Krishna's birth, chains fall on their own
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मनोरथ जैसे गोकुळींच्या जना । पुरवावी वासना तयापरी ॥1॥
रिण फेडावया अवतार केला । अविनाश आला आकारासी ॥2॥
सीण जाला वसुदेवदेवकीस । वधी बाळें कंस दुराचारी ॥3॥
दुराचारियासी नाहीं भूतदया । आप पर तया पाप पुण्य ॥4॥
पुण्यकाळ त्याचा राहिलासे उभा । देवकीच्या गर्भा देव आले ॥5॥
गर्भासी तयांच्य आला नारायण । तुटलें बंधन आपेंआप॥6॥
आपेंआप बेडएा तुटल्या शंकळा । बंदाच्या आगळा किलिया कोंडे ॥7॥
कोंडमार केला होता बहु दिस । सोडवी निमिष्य नलगतां ॥8॥
न कळे तो त्यासी सांगितला भाव । आपणासी ठाव नंदाघरीं ॥9॥
नंदाघरीं जातां येतां वसुदेवा । नाहीं जाला गोवा सवें देव ॥10॥
सवें देव तया आड नये कांहीं । तुका ह्मणे नाहीं भय चिंता ॥11॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
As the wishes of Gokul's people were fulfilled, so may our desires be granted. To repay a debt, the Incarnation was taken. The Imperishable One came into form. Vasudeva and Devaki had suffered long. The wicked Kamsa slaughtered infants. One without compassion, knowing neither sin nor merit, held sway. But the holy hour arrived, and God entered Devaki's womb. God came to that womb as Narayana. The chains and shackles fell apart on their own. The bolts and bars of the prison opened by themselves. The captivity had been long and harsh, yet liberation came in an instant. The plan was whispered without Kamsa's knowledge. God found His place at Nanda's home. As Vasudeva traveled to and from Nanda's house, God went along without any obstacle. Says Tuka, with God alongside, nothing stands in the way. There is no fear, no worry.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
As the wishes of Gokul's people were fulfilled, so may our longing be granted. To repay a debt, the Incarnation was taken; the Imperishable came into form. Vasudeva and Devaki had suffered long. The wicked Kamsa slaughtered their infants. The cruel one has no compassion for any creature; for him there is no self and other, no sin and merit. But his holy hour came to a stand, and God entered Devaki's womb. Narayana came to that womb, and the chains broke of themselves. By themselves the fetters and shackles fell apart; the bolts and bars of the prison opened. The captivity had lasted many days; he set them free in less than a breath. Without Kamsa's knowing, the plan was told: God's own place was at Nanda's home. As Vasudeva went to and came from Nanda's house, there was no obstacle, for God went with him. Tuka says: with God alongside, nothing stands in the way; there is no fear, no worry.
What it means
Tukaram retells the night of Krishna's birth to show how God's presence dissolves every barrier. He frames the avatara as the repaying of a debt: the Imperishable takes form to end the long suffering of Vasudeva and Devaki under the merciless Kamsa, who kills infants and recognizes no line between sin and merit. The moment Narayana enters Devaki's womb, the holy hour arrives and the prison undoes itself, chains, shackles, bolts, and bars opening with no human effort. The closing teaching draws the point out of the story: when God goes with you, as he went with Vasudeva carrying the child to Nanda's house, no obstacle can hold, and fear and worry simply have no place.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
More in this theme →