The vow across births, joy that conquers death
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मागें बहुतां जन्मीं हें चि करित आलों आह्मी । भवतापश्रमी दुःखें पीडिलीं निववूं त्यां ॥1॥
गजाॉ हरिचे पवाडे मिळों वैष्णव बागडे । पाझर रोकडे काढूं पाषाणामध्यें ॥ध्रु.॥
भाव शुद्ध नामावळी हषॉ नाचों पिटूं टाळी । घालूं पायां तळीं किळकाळ त्याबळें ॥2॥
कामक्रोध बंदखाणी तुका ह्मणे दिले दोन्ही । इंिद्रयांचे धणी आह्मी जालों गोसांवी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Through many past births, this is what we have been doing. We cool those who are scorched by the heat of worldly suffering. Let us proclaim Hari's heroic deeds, gathering the joyful Vaishnavas together. We shall draw living streams of water even from stone. With pure minds and strings of the Name, let us sing, dance, and clap with joy. By that strength, we trample Death under our feet. Says Tuka, lust and anger have both been thrown in prison. We have become the masters of our senses, true renunciants.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Through many past births, this is what we have been doing. People are scorched by the heat of worldly sorrow; we go to cool them. Let us sing aloud the great deeds of Hari. Let the glad Vaishnavas gather. We will draw living water even out of stone. With pure hearts and the string of the Name, let us sing, dance, and clap for joy. By that strength we set our feet on the neck of Death. Tuka says: lust and anger, both, we have thrown into prison. We are masters of our senses now. We have become true renunciants.
What it means
Tukaram tells us his work is old and chosen: birth after birth he comes to cool people burning in the fever of worldly pain, and the cooling is the singing of Hari's name with other devotees. The promise that they will draw water from stone names what this joy can do; nothing is too hard or too dead for the Name to soften. Clapping and dancing are not mere happiness here; they are the strength by which Death itself is trampled. The closing turn is the proof: lust and anger, the two jailers of the soul, are now the prisoners, and Tuka has become the owner of his senses rather than their slave. That is what he means by renunciation, not flight from the world but mastery within it.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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