The child's loving quarrel
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
प्रीतीचा कलहे पदरासी घाली पीळ । सरों नेदी बाळ मागें पुढें पित्यासी ॥1॥
काय लागे त्यासी बळ हेडावितां कोण काळ । गोवितें सबळ जाळीं स्नेहसूत्राचीं ॥ध्रु.॥
सलगी दिला लाड बोले तें तें वाटे गोड । करी बुझावोनि कोड हातीं देऊनि भातुकें॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे बोल कोणा हें कां नेणां नारायणा । सलगीच्या वचना कैचें उपजे विषम।3॥ ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A child quarrels out of love, tugging at the parent's garment, never letting the father move forward or back. What force can prevail against one who, at any moment, can entangle the mighty in the net of affection? Indulged and given liberties, whatever the child says sounds sweet; the parent coaxes and gives a toy to pacify. Says Tuka, why do You not understand this, O Narayana? From words spoken in intimacy, no real bitterness can arise.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A child quarrels out of love and tugs at the hem of the cloth. It will not let the father go forward or back. What strength can stand against the child? At any moment it can tangle the strong one in the net of affection. Petted and given its way, whatever the child says sounds sweet. The parent soothes it and puts a toy in its hand to quiet it. Tuka says: how do You not understand this, Narayana? From words spoken in closeness, no real bitterness can come.
What it means
Tukaram explains the meaning of all his scolding through the image of a small child gripping its father's garment. The child's quarrel has no malice in it; it is the very strength of love that binds the mighty parent and stops him from moving. Such a child gets indulged, soothed, handed a toy, because its sharpest words still sound sweet. He then asks God to read his own complaints the same way: spoken from intimacy, they carry no bitterness, only the demanding tenderness of one who is sure he is loved.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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