Faith, the mother of many
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बोलिलें चि बोलें पडपडताळूनि । उपजत मनीं नाहीं शंका ॥1॥
बहुतांची माय बहुत कृपाळ । साहोनि कोल्हाळ बुझाविसी ॥ध्रु.॥
बहुतांच्या भावें वांटिसी भातुकें । बहु कवतुकें खेळविसी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ऐसें जाणतसों वर्म । करणें तो श्रम न वजे वांयां॥3॥ ॥12॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I say the same words over and over, testing and re-testing them. No doubt arises in my mind. You are the mother of many, supremely merciful. You endure their clamor and comfort them. You distribute gifts to all according to their devotion and playfully set them all to play. Says Tuka, I know this secret well: the effort spent is never wasted.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I say the same words over and over, testing them again and again, and no doubt rises in my mind. You are the mother of many, full of mercy. You bear their clamor and comfort them. You hand out gifts to each by their devotion, and playfully you set them all to play. Tuka says: I know this secret well. The effort spent is never wasted.
What it means
Tukaram has turned his faith over and over, examining it until no doubt is left. He pictures God as a mother to countless children, patient with all their noise and quick to soothe them. This mother gives each child a portion measured to its own love and arranges the whole play in which they all take part. The settled conviction at the end is his secret: in serving such a God, no effort is ever thrown away.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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