Experience, contentment found at last
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बहु फिरलों ठायाठाव । कोठें भाव पुरे चि ना ॥1॥
समाधान तों पावलों । उरलों बोलों यावरि ॥ध्रु.॥
घे गा देवा आशीर्वाद । आमुच्या नांद भाग्यानें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जेवूं आधी । खवखव मधीं सारावी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have wandered far and wide, but nowhere has my longing been fulfilled. Now I have found contentment and remain just to speak of it. Accept this blessing, O God, and abide in our good fortune. Says Tuka, let us eat first and take care of the itching in between.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have wandered far and wide, but nowhere was my longing filled. Now I have found peace, and I stay only to speak of it. Take this blessing, God, and abide in our good fortune. Tuka says: let us eat first, and settle the small itch in between.
What it means
Tukaram looks back on a long search that left him empty everywhere he went, and reports the turn: he has finally come to rest. Now that he is content, he stays on with no other purpose than to tell of it. He even speaks to God as a close companion, offering a blessing and asking Him to dwell in this good fortune. The homely last line puts first things first: take the real nourishment now, and the lesser itches can be dealt with along the way.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
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