Saints, devotion the crown jewel
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वैष्णवांची कीर्ती गाइली पुराणीं । साही अठरांजणीं चहूं वेदीं ॥1॥
ऐसे कोणी दावा ग्रंथांचे वाचक । कर्मठ धामिनक पुण्यशील ॥ध्रु.॥
आदिनाथ शंकर नारद मुनेश्वर । शुका ऐसा थोर आणिक नाहीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे मुगुटमणी हे भक्ति । आणीक विश्रांति अरतिया ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The glory of the Vaishnavas is sung in the Puranas, in all eighteen texts, in the four Vedas. Let any scholar of scriptures, any ritualist or pious soul, show otherwise. The primordial Shiva, Narada the sage, and great Shuka have no superior. Says Tuka, devotion is the crown jewel; for the restless soul, there is no other resting place.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The glory of the Vaishnavas is sung in the Puranas, in all eighteen of them, and in the four Vedas. Let any reader of the scriptures, any ritualist, any pious man, point to something higher. The first Lord Shankara, Narada the sage, and great Shuka: none is greater than these. Tuka says: devotion is the crown jewel. For the restless soul there is no other resting place.
What it means
Tukaram appeals to the whole weight of scripture, the eighteen Puranas and the four Vedas, to back a single claim, and then dares any scholar or ritualist to top it. He names Shiva, Narada, and Shuka as the highest of the high, devotees all. The point lands in the last line: of everything the texts hold up, devotion is the crown jewel, and for a heart that cannot stop wandering it is the one place that gives rest.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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