Wonder, Pundalik's bold love
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कां रे पुंडएा मातलासी । उभें केलें विठ्ठलासि ॥1॥
विस्त क्षीरसागरवासीं । आला उभा पंढरीसि ॥ध्रु.॥
भक्ती देखोनि निकट । देवें सोडिलें वैकुंठ ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे बळी । तूं चि एक भूमंडळीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
O Pundalik, why did you become so bold as to make Vitthal stand? He who resided in the ocean of milk has come to stand in Pandhari. Seeing such intimate devotion, God left Vaikuntha behind. Says Tuka, you alone are the mightiest one on this earth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
O Pundalik, why did you grow so bold? You made Vitthal stand still. He who lives in the ocean of milk has come and stands here in Pandhari. He saw devotion this close, and for it God left Vaikuntha behind. Tuka says: you alone, Pundalik, are the mightiest on this whole earth.
What it means
Tukaram is marveling at Pundalik, the devotee whose love first drew Vitthal to Pandhari. The story is that God, who dwells in the milk-ocean, came down and simply stood on the brick, waiting, because one man's love held Him there. Tukaram turns this into a claim about the power of devotion: it can pull the Lord out of His own heaven and fix Him in place. So he calls Pundalik the strongest being on earth, not for any feat of arms, but because his nearness of heart moved God Himself.
Sacred Stories
Abhangas drawing on mythological narratives to illuminate spiritual truths.
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