Steadiness, courage over shame
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ज्यावें हीनपणें । कासयाच्या प्रयोजनें ॥1॥
प्रारब्धीं संसार । बरी हिमतीची थार ॥ध्रु.॥
होणार ते कांहीं । येथें अवकळा नाहीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे देवें । कृपा केलिया बरवें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Why live in humiliation? To what purpose? When worldly life is ruled by destiny, at least maintain your courage. Whatever will be will be; there is no degradation in that. Says Tuka, all is well when God is gracious.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Why live in a low, beaten way? What is the use of it? Worldly life is ruled by what was already written. So keep a firm footing of courage. Whatever is going to happen will happen. There is no disgrace in that. Tuka says: when God is gracious, all of it turns out well.
What it means
Tukaram is steadying a person worn down by life. He says the shape of your worldly fortune is already set by destiny, so cringing and living in shame changes nothing and serves no purpose. The one thing still in your hands is your courage: keep that footing firm. Accept that whatever comes will come, and refuse to read it as humiliation. The poem rests the whole thing on grace, that when God is kind, the outcome is good even when you cannot control it.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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