Vision of arrival, sins flee at his approach
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
शंखचक्रगदापद्म । पैल आला पुरुषोत्तम ॥1॥
ना भी ना भी भक्तराया । वेगीं पावलों सखया ॥ध्रु.॥
दुरूनि येतां दिसे दृष्टी। धाकें दोष पळती सृष्टी ॥2॥
तुका देखोनि एकला । वैकुंठींहूनि हरि आला ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
With conch, disc, mace, and lotus, the Supreme Person has arrived. 'Fear not, fear not, O king of devotees; I have come swiftly, my friend.' Even from afar he is visible to the eye; at his approach, all faults and sins flee from creation. Says Tuka, seeing him alone, Hari himself has come from Vaikuntha.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
With conch, disc, mace, and lotus, the Supreme Person has come. Fear not, fear not, beloved of God; I have come quickly, my friend. Even from far off he can be seen, and at the sight all sins flee from creation in terror. Tuka says: seeing me alone, Hari himself has come down from Vaikuntha.
What it means
Tukaram pictures the four-armed Lord arriving to carry him home, speaking the tender reassurance, fear not, my friend. The whole abhanga turns on a single contrast: where God draws near, sin cannot stay, and the faults of the world scatter at the mere sight of him. The closing line names the wonder plainly: it was for Tuka, this one small soul, that Hari left Vaikuntha and came in person. The greatness of the descent measures how dear the soul is to God.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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