Metaphor, the servant the Master claims
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धनी ज्या पाइका मानितो आपण । तया भितें जन सकळीक ॥1॥
जिवाचे उदार शोभती पाईक । मिरवती नाईक मुगुटमणि ॥ध्रु.॥
आपुलिया सत्ता स्वामीचें वैभव । भोगिती गौरव सकळ सुख ॥2॥
कमाइचीं हीणें पडिलीं उदंडें । नाहीं तयां खंड येती जाती ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे तरि पाइकी च भली । थोडीबहुत केली स्वामिसेवा ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The paik whom the Master acknowledges as His own is feared by all the world. Those who are generous with their very lives shine as paiks; they are paraded as the crown-jewel of their commander. Through the Master's own sovereignty, they enjoy His splendor, His honor, and every happiness. Those of lesser merit come and go ceaselessly in great numbers, with no end to their coming and going. Says Tuka, paiki is truly noble. Whether one has rendered much or little swami-seva, it is good.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The paik whom the Master acknowledges as His own is feared by all the world. Those who are generous with their very lives shine as paiks. They are paraded as the crown-jewel of their commander. Through the Master's own sovereignty they enjoy His splendor, His honor, and every happiness. Those of lesser merit come and go endlessly, in great numbers, with no end to their coming and going. Tuka says: paiki is truly noble. Whether one has rendered much or little service to the Master, it is good.
What it means
Tukaram closes the soldier sequence with the dignity of the claimed servant. The paik whom the Master openly owns is held in awe by everyone. Those who give their very lives shine and are displayed as their commander's crown-jewel, and through the Master's own power they share in his splendor, honor, and joy. Against them he sets those of little merit, who keep coming and going without end, an image of unliberated rebirth, of lives spent without that bond. The verdict is generous: such loyal service is genuinely noble, and whether one offers much of it or little, it is good. The whole metaphor points to surrender to God as the one service worth giving.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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