God's grace, no caste, no delay
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कैसा होतो कृपावंत । बहुसंत सांगती । पुसणें नाहीं यातीकुळ । लागों वेळ नेदावा ॥1॥
ऐसी काय जाणों किती । उतरती उतरले ॥ध्रु.॥
दावी वैकुंठींच्या वाटा । पाहातां मोठा संपन्न। अभिमान तो नाहीं अंगी । भक्तालागी न बैसे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आळस निद्रा । नाहीं थारा त्या अंगीं । आलें द्यावें भलत्या काळें । विठ्ठल बळें आगळा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
How gracious He becomes, as many saints can testify. He does not ask about caste or birth; He does not allow a moment's delay. How many have crossed over in this way, one cannot say. He reveals the paths to Vaikuntha, and one sees that He is magnanimous beyond all measure. He carries no pride within; He will not sit idle while His devotees suffer. Says Tuka, there is no laziness or sloth in Him. Whatever comes, He gives it freely at any hour. Vitthal is supreme in generosity.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
How gracious he becomes, many saints will tell you. He does not ask your caste or birth; he lets no moment be lost. How many have crossed over this way, who can count? He shows the roads to Vaikuntha, and you see how full of riches he is. He carries no pride in him, and he will not sit while his devotees suffer. Tuka says: there is no laziness or sleep in him. Whatever comes, he gives at any hour. Vitthal is greatest in giving.
What it means
Tukaram describes the character of God's grace as the saints have witnessed it. The first thing he names is that this grace is blind to caste and birth and never delays, so countless people have crossed over by it. He shows God as immensely rich yet utterly without pride, never idle while a devotee is in need. The claim he lands is that there is no sloth or sleep in him at all: he gives freely at any hour, and in sheer generosity Vitthal stands supreme.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
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