Autobiography, the testing fast
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
थोर अन्याय केला तुझा अंत म्यां पाहिला । जनाचिया बोलासाटीं चित्त क्षोभविलें ॥1॥
भागविलासी केला सीण अधम मी यातिहीन । झांकूनि लोचन दिवस तेरा राहिलों ॥ध्रु.॥
अवघें घालूनियां कोडें तानभुकेचें सांकडें । योगक्षेम पुढें तुज करणें लागेल ॥2॥
उदकीं राखिले कागद चुकविला जनवाद । तुका ह्मणे ब्रीद साच केलें आपुलें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I committed a great wrong against You by testing Your limits. For the sake of people's talk, I disturbed my own mind. I caused You weariness and pain; I am a lowly, degraded being. I closed my eyes and lay still for thirteen days. Placing upon You the burden of hunger and thirst, You will now have to see to my welfare. I saved the papers by keeping them in water and silenced the wagging tongues. Says Tuka, You have proven Your promise true.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I did a great wrong: I tested Your limit. For the sake of what people were saying, I troubled my own mind. I wore You out, I gave You pain, lowly and outcaste as I am. I shut my eyes and lay still for thirteen days. Laying on You the whole hardship of my hunger and thirst, I left my keeping and care for You to manage. The papers were saved in the water, the wagging tongues were silenced. Tuka says: You have made Your promise come true.
What it means
Tukaram looks back on a hard episode and calls his own conduct a wrong. Stung by people's mockery, he put God to the test, lying still with closed eyes for thirteen days and throwing the whole burden of his survival onto the Lord. He confesses this caused God pain and sprang from his own disturbed mind, not from virtue. Yet the outcome vindicated his faith: the papers cast into the water were preserved and the mockers fell silent. The point lands on God's faithfulness, not Tukaram's worthiness; the Lord kept His word even when the test was an offense.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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