Devotion, the shameless singer
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
गाऊं नेणें कळा कुसरी । कान धरोनि ह्मणें हरी॥1॥
माझ्या बोबडिया बोला । चित्त द्यावें बा विठ्ठला ॥ध्रु.॥
मज हंसतील लोक । परि मी गाईन निःशंक ॥2॥
तुझे नामीं मी निर्लज्ज । काय जनासवें काज ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे माझी विनंती । तुह्मी परिसा कमळापती ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I do not know the arts and techniques of singing; holding my ears, I simply cry out 'Hari.' O Vitthal, give Your attention to my stammering words. People will laugh at me, yet I will sing without hesitation. In singing Your Name I am shameless; what business have I with the opinion of others? Says Tuka, this is my humble plea; hear it, O Lord of Kamala.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I do not know the arts and skills of singing. Holding my ears, I just cry out, Hari. O Vitthal, give Your attention to my stammering words. People will laugh at me, but I will sing without fear. In Your Name I am shameless; what business have I with what people think? Tuka says: this is my plea; hear it, O Lord of Kamala.
What it means
Tukaram offers his own clumsiness as the whole of his devotion. He claims no musical skill; he just holds his ears and calls out Hari like a child, and he asks Vitthal to attend to those stammering words. He knows people will laugh, and he tells them plainly that he does not care. The Name has made him shameless, free of the fear of human opinion that silences most people. His closing plea to the Lord of Kamala asks only that God, not the crowd, be the one who listens.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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