Faith, demanding the promised treasure
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तुझा भरवसा आम्हां । फार होता पुरुषोत्तमा ॥1॥
भवसागरसंकटीं । तारिशील जगजेठी ॥ध्रु.॥
नाम आदित्याचें झाड। त्याचा न पडे उजड ॥2॥
सिलंगणीचें सोनें । त्यासीं गाहाण ठेवी कोण ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे देवा । िब्रद सोडूनियां ठेवा ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I had great faith in You, O Supreme Being. I trusted You would carry me across the perilous ocean of worldly existence, O Lord of the world. The name is a tree planted by the sun itself; its shade will never be barren. Who would pawn gold that has been tested by the touchstone? Says Tuka, O God, set aside Your vow and show me Your hidden treasure.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I had great faith in you, Purushottama. I trusted you would carry me across the dangerous sea of this world, Lord of the world. The Name is a tree planted by the sun. Its shade never fails. Who pawns gold that has passed the touchstone? Tuka says: God, set aside your vow and give me the treasure.
What it means
Tukaram presses his claim on God like a creditor calling in a debt. He has trusted God to ferry him across the ocean of birth and death, and he reminds God that the Name is no ordinary shelter: it is a tree planted by the sun, whose shade can never fail. His images all say the same thing, that what God has given is already proven true, like gold tested on the touchstone that no one would think to pawn. So he ends boldly, telling God to drop whatever reserve He keeps and hand over the hidden treasure He has promised.
Faith and Trust
The boldness of faith, steadfastness, and the security of trusting in God.
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