Faith, practice splits the rock
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ओलें मूळ भेदी खडकाचें अंग । आभ्यासासी सांग कार्यसििद्ध ॥1॥
नव्हे ऐसें कांहीं नाहीं अवघड । नाहीं कईवाड तोंच वरि ॥ध्रु.॥
दोरें चिरा कापे पडिला कांचणी । अभ्यासें सेवनीं विष पडे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कैंचा बैसण्यासी ठाव । जठरीं बाळा वाव एकाएकीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A tender root can split solid rock; sustained practice leads to the fulfillment of any task. There is nothing that cannot be done; only until the doing is lacking does it seem impossible. A rope can cut through stone when drawn back and forth patiently, and through habitual intake, even poison is tolerated. Says Tuka, where was there room for the child to sit, and yet within the womb, space was made all at once?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A tender root splits the body of solid rock. With steady practice, any task is carried through. Nothing is so hard that it cannot be done; it only looks impossible while you have not begun. A rope drawn back and forth saws through stone. By habit, even poison can be taken. Tuka says: where was there room for the child to sit? Yet inside the womb, space was made all at once.
What it means
Tukaram is teaching the power of sustained practice over what looks impossible. A soft root breaking open hard rock, a rope wearing a groove in stone, the body slowly learning to tolerate poison: each shows that patience and repetition accomplish what force cannot. He points out that things seem impossible only until you actually begin; the difficulty lives in the not-doing. The closing image of the unborn child, given room in the womb where there seemed to be none, says the same thing: what looks like no room and no way is provided for once the work is truly under way.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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