Faith, the silent Lord understood by signs
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
हा तों नव्हे कांहीं निराशेचा ठाव । भलें पोटीं वाव राखिलिया ॥1॥
विश्वंभरें विश्व सामाविलें पोटी । तेथें चि सेवटीं आह्मी असों ॥ध्रु.॥
नेणतां चिंतन करितों अंतरीं । तेथें अभ्यंतरीं उमटेल ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे माझा स्वामी अबोलणा । पुरवूं खुणे खुणा जाणतसों ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
This is no place of despair, so long as there is room kept in the chitta. The Lord of the Universe has gathered the entire world into His belly, and we too abide there in the end. Though unknowing, I carry on contemplation within; it will one day manifest in the inner depths. Says Tuka, my Lord is one of silent understanding; I know how to communicate through His subtle signs.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
This is no place for despair, so long as there is room kept in the heart. The Bearer of the worlds has gathered the whole world into His belly, and there too, in the end, we abide. Without knowing it, I keep up the contemplation within, and there in the depths it will rise up clear. Tuka says: my Lord is one of silence. I know how to fill the space, sign answering sign.
What it means
Tukaram refuses despair as long as the heart keeps even a little room open. His ground is that the Sustainer of all has taken the entire universe into Himself, so that we too rest within Him in the end and are never truly lost. He keeps up an inner contemplation even without fully grasping it, trusting that it will one day surface clearly from the depths. The close pictures his bond with a wordless God: the Lord stays silent, and Tukaram answers in the same language, understanding the exchange through subtle signs rather than speech.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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