God in everything, the fire turns cool
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अिग्नकुंडामध्यें घातला प्रल्हाद । तरी तो गोविंद विसरेना ॥1॥
पितियासी ह्मणे व्यापक श्रीहरि । नांदतो मुरारी सर्वां ठायीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अिग्नरूपें माझा सखा नारायण । प्रल्हाद गर्जून हाक मारी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे अिग्न जाहाला शीतळ । प्रताप सबळ विठो तुझा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Prahlada was cast into a pit of fire, yet he would not forget Govinda. He told his father that Hari pervades all things, that the Lord dwells everywhere. Prahlada roared and called out: Narayana is my friend, present even in this fire! Says Tuka, the fire became cool; such is the mighty power of Vitthal.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Prahlada was thrown into a pit of fire. Still he would not forget Govinda. He told his father that Hari fills all things, that Murari lives everywhere. He roared out: Narayana, my friend, is here even as this fire. Tuka says: the fire turned cool. Such is Your mighty power, Vitthal.
What it means
Tukaram retells the fire to test the claim that God is everywhere. Thrown into the flames, Prahlada does not abandon the teaching he held when it was safe; he insists the Lord pervades all things, even the fire meant to kill him, and calls that fire his friend. The unspoken stake is whether you believe in God's presence only when comfortable. The boy holds it at the worst moment, and the fire turns cool. The lesson points at our own faith, which usually goes silent exactly where Prahlada's grew loud.
Sacred Stories
Abhangas drawing on mythological narratives to illuminate spiritual truths.
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