Belonging to the Lord, no begging elsewhere
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तैसे नहों आह्मी विठ्ठलाचे दास । यावें आणिकांस काकुलती ॥1॥
स्वामिचिया सत्ता ठेंगणें सकळ । आला किळकाळ हाताखालीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अंकिताचा असे अभिमान देवा । समर्पूनि हेवा असों पायीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आह्मां इच्छेचें खेळणें । कोड नारायणें पुरवावें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
We who are servants of Vitthal need not beg before anyone else. Under our Master's authority, everything stands humbled; even death itself is under His command. We rest at His feet, surrendering all selfish longing, taking pride only in belonging to Him. Says Tuka, we are His playthings; let Narayana fulfill our every wish.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
We are not like that. We are servants of Vitthal. We need not go begging to anyone else. Under our Master's rule everything is brought low; even death has come under his hand. The marked servant has his pride, O God: I give up all craving and stay at your feet. Tuka says: we are playthings of his will. Let Narayana grant us our heart's wish.
What it means
Tukaram contrasts the servant of Vitthal with those who must plead before lesser powers. Because his Master rules over all, every threat is humbled and even death itself falls under that hand, so there is no one else worth begging from. The only pride he keeps is the pride of being branded as the Lord's own; the price of it is surrendering every selfish longing and simply staying at the feet. He ends by handing over even his wishes, content to be a toy of God's will and trusting Narayana to fulfill the rest.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
More in this theme →