True worship, the living discourse
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कां न वजावें बैसोनि कथे । ऐसें ऐका हो श्रोते । पांडुरंग तेथें । उभा असे तिष्ठत ॥1॥
ह्मणऊनि करी धीर । लक्ष लावूनि सादर । भवसिंधुपार । असेल ज्या तरणें ॥ध्रु.॥
कथे कांहीं अणुमात्र। नो बोलावें हा वृत्तांत । देवभक्तां चित्त । समरसीं खंडणा ॥2॥
कां वैष्णवा पूजावें । ऐका घेईल जो भावें । चरणरजा शिवें । वोडविला मस्तक ॥3॥
ऐसें जाणा हे निभ्रांत । देव वैष्णवांचा अंकित । अलिप्त अतीत । परमित त्यासाठीं ॥4॥
घालोनि लोळणा। तुका आला लोटांगणीं । वंदी पायवणीं । संतचरणींचें माथां ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Why not sit and attend the sacred narrative? Listen, O devotees: Panduranga Himself stands present there. Therefore have courage, and with focused attention listen attentively, you who seek to cross the ocean of worldly existence. During the discourse, not even the slightest irrelevant word should be spoken; the chittas of God and His devotees should merge in unison. Why should one honor a Vaishnava? Hear this: whosoever bows with devotion and places the dust of their feet upon one's head is worthy of reverence. Know this with certainty: God belongs to the Vaishnavas. He remains aloof and detached for their sake alone. Says Tuka, rolling on the ground and prostrating, I bow and place upon my head the dust from the saints' feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Why not sit and attend the sacred telling? Listen, O hearers: Panduranga himself stands present there. So take courage, and with fixed and eager attention listen, you who want to cross the ocean of this world. During the telling, not one stray word should be spoken; the minds of God and his devotees should merge as one. Why should one honor a Vaishnava? Hear this: whoever bows with love and sets the dust of their feet on his head is worthy of reverence. Know this for certain: God belongs to the Vaishnavas. He stays aloof and detached for their sake alone. Tuka says: rolling on the ground, prostrate, I bow and place the dust from the saints' feet on my head.
What it means
Tukaram is calling people into the kirtan and naming what it truly is: a place where Panduranga himself stands present, not a mere performance. So he asks for the right way to be there, courage and fixed attention, and silence from idle talk, so that the listeners' minds merge with God's in a single current. He then explains why a Vaishnava deserves honor: not for rank but for humble love, the one who lays the dust of others' feet on his own head. The closing claim is bold and tender at once: God is bound to his devotees, and Tukaram makes himself the lowest of them, prostrate, taking the dust of the saints' feet onto his head.
True Worship
What genuine worship looks like, beyond outward observances and images.
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