Devotion, the mind turned bard
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मन जालें भाट । कीतिन मुखें घडघडाट । पडियेली वाट । ये चि चाली स्वभावें ॥1॥
बोलें देवाचे पवाडे । नित्य नवे चि रोकडे । ज्या परी आवडे । तैसा तैसा करूनि ॥ध्रु.॥
रोखीं रहावें समोर । पुढें मागें चाले भार । करावें उत्तर । सेवा रुजू करूनि॥2॥
पूर वर्षला देकारें । संतोषाच्या अभयें करें । अंगींच्या उत्तरें । तुकया स्वामी शृंगारी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The mind has become a bard, proclaiming glory with great thundering voice. This path was found and trodden by its own natural movement. It sings the deeds of God, ever new and ever present, shaping Him as the chitta desires. One stands directly before the Lord, carrying on the work front and behind, offering service as living proof. A great flood has come pouring forth with the hand of joyful blessing; with its own voice, the Master adorns Tuka.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
My mind has become a bard, the glory thundering from its mouth. The path was laid open, and it walks there by its own nature. It sings the deeds of God, ever new, ever present, shaping him just as it loves. Stand right before him; the work goes on, front and back, answering, proving the service true. A flood has rained down with the hand of joyful blessing. With words from his own being, the Master adorns Tuka.
What it means
Tukaram pictures his own mind turned into a bard, a praise-singer whose mouth thunders with God's glory. The road of praise has opened in front of it and it walks there naturally, singing God's deeds as ever new and ever present, free to shape him in whatever form it loves. He describes the posture of service: standing directly before the Lord, carrying the work front and back, answering and proving the devotion to be real. The close turns to abundance and reversal: a flood of grace pours down from the hand of joyful blessing, and in the end it is the Master who adorns Tuka with words drawn from his own being. The singer is finally the one sung over and decorated by God.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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