Ecstasy, carried off by the powerful one
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मागें पुढें जालों लाटा । अवघा मोटा सरळ ॥1॥
नाहीं कोठें रितें अंग । नित्य रंग नवा चि ॥ध्रु.॥
पोसिंद्याचे पडिलों हातीं । वोझें माती चुकली ॥2॥
जोगावलों पोटीं खर । पाठी भार वरि नाहीं ॥3॥
अवघिया मोकळ्या दिशा । नाहीं वोळसा कामाचा॥4॥
संताचिये लोळें द्वारीं । पळती दुरी गोमाशा ॥5॥
कांहीं न साहेसा जाला । तुका नेला समर्थ ॥6॥
पातोगें महाद्वारीं। वरि झुली वाकळा ॥7॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The waves that tossed me back and forth have all settled into a great, smooth stream. No part of me is left untouched, and the delight is ever new. I have fallen into the hands of a true patron, and the burden of earthly toil is removed. I have been nourished within, and no weight remains on my back. All directions are open and free, with no binding obligation of work. By rolling at the doorstep of the saints, the officers of worldly life flee far away. Says Tuka, when it became unbearable, the powerful one carried me away and spread a coarse blanket before the great door.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The waves that threw me back and forth have all gone smooth, one great even stream. No part of me is left empty. The color is new every day. I have fallen into the hands of a true keeper, and the burden of earthly toil is gone. I have been fed within; no load is left on my back. Every direction is open and free; no task binds me. By rolling at the saints' doorway the gnats of worldly life flee far off. Tuka says: when it grew unbearable, the powerful one carried me away, set me down at the great door, and threw a coarse blanket over me.
What it means
Tukaram describes deliverance from a tossing, restless life into rest. The waves that flung him about have settled into one smooth stream, no part of him is left empty, and the joy is new each day. He credits this to falling into the hands of a true keeper, who lifts off the burden of worldly toil and feeds him within so no weight remains on his back. Now every direction is open and no task binds him, and by humbly rolling at the saints' threshold the petty cares that swarmed like gnats are driven far away. The closing image is the warmest: when his life had become unbearable, the powerful one simply carried him off, laid him at the great door, and covered him with a rough blanket, sheltering him like one who could no longer help himself.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
More in this theme →