Devotion, refusing the I-am-Brahman talk
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
याजसाठीं वनांतरा । जातों सांडुनियां घरा ॥1॥
माझें दिठावेल प्रेम । बुिद्ध होईल निष्काम ॥ध्रु.॥
अद्वैताची वाणी । नाहीं ऐकत मी कानीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे अहंब्रह्म । आड येऊं नेदीं भ्रम ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
For this very reason I go to the solitude of the forest, leaving my home behind. My love will become strong and my intellect will be freed from desire. I do not listen to the talk of non-duality with my ears. Says Tuka, I will not allow the delusion of "I am Brahman" to come in the way.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
For this very reason I go off into the forest, leaving my house behind. My love will grow strong. My mind will become free of desire. I will not let the talk of non-duality into my ears. Tuka says: I will not let the delusion "I am Brahman" come in my way.
What it means
Tukaram defends the lover's path against a high philosophy that would dissolve it. He leaves home for the forest so his love for God can grow strong and his mind can be freed of craving, guarding the very relationship between devotee and Lord. To protect it he refuses even to listen to advaita talk, the doctrine that all is one. The sharp line is the last: he names the idea "I am Brahman" a bhrama, a delusion, and swears not to let it block his way. He is not denying the truth of non-duality so much as refusing a self-claim that would swallow the loving devotion he has chosen to keep.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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