Ecstasy, our feet upon the head of death
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जगा काळ खाय । आह्मी माथां दिले पाय ॥1॥
नाचों तेथें उभा राहे । जातां व्यंग करी साहे ॥ध्रु.॥
हरिच्या गुणें धाला । होता खात चि भुकेला ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे हळु । जाला कढत शीतळु ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Death devours the world, but we have placed our feet upon its head. Wherever we dance, death stands still; when we walk past, it bears our passage without protest. Satisfied by the virtues of Hari, death itself, once forever hungry, has been fed. Says Tuka, the one who was boiling hot has become cool and gentle.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Death devours the world. We have set our feet upon its head. Wherever we dance, death stands still. When we walk past, it bears our passing without a word. Filled full by the virtues of Hari, death, once forever hungry, has been fed. Tuka says: the one that was boiling hot has gone cool and gentle.
What it means
Tukaram declares that the devotee has conquered the very death that swallows the whole world, treading on its head as on a defeated enemy. Where the lovers of God dance, death itself halts and lets them pass without protest. The bold turn is that even death is satisfied by the virtues of Hari: the eternally hungry devourer is finally fed, and its scorching heat cools into something gentle. The Name does not just protect from death; it tames and contents death itself.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
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