Surrender, life in Vitthal's hands
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जननी हे जाणे बाळकाचें वर्म । सुख दुःख धर्म जें जें कांहीं ॥1॥
अंधापुढें जेणें दिधला आधार । त्याचा हा विचार तो चि जाणे ॥ध्रु.॥
शरणागता जेणें घातलें पाठीशीं । तो जाणे तेविशीं राखों तया ॥2॥
कासे लागे तया न लगती सायास । पोहोणारा त्यास पार पावी ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे जीव विठ्ठलाचे हातीं । दिला त्याची गति तो चि जाणे ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A mother knows the secret nature of her child, every joy and sorrow, every dharma. The one who gave support to the blind, only He understands how to continue guiding them. The one who has sheltered the refugee behind His back, He alone knows how to guard that one. For the one who holds on to Him, no effort is needed; the strong swimmer carries the clinging one across. Says Tuka, I have placed my life in Vitthal's hands; He alone knows the course of my destiny.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A mother knows the hidden nature of her child, all its joys, sorrows, and ways. The one who gave the blind man support, he alone knows how to keep guiding him. The one who has set the refugee behind his own back, he alone knows how to guard him. For the one who only holds on, no effort is needed; the strong swimmer carries the clinging one across. Tuka says: I have placed my life in Vitthal's hands; he alone knows where it goes.
What it means
Tukaram is describing surrender through plain images of dependence. A mother knows her child better than the child knows itself; one who has taken on a blind man knows how to lead him; one who has sheltered a refugee knows how to protect him. The swimmer image is the key: the one being carried does not swim, he only holds on, and the strong swimmer does all the work of reaching the far shore. So Tukaram concludes that having handed his very life to Vitthal, the responsibility for its course is now God's, not his. The whole effort of the devotee shrinks to one thing, holding on; the carrying is God's business.
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