Form over formless, devotee refuses moksha
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नामपाठ मुक्ताफळांच्या ओवणी । हें सुख सगुणीं अभिनव ॥1॥
तरी आह्मी जालों उदास निर्गुणा । भक्तांचिया मना मोक्ष नये ॥ध्रु.॥
द्यावें घ्यावें ऐसें येथें उरे भाव । काय ठाया ठाव पुसोनियां ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां अभयदान करा । ह्मणा विश्वंभरा दिलें ऐसें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The chanting of the Name is like stringing pearls. This joy in the worship of the Lord in form is something new and wondrous. That is why we have turned away from the formless, indifferent to it. The heart of a devotee does not desire liberation. Here in devotion, the exchange of giving and receiving keeps love alive. Why should we wipe away the place where this happens? Says Tuka, grant us the gift of fearlessness now. Say, O Sustainer of the Universe, that it is given.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Chanting the Name is like stringing pearls. This joy in the Lord with form is new and wondrous. So we have turned away from the formless; we have no interest in it. The heart of a devotee does not want liberation. Here in devotion the giving and the taking keep love alive. Why wipe out the very place where this happens? Tuka says: grant us the gift of fearlessness now. Say it, Vishvambhara: it is given.
What it means
Tukaram chooses the God with form and Name over the formless Absolute, and says plainly why. Chanting strings the Name like pearls and brings a fresh, living delight that the featureless nirguna cannot give. A devotee does not want moksha, because liberation would dissolve the very relationship he loves: the back-and-forth of giving and receiving between worshipper and Lord. To end that exchange would erase the place where love lives. So instead of release he asks the Sustainer of the universe for one assurance, the gift of fearlessness, and asks God to declare it granted.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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