The saint, asks nothing, spares all
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कांहीं न मागे कोणांसी । तो चि आवडे देवासी॥1॥
देव तयासी ह्मणावें । त्याचे चरणीं लीन व्हावें ॥ध्रु.॥
भूतदया ज्याचे मनीं । त्याचे घरीं चक्रपाणी ॥2॥
नाहीं नाहीं त्यासमान । तुका ह्मणे मी जमान ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One who asks nothing of anyone is dear to God. Such a one alone deserves to be called divine; at such a one's feet one should bow. In whose mind there is compassion for all beings, in that person's home dwells the Lord. Says Tuka, there is none, none at all, equal to such a one; I am the guarantor of this truth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
One who asks nothing of anyone is the one God loves. Call such a one divine; bow low at his feet. In whose mind there is mercy for all beings, in that man's house the Lord with the discus dwells. Tuka says: there is none, none at all, equal to such a one, and I stand surety for it.
What it means
Tukaram paints the true saint by two plain marks: he wants nothing from anyone, and he holds mercy for every living being. The first frees him from need, the second fills him with love, and these two are what draw God to him; the Lord himself, Chakrapani who bears the discus, takes up residence in such a person's home. Tukaram says such a one deserves to be called divine and to have us bow at his feet. He ends by putting his own name behind the claim, standing as guarantor that no one is equal to the soul who asks for nothing and spares all.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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