"What have things come to when an old woman has to patch her own shawl?"
Indir says this to herself after she has to fix her own garments. This statement shows that she feels neglected by her family and feels the weight of poverty. It is all the more tragic that an elderly woman, who is even more helpless than the other members of her family, has to mend her own clothing.
"Is she asleep?"
Apu asks the neighbor who's come to check on Durga this question after he sees his sister lying motionless after the storm. It is the innocence of the statement that is most heartbreaking, as he cannot tell that his sister is dead, thinking she is just sleeping.
"I had dreams, too, of all the things I would do."
Sarbajaya says this to her husband, as the weight of her day to day work is taking its toll on her. He isn't bringing in very much money and she is still expected to manage the household. Harihar has work that he wants to accomplish and Sarbajaya tells him that she has things that she wanted to do with her life as well. It is the first time that Sarbajaya references her own desires, as most of the film she is either scolding someone for not helping enough, or fretting about what must be done next. This is an uncharacteristic moment of Sarbajaya being more introspective and pondering her own desires and dreams.
"Don't be anxious. Whatever God ordains is for the best."
This is a logic to which Harihar often subscribes. When things get tough and Sarbajaya begins to worry about the family's future, he remains calm and suggests that God is still looking out for them, and whatever happens to them is for the best. While Sarbajaya wants desperately to deliver her family from their hardship and do things to influence their status in society, Harihar sees their fate as all part of God's plan.
"We'll go see the train when I'm better, all right? We'll get there early and have a good look. You want to?"
This is a tragic promise that Durga makes to Apu when she is sick in bed with a fever. She tells him that when she has healed from her illness, they will go and look at the train in the field again, an exciting moment that they shared before the monsoon came. The tragedy lies in the fact that Durga's death is imminent and they will not be able to make such an excursion.
"Listen to what I'm writing now: new and original plays and poems. When word gets around, the traveling troupes will come in droves. Where else can they get new material? Original plays don't grow on trees."
After Sarbajaya worries to her husband about what will become of their family, he lays out his dreams, which he imagines will help them make money. He reminds his wife that he is from a long line of scholars and writers, and that it is his dream to become a great writer and become known for writing very original stories that will garner a lot of attention. This line shows that Harihar is a creative and imaginative person, but also reveals that he has his head in the clouds to some extent.
"By leaf of lime and karamcha tree, rain, rain, away with thee! Rain, rain, away with thee!"
With this little rhyme, Durga attempts to send away the monsoon. It shows what an imaginative and courageous little girl Durga is, but it is also tragically ironic, as the monsoon is what ends up leading to Durga's illness and subsequent death.
"No matter what people say, Mr. Ray is a good man. Here you are. Three months' wages—24 rupees. Count it. I'll quickly say my evening prayers."
After working for the landowner Ray for three months with no pay, Harihar finally gets paid. He presents his wife with the money triumphantly, proud that his blind faith in his employer has paid off.
"This is my home now too. But just look at it. It's like living in the jungle. Jackals prowling around as soon as night falls. No neighbors to sit and talk to. When you're not here, I'm terribly uneasy. But you wouldn't understand. You eat and sleep and go about your work, unconcerned whether you're paid or not."
Sarbajaya says this to her husband and it illustrates the way the two of them have very different perspectives on their poverty. From Sarbajaya's perspective, Harihar has the privilege of living out in the world without a care, while she must bear all of the burdens of the family and the home. She fears the animals, and feels lonely and isolated from friends.
"Those who came before have passed on. And I'm left behind. A penniless beggar. Not a cowrie to my name. Look, my purse is empty... Lord, the day is done and evening falls. Ferry me across to the other shore..."
This is a song that Indir sings to herself at the ancestral home, not long before she dies. In the throes of poverty, she sings a song about the plight of an impoverished beggar. The image of crossing a river in a ferry can be interpreted as both a literal image as well as a metaphor for the "crossing over" that is thought to occur in death.
