Sant Tukaram's Humility

⏰ 11 min read · Ages 10+ · Intermediate

The Main Story

Sant Tukaram lived a simple life in the village of Dehu, spending his days singing devotional abhangs in praise of Lord Vitthal and helping fellow villagers however he could, despite having very little himself. He was known throughout the region for his gentle nature and his refusal to grow angry, no matter the provocation.

One afternoon, a trader passed through Dehu on his way to a nearby market, his cart piled high with fresh sugarcane he intended to sell. The road was long and the sun was harsh, and by the time he reached the village, he was tired, irritable, and anxious about reaching the market before the best selling hours passed.

He stopped near the spot where Tukaram sat quietly under a tree, lost in prayer, his eyes closed, his lips moving softly with the words of a devotional song. The trader, in his hurry, called out for directions to the shortest path to the market. Tukaram, deep in his meditation, did not hear him at first.

The trader called again, louder this time, and still Tukaram did not respond immediately, his mind fully absorbed in his devotion. Frustrated and assuming he was being deliberately ignored, the trader lost his temper entirely. He grabbed a length of sugarcane from his cart and struck Tukaram across the back with it, shouting that he had no time for silent, unhelpful strangers.

Tukaram opened his eyes, startled by the blow, but rather than responding with anger, he looked at the trader calmly and, in a gentle voice, apologized for not answering sooner, explaining that he had been deep in prayer and had not heard the question. He then patiently gave the trader clear, detailed directions to the market, wishing him well on his journey.

But Tukaram did something else, too, that startled the trader and the small group of villagers who had gathered nearby, having witnessed the entire incident. Tukaram reached out, picked up several pieces of sugarcane that had fallen from the trader's cart during the scuffle, and offered them back to him along with a warm smile, saying that a tired traveller should not lose good sugarcane over a simple misunderstanding.

The villagers were outraged on Tukaram's behalf and urged him to at least allow them to scold the trader for his rudeness, but Tukaram gently stopped them. "He was tired, worried about reaching the market, and acted out of frustration, not true cruelty," Tukaram said. "If I return his anger with anger, nothing is healed, and two wrongs remain in the world instead of one. But if I return it with patience, perhaps only kindness will be left behind when he continues on his way."

The trader, meanwhile, stood frozen, overcome with shame at how he had repaid quiet, undeserved kindness with violence. He fell to his knees before Tukaram and begged forgiveness, admitting that he had let his own impatience and frustration take control of him. Tukaram helped him to his feet immediately, telling him there was nothing to forgive, since the trader's regret itself was proof of a good heart momentarily overcome by a bad day.

The trader left Dehu that day a changed man, and it is said he returned to the village months later, not to sell sugarcane, but simply to sit beside Tukaram again and learn more about the patient, devotional life that had so quietly humbled him. The story of that afternoon spread through the surrounding villages and has been retold for generations as one of the clearest examples of Tukaram's extraordinary humility and forgiveness.

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Tukaram responded to the trader with kindness instead of anger?
2. How did Tukaram's response change the trader's behaviour?
3. Can you think of a time when responding calmly to someone's frustration helped resolve a conflict?

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