Adoration, exclusive devotion to Keshava
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
न पूजीं आणिकां देवां न करीं त्यांची सेवा । न मनीं या केशवाविण दुजें ॥1॥
काय उणें जालें मज तयापायीं । तें मी मागों काई कवणासी ॥ध्रु.॥
आणिकाची कीर्ती नाइकें न बोलें । चाड या विठ्ठलेंविण नाहीं ॥2॥
न पाहें लोचनीं श्रीमुखावांचूनि । पंढरी सांडूनि न वजें कोठें ॥3॥
न करीं कांहीं आस मुक्तीचे सायास । न भें संसारास येतां जातां ॥4॥
तुका म्हणे कांहीं व्हावें ऐसें जीवा । नाहीं या केशवाविण दुजें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I will not worship other gods, nor will I serve them. I hold nothing dear besides Keshava. What have I lacked at His feet that I should go begging elsewhere? I will not hear or speak the praises of another. I have no longing for anything but Vitthala. My eyes will not gaze upon anything other than His blessed face. I will not leave Pandhari for any other place. I will not toil for liberation, nor do I fear the cycle of birth and death. Says Tuka, if there is anything the jiva should desire, it is nothing other than Keshava.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I will not worship other gods, nor serve them. I will hold nothing in mind but Keshava. What have I lacked at his feet, that I should go begging to anyone else? I will not hear or speak another's praise; I have no need but Vitthala. My eyes will not look on anything but his blessed face. I will not leave Pandhari for any other place. I will not toil for liberation, and I do not fear birth and death, coming or going. Tuka says: if the soul should want anything, let it want nothing but Keshava.
What it means
Tukaram is taking a vow of single, exclusive love and naming everything it shuts out. He will not bow to other gods, will not borrow another's praises, will not let his eyes rest on any face but his Lord's, and will never leave Pandhari. He turns even spiritual ambition aside: he refuses to strain after liberation, and he is not afraid of the round of birth and death. Each line strips away one more thing a person might chase, until only Keshava is left. The claim is total: the rightful single object of a soul's desire is God, and nothing besides.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
More in this theme →