Autobiography, the Word itself is God
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आह्मां घरीं धन शब्दाचीं रत्नें । शब्दाचीं शस्त्रें यत्न करूं ॥1॥
शब्द चि आमुच्या जीवाचें जीवन । शब्दें वांटूं धन जनलोकां ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे पाहा शब्द चि हा देव । शब्दें चि गौरव पूजा करूं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
In our home, the wealth is jewels of words, and words are the weapons we wield. Words alone are the life of our jiva; through words we distribute our riches to the world. Says Tuka, behold, the Word itself is God; with words we worship and offer our praise.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
In our house the wealth is jewels of words. Words are the weapons we wield. The word itself is the life of our soul. With words we share out our riches to the people. Tuka says: look, the Word itself is God. With words we honor Him and offer our worship.
What it means
Tukaram names what a poet-saint actually owns and uses. His only treasure is words, and they are jewels and weapons at once, his wealth and his defense. Words are the very life of his soul, and the way he hands that wealth out to ordinary people. He ends on the highest claim: the Word is not a tool pointing at God, the Word itself is God, so to speak it well is already to worship.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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