Adoration, the face that cures existence
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ताप हें हरण श्रीमुख । हरी भवरोगा ऐसें दुःख । अवलोकितां उपजे सुख । उभें सन्मुख दृष्टीपुढें ॥1॥
न पुरे डोिळयांची धणी । सखोल कृपेची च खाणी । स्तवितां न पुरे वेदवाणी । तो हा समचरणी कृपानिधी ॥ध्रु.॥
रामकृष्णध्यान वामननारसिंहीं । उग्र आणि सौम्य कांहीं च नाहीं । सांपडे भरलीये वाही । भाव शुद्ध पाहीं याचें भातुकें ॥2॥
गुणगंभीर चतुर सुजाण। शूर धीर उदार नारायण। व्यापक तरी त्रिभुवन । मनमोहनलावण्य हें ॥3॥
ठाण हें साजिरें सुंदर । अविनाश अविकार । अनंत आणि अपार । तो हा कटीं कर धरिताहे ॥4॥
जयाची वाणी सुमनमाळा। परमामृतजिव्हाळा । अनंता अंगीं अनंत कळा । तुका जवळा चरण सेवे ॥5॥
कान्होबा0नाट अभंग 7
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
His holy face removes all burning pain. It cures the terrible disease of worldly existence. Beholding it, joy arises; it stands before my eyes in person. The eyes can never have their fill of it. His mercy is a deep, inexhaustible mine. Even the Vedic hymns cannot praise Him adequately. This treasury of mercy stands on even feet. In the meditation of Rama, Krishna, Vamana, and Narasimha, there is nothing fierce or mild; all merge into one. He is found in the full current of pure devotion; sincerity of heart is His delight. He is noble, profound, wise, and discerning. He is brave, steadfast, generous, Narayana. Though He pervades the three worlds, He is this enchanting, captivating beauty. His stance is graceful and beautiful, imperishable and unchanging, infinite and boundless. He stands with hands upon His waist. His words are garlands of flowers, nectar of the highest order. The Infinite One possesses infinite arts. Says Tuka, I stay close, serving at His feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
His holy face takes away all burning pain. It cures the disease of worldly existence. Looking at it, joy is born; it stands before my eyes in person. My eyes can never get their fill of it. His mercy is a deep, never-emptying mine. Even the speech of the Vedas cannot praise him enough. This treasury of mercy stands on even feet. In meditating on Rama, Krishna, Vamana, Narasimha, there is nothing fierce, nothing mild; all is one. He is found in the full current of pure devotion; a sincere heart is his delight. He is noble, deep, clever, wise. He is brave, steady, generous, Narayana. Though he fills the three worlds, he is this heart-stealing beauty. His stance is graceful and lovely, undying and unchanging, endless and without limit. He stands with his hands upon his waist. His words are garlands of flowers, nectar of the highest kind. The Endless One holds endless arts. Tuka says: I stay close, serving at his feet.
What it means
Tukaram gazes at Vitthal's standing form and reports what the sight does: it lifts the fever of worldly life and pours in a joy the eyes can never exhaust. He insists the Vedas themselves run out of praise before this mercy is described, and that across the avatars, Rama, Krishna, Vamana, Narasimha, there is no longer any split between fierce and gentle; all of them resolve into this one even-footed beauty. The form is gorgeous and infinite at once, world-pervading yet standing simply with hands on hips before him. The way in is not force or cleverness but sincerity; a pure heart is what delights him, and that is where Tukaram chooses to stay, at the feet.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
More in this theme →