Adoration, far Lord come near
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
साही शास्त्रां अतिदुरी तो परमात्मा श्रीहरि । तो दशरथाचे घरीं क्रीडतो राम ॥1॥
शिवाचें निजदेह वाल्मीकाचें निजगुहे । तो भिल्लटीचीं फळें खाय श्रीराम तो ॥ध्रु.॥
योगियांचे मनीं नातुडे चिंतनीं । वानरांचे कानीं गोष्टी सांगे ॥2॥
चरणीं शिळा उद्धरी नामें गणिका तारी । तो कोिळया घरीं पाहुणा राम॥3॥
क्षण एक सुरवरा नातुडे नमस्कारा । तो रिसा आणि वानरा क्षम दे राम ॥4॥
राम सांवळा सगुण राम योगियाचें ध्यान । राम राजीवलोचन तुका चरण वंदितो ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The Supreme Lord Hari, who stands beyond the reach of all six philosophies, that very Rama plays in Dasharatha's home. He who is the innermost treasure of Shiva, the secret of Valmiki's cave, that Rama eats the berries offered by the tribal woman Shabari. He whom yogis cannot reach through meditation whispers stories into the ears of monkeys. He liberates a stone by the touch of His feet and saves a courtesan by His Name; that Rama becomes a guest in Koliya's humble home. He whom the gods cannot attain even for a moment's salutation grants His loving embrace to bears and monkeys. Tuka bows at the feet of Rama, the dark-complexioned Lord, the lotus-eyed one, the meditation of all yogis.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The Supreme, Srihari, is far beyond the six philosophies. That same Rama plays in Dasharatha's house. He is Shiva's own self, the secret of Valmiki's cave. That Srirama eats the fruit the tribal woman offers. Yogis cannot catch Him in their thought. He tells stories into the ears of monkeys. He raises a stone with His feet. He saves a courtesan by His name. That Rama is a guest in Koli's house. The gods cannot win a moment's bow from Him. That Rama gives His grace to a bear and to monkeys. Rama is dark and full of form, the meditation of yogis. Rama is lotus-eyed. Tuka bows at His feet.
What it means
Tukaram sets the unreachable Lord beside the homely one and shows they are the same. The being whom six schools of thought cannot grasp and whom yogis cannot hold in meditation is the same Rama who eats a forest woman's berries, talks with monkeys, and stays as a guest in a poor man's house. Each pair is the whole devotional claim in miniature: the highest stoops to the lowest, and chooses the lowly over the proud. He liberates a stone, a courtesan, bears and monkeys, those whom rank and ritual would pass over. Tukaram answers all this grandeur with the only fitting response, bowing at the feet of the dark, lotus-eyed Rama.
The Nature of God
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