Surrender, the fish in the net
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
करितां विचार तो हा दृढ संसार । ब्रह्मांदिकां पार नुलंघवे सामथ्यॉ ॥1॥
शरण शरण नारायणा मज अंगीकारीं दीना। आलें तें वचनांपासीं माझ्या सामर्थ्य ॥ध्रु.॥
पाठीवरी मोळी तो चि कळवा पायीं तळीं । सांपडला जाळीं मत्स्य जाला तो न्याय ॥2॥
आतां करीन तांतडी लाभाची ते याच जोडी । तुका ह्मणे ओढी पायां सोई मनाची ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Upon reflection, this worldly life is firmly entrenched; even Brahma and the gods cannot cross it by their own power. I surrender, I surrender, O Narayana, accept this poor one. Whatever power I had has come to nothing. The load on one's back is the same as the burden under one's feet; like a fish caught in a net, that is the reality. Says Tuka, now I shall act with urgency and seize this gain. The mind's inclination is drawn toward Your feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When I think it over, this worldly life holds fast. Even Brahma and the gods cannot cross it by their own power. I surrender, I surrender, Narayana; take in this poor one. Whatever strength I claimed has come to nothing. The load on my back and the weight under my feet are one and the same; I am a fish caught in the net. That is the truth of it. Now I will be quick, for this is the one gain worth seizing. Tuka says: my mind is pulled toward your feet.
What it means
Tukaram reasons his way to surrender and names exactly why. He looks hard at worldly life and sees it gripping fast, so fast that even Brahma and the gods cannot cross it by their own power, let alone he. So his own boasted strength collapses to nothing, and he calls himself a fish already caught in the net, no escape by struggling. From that honest helplessness comes the only move left: he cries surrender to Narayana and turns with urgency toward the one gain that is real, his mind drawn at last to God's feet.
Surrender and Acceptance
The conditions of spiritual receptivity and the letting go of the separate self.
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