Moral ideal, asking God for the right gifts
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
हें चि याच्या ऐसें मागावें दान । वंदूनि चरण नारायणा ॥1॥
धीर उदारींव निर्मळ निर्मत्सर । येणें सर्वेश्वर ऐसें नांव ॥ध्रु.॥
हा चि होईजेल याचिया विभागें । अनुभववी अंगें अनुभववील ॥2॥
जोडे तयाचे कां न करावे सायास । जाला तरि अळस दीनपणे ॥3॥
पावल्यामागें कां न घलावी धांव । धरिल्या तरि हांव बळ येतें ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे घालूं खंडीमध्ये टांक । देवाचें हें एक करुनी घेऊं ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One should ask for gifts like these, bowing at the feet of Narayana: courage, generosity, purity, and freedom from jealousy. By these, one becomes worthy of the name 'Lord of All.' Such qualities one should experience in one's own being and help others experience too. Why not strive for what is truly beneficial? Even if laziness comes from one's lowly state, one should still run after what has been attained. Says Tuka, let us strike the chisel into the quarry and make God's work our own.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Ask for gifts like these, bowing at the feet of Narayana: steadiness, generosity, purity, freedom from envy. By these one earns the name Lord of All. One becomes this by his share of them; let him taste it in his own body and let others taste it too. Why not labor for what is truly worth gaining? Even if laziness comes from one's lowly state, still run after what you have reached. Why not give chase once you are close behind? Hold on, and the strength and daring come. Tuka says: let us strike the chisel into the quarry and carve out this one thing of God's for ourselves.
What it means
Tukaram says that what we should beg of God is not wealth but character: steadiness, generosity, purity, and freedom from jealousy, the very qualities that make the name Lord of All fitting. These are not just to be admired but lived in one's own being and passed on for others to live too. He then argues against giving up: even if low spirits breed laziness, keep running after the goal you have already neared, because the very act of holding on summons strength and daring. The closing image is a quarryman driving his chisel into rock; spiritual virtue is hard-won work, not a windfall. He resolves to carve this one thing of God's out for himself.
The Moral Ideal
Purity, sincerity, truthfulness, humility, peacefulness, and service.
More in this theme →