The inner battle, surrender of the fight
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दिली हाक मनें नव्हे ती जतन । वेंटािळल्या गुणें धांव घेती ॥1॥
काम क्रोध मद मत्सर अहंकार । निंदा द्वेष फार माया तृष्णा ॥ध्रु.॥
इंिद्रयांचे भार फिरतील चोर । खान घ्यावया घर फोडूं पाहे ॥2॥
माझा येथें कांहीं न चले पराक्रम । आहे त्याचें वर्म तुझे हातीं ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां करितों उपाय । जेणें तुझे पाय आतुडती ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
When the mind calls out, it cannot guard itself, and the senses come rushing in a swarm. Lust, anger, pride, envy, ego, slander, hatred, greed, and attachment all pursue me. The senses circle like thieves, seeking to break into the house and plunder it. My own valor is of no use here; the secret to mastering them lies in Your hands alone. Says Tuka, I now undertake the one remedy by which Your feet may be reached.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When the mind cries out, it cannot guard itself; the senses come rushing in a swarm. Lust, anger, pride, envy, ego, slander, hatred, much delusion, craving. The crowd of senses circles like thieves; they want to break into the house and rob it. My own strength is no use here. The secret of mastering them is in your hands. Tuka says: now I take up the one remedy by which your feet may be reached.
What it means
Tukaram admits he cannot win the inner war by his own force. The mind raises an alarm but cannot defend itself, and the passions, lust, anger, pride, envy, ego, slander, hatred, delusion, craving, rush in like a mob. He sees the senses as thieves circling the house, trying to break in and plunder all that is within. Confessing that his own courage and effort fail against them, he says the power to subdue them rests only in God's hands. So he gives up the lone fight and takes up the single remedy that works: turning to the Lord's feet, the one refuge by which the whole gang is finally mastered.
Worldly Life
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