Devotion, the master becomes the servant
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
भक्तीचिया पोटीं रत्नाचिया खाणी । बह्मींची ठेवणी सकळ वस्तु ॥1॥
माउलीचे मागें बाळकांची हरी । एका सूत्रें दोरी ओढतसे ॥ध्रु.॥
जेथील जें मागे तें रायासमोर । नाहींसें उत्तर येत नाहीं ॥2॥
सेवेचिये सत्ते धनी च सेवक । आपुलें तें एक न वंची कांहीं ॥3॥
आदिअंताठाव असे मध्यभाग । भोंवतें भासे मग उंचासनी ॥4॥
भावारूढ तुका जाला एकाएकीं । देव च लौकिकीं अवघा केला ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
In the womb of devotion lie mines of jewels: all treasures, the very store of Brahman. Like children following their mother, Hari draws all beings along on a single thread. Whatever is asked before the King is never refused. By the power of service, the master himself becomes the servant and withholds nothing of his own. The middle station abides between beginning and end; from the high seat, all appears to radiate outward. Says Tuka, lifted at once into devotion, becoming one with the One, he has made everything in the world into God.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
In the womb of devotion lie mines of jewels: every treasure, the whole store of Brahman. Like children walking behind their mother, Hari draws all beings along on a single thread. Whatever is asked before the King is never refused. By the power of service the master himself becomes the servant, and withholds nothing of his own. The middle station stands between beginning and end; from the high seat everything seems to shine outward. Tuka says: lifted all at once into devotion, becoming one with the One, he has made everything in the world into God.
What it means
Tukaram says devotion is not the poor relation of knowledge; it holds every treasure, the whole wealth of Brahman, in its lap. He pictures Hari pulling all creatures along like a mother her trailing children, on one unbroken thread. The startling claim is in the middle: before this King no request is denied, and the power of pure service is so great that the Lord himself takes the servant's place and holds nothing back. At the peak of it the devotee is lifted into oneness and sees God in everything there is.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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