Surrender, hold the feet through disgrace
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आतां हें उचित माझें जना हातीं । पाहिजे फजीती केली कांहीं ॥1॥
मग हे तुमचे न सोडीं चरण । त्रासोनियां मन येइल ठाया ॥ध्रु.॥
वाउगे वाणीचा न धरीं कांटाळा । ऐसी कां चांडाळा बुिद्ध मज ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जरि माथां बैसे घाव । तरि मग वाव नेघे पुढें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Now let the people do what they will with me; let them humiliate me however they please. Even then I shall not release Your feet; the mind, once wearied of all else, will come to rest. I shall not be repelled by empty speech. Why does such a pitiable tendency persist in me? Says Tuka, if a blow falls upon my head, only then will it stop seeking more room to wander.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Now it is right that the people do with me what they will; let them shame me somehow. Even then I will not let go of your feet; the mind, once sick of everything else, will come to rest. I will not flinch at empty, abusive talk. Why does such a low tendency stay in me? Tuka says: if a blow lands on my head, then it will stop looking for more room to roam.
What it means
Tukaram accepts public humiliation as the very thing that can settle his restless mind on God. He invites people to shame him, because once the mind is worn out by the world's contempt it stops wandering and comes to rest at Vitthal's feet, which he vows never to release. He still catches a base streak in himself that recoils from abuse, and questions it honestly. The image he lands on is stark: only when a blow finally falls on his head will the roving mind give up its search for somewhere else to go.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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