Praise of Pandhari, Vitthal the mother of seekers
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
महापातकांसी पळ कांप थोर । कैसे गर्जती घोष हे नामवीर ॥1॥
गुणगंभीर हा धीर हास्यमुख । वदे वदनीं अमृत सर्वसुख ।
लागलें मुनिवरां गोड चित्तीं । देहभावना तुटलियासि खंती ॥2॥
ठसा घातला ये भूमिमाजी थोर । इच्छादाना हा द्यावयासी उदार ।
जया वोळगती सििद्ध सर्वठायीं । तुझें नाम हें चांगलें गे विठाई ॥3॥
असे उघडा हा विटेवरि उभा । कटसूत्र हें धरुनि भक्तिलोभा ।
पुढें वाट दावी भवसागराची । विठो माउली हे सिद्धसाधकांची ॥4॥
करा वेगु हा धरा पंथ आधीं । जया पार नाहीं सुखा तें च साधीं ।
म्हणे तुका पंढरीस सर्व आलें । असे विश्व हें जीवनें त्याचि ज्यालें ॥5॥
धना गुंतलें चित्त माझें मुरारी । मन घेउनी हिंडवी दारोदारीं ।
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Before the mighty champions of the Name, great sins flee in terror, trembling with fear. How noble they are, these heroes: deep, poised, smiling, speaking nectar and perfect joy from their lips. The sages have found it sweet in their chitta; all sorrow of body-consciousness is ended. They have left their deep imprint upon this earth. This generous Lord gives whatever is desired. All powers attend Him everywhere. Your name is beautiful, O Vitthal, mother of all. He stands openly upon the brick, holding the string at His waist for the sake of His devoted lovers. He points the way across the ocean of worldly existence. This Vitthal is the mother of saints and seekers. Come, make haste, take this path first. The joy at its end is without limit. Says Tuka, all the world has come to Pandhari. This creation is nourished by His life alone.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Before the mighty champions of the Name, great sins flee in terror and tremble. How noble these heroes are: deep, steady, smiling, speaking nectar and all joy from their lips. The sages have found it sweet in the heart; all the sorrow of body-thought is ended. They have left their great mark on this earth. This generous Lord gives whatever is desired; all powers wait on him everywhere. Your name is good, O Vithai, mother of all. He stands openly upon the brick, holding the string at his waist, out of love for his devotees. He shows the way across the ocean of this world. This Vitthal is the mother of saints and seekers. Come, make haste, take this path first; the joy at its end has no limit. Tuka says: all the world has come to Pandhari. This whole creation is kept alive by his life alone.
What it means
Tukaram praises the saints of the Name and the God they stand at, and turns the praise into a summons. The lovers of the Name are heroes before whom sin itself flees, calm and smiling, with sweetness on their lips and the weight of body-bound sorrow gone. Then he turns to Vitthal, standing plainly on the brick at Pandhari with the string at his waist, and calls him not a distant king but a mother to saints and seekers. The closing urgency is the point: hurry, take this path before any other, because the joy at its end is endless and all that lives is sustained by this one Lord.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
More in this theme →