Saints, seek only their company
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
घेसी तरी घेई संताची भेटी । आणीक ते गोष्टी नको मना ॥1॥
सर्वभावें त्यांचें देव भांडवल । आणीक ते बोल न बोलती ॥ध्रु.॥
करिसील तो करीं संतांचा सांगत । आणीक ते मात नको मना ॥2॥
बैससी तरी बैस संतां च मधीं । आणीक ते बुिद्ध नको मना ॥3॥
जासी तरि जाई संतांचिया गांवां । होईल विसावा तेथें मना ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे संत सुखाचे सागर । मना निरंतर धणी घेई ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
If you would seek anything, seek the company of saints. Let no other thought enter your mind. God is their only treasure; they speak of nothing else. If you would keep company, keep it only with saints. Let no other counsel enter your mind. If you would sit, sit only among saints. Let no other buddhi enter your mind. If you would go anywhere, go to the village of saints. There alone will your mind find rest. Says Tuka, the saints are the ocean of joy. O mind, drink your fill of them without ceasing.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
If you would take anything, take the company of the saints. Let no other thought into your mind. With their whole being God is their wealth; they speak of nothing else. Whatever you do, keep the company of saints. Let no other talk into your mind. If you would sit, sit only among the saints. Let no other thinking into your mind. If you would go anywhere, go to the village of the saints. There your mind will find rest. Tuka says: the saints are oceans of joy. O mind, drink your fill of them without end.
What it means
Tukaram turns every ordinary choice, what to seek, whom to keep company with, where to sit, where to go, into a single instruction: choose the saints. The refrain that no other thought should enter the mind makes it a discipline of attention, not just good advice. He gives the reason in passing: the saints' whole treasure is God, and they speak of nothing else, so to be near them is to be steeped in God. The promise at the end is rest and joy without limit, the mind drinking endlessly from an ocean. The path he describes is not a private effort but a matter of company: become what you stay near.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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