Devotion, none generous but Hari
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कोण दुजें हरी सीण । शरण दीन आल्याचा ॥1॥
तुह्मांविण जगदीशा । उदार ठसा त्रिभुवनीं ॥ध्रु.॥
कोण ऐसें वारी पाप । हरी ताप जन्माचा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे धांव घाली । कोण चाली मनाचे ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Who else, O Hari, would remove the weariness of a poor soul who comes for refuge? In all the three worlds, who but You, O Lord, bears such a stamp of generosity? Who else washes away sin and relieves the fever of repeated births? Says Tuka, who else rushes forth at the speed of thought?
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Who else, O Hari, takes away the weariness of a poor one who comes for shelter? Without you, O Lord of the world, who in all three worlds bears the mark of such generosity? Who else turns away sin, who heals the fever of birth after birth? Tuka says: who else comes running at the speed of the mind?
What it means
Tukaram prays by piling up questions that all have one answer: only Hari. He asks who else lifts the exhaustion of the helpless soul that takes refuge, who else in all three worlds carries that stamp of generosity, who else washes off sin and cures the recurring fever of being born again and again. Each question quietly rules out every other refuge. The last line gives the warm assurance behind the praise, that God alone comes running to the devotee as fast as a thought, needing no distance or delay.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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