flavour in her personality. Though she was not educated, as education was considered dangerous for women in those days, she somehow left a great impact on her younger son. “it is her mothering me I remember --- the inner me”,¹ said Gibran. Fluent in Arabic and French, artistic and musical, his mother ignited in him imagination with folk tales and stories from Bible. In 1895, at the age of 12, Gibran and his family immigrated to the United States, settling in Boston's South End. In Boston, he received formal education and discovered his artistic talents. He attended art school and later studied in Paris. He began his literary career in the early 20th century, writing in both English and Arabic.

The paper is focused on the first book of Gibran, "The Prophet" but "The Wanderer" and" The Broken Wings" have also been studied to perceive his ideas in a broader way. Lectures by Swami Yogatmananda, the minister in charge of the Vedanta Society of Providence, Rhode Island also served helpful to the topic. 'Lessons from the masters of happiness and longevity' edited by Ashok Chopra was also taken in account. The prophet by Gibran is a must read not only for the students of literature and philosophy but for the people of different walks of life.

Gibran’s most famous work, "The Prophet," was published in 1923 and has since become a classic. It reflects his philosophical views on life, love, and spirituality. No one is interested in being lectured by the narrator. Gibran presents a philosophical treatise on how to live life in a very interesting way that is in a form of short essays. Under the guise of telling stories, lies the guide of living a more peaceful and fulfilling life. Despite his relatively short life, his works continue to be widely read and translated into numerous languages. "The Prophet" remains one of the most translated and best-selling books of all time. It is a story of a man named Almustafa waited in the city of Orphalese for his ship to be back and sail him again to his native country. From the mist he saw his ship coming. Philosophically God is our real home that’s why he is happy to go back to his home. He is leaving that land after 12 years. We feel that it is a land of fertile wisdom that is why the people there are gathered around him with precious queries about life. Kahlil Gibran's profound insight into the human condition, combined with his poetic and artistic talents, have left a lasting impact on literature and philosophy. His work inspires readers around the world.

The answer to the queries of the people characterized by its poetic and philosophical nature, has left a significant impact on literature, philosophy, and spirituality. Here are some key themes and elements found in The Prophet.

One of the most prominent aspects of Gibran's writing is the universality of his themes. His work often explores fundamental aspects of the human experience, such as love, pain, joy, freedom, and the quest for spiritual fulfilment. This universality has contributed to the widespread appeal and enduring relevance of his writings.

Gibran was deeply influenced by his Middle Eastern heritage and was interested in various spiritual traditions, including Christianity, Islam, and mysticism. His writings often reflect a spiritual and metaphysical perspective on life, emphasizing the inter-connectedness of all things and the divine nature of the human spirit.

 Love, in its various forms is also a recurring theme in Gibran's work. His writings explore romantic love, familial love, and the broader concept of love as a guiding force in human existence. He often delves into the complexities of relationships and the challenges and joys that come with them.

Gibran celebrated individualism and the pursuit of personal freedom. His works encourage readers to seek their own paths, question societal norms, and embrace the uniqueness of the individual spirit. This theme is particularly evident in his essays on freedom and self-expression.

In addition to his literary contributions, Gibran was also a talented artist. He often illustrated his own works, and his drawings and paintings reflect a distinctive style. The combination of visual and literary art in his works adds a unique dimension to the overall aesthetics.

Gibran's writing style is often described as prose poetry. His use of language is rich, evocative, and rhythmic. This stylistic approach contributes to the emotional impact of his work and enhances the beauty of his philosophical reflections.

Kahlil Gibran's work continues to resonate with readers across cultures and generations, as his timeless themes and poetic expressions touch on fundamental aspects of the human condition. His influence extends beyond literature, reaching into the realms of philosophy and spirituality.

These works, along with his drawings and paintings, contribute to Kahlil Gibran's legacy as a multifaceted artist and thinker whose writings continue to inspire and resonate with readers around the world.

Stories In "The Prophet" :

Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of life, offering profound insights and philosophical reflections. Each chapter comprises of the questions put by the people of Orphalese and Almustafa’s answer to those queries. Here is a brief overview of the chapters and the stories within "The Prophet":

On Love :

Almustafa speaks about love in all its dimensions. He explores the nature of love, including romantic love, and emphasizes the importance of love in human relationships. Love has no other desire but to fulfil it. He says, “when you love you should not say God is in my heart but rather I am in the heart of God”² and he ends the answer with, “And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.”³

On Marriage :

Almustafa discusses the concept of marriage, touching on themes such as unity, independence, and mutual understanding between partners. He explores the idea of marriage as a shared journey.

On Children :

Almustafa shares his insights on children, describing them as the arrows that the archer sends forth into the future. He speaks about the parent-child relationship and the role of parents in guiding and nurturing their children. Beautifully he says, “your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you.”⁴

On Giving :

Almustafa talks about the act of giving and generosity. He emphasizes that giving is a reflection of the giver's abundance and encourages selflessness in the act of giving. One more beautiful quotation: “you give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”⁵

On Eating and Drinking :

Almustafa provides guidance on nourishment, not only in terms of physical sustenance but also in the context of spiritual and emotional fulfilment. He explores the relationship between food, drink, and the soul.

On Work :

Almustafa discusses the concept of work and labour, highlighting the importance of finding joy and purpose in one's work. He encourages a balance between work and leisure. He says that you work because you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. Beautifully he puts forth, “when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born…. and in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life.” ⁶

On Joy and Sorrow :

Almustafa reflects on the intertwining nature of joy and sorrow. He suggests that joy and sorrow are inseparable and that deeper understanding and wisdom come from experiencing both. “Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy. Only when you are empty are you at stand still and balanced”.⁷

On Houses :

Almustafa speaks about the concept of houses and homes, emphasizing the idea that a house is not just a physical structure but a place of warmth, love, and refuge. According to him your house is your larger body. He emphasises to check whether we have these three things in our house, they are peace, remembrance and beauty. A house should not focus on the lust for comfort. A symbol explains it best when he says, “it should not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye.”⁸

On Clothes :

Almustafa provides insights into the significance of clothing, suggesting that it goes beyond mere covering and serves as an expression of one's identity and individuality.

On Buying And Selling :

For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.

Then there are topics like crime, punishment, law and freedom.

On Reason And Passion :

Priestess asks about reason and passion to which he answers that both reason and passion are necessary to the soul as the rudder and sails are to the ship. He concludes his explanation by saying, “… and since you are a breath in God’s sphere, and a leaf in God’s forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.”⁹

On Pain :

When a women asked to tell her about pain, the answer prophet puts forth is something we had felt but not realised earlier. He says that pain is something which is breaking of the shell that encloses understanding,¹⁰ next he speaks about knowledge about self.

On Teaching :

Gibran suggests that truly wise teacher does not simply impart knowledge but he guides his student to explore it himself. “the teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.”¹¹ He smartly takes his students to the threshold of their own mind.

On Friendship :

“Your friend is your needs answered”, Almustafa puts it beautifully. When a youth asked about friendship, the prophet says that even without words sharing of thoughts and desires are possible in friendship. The only purpose in friendship is the deepening of the spirit.

On Talking :

When a scholar asked about talking, he answered, which is one of the most quotable thoughts, “you talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts. And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime”¹² then in the next few pages he talks about time, prayer, good and evil.

On Pleasure :

A hermit who has renounced life’s pleasures asks about pleasure from the prophet.  The prophet says that pleasure is a freedom song. He presents a metaphor of bee and flower, where the flower gives and the bee takes, which results in pleasure. Prophet asks to be true and treat pleasure as a give and take relationship. He advises the people of Orphalese to be in pleasure like the flower and the bee.

In the last few pages he talks about beauty, religion and death.

These chapters, or prose poems, cover a wide range of topics, and each offers timeless wisdom and reflections on the human experience.

One of the strengths of "The Prophet" is its exploration of universal themes that resonate with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Gibran addresses fundamental aspects of human experience. Another feature is that Gibran's work is characterized by its philosophical depth. Each chapter contains poetic essays that delve into the complexities of life, offering readers thought-provoking reflections on the human condition. The philosophical nature of the work invites readers to contemplate and engage with the ideas presented.

The prose in "The Prophet" is lyrical and elegant. Gibran's use of language is often praised for its beauty and simplicity. The poetic quality of the writing enhances the emotional impact of the book and contributes to its enduring appeal.

For deeper meanings Gibran uses symbols and metaphors. The use of allegorical storytelling, such as the prophet Almustafa addressing the people of Orphalese, adds layers of interpretation to the text. The allegorical framework allows readers to find personal significance in the narrative.

1.https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/b/bushrui-gibran.html?pagewanted=all

2. The Greatest Works of Kahlil Gibran (12 Books in one Omnibus Edition), Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, 2001, Pg 12

3. Ibid, Pg 15

4. Ibid, Pg 20

5. Ibid, Pg 24

6. Ibid, Pg 32

7. Ibid, Pg 37

8. Ibid, Pg 40

9. Ibid, Pg 60

10. Ibid, Pg 61

11. Ibid, Pg 67

12. Ibid, Pg 71

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13. Chopra Ashok, ed. Lessons from the Masters on Happiness & Longevity, printed at Thomson Press (India) Ltd. Faridabad, Haryana 2012