Surrender, the servant's claim on the master
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सेवकासी आज्ञा निरोपासी काम । स्वामीचे ते धर्म स्वामी जाणे ॥1॥
मनाचिये मुळीं रहावें बैसोन । आक्रशावे गुण पायांपाशीं ॥ध्रु.॥
भेटीचे तांतडी करीतसे लाहो । ओंवाळावा देहो ऐसें वाटे ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे माझें करावें कारण । आपुलें जतन ब्रीद कशाला ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A servant follows commands; a messenger carries out his task. The duties of the master are the master's own to know. One should sit quietly at the root of the mind and draw all the senses back toward the feet of the Lord. In the urgency of meeting Him, I would gladly offer my body. Says Tuka, attend to my cause; why safeguard Your own reputation while I remain in need?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A servant obeys orders; a messenger does his errand. The master's duties are the master's own to know. Sit still at the root of the mind and draw all the senses back to his feet. In my hurry to meet him I would gladly wave my whole body before him as an offering. Tuka says: do my work, attend to my need. Why guard your own good name instead?
What it means
Tukaram lays out the right relation between devotee and Lord, then presses his case. His part is the servant's part: to sit quiet at the source of the mind and pull every sense back to God's feet, longing only to meet him. The Lord's part, the master's part, is to look after the servant's true welfare. So Tuka ends by pressing God to act for him rather than merely protecting his own reputation, turning the logic of master and servant into a claim the Lord must honor.
Surrender and Acceptance
The conditions of spiritual receptivity and the letting go of the separate self.
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