Devotion, I fear not time or death
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सिद्धीचा दास नव्हें श्रुतीचा अंकिला । होईन विठ्ठला सर्व तुझा ॥1॥
सर्वकाळ सुख आमच्या मानसीं । राहिलें जयासी नास नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
नेणें पुण्य पाप न पाहें लोचनीं । आणिका वांचूनि पांडुरंगा ॥2॥
न करीं आस मुक्तीचे सायास । भक्तिप्रेमरस सांडूनियां ॥3॥
गर्भवासीं धाक नाहीं येतां जातां । हृदयीं राहतां नाम तुझें ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे जालों तुझा चि अंकिला । न भें मी विठ्ठला किळकाळासी ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I am not a slave to supernatural powers, nor am I bound by scripture alone. I will become entirely Yours, O Vitthal. In our minds dwells a joy that remains at all times, one that knows no destruction. I know neither merit nor sin, nor do I look upon anything other than You, O Panduranga. I will not strive for liberation and forsake the nectar of loving devotion. Even in the womb I feel no dread, for Your name abides in my mind. Says Tuka, I have become wholly Yours, O Vitthal; I fear not even time and death.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I am no slave of occult powers, nor bound to scripture alone. O Vitthal, I will be wholly yours. In our minds there is a joy that stays at all times, a joy that has no destruction. I know neither merit nor sin. My eyes look on nothing but you, Panduranga. I will not chase after the labor of liberation and throw away the nectar of loving devotion. Even in the womb I feel no dread, coming or going, because your name lives in my heart. Tuka says: I have become wholly yours; O Vitthal, I do not fear even time and death.
What it means
Tukaram refuses every lesser prize and keeps only one. He will not be a servant of miraculous powers, nor live bound to scripture, nor even strive for liberation, because all of these would mean letting go of the nectar he actually wants, the joy of loving Vitthal. That joy is steady and indestructible, and it puts him past the bookkeeping of merit and sin; he simply looks at Panduranga and nothing else. The boldest claim comes last: with the Name living in his heart, the womb holds no terror and even time and death lose their grip. Total belonging to God has dissolved the fear that runs every other life.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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