Faith, guard your own ground
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बहुतां छंदाचें बहु वसे जन । नये वांटूं मन त्यांच्या संगें ॥1॥
करावा जतन आपुला विश्वास । अंगा आला रस आवडीचा ॥ध्रु.॥
सुखाची समाधी हरिकथा माउली । विश्रांति साउली सिणलियांची ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे बुडे बांधोनि दगड । तेथें काय कोड धांवायाचें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The world is full of people with many whims; one should not scatter one's mind in their company. Guard your own faith; let the flavor of devotion permeate your being. The bliss of Hari's story is like a mother, a cool shade for the weary. Says Tuka, one who dives with a stone tied to him drowns. What sense is there in rushing to join such a one?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The world is full of people with many whims. Do not scatter your mind in their company. Guard your own faith; let the taste of love soak into you. Hari's story is a mother, the bliss that is deep stillness, a cool shade for the weary. Tuka says: a man with a stone tied to him sinks. What sense is there in rushing to join him?
What it means
Tukaram warns against losing yourself to the crowd's countless moods. People are full of passing whims, and to mix your mind with theirs is to scatter it; instead, guard the one faith that is yours and let devotion's flavor soak in. He sets the alternative beside it: hearing Hari's story is a mother to you, a deep restful bliss, cool shade for the tired soul. Then comes the sharp image of the drowning man. Someone who has tied a stone to himself is going to sink, so there is no sense in running to keep him company; choose what holds you up, not what pulls you down.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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