Nature of God, the Lord indebted to his devotees
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मानी भक्तांचे उपकार । रुणीया ह्मणवी निरंतर । केला निर्गुणीं आकार । कीर्त मुखें वणिनतां ॥1॥
ह्मणोनि जया जे वासना ॥ ते पुरवितो पंढरिराणा । जाला भक्तांचा आंदणा । ते उपकार फेडावया ॥ध्रु.॥
अंबॠषीकारणें । जन्म घेतले नारायणें । एवडें भक्तींचे लहणें । दास्य करी हा दासाचें ॥2॥
ह्मणियें करितां शंका न धरी । रक्षपाळ बिळच्या द्वारीं । भक्तीचा आभारी । रीग न पुरे जावया ॥3॥
अर्जुनाचे रथवारु । ते वागवी सर्वेश्वरु । एवडे भक्तीचे उपकारु । मागें मागें हिंडतसे ॥4॥
पुंडलिकाचे द्वारीं । सम पाउलीं विटेवरी । न वजे कट करीं । धरूनि तेथें राहिला ॥5॥
भावभक्तीचा अंकित । नाम साजे दिनानाथ । ह्मणोनि राहिला निवांत । तुका चरण धरोनि ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Hari honors the devotees' service and considers himself forever indebted to them. He took form out of the formless so that their praises might be sung. Therefore, whatever desire a devotee holds, the King of Pandhari fulfills it. He has given himself as a gift to his devotees to repay their kindness. For the sake of Ambarisha, Narayana took birth; so great is the debt of devotion that he serves his own servants. With no hesitation he stands guard at the doorway of the devotee's dwelling, so bound by devotion that he cannot find a way to leave. He served as Arjuna's charioteer; such is the power of devotion that the Lord of all wanders along behind. At Pundalik's door he stands evenly upon the brick, hands at his waist, and there he has remained, not moving away. Marked by love and devotion, the name Dinanath suits him perfectly; and so he stands in peace. Says Tuka: I hold fast to his feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Hari honors the service of his devotees and calls himself forever in their debt. He took form out of the formless so that their praises could be sung. So whatever desire a devotee holds, the King of Pandhari fulfills it. He has given himself as a gift to his devotees, to repay their kindness. For the sake of Ambarisha, Narayana took birth; so great is the debt of devotion that he serves his own servants. Without hesitation he stands guard at the doorway of the devotee's house, so bound by devotion that he cannot find a way to leave. He was Arjuna's charioteer; such is the power of devotion that the Lord of all wanders along behind. At Pundalik's door he stands level upon the brick, hands at his waist, and there he has stayed, not moving away. Marked by love and devotion, the name Dinanath suits him well; and so he stands in peace. Tuka says: I hold fast to his feet.
What it means
Tukaram turns the usual picture upside down: it is God who counts himself the debtor. The formless one took form only so that praise could rise, and now he repays the love of his devotees by making himself their servant and the giver of their wishes. The examples make the claim concrete: Narayana took birth for Ambarisha's sake, became Arjuna's charioteer, guards the devotee's very doorway and cannot find a way to leave. The whole poem leads to the brick at Pandhari, where the same Lord stands level on the stone with his hands at his waist and has simply remained, held there by love alone. Because devotion binds him so completely, the name Dinanath, refuge of the lowly, fits him, and Tukaram's only response is to take hold of those waiting feet.
The Nature of God
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