Mission, dwellers of Vaikuntha sent to serve
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आम्ही वैकुंठवासी । आलों या चि कारणासी । बोलिले जे ॠषी । साच भावें वर्ताव्या ॥१॥
झाडूं संतांचे मारग । आडरानें भरलें जग । उच्छिष्टाचा भाग । शेष उरलें तें सेवूं ॥ध्रु.॥
पिटूं भक्तिचा डांगोरा । कळिकाळासी दरारा । तुका म्हणे करा । जेजेकार आनंदें ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
We are dwellers of Vaikuntha, come here for this very purpose: to live truly by the words the sages have spoken. We sweep clean the path of the saints, for the world has become overgrown with wild thickets; we will partake of whatever blessed remnants remain. We beat the drum of devotion, striking dread into Death himself. Says Tuka, raise a triumphant cheer with great joy.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
We are dwellers of Vaikuntha. We have come here for this one purpose: to live truly by what the sages spoke. We sweep clean the path of the saints, for the world has grown thick with wild thickets. Whatever blessed leavings remain, we will take them as our food. We beat the drum of devotion and strike dread into Death himself. Tuka says: raise a cry of victory with joy.
What it means
Tukaram speaks for himself and his companions as souls come down from Vaikuntha on a single errand: to make the sages' words actually lived, not merely recited. The image of sweeping the saints' overgrown path names the work, clearing away the wild growth of neglect so the way of the holy ones can be walked again. Calling their food the leavings, the blessed remnants, marks their lowliness and their gladness in it; they want no more than what the path leaves over. The drum of devotion is loud on purpose, a public proclamation that frightens Death, and the closing shout turns the whole mission into a festival.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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