Kirtan, fortune on the tongue
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
येणें बोधें आह्मी असों सर्वकाळ । करूनि निर्मळ हरिकथा ॥1॥
आह्मी भूमीवरी एक दइवांचे । निधान हें वाचे सांपडलें ॥ध्रु.॥
तरतील कुळें दोन्ही उभयतां । गातां आइकतां सुखरूप ॥2॥
न चळे हा मंत्र न ह्मणों यातीकुळ । न लगे काळ वेळ विचारावी ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे माझा विठ्ठल विसांवा । सांटवीन हांवा हृदयांत ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
With this understanding, let us abide at all times, keeping ourselves pure through Hari's kirtan. We are among the fortunate upon this earth; this treasure has been found upon our tongues. Both lineages are carried across, both the singer and the listener, for both are of the nature of bliss. This mantra never fails. It does not ask for caste or lineage, nor need one consider the proper time or season. Says Tuka, my Vitthala is my rest. I will store this eagerness within my heart.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
With this understanding, let us abide at all times, keeping ourselves pure through Hari's kirtan. We are among the fortunate on this earth; this treasure has been found upon our tongues. Both lineages are carried across, the singer and the listener alike, for both are made of bliss. This mantra never fails; it does not ask for caste or lineage, and it needs no fixing of the right time or season. Tuka says: my Vitthal is my rest. I will store this longing in my heart.
What it means
Tukaram counts the kirtan-singer among the truly fortunate, because the treasure he has found sits on his own tongue and asks nothing of fortune outside him. He widens the gift to include the listener as well: both lineages, singer and hearer, are ferried across, since both partake of bliss. The radical edge is in the third stanza, where he names what the Name does not require: it asks no caste, no lineage, no auspicious hour, so the door stands open to everyone the conventional rites would exclude. For himself, Vitthal is simply rest, a longing he chooses to keep stored in the heart.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
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