True worship, the free secret
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
शुद्ध चर्या हें चि संताचें पूजन । लागत चि धन नाहीं वित्त ॥1॥
सगुणाचे सोई सगुण विश्रांती । आपण चि येती चोजवीत ॥ध्रु.॥
कीर्तनीं चि वोळे कृपेचा वोरस । दुरीपणें वास संनिधता ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे वर्म सांगतों सवंगें । मन लावा लागें स्वहिताच्या ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Pure conduct itself is the worship of the saints. It does not cost any wealth or money. In the manner of the devotee in form, those who are at rest in form come on their own to observe and appreciate. Grace overflows in kirtan itself; closeness is experienced even from a distance. Says Tuka, I tell you the secret freely: set your mind upon your own spiritual good.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Pure living is itself the worship of the saints. It costs no wealth, no money. Where there is a devotee in form, those at rest in form come on their own to look and to bless. In the kirtan itself the flood of grace overflows; nearness is felt even across distance. Tuka says: I am telling you the secret freely. Turn your mind toward your own good.
What it means
Tukaram is correcting a common assumption that worshipping holy people takes expensive offerings. He says the real offering is a clean life, and it is free. When a true devotee lives that way, God in form and the saints come of their own accord to witness and to pour out grace, and the singing of God's praise is enough to close the distance between the soul and the Lord. He stresses that he is handing this over plainly, not hiding it as some costly initiation. The closing line lands the stakes: this is for your own benefit, so set your mind to it.
True Worship
What genuine worship looks like, beyond outward observances and images.
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