Devotion, the night-service at the feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बहुडविलें जन मन जालें निश्चळ । चुकवूनी कोल्हाळ आला तुका ॥१॥
पर्यंकीं निद्रा करावें शयन । रखुमाई आपण समवेत ॥ध्रु.॥
घेउनियां आलों हातीं टाळ वीणा । सेवेसि चरणा स्वामीचिया ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आतां परिसावीं सादरें । बोबडीं उत्तरें पांडुरंगा ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The crowd has been sent home, the mind has grown still, and Tuka has slipped away from the commotion. Now let the Lord take rest upon the royal bed, with Rukhmabai beside him. I have come carrying the lute and cymbals in my hands to attend upon my Master's feet. Says Tuka, now listen kindly, O Panduranga, to my stammering words.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The crowd has been sent home, the mind has grown still, and Tuka has slipped away from the noise. Now let the Lord sleep upon the royal bed, with Rukhmabai beside him. I have come carrying cymbals and the lute in my hands, to serve at my Master's feet. Tuka says: now listen kindly, Panduranga, to my stammering words.
What it means
When the day's crowd has dispersed and the mind is quiet, the devotee comes alone for the last service of the night. He readies the Lord and Rukhmabai for rest upon the royal bed, then takes up cymbals and lute to wait at the feet. The intimacy lies in this private hour, when noise has fallen away and only love remains to keep watch. He calls his own words stammering, owning that his praise is clumsy, and asks only that God listen kindly anyway, for the offering is love, not eloquence.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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