Saints, the surest boat across
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पाप ताप दैन्य जाय उठाउठीं । जालिया भेटी हरिदासांची ॥1॥
ऐसें बळ नाहीं आणिकांचे अंगीं । तपें तिथॉ जगीं दानें व्रतें ॥ध्रु.॥
चरणींचे रज वंदी शूळपाणी । नाचती कीर्तनीं त्यांचे माथां ॥2॥
भव तरावया उत्तम हे नाव । भिजों नेंदी पाव हात कांहीं ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे मन जालें समाधान । देखिले चरण वैष्णवांचे ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Sin, suffering, and poverty vanish instantly when one meets the devotees of Hari. No other power in the world, whether austerity, pilgrimage, charity, or vows, can match this. Even Shiva bows to the dust of their feet and dances upon their heads during kirtan. For crossing the ocean of existence, this is the finest boat; it does not let even your hands or feet get wet. Says Tuka, my mind has found its peace in beholding the feet of the Vaishnavas.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Sin, suffering, and poverty go in an instant when one meets the devotees of Hari. No other power in the world, not austerity, not pilgrimage, not charity, not vows, has such strength. Even Shiva bows to the dust of their feet and dances on their heads in kirtan. To cross the ocean of birth, this is the finest boat; it does not let even your hands or feet get wet. Tuka says: my mind has found its peace in beholding the feet of the Vaishnavas.
What it means
Tukaram ranks the company of saints above every other religious effort. Meeting Hari's devotees clears sin, suffering, and poverty at once, and he insists no austerity, pilgrimage, charity, or vow can match that power. He raises them higher still by saying Shiva himself reveres the dust of their feet and joins their kirtan. The boat image lands the claim: other paths are crossings where you still get soaked, but the saints carry you over the ocean of rebirth without your hands or feet even touching the water, which is why his own mind rests simply in the sight of them.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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