Adoration, the Lord who feeds every heart
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
विठ्ठल भीमातीरवासी । विठ्ठल पंढरीनिवासी । विठ्ठल पुंडलिकापासीं । कृपादानाविसीं उदार ॥1॥
विठ्ठल स्मरणा कोंवळा। विठ्ठल गौरवीं आगळा । आधार ब्रह्मांडा सकळा । विठ्ठल लीळाविग्रही ॥ध्रु.॥
उभा चि परी न मनी सीण । नाहीं उद्धरितां भिन्न । समर्थाचे घरीं एक अन्न । आर्तभूता क्षणोक्षणा सांभाळी ॥2॥
रुचीचे प्रकार। आणिताती आदरें । कोठें ही न पडे अंतर । थोरां थोर धाकुटएा धाकुटा ॥3॥
करितां बळ धरितां नये । झोंबतां डोळे मनें च होय। आपुल्या उद्देशाची सोय । जाणे हृदयनिवासी ॥4॥
पान्हा तरी आल्या अंतर तेथें । तों नाहीं भरिलें रितें । करितों सेवन आइतें । तुका ह्मणे चित्तें चित्त मेळवूनी ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Vitthal dwells on the bank of the Bhima. Vitthal resides in Pandhari. Vitthal is near Pundalika, supremely generous in bestowing mercy. Vitthal is tender to those who remember Him and surpasses all in honor. He is the support of the entire creation; Vitthal embodies divine play. He stands and yet never feels weariness. In granting liberation He makes no distinction. In the house of the Almighty there is one food for all; He cares for the distressed at every moment. Delicacies of every kind are brought before Him with devotion. He never fails anyone. He is great to the great and small to the small. He cannot be seized by force; He yields only to the heart and mind. He who dwells in the heart knows the way of one's own purpose. When the milk of love flows, the distance vanishes; nothing is left empty. Says Tuka, I partake of what is ready, merging my heart with His.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Vitthal lives on the bank of the Bhima. Vitthal dwells in Pandhari. Vitthal is beside Pundalik, generous in giving mercy. Vitthal is tender to those who remember him, and beyond all in honor. He is the support of the whole creation. Vitthal takes form for the sake of play. He stands and stands, yet feels no weariness. In granting freedom he makes no distinction. In the house of the Almighty there is one food for all; he watches over the distressed at every moment. Dishes of every taste are brought to him with love. Nowhere does he fall short. He is great to the great and small to the small. He cannot be seized by force; he yields only to the heart. The one who dwells in the heart knows the aim of your own purpose. When the milk of love comes, the distance is gone; nothing is left empty. Tuka says: I take what is ready, joining my heart to his.
What it means
Tukaram fixes Vitthal in place, on the riverbank, in Pandhari, beside Pundalik, and then widens him out into the support of all creation who has only stood there, never tiring, for the sake of his devotees. The heart of the poem is fairness and access: in this Lord's house there is one food for everyone, no rank in who gets liberated, great for the great and small for the small. What he cannot be is forced; he yields only to the heart, because as the indweller he already knows your true intention. The closing image is a nursing mother whose milk lets down: when love flows, the distance between soul and God simply disappears.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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