Devotion, only Krishna ends the round of births
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
चिंतले पावलीं जयां कृष्णभेटी । एरवीं ते आटी वांयांविण ॥1॥
वासना धरिती कृष्णाविणें कांहीं । सीण केला तिहीं साधनांचा ॥2॥
चाळविले डंबें एक अहंकारें । भोग जन्मांतरें न चुकती ॥3॥
न चुकती भोग तपें दानें व्रतें । एका त्या अनंतेंवांचूनियां॥4॥
चुकवुनि जन्म देईल आपणा । भजा नारायणा तुका ह्मणे ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Those who longed for Krishna's meeting attained what they desired. All other efforts without Him were struggles in vain. Those who harbored any desire apart from Krishna wearied themselves with futile practices. Those deluded by ego and pretense must continue experiencing the fruits of birth after birth. Austerities, gifts, and vows cannot end the cycle without the One Infinite Lord. Says Tuka, He alone can break the cycle of birth and grant you Himself. Worship Narayana.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Those who longed for it reached the meeting with Krishna. For everyone else the effort was wasted. Those who hold any desire apart from Krishna wear themselves out with their practices. Some are fooled by show, some by pride. They do not escape the suffering of birth after birth. Penance, gifts, and vows do not let you escape that suffering. Nothing does, except the one Infinite. Tuka says: he can end your births and give you himself. So worship Narayana.
What it means
Tukaram weighs two paths against each other. Those who truly long for Krishna meet him and reach their goal; those who keep some other desire, or are caught in display and ego, only tire themselves and stay bound to one birth after another. He goes further and says even the respected works, austerity, charity, and vows, cannot by themselves break the cycle. The one thing that can is the Infinite Lord himself, and what he gives is not a reward but his own self. The verse ends as a direct instruction: drop the side-desires and worship Narayana, because he alone both ends the round and is the prize.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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