The constant companion, all fear gone
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जेथें जातों तेथें तू माझा सांगाती । चालविसी हातीं धरूनियां ॥1॥
चालों वाटे आह्मी तुझा चि आधार । चालविसी भार सवें माझा ॥ध्रु.॥
बोलों जातां बरळ करिसी तें नीट । नेली लाज धीट केलों देवा ॥2॥
अवघें जन मज जाले लोकपाळ । सोइरे सकळ प्राणसखे ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां खेळतों कौतुकें । जालें तुझें सुख अंतर्बाहीं ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Wherever I go, You are my companion; You walk with me, holding my hand. We walk this path leaning on You alone; You carry my load alongside me. When I begin to babble, You set my words right; You have taken away my shame and made me bold, O God. All people have become my guardians, all are kin and soul-friends. Says Tuka, now I play in delight; Your joy fills me within and without.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Wherever I go, you are my companion. You walk with me, holding my hand. We walk this path leaning on you alone; you carry my load along with me. When I start to babble, you set my words right. You have taken away my shame and made me bold, O God. All people have become my guardians, all are kin and dear as my own breath. Tuka says: now I play in delight. Your joy fills me within and without.
What it means
This is what life feels like once the fear is gone. Tukaram describes God as a companion who never leaves, who holds his hand, carries his burden, and even corrects his stumbling words. With his shame taken away he has grown bold, and the change spreads outward: no one is a threat anymore, everyone has become kin and protector and friend. The result is not anxious striving but play, joy filling him inside and out. The poem shows surrender turning the whole world friendly, because the one who walks beside him is trusted completely.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
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