Ecstasy, the vessel overflows
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सुख सुखा विरजण जालें । तें मथलें नवनीत ॥1॥
हाले डोले हरुषे काया । निवती बाहएा नयन ॥ध्रु.॥
प्रबल तो नारायण । गुणें गुण वाढला ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे भरली सीग । वरी मग वोसंडे ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Joy has become the starter for more joy; that is the butter that has been churned. The body sways and trembles with delight; the arms and eyes are soothed. The mighty Narayana has grown from virtue upon virtue. Says Tuka, the vessel has filled to the brim, and now it overflows.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Joy has become the starter for more joy; that is the butter churned out of it. The body sways and trembles with gladness; the arms and the eyes grow cool and still. Mighty is that Narayana; quality has grown upon quality. Tuka says: the vessel has filled to the very brim, and now it spills over.
What it means
Tukaram describes bliss that feeds on itself. As curd needs a starter, here joy becomes the starter for still more joy, and out of the churning comes the butter, the pure essence. The body shows it openly, swaying and trembling, the eyes and limbs soothed and cooled. He traces the cause to Narayana, in whom good upon good keeps increasing, until the cup of the heart is filled past the brim and simply overflows.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
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