The one goal, the rare walker
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
यज्ञ भूतांच्या पाळणा । भेद कारीये कारणा । पावावया उपासना । ब्रह्मस्थानीं प्रस्थान ॥1॥
एक परी पडिलें भागीं । फळ बीजाचिये अंगीं । धन्य तो चि जगीं । आदि अंत सांभाळी ॥ध्रु.॥
आवशक तो शेवट । मागें अवघी खटपट । चालों जाणे वाट । ऐसा विरळा एखादा ॥2॥
तुका होवोनि निराळा । क्षराअक्षरावेगळा । पाहे निगमकळा । बोले विठ्ठलप्रसादें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
For the nurturing of all beings, distinctions have been made, so that through worship one may set out toward the seat of Brahman. What falls to each one's share bears fruit from its own seed. Blessed is the one in this world who safeguards both the beginning and the end. The final goal alone is essential; all the striving that came before is struggle. Rare is the one who knows the way to walk it. Says Tuka, standing apart, beyond both the perishable and the imperishable, Tuka looks upon the art of the Vedas and speaks by the grace of Vitthala.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
For the keeping of all beings, distinctions are made, so that through worship one may set out toward the seat of Brahman. What falls to each one's share bears fruit from its own seed. Blessed in this world is the one who guards both the beginning and the end. The final goal alone is what matters; all the striving before it is struggle. Rare is the one who knows how to walk the way. Tuka says: standing apart, beyond the perishable and the imperishable, Tuka looks upon the art of the Vedas and speaks by the grace of Vitthala.
What it means
Tukaram is explaining why the world is full of differences and what to do with them. The distinctions among beings are not random; they are arranged so that through worship a soul can set out toward Brahman, and what each person reaps grows from the seed they themselves sowed. The point he keeps returning to is the end: only the final goal is essential, and all the prior effort is mere struggle until it arrives. He honors how rare it is to actually walk that path through to its end, and he claims his own words come not from cleverness but from a place beyond the perishable and imperishable, spoken by Vitthala's grace.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
More in this theme →