The saints, weapons of mercy
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वीर विठ्ठलाचे गाढे । किळकाळ पायां पडे ॥1॥
करिती घोष जेजेकार । जळती दोषांचे डोंगर ॥ध्रु.॥
क्षमा दया शांति । बाण अभंग ते हातीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणें बळी । ते चि एक भूमंडळीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The warriors of Vitthal are so mighty that the shrieking death-force itself falls prostrate at their feet. They raise the cry of Jai Jai, and mountains of faults are burned to ashes. Forgiveness, compassion, and peace: these are the indestructible weapons in their hands. Says Tuka, they alone are truly powerful upon this earth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The warriors of Vitthal are mighty. The force of death falls at their feet. They raise the cry of victory, and mountains of faults burn away. Forgiveness, mercy, peace: these are the unbreakable arrows in their hands. Tuka says: they alone are the strong ones on this earth.
What it means
Tukaram redefines strength by calling the devotees of Vitthal the true warriors. Their power is shown by what bows before them: even the dreaded force of death falls at their feet, and when they cry out the name in joy, whole mountains of sin are reduced to ash. Their weapons are not iron but forgiveness, compassion, and peace, and he calls these unbreakable. The poem overturns the usual measure of might: the one who can forgive and stay at peace, not the one who can strike, is the only powerful person on earth.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
More in this theme →