Ecstasy, grace seized unasked
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
समर्थाचा ठाव संचलाचि असे । दुर्बळाची आस पुढें करी ॥1॥
पावलें घेईन पदरीं हें दान । एकांतीं भोजन करूं दाऊं॥ध्रु.॥
न लगे पाहावी उचिताची वेळ । अयाचित काळ साधला तो ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे पोट धालिया उपरी । गौरवा उत्तरीं पूजूं देवा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The treasure of the powerful is always at hand; the weak one's hope lies in what the future may offer. I shall receive whatever gift falls into my lap, and partake of the feast in solitude. There is no need to wait for the proper occasion; the time of unsolicited grace has been seized. Says Tuka, once the belly is full, let us honor God with words of grateful reverence.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The strong one's store is always full and ready; the weak one's hope hangs on what may come later. I will take whatever gift falls into my lap, and eat the feast in solitude. There is no need to watch for the proper hour; the time of grace given unasked has been seized. Tuka says: once the belly is full, let us honor God with words of grateful praise.
What it means
Tukaram contrasts the powerful, whose provision is always at hand, with the weak, who can only hope for a future portion; he counts himself among the weak and resolves to take gladly whatever grace falls to him. He will not wait for the textbook right moment, because grace has come unsolicited and the moment is now, so he eats this gift in quiet. The closing turn shows the proper response: when the soul has been fed, the thing to do is to praise God with grateful words. It is a poem about receiving freely given grace and answering it with thanks.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
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