Devotion, God held in the heart
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
गंगेचिया अंताविण काय चाड । आपुलें तें कोड तृषेपाशीं ॥1॥
विठ्ठल हे मूतिन साजिरी सुंदर । घालीं निरंतर हृदयपुटीं ॥ध्रु.॥
कारण तें असे नवनीतापाशीं । गबाळ तें सोसी इतर कोण ॥2॥
बाळाचे सोईतें घांस घाली माता । आटाहास चिंता नाहीं तया ॥3॥
गाऊं नाचों करूं आनंदसोहळा । भाव चि आगळा नाहीं हातां ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे अवघें जालें एकमय । परलोकींची काय चाड आतां ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What need is there to seek the very end of the Ganga? One's own longing is met right there, at the place of thirst. This beautiful, graceful form of Vitthal: place it within the hollow of your heart and keep it there always. The essence lies in the fresh butter; who else will endure the refuse left behind? A mother feeds the child mouthfuls suited to its size; there is no straining or worry in that. Let us sing, dance, and celebrate in bliss. All we have is bhava; nothing greater is within our hands. Says Tuka, everything has become one. What need is there now for the other world?
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Why go searching for where the Ganga ends? My own longing is met right here, where I am thirsty. This beautiful, graceful form of Vitthal: place it in the hollow of your heart and keep it there always. What matters lies in the fresh butter; who else would put up with the leftover dross? A mother feeds the child mouthfuls the right size for it; there is no straining, no worry in that. Let us sing, let us dance, let us keep this feast of joy. All we have is bhava; nothing greater is in our hands. Tuka says: everything has become one. What need have I now for the other world?
What it means
Tukaram is saying the goal is close, not far off, and the way to it is simple. You do not have to trace the Ganga to its source; your thirst is quenched right where you stand. So fix Vitthal's lovely form in your heart and keep it there. He uses the churning of milk: the worth is in the butter, not the watery refuse, and God like a mother feeds each soul a portion it can take. All that the devotee actually holds is bhava, loving feeling, and that is enough; singing and dancing in joy, Tuka finds everything fused into one and stops hankering after any heaven beyond.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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