Praise of Pundalik, heaven on earth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नातुडे जो कवणे परी । उभा केला विटेवरी ॥1॥
भला भला पुंडलिका । मानलासी जनलोकां ॥ध्रु.॥
कोण्या काळें सुखा। ऐशा कोण पावता ॥2॥
अवघा आणिला परिवार । गोपी गोपाळांचा भार ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे धन्य जालें । भूमी वैकुंठ आणिलें॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
He who cannot be attained by any means has been made to stand upon the brick. Praise to Pundalik, who has won the admiration of all people. At what time or age could anyone have received such happiness? He brought the entire divine entourage: the gopis, the cowherds, all of them. Says Tuka, blessed is this event; Vaikuntha itself has been brought down to earth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The one no means can reach has been made to stand upon the brick. Well done, Pundalik; all people honor you. In what age did anyone ever come to such happiness as this? He brought the whole family down, the gopis, the cowherds, the whole crowd of them. Tuka says: blessed is this; he has brought Vaikuntha onto the earth.
What it means
Tukaram praises Pundalik, the devotee whose love drew Vitthal to Pandhari and held him standing on a brick. He marvels that the God no method or austerity can grasp now stands within plain reach. He counts it a happiness no other age received, because the entire heavenly household came down with him: the gopis, the cowherds, all of it. The claim Tukaram lands is that one devotee's love brought Vaikuntha itself onto the earth, so the highest heaven is here, at the brick, not far above.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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