Saints, the dwelling that wakes you
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धरावा तो बरा । ठाव वसतीचा थारा ॥1॥
निजविल्या जागविती । निज पुरवूनि देती ॥ध्रु.॥
एक वेवसाव । त्यांचा संग त्यांचा जीव ॥2॥
हितें केलें हित । ग्वाही एक एकां चित्त ॥3॥
विषमाचें कांहीं । आड तया एक नाहीं ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे बरीं । घरा येतील त्यापरी ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One should find a good dwelling place and settle firmly there. Those who reside there wake you when you sleep and fulfill your rest. They have one single occupation: their company and their very life are one. Goodness begets goodness; each chitta bears witness to the other. No adversity can come between them; nothing stands in the way. Says Tuka, as one approaches them, blessings come home of their own accord.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Find a good place to live and settle firmly there. The ones who live there wake you when you fall asleep; they make sure your true rest is given to you. They have one single occupation. Their company and their very life are the same thing. Good brings out good; each heart bears witness to the other. No trouble can come between them; nothing stands in the way. Tuka says: it is good. As you draw near them, blessings come home of their own.
What it means
The good dwelling place Tukaram urges is the company of saints, and he praises it for one thing in particular: it will not let you sleep. They wake the drowsing soul and see that it gets its real rest, the rest that is God. Their whole life and their fellowship are one undivided thing, and goodness passes between them, each heart confirming the other. No discord can wedge them apart. The promise is that you do not even have to chase the reward; come near such company and the blessing arrives home on its own.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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