Experience, joy of contemplation
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अभिन्नव सुख तरि या विचारें । विचारावें बरें संतजनीं ॥1॥
रूपाच्या आठवें दोन्ही ही आपण । वियोगें तो क्षीण होत नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
पूजा तरि चित्तें कल्पा तें ब्रह्मांड । आहाच तो खंड एकदेसी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे माझा अनुभव यापरि । डोई पायांवरि ठेवीतसें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
There is a wondrous joy in this contemplation; let it be considered well among the holy. In the memory of His form, both states are one's own; through separation, one does not actually diminish. True worship is to conceive the entire universe within the chitta; anything partial falls short. Says Tuka, such is my experience. I place my head upon His feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
There is a wondrous joy in this contemplation. Let it be weighed well among the holy. In the memory of his form, both states are my own, and through separation I do not truly grow less. True worship is to hold the whole universe within the chitta. Anything partial falls short, broken into one region only. Tuka says: such is my experience. I lay my head upon his feet.
What it means
Tukaram shares the fruit of dwelling on God and invites the holy to test it. Holding the memory of God's form, he finds that union and separation are both his own, so that even apartness does not actually diminish him. He raises worship beyond any single shrine or rite: real worship conceives the whole universe within the heart, and anything confined to one place or fragment falls short of it. He offers all this not as theory but as his own experience, sealing it with the simplest gesture of surrender, laying his head on God's feet.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
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