Fulfillment, the sweet Name made a garland
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बोलिलों ते धर्म अनुभव अंगें । काय पांडुरंगें उणें केलें ॥1॥
सर्व सििद्ध पायीं वोळगती दासी । इच्छा नाहीं ऐसी व्हावें कांहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
संतसमागमें अळंकार वाणी । करूं हे पेरणी शुद्ध बीजा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे रामकृष्णनामें गोड । आवडीचें कोड माळ ओऊं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What I have spoken is dharma, confirmed by my own experience. What has Panduranga left unfulfilled? All accomplishments attend His feet like maidservants; I have no wish to become anything. In the company of saints, I adorn my speech and sow these seeds of purity. Says Tuka, the names of Rama and Krishna are sweet; let me string them into a garland of delight.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What I have spoken is dharma, proven on my own body. What has Panduranga left undone? Every power waits at his feet like a serving maid. I have no wish to become anything. In the company of saints I adorn my speech and sow this pure seed. Tuka says: the names of Rama and Krishna are sweet; let me thread them into a garland of delight.
What it means
Tukaram speaks from completion, not theory: what he teaches is dharma tested in his own life. Panduranga has left nothing wanting, and all the powers and attainments wait at God's feet like servants, so he has no ambition left to be anyone or anything. What remains is to keep good company, to make his speech beautiful, and to plant the pure seed of the Name in others. The sweetness of the names of Rama and Krishna is enough, and he asks only to string those sweet names together like a garland.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
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