Praise of Pundalik, God brought to earth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वैकुंठींचा देव आणिला भूतळा । धन्य तो आगळा पुंडलीक ॥1॥
धारिष्ट धैर्याचा वरिष्ठ भक्तांचा । पवित्र पुण्याचा एकनिष्ठ ॥ध्रु.॥
पितृसेवा पुण्यें लाधला निधान । ब्रह्म सनातन अंगसंगें ॥2॥
अंगसंगें रंगें क्रीडा करी जाणा । ज्या घरीं पाहुणा वैकुंठींचा ॥3॥
धन्य त्याची शक्ति भक्तीची हे ख्याति । तुका ह्मणे मुक्ति पायीं लोळे ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The God of Vaikuntha was brought down to earth. Blessed beyond all others is Pundalik. He is the foremost in fortitude and patience, the greatest among devotees, singularly devoted and holy in merit. Through the merit of serving his parents, he attained the supreme treasure: the eternal Brahman, close as his own body. In that intimacy, God plays and delights, for Pundalik's home hosts the Guest from Vaikuntha. Blessed is his power, renowned is his devotion. Says Tuka, even liberation rolls at his feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The God of Vaikuntha was brought down to earth. Blessed above all others is Pundalik. He is the foremost in fortitude and patience, the greatest among devotees, single in his devotion, holy in his merit. By the merit of serving his parents he won the supreme treasure: the eternal Brahman, close as his own body. In that closeness God plays and delights, for in his house stays the Guest from Vaikuntha. Blessed is his strength; his devotion is renowned. Tuka says: even liberation rolls at his feet.
What it means
Tukaram is praising Pundalik, the devotee whose story stands behind Pandhari. By staying with his parents and serving them, Pundalik drew the Lord of Vaikuntha down to earth, where he waits even now on the brick. The poem names what made this possible: steady patience, single devotion, simple service of mother and father. Because he held God that close, in his own home, the highest goal that others strain for came to him on its own. Tuka ends with the measure of it: liberation itself, the thing seekers chase, lies down at the feet of one whose love was that plain and that whole.
Sacred Stories
Abhangas drawing on mythological narratives to illuminate spiritual truths.
More in this theme →