Devotion, Pandhari overflowing
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धन्य ते पंढरी धन्य भीमातीर । आणियेलें सार पुंडलिकें ॥1॥
धन्य तो हि लोक अवघा दैवांचा । सुकाळ प्रेमाचा घरोघरीं ॥ध्रु.॥
धन्य ते ही भूमी धन्य तरुवर । धन्य ते सुरवर तीर्थरूप ॥2॥
धन्य त्या नरनारी मुखीं नाम ध्यान । आनंदें भवन गर्जतसे ॥3॥
धन्य पशु पक्षी कीटक पाषाण । अवघा नारायण अवतरला ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे धन्य संसारातें आलीं । हरिरंगीं रंगलीं सर्वभावें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Blessed is that Pandhari, blessed is the bank of the Bhima river, for Pundalik brought the supreme treasure there. Blessed too are all those fortunate people, for the abundance of love overflows in every household. Blessed is that earth, blessed are those trees, blessed are those sacred waters that have taken the form of pilgrimage. Blessed are those men and women with the Lord's name and meditation on their lips; their homes resound with joy. Blessed are the beasts, birds, insects, and very stones, for Narayana Himself has incarnated among them. Says Tuka, blessed are all who have come into this world and have been dyed completely in the color of Hari.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Blessed is that Pandhari, blessed is the bank of the Bhima, for Pundalik brought the essence there. Blessed too are all those lucky people; love overflows in house after house. Blessed is that earth, blessed are those trees, blessed are those gods who have become sacred waters. Blessed are the men and women with the Name and meditation on their lips; their homes ring with joy. Blessed are the beasts, birds, insects, and stones, for Narayana himself has come down among them. Tuka says: blessed are all who have come into this world and been dyed completely in the color of Hari.
What it means
This is a litany of blessing that widens until nothing is left outside it. Tukaram starts with the place Pundalik consecrated, Pandhari on the Bhima, then blesses its people, its soil, its trees and waters, the men and women singing the Name. The circle keeps opening to the animals, the insects, even the stones, because he sees Narayana incarnate in all of them. The poem's quiet claim is that devotion does not narrow life but floods it; the fortunate are simply all who let themselves be dyed through with the color of Hari.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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