Trust, the guardian on the road
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
उदार कृपाळ अनाथांचा नाथ । ऐकसी मात शरणागतां ॥1॥
पाचारितां उभा राहासी जवळी । पाहिजे ते काळीं पुरवावें ॥2॥
चालतां ही पंथ सांभाळिसी वाटे । वारिसील कांटे खडे हातें ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे चिंता नाहीं तुझ्या दासां । तूं त्यांचा कोंवसा सर्वभावें ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Generous, compassionate, Lord of the helpless, You hear the word of those who seek refuge. When called, You stand near at once, providing what is needed in that very moment. Even as we walk the road, You watch over us, clearing thorns and stones with Your own hands. Says Tuka, Your servants carry no worry, for You are their tender guardian in every way.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Generous, merciful, Lord of the helpless, you hear the word of those who come for refuge. When you are called, you stand near at once and give what is needed in that very moment. Even as we walk the road, you watch over the path, clearing thorns and stones away with your own hands. Tuka says: your servants carry no worry, for you are their tender guardian in every way.
What it means
Tukaram describes what it is like to be under God's care. Vitthal hears those who take refuge and comes the instant he is called, supplying the need in the moment it arises, not later. The road imagery makes the care concrete and continuous: God does not merely wait at the end but walks the way, clearing the thorns and stones with his own hands. The conclusion is the reason a devotee can live without anxiety. When the guardian is this near and this attentive, worry has nothing left to feed on.
The Nature of God
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