Praise of Pandharpur, Kashi is here
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
भीमातीरवासी । तेथें निश्चयेंसी काशी ॥1॥
मुख्यमुक्तीचें माहेर । ऐसें जाणा पंढरपुर ॥ध्रु.॥
घडे भींवरेशीं स्नान । त्यासि पुन्हा नाहीं जन्म ॥2॥
भाव धरोनि नेटका । मोक्ष जवळी ह्मणे तुका ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Dwelling on the banks of the Bhima, Kashi is assuredly present there. Know Pandharpur as the very birthplace of the highest liberation. One who bathes in the Bhimra river shall never take birth again. Says Tuka, hold a firm and pure devotion, and liberation is close at hand.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He lives on the bank of the Bhima; Kashi is surely present there. Know Pandharpur as the very home of the highest liberation. Whoever bathes in the Bhima river takes no birth again. Tuka says: hold a clean, firm devotion, and liberation is near.
What it means
Tukaram folds the great pilgrim city of Kashi into Pandharpur, where Vitthal stands by the Bhima river, claiming the whole power of pilgrimage is already present at his own home shrine. Pandharpur is named the birthplace of the highest liberation, so that the devotee need not travel elsewhere to find release. A bath in the Bhima is said to end rebirth itself. The condition is set quietly at the end: the prize stays near only for one who keeps a clean and steady devotion.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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