Devotion, the body sworn to the Name
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जरी माझी कोणी कापितील मान । तरी नको आन वदों जिव्हे ॥१॥
सकळां इंद्रियां हे माझी विनंती । नका होऊं परतीं पांडुरंगा ॥ध्रु.॥
आणिकांची मात नाइकावी कानीं । आणीक नयनीं न पाहावें ॥२॥
चित्ता तुवां पायीं रहावें अखंडित । होउनी निश्चित एकविध ॥३॥
चला पाय हात हें चि काम करा । माझ्या नमस्कारा विठोबाच्या ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे तुम्हां भय काय करी । आमुचा कैवारी नारायण ॥५॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Even if someone should cut off my head, O tongue, do not speak any name other than Panduranga's. This is my plea to all my senses: do not turn away from the Lord. Let these ears hear no one else's words; let these eyes gaze upon nothing else. O mind, remain steadfast and undivided at his feet. Come, hands and feet, do this one task: bow before my Vitthoba. Says Tuka, what have any of you to fear? Narayana is our protector.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Even if someone cuts off my head, O tongue, do not speak any name but Panduranga's. This is my plea to all my senses: do not turn away from the Lord. Let these ears hear no one else's words. Let these eyes look at nothing else. O mind, stay unbroken at his feet, settled and one-pointed. Come, hands and feet, do this one task: bow before my Vithoba. Tuka says: what have any of you to fear? Narayana is our protector.
What it means
Tukaram is mustering his own body and senses like a vow taken under threat. He commands the tongue to keep the Name even if his head is struck off, and goes part by part, ears, eyes, mind, hands, feet, ordering each to attend to nothing but the Lord and to bow before Vithoba. It reads as a discipline of total inward devotion, the whole person turned single-pointed at God's feet. The closing line answers the fear such a vow might raise: none of these faculties need be afraid, because Narayana is their protector.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
More in this theme →