Faith, the burden is God's
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
संसारसोहळे भोगितां सकळ । भक्तां त्याचें बळ विटोबाचें ॥1॥
भय चिंता धाक न मनिती मनीं । भक्तां चक्रपाणि सांभाळीत ॥ध्रु.॥
पापपुण्य त्यांचें धरूं न शके अंग । भक्तांसी श्रीरंग सर्वभावे ॥2॥
नव्हती ते मुक्त आवडे संसार । देव भक्तां भार सर्व वाहे ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे देव भक्तां वेळाईत । भक्त ते नििंश्चत त्याचियानें ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
While devotees enjoy all the celebrations of worldly life, their true strength comes from Vithoba. They harbor no fear, worry, or dread in their minds, for the discus-bearing Lord watches over them. Sin and merit cannot touch their being, for Shrirang is wholly theirs. Liberation is not their aim; they love this worldly life, for God carries all their burdens. Says Tuka, God waits upon His devotees, and by His power, the devotees dwell carefree.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The devotees taste all the celebrations of worldly life, yet their true strength is Vithoba's. They carry no fear, no worry, no dread in their minds, for the discus-bearing Lord guards over them. Sin and merit cannot lay hold of their bodies, for Shrirang is wholly theirs. They are not after liberation; they love this worldly life, because God carries all of their burden. Tuka says: God waits upon his devotees, and by his power they live without a care.
What it means
Tukaram describes the strange freedom of the true devotee, who lives fully inside ordinary worldly life yet is untouched by what usually rules it. Their security does not come from themselves; it is Vithoba's, which is why fear, worry, and even the accounting of sin and merit cannot get a grip on them. He pushes the claim further than most piety dares: such devotees do not even want liberation, because when God carries the whole burden there is nothing left to escape from. The closing reversal is the sharpest point: God waits upon the devotee, serves them, and it is by his power, not their own effort, that they are carefree.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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