Experience, the saint's whole-world wealth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दुर्बळा वाणीच्या एक दोनि सििद्ध । सदैवा समाधि विश्वरूपीं ॥1॥
काय त्याचें वांयां गेलें तें एक । सदा प्रेमसुख सर्वकाळ ॥ध्रु.॥
तीर्थ देव दुरी तया भाग्यहीना । विश्व त्या सज्जना दुमदुमिलें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे एक वाहाती मोिळया । भाग्यें आगिळया घरा येती ॥3॥ ॥4॥
परिमळें काष्ठ ताजवां तुळविलें । आणीक नांवांचीं थोडीं । एक तें कातिवें उभविलीं ढवळारें
एकाचिया कुड मेडी । एक दीनरूप आणिती मेिळया । एक ते बांधोनि माडी
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
For the weak, there are one or two small powers; for the fortunate, there is samadhi in the universal form. Has that man truly lost anything? He enjoys the bliss of divine love at all times. For the unfortunate, God and holy places remain far away; for the saintly one, the entire universe resonates with His presence. Says Tuka, some carry bundles of straw on their heads, while the fortunate find the treasure coming to their very door.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The weak gain one or two small powers. The fortunate one rests in samadhi, in the universal form. Has that one lost anything at all? He has the joy of love, always, at every hour. For the luckless, God and the holy places stay far away. For the saint, the whole universe rings with God's presence. Tuka says: some carry bundles of straw on their heads, while the fortunate find the treasure come to their own door.
What it means
Tukaram contrasts two kinds of gain. The merely clever pick up a small power or two, but the truly fortunate soul rests in samadhi and sees God as the whole universe, and so has lost nothing and holds constant love. To the unlucky, God and the sacred places feel distant, while to the saint every place already resounds with the divine, no pilgrimage required. The closing image weighs them: one labors under a head-load of straw, the other simply receives the treasure at his door, because what is sought is nearness of heart, not effort or distance.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
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