Arati, a cascade of the Names
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अविनाशा अलक्षा परता परब्रह्मा । अकळकळा कमळापती न कळे महिमा ॥1॥
जय देव जय देव जया जी श्रीपती । मंगळशुभदायका करीन आरती ॥ध्रु.॥
गोविंदा गोपाळा गोकुळरक्षणा। गिरिधरकर भवसागरतारक दधिमथना ।
मधुसूदन मुनिजीवन धरणीश्रमहरणा । दीनवत्सळ सकळां मूळ जय जयनिधाना ॥2॥
विश्वंभरा सर्वेश्वर जगदाधारा । चक्रधर करुणाकर पावन गजेंद्रा ।
सुखसागर गुणआगर मुगुटमणी शूरा । कल्याणकैवल्यमूतिन मनोहरा ॥3॥
गरुडासना शेषशयना नरहरी । नारायणा ध्याना सुरहरवरगौरी।
नंदा नंदनवंदन त्रिभुवनांभीतरी । अनंतनामीं ठसा अवतारांवरी ॥4॥
सगुणनिर्गुणसाक्ष श्रीमंत संतां । भगवाना भगवंता कालकृदांता।
उत्पित्तपाळणपासुन संहारणसत्ता । शरण तुकयाबंधु तारीं रिति बहुतां ॥5॥
पंढरि पुण्यभूमी भीमा दिक्षणावाहिनी । तीर्थ हें चंद्रभागा महा पातकां धुनी ।
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Imperishable, invisible, beyond the highest Brahman; O lord of Kamala, your glory is unfathomable. Victory to you, Shripati; I offer this auspicious arati. Govinda, Gopala, guardian of Gokul, lifter of the mountain, deliverer across the ocean of birth, churner of the cosmic ocean. Slayer of Madhu, life of the sages, remover of the earth's burden, friend of the lowly, root of all, hail to you, treasury of victory. Sustainer of the universe, lord of all, foundation of the world, bearer of the disc, merciful one who saved the elephant king. Ocean of bliss, storehouse of virtue, crest-jewel of heroes, embodiment of liberation and beauty. Seated on Garuda, resting on Shesha, O Narahari and Narayana. Nanda's son, adored one, within all three worlds, your infinite names bear the stamp of every incarnation. Witness of both the formed and the formless, O blessed one among saints, slayer of time and lord of creation, preservation, and destruction. Says Tukayabandhu, save us all in your many ways.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Imperishable, unseeable, beyond even the highest Brahman; lord of Kamala, your greatness cannot be measured. Victory to you, victory, victory, Shripati; giver of all that is auspicious and good, I will perform the arati. Govinda, Gopala, guardian of Gokul; lifter of the mountain, ferry across the ocean of birth, churner of the cosmic sea. Slayer of Madhu, life of the sages, remover of the earth's burden, tender to the lowly, the root of all; victory, victory, treasury of victory. Sustainer of the world, lord of all, ground of everything; bearer of the disc, fountain of mercy, rescuer of Gajendra. Ocean of bliss, mine of virtue, crest-jewel of heroes; form of welfare and liberation, ravisher of the heart. Seated on Garuda, lying on Shesha, Narahari, Narayana, held in meditation. Son of Nanda, adored within all three worlds, your endless names bear the stamp of every incarnation. Witness of both the formed and the formless, wealth of the saints; Bhagavan, lord of time, slayer of death. From creation and keeping to the power of dissolution, all is yours. Tukayabandhu says: I have come to your shelter; save us all, in your many ways.
What it means
This arati is built almost entirely out of the divine names, poured one after another, because the names are themselves the worship. Each title carries a deed or a quality: Govinda the cowherd, the lifter of Govardhan, the churner of the ocean, the rescuer of the elephant king Gajendra, the bearer of the disc. Tukaram lets the heaping itself say what argument cannot, that this one being holds creation, preservation, and dissolution, and stands as witness to both form and formlessness. He calls God the wealth of the saints and the friend of the lowly, keeping the tenderness alongside the cosmic scale. The endless names are said to bear the stamp of every avatar, so that to chant them is to touch each descent. Signing as Tukayabandhu, he closes by taking shelter and asking that all be saved, in whatever way God chooses.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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