Ecstasy, the bottomless spring
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
झरा लागला सुखाचा । ऐसा मापारी कइंचा ॥1॥
जो हें माप तोंडें धरी । सळे जाली ते आवरी ॥ध्रु.॥
जाले बहु काळ । कोणा नाहीं ऐसें बळ ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे तळ । नाहीं पाहेसा सकळ ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A spring of happiness has burst forth; where was such abundance before? Whoever puts this vessel to their lips draws in the rushing waters. Many ages have passed, yet no one has found such power. Says Tuka, no one can see the bottom of this depth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A spring of happiness has burst open. Where was such fullness before? Whoever sets this measure to their lips drinks in the rushing water. Long ages have passed, and no one has had such power. Tuka says: no one can see the bottom of this depth.
What it means
Tukaram is naming a joy that has broken open in him like a spring and overflows every measure. He says it has no parallel in all the ages that came before, and no one ever held a power like this. The vessel that tries to take it in is simply flooded. The closing line sets the limit: this happiness has no floor you can reach, no bottom you can see, so it can never be exhausted or fully described.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
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