Ecstasy, the strength of the surrendered
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दुजा ऐंसा कोण बळी आहे आतां । हरि या अनंता पासूनिया ॥१॥
बळियाच्या आम्ही जालों बळिवंता । करूं सर्व सत्ता सर्वांवरी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आम्ही जिवाच्या उदारा । जालों प्रीतिकरा गोविंदासी ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Who else is so mighty, apart from Hari, from Ananta? We who belong to the mighty one have ourselves become mighty. We hold dominion over all. Tuka says: we are lavish with our very lives. We have become lovers of Govinda.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Who is mighty now, except Hari, except the endless one? We belong to the mighty one, and so we have become mighty ourselves. We hold sway over everything. Tuka says: we give our very lives without counting the cost. We have become lovers of Govinda.
What it means
A turn from longing to strength. Having given himself to God, Tukaram finds he has taken on God's own power: the one who belongs to the mighty becomes mighty too. This is not pride. It is the confidence of someone who has nothing of his own left to protect, and so can be reckless with his life. Here the strength and the love are one thing. To be a lover of Govinda is to share in his sway over all things.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
More in this theme →