The nature of God, the unseen sustainer
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
गभाअ असतां बाळा । कोण पाळी त्याचा लळा॥1॥
कैसा लाघवी सूत्रधारी । कृपाळुवा माझा हरी ॥ध्रु.॥
सर्प पिलीं वितां चि खाय । वांचलिया कोण माय ॥2॥
गगनीं लागला कोसरा । कोण पुरवी तेथें चारा ॥3॥
पोटीं पाषाणांचे जीव । कवण जीव त्याचा भाव ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे निश्चळ राहें । होईल तें सहज पाहें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
While the child is still in the womb, who nurtures its growth? How skillful is this puppeteer, how merciful is my Hari. The serpent devours its own young the moment they hatch; who is the mother of those that survive? A spider has spun its web in the sky; who supplies food to it there? Living beings dwell even inside stones; who is the life-force that sustains them? Says Tuka, remain steadfast and calm; whatever is meant to happen will unfold naturally.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
While the child is still in the womb, who tends its growing? How skillful is this puppeteer; how merciful is my Hari. The serpent eats its young the moment they hatch; who is the mother of those that live? A spider strings its web high in the sky; who carries food to it there? There are living beings inside stones; whose life is their life? Tuka says: stay still and steady. Whatever is meant to be, watch it unfold on its own.
What it means
Tukaram piles up examples of life sustained by no visible hand. Who feeds the unborn child, who mothers the snakelings the serpent does not devour, who provisions the spider hung in empty air, who keeps alive the creatures sealed in stone? Each question points to one answer: Hari, the skillful puppeteer and merciful keeper who upholds all things unseen. The poem lands on its counsel, since this care is already at work everywhere, the seeker can stop straining and stay still, trusting that what is meant to happen will happen on its own.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
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