The soul and Shiva, a wrestling game
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जीवशिवाच्या मांडूनि हाला । अहं सोहं दोन्ही भेडती भला ॥१॥
घाली हुतुतू फिरोनि पाही आपुणासि । पाही बळिया तो मागिला तुटी पुढिलासि ॥ध्रु.॥
खेळिया तो हाल सांभाळी । धुम घाली तो पडे पाताळीं ॥२॥
बळिया गांढ्या तो चि खेळे । दम पुरे तो वेळोवेळां खेळे ॥३॥
हातीं पडे तो चि ढांग । दम पुरे तो खेळिया चांग ॥४॥
मागें पुढें पाहे तो जिंके । हातीं पडे तो चि आधार फिके ॥५॥
आपल्या बळें खळे रे भाई । गडियाची सांडोनि सोई ॥६॥
तुका म्हणे मी खेळिया नव्हें । जिकडे पडें त्याचि सवें ॥७॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The game of Hal is set between the soul and Shiva; "I" and "I am That" charge at each other like rams. One rushes across the line playing hututu and looks back at himself; the stronger one breaks through the rear to reach the one ahead. The skilled player holds the line and guards the game, while the one who charges recklessly falls into the depths. Whether strong or coward, only the one with enduring breath plays round after round. The one who gets a handhold makes the leap; the player with stamina is the true champion. The one who watches both front and back wins, while the one who is caught finds his support crumble. Play on your own strength, O brother, and abandon the crutch of others. Says Tuka, I am no player in this game; whichever side I fall on, I stay with them.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The game of Hal is set between the soul and Shiva; "I" and "I am That" charge at each other like rams. One rushes across the line playing hututu and looks back at himself; the stronger one breaks through the rear to reach the one ahead. The skilled player holds the line and guards the game, while the one who charges recklessly falls into the depths. Strong or coward, only the one whose breath lasts plays round after round. The one who gets a handhold makes the leap; the player with stamina is the true champion. The one who watches both front and back wins, while the one who is caught finds his support crumble. Play on your own strength, brother; abandon the crutch of others. Tuka says: I am no player in this game; whichever side I fall on, I stay with them.
What it means
Tukaram turns the village game of hututu into the contest between the individual soul and the absolute. "I" (ahaṃ) and "I am That" (sohaṃ) charge at each other like rams, the sense of separate self against the knowledge of oneness. The poem is a coach's running commentary: hold the line, do not charge recklessly, keep your breath, watch both ahead and behind, and above all play on your own strength rather than leaning on others. In the spiritual reading, the realization has to be won by one's own sustained effort, not borrowed. The closing turn is the surprise: Tuka steps out of the role of player and says he simply belongs to whichever side he lands on, surrendering the whole contest of self rather than trying to win it.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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