Devotion, the urgency that comes from merit
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
देवासाटीं जाणा तयासी च आटी । असेल ज्या गांठीं पुण्यराशी ॥1॥
निर्बळा पाठवी बळें वाराणसी । मेला आला त्यासी अर्ध पुण्य ॥ध्रु.॥
कथें निद्राभंग करावा भोजनीं । तया सुखा धणी पार नाहीं ॥2॥
यागीं रीण घ्यावें द्यावें सुख लाहीं । बुडतां चिंता नाहीं उभयतां ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे वर्म जाणोनि करावें । एक न घलावें एकावरी ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Know that only one who has a store of merit feels the urgency for God. He sends the weak to Varanasi by force, and even one who dies on the way earns half the merit. To break one's sleep during kirtan and to be disturbed during a meal for the sake of the story: there is no limit to that happiness. In sacrifice, one may take on debt and give joy to others; when both go under, neither is burdened by anxiety. Says Tuka, act with knowledge of the secret and do not pile one thing upon another.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Know that only one with a hoard of merit feels the urgency for God. He sends the weak by force to Varanasi, and even one who dies on the road earns half the merit. To break your sleep for the kirtan, to be interrupted at your meal for the sake of the story: there is no limit to that happiness. In the sacrifice, take on the debt and give the joy to others; when both go under, neither is left burdened with worry. Tuka says: act knowing the secret of it, and do not pile one thing on top of another.
What it means
Tukaram observes that the very longing for God is itself a sign of stored-up merit; not everyone even feels the pull. He then prizes the small disruptions devotion costs, losing sleep for the kirtan, having a meal cut short for the holy story, as joys without limit, because they put God's tale ahead of the body's comfort. His odd-sounding counsel about sacrifice means: gladly bear the cost and debt yourself and let others have the happiness, for when self-interest is fully spent on both sides, no anxiety is left to anyone. The closing warning is to act with understanding of this secret and not to heap up observance upon observance mechanically; what matters is the spirit, the readiness to be inconvenienced for God and to carry the cost for others.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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