Tenderness, God loves us as we are
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जैसें तैसें बाळ मातेसी आवडे । बोलतां बोबडे शब्द गोड ॥1॥
आपुले आवडी लेववी खाववी । पाहोनियां जीवीं सुख वाटे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे काय देऊं परिहार । काय ते साचार जाणतसें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A mother loves her child just as it is. Its babbling words are sweet to her ears. She feeds it and adorns it as she pleases, and watching it brings her joy. Says Tuka, what return can I offer? I truly know nothing of real value.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A mother loves her child just as it is. Its babbling words are sweet to her. She feeds it and dresses it as she pleases, and watching it fills her heart with joy. Tuka says: what return can I give? I truly know nothing of any worth.
What it means
Tukaram reaches for the plainest love he knows, a mother and her small child, to say how God holds the devotee. The child cannot speak clearly, cannot earn its keep, cannot give anything back; the mother delights in it anyway, feeds it, adorns it, and is glad simply to watch. That is the relationship Tukaram claims with God. His closing line is the point: he has nothing of value to offer, no payment that could match this love, and that is exactly why it is grace. You are loved before you have done anything to deserve it.
The Nature of God
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