Mythology, the cry come quickly
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वेद नेलें शंखासुरें । केलें ब्रह्म्यानें गाहाणें ॥1॥
धांव धांव झडकरी । ऐसें कृपाळुवा हरी ॥ध्रु.॥
गजेंद्र नाडियें गांजिला ॥ तेणें तुझा धांवा केला ॥
2॥ तुका ह्मणे पद्मनाभा । जेथें पाहें तेथें उभा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The demon Shankhashura stole the Vedas, and Brahma pledged them as security. Run, O merciful Hari, run swiftly! The elephant Gajendra was afflicted and tormented, and he called out to You for help. Says Tuka, O Padmanabha, wherever I look, there You stand.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The demon Shankhasura carried off the Vedas. Brahma was left to plead for them. Run, run, come quickly! O merciful Hari, be like that. Gajendra the elephant was caught and tormented; he cried out to You. Tuka says: O Padmanabha, wherever I look, there You are standing.
What it means
Tukaram piles up the old rescue stories to press his own plea. Hari recovered the stolen Vedas for Brahma; He came running when the trapped elephant Gajendra called. The repeated cry, run, run, come quickly, makes the past deliverances into a demand on the present: be that same swift mercy now. The closing line answers the prayer before it is finished, for wherever the poet turns his eyes Padmanabha is already standing there, near and ready.
Sacred Stories
Abhangas drawing on mythological narratives to illuminate spiritual truths.
More in this theme →