Faith, the effortless coming of grace
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
विश्वासिया नाहीं लागत सायास । रंग अनायासें अंगा येतो ॥1॥
लेंकराच्या हातें घास मागे माता । वोरसोनि चित्ता सुख पावे ॥ध्रु.॥
गौरव त्या मानी आरुषा वचनीं । भूषण ते वाणी मिरवावी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आहेस सकळ ही साक्षी । माझा कई पक्षी पांडुरंग ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The faithful one needs no exertion; divine color comes to his body effortlessly. A mother begs a morsel from the hand of her child, and by accepting it she is filled with joy. She takes the child's harsh words as a mark of honor and wears that speech as an ornament. Says Tuka, You are the witness of all. Panduranga is always on my side.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
For the one who trusts, no straining is needed; the color of God comes to the body on its own. A mother begs a morsel from her own child's hand, and taking it she is filled with joy. She counts the child's rough words as honor and wears that speech as an ornament. Tuka says: You are the witness of everything; Panduranga is always on my side.
What it means
Tukaram describes the ease of faith. Where there is trust, grace does not have to be wrestled into being; it colors the devotee effortlessly. The mother shows the relationship: she will beg food from her own little child's hand and rejoice in it, and even the child's harsh words she treats as praise and wears like a jewel. So God receives the devotee's crude offerings and clumsy speech as ornament. Tukaram closes in confidence: God sees all and stands on his side, so anxious effort is unnecessary.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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