The nature of God, protector of the helpless
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दीनानाथा तुझीं ब्रिदें चराचर । घेसील कैवार शरणागता ॥१॥
पुराणीं जे तुझे गर्जती पवाडे । ते आम्हां रोकडे कळों आले ॥ध्रु.॥
आपुल्या दासांचें न साहासी उणें । उभा त्याकारणें राहिलासी ॥२॥
चक्र गदा हातीं आयुधें अपारें । न्यून तेथें पुरें करूं धावें ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे तुज भक्तीचें कारण । करावया पूर्ण अवतार ॥४॥
ठायींची हे काया ठेविली चरणीं । आतां ओवाळुनि काय सांडूं ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं भाव ऐसा करूं तुझी सेवा । जीव वाहूं देवा तो ही तुझा ॥२॥
मज माझें कांहीं न दिसे पाहातां । जें तुज अनंता समर्पावें ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे आतां नाहीं मज थार । तुझे उपकार फेडावया ॥४॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
O Lord of the lowly, your fame as protector of all creation, who champions the cause of those who surrender, fills the moving and the still. The glorious deeds the Puranas proclaim about you, we have seen them proven true before our very eyes. You cannot bear to see your devotees suffer any want; that is why you stand there, ready. With discus, mace, and countless weapons in hand, you rush to fill whatever is lacking. Says Tuka, devotion is the reason you take birth in this world. This body of mine was always meant for your feet; now what more can I wave before you and cast aside? I have no devotion worthy enough to serve you; even if I offer my life, that too belongs to you. When I look within, I see nothing of my own that I might offer to you, O Infinite One. Says Tuka, I can find no way to repay your kindness.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Lord of the lowly, your name as protector fills all that moves and all that stands still. You take the side of those who surrender. The mighty deeds the Puranas sing of you, we have seen them proved true with our own eyes. You cannot bear to see your servants lack anything. That is why you stand there, ready. Discus and mace in hand, countless weapons, you run to fill whatever is missing. Tuka says: devotion is the reason you take birth. This body was always meant for your feet. What more can I now wave before you and throw away? I have no devotion good enough to serve you. Even if I offer my life, that life is yours too. When I look within, I see nothing of my own to give you, O Infinite One. Tuka says: now I find no way left to repay your kindness.
What it means
Tukaram begins in praise and ends, helplessly, in debt. He honors Vitthal as the sworn protector of the lowly and of all who surrender, and says the Puranas' old stories of rescue have come true before his own eyes: the Lord cannot stand to see a devotee in want, so he stands ready, armed, rushing to supply whatever is lacking. Then the poem turns the tribute back on the singer. Everything he might offer in return, his body, his devotion, even his life, already belongs to God, so he has nothing of his own to give. The closing confession is the point: faced with such kindness, the devotee finds no way at all to repay it.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
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