Faith, God carries the burden
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पटे ढाळूं आह्मी विष्णुदास जगीं । लागों नेदूं अंगीं पापपुण्य ॥1॥
निर्भर अंतरीं सदा सर्वकाळ । घेतला सकळ भार देवें ॥ध्रु.॥
बिळवंत जेणें रचिलें सकळ । आह्मां त्याचें बळ अंकितांसी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आह्मी देखत चि नाहीं । देवाविण कांहीं दुसरें तें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
We are the servants of Vishnu in this world, boldly unfurling our banners. We will not let merit or sin touch us. Within us there is freedom from worry at all times, for God has taken the entire burden upon himself. The Mighty One who fashioned all of creation is our strength, for we belong to him. Says Tuka, we see nothing at all besides God; there is nothing else for us.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
We are the servants of Vishnu in this world, flying our banners boldly. We will not let merit or sin touch our bodies. Within us there is freedom from worry, always, at every hour, for God has taken the whole burden on himself. The Mighty One who made all of creation is our strength, for we are his and we belong to him. Tuka says: we see nothing at all except God. For us there is nothing else.
What it means
This is the confidence of total surrender, and Tukaram states its ground plainly. Having handed his whole life over to God, he says even merit and sin no longer cling to him, because he is no longer the one carrying the account; God carries the entire burden. The freedom from worry is not bravado but a consequence: if the Maker of everything is your strength and you are his, there is nothing left for you to defend. The last line names the root of it. He sees nothing besides God, so there is no second thing to fear or to manage.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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