Resolve, no turning back
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
केलें शकुनें प्रयाण । आतां मागें फिरे कोण ॥1॥
होय तैसें होय आतां । देह बळी काय चिंता ॥ध्रु.॥
पडिलें पालवीं। त्याचा धाक वाहे जीवीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जीणें । देवा काय हीनपणें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The journey has begun under auspicious signs; now who would turn back? Let whatever will happen, happen. The body is offered as a sacrifice; what is there to worry about? Whatever has fallen into my lap, I carry its weight in my heart. Says Tuka, O God, why live a life of cowardice?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The journey has begun under good omens. Who would turn back now? Let whatever is to happen, happen. The body is offered as a sacrifice; why should I worry? What has fallen to my lot, I carry its weight in my heart. Tuka says: O God, why live a life of cowardice?
What it means
Tukaram speaks with a soldier's resolve once the road is taken. The signs were favorable when he set out, so there is no honest reason to retreat now. He has already given his body away as an offering, so the fear of what comes next has lost its grip. Whatever burden has landed on him, he simply carries it. The closing line is the whole point: he asks God why anyone should crouch through life in cowardice, when the path has already been committed to.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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