Boldness, wrestling the Almighty in prayer
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
काय करूं आतां धरुनियां भीड । निःशंक हें तोंड वाजविलें ॥1॥
नव्हे जगीं कोणी मुकियाचा जाण । सार्थक लाजोनी नव्हे हित ॥ध्रु.॥
आलें तें उत्तर बोलें स्वामीसवें । धीट नीट जीवें होऊनियां ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे मना समर्थासीं गांठी । घालावी हे मांडी थापटूनि ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What shall I do now, holding back out of shyness? I have opened my mouth without reservation. No one in this world recognizes the mute; remaining silent out of shame brings no good. Whatever answer came, I spoke it to my Lord, boldly and straightforwardly. Says Tuka, O mind, when you have the chance to meet the Capable One, slap your thigh and wrestle Him.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What shall I do now, holding back out of shyness? I have opened my mouth without fear. No one in this world takes notice of the silent man; staying quiet out of shame brings no good. Whatever answer came to me, I spoke it to my Lord, plainly and boldly, putting my life into it. Tuka says: O my mind, when you get a chance to grapple with the Almighty, slap your thigh and close in.
What it means
Tuka turns prayer into a wrestling match and argues against timidity before God. He asks why he should hold back out of shyness, and answers that the world ignores the man who stays mute; silence kept out of shame wins nothing. So he speaks his whole heart to his Lord, boldly and straight, staking his life on it rather than swallowing his words. The closing image is the bold one: he tells his own mind that when it gets the rare chance to take hold of the Almighty, it should slap its thigh like a wrestler entering the ring and grapple. Reverence, here, does not mean keeping a fearful distance; it means coming close enough to contend.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
More in this theme →