Krishna-lila, fear from not knowing Him
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
खेळ नव्हे बरा इंद्र कोपलिया । देव ह्मणे तयां भेऊं नका ॥1॥
नका धरू भय धाक कांहीं मनीं । बोले चक्रपाणि गौिळयांसि ॥2॥
गौिळयांसि धीर नाहीं या वचनें । आशंकितमनें वेडावलीं ॥3॥
वेडावलीं त्यांसि न कळतां भाव । देवआदिदेव नोळखतां ॥4॥
नोळखतां दुःखें वाहाती शरीरीं । तुका ह्मणे वरि भारवाही ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The cowherds said, 'This game is not good if Indra becomes angry.' God told them, 'Do not be afraid.' 'Do not hold any fear or dread in your minds,' said the Lord of the Discus to the cowherds. But His words did not reassure the cowherds. Their minds were anxious and bewildered. They were bewildered because they did not know His nature, not recognizing Him as the God of gods. Says Tuka, those who do not recognize the Infinite One carry a needless burden of sorrow.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The cowherds said: this game is not good if Indra grows angry. God said to them: do not be afraid. Do not hold any fear or dread in your minds, said Chakrapani to the cowherds. But these words gave the cowherds no steadiness. Their minds were anxious and confused. They were confused because they did not grasp His nature. They did not recognize Him as the God of gods. Tuka says: not recognizing Him, they carry sorrow on their bodies for nothing.
What it means
The cowherds are frightened that Indra will retaliate, and Krishna's plain reassurance, do not be afraid, fails to calm them. Tukaram puts His finger on why: their fear comes from not knowing who is standing in front of them. They take Him for a reckless boy and not for the God of gods, so His word cannot land. The teaching is that fear is the symptom of unrecognized presence. When you do not know that the Infinite is with you, you go on shouldering a weight of dread that has no real cause, a needless burden carried only because the eyes have not opened to Him.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
More in this theme →