The saints, fortune is their feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
भाग्याचा उदय । ते हे जोडी संतपाय ॥1॥
येथूनिया नुठो माथा । मरणांवाचूनि सर्वथा ॥ध्रु.॥
होई बळकट । माझ्या मना तूं रे धीट ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे लोटांगणीं । भक्तिभाग्यें जाली धणी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The dawn of good fortune is this: the attainment of the saints' feet. From here may my head never rise until death itself comes. Be strong and bold, O my mind. Says Tuka, through prostrations and devotion, the hunger of my soul has been satisfied.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The dawn of good fortune is just this: reaching the feet of the saints. From here may my head never rise, not until death itself comes. Be strong, be bold, O my mind. Tuka says: through prostrations and devotion, my soul's hunger is filled.
What it means
Tukaram measures good fortune by one thing alone: arriving at the feet of the saints, which he calls the dawn of all luck. He vows to keep his head bowed there for life, refusing to lift it until death takes him. The middle line turns inward to steady his own mind, telling it to be strong and bold in this lowliness rather than restless. The close reports the result: bowing and devotion have satisfied a hunger of the soul that nothing else could fill.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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