Adoration, all wealth at the feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
काय उणें आम्हां विठोबाचे पाई । नाहीं ऐसें काई येथें एक ॥१॥
ते हें भोंवतालें ठायीं वांटूं मन । बराडी करून दारोदारीं ॥ध्रु.॥
कोण बळी माझ्या विठोबा वेगळा । आणीक आगळा दुजा सांगा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे मोक्ष विठोबाचे गावीं । फुकाचीं लुटावीं भांडारें तीं ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What is lacking at the feet of Vitthoba? Is there anything that cannot be found there? Why then should I scatter my mind in every direction, crying out from door to door? Who is mightier than my Vitthoba? Tell me, who else is greater? Says Tuka, liberation is found in Vitthoba's own village; those treasures may be plundered free of charge.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What is lacking for us at Vithoba's feet? Is there one thing not found here? Then why scatter my mind all around, begging door to door? Who is stronger than my Vithoba? Tell me, who else is greater? Tuka says: liberation is in Vithoba's own town; plunder those treasure houses, they cost nothing.
What it means
Tukaram asks why a person who already stands at Vithoba's feet would go begging anywhere else. Nothing is missing there, so scattering the mind from door to door is folly. He challenges the listener to name anyone mightier or greater than his Vithoba, and lets the silence answer. The closing image is bold: liberation is not a far reward to be earned but a treasure house standing open in the god's own town, free for the taking, so why hold back.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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