Devotion, the inexhaustible capital
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
खरें भांडवल सांपडलें गांठी । जेणें नये तुटी उदमासी ॥1॥
संवगाचें केणें सांपडलें घरीं । भरूनि वैखरी सांटविलें ॥ध्रु.॥
घेतां देतां लाभ होतसे सकळां । सदेवां दुर्बळा भाव तैसा ॥2॥
फडा आलिया तो न वजे निरासे । जरि कांहीं त्यास न कळतां ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां जालीसे नििंश्चती । आणीक तें चित्तीं न धरूं दुजें ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
True capital has been found and secured, of the kind that never exhausts the trade. The rare commodity has arrived at the house; I have stocked my vaikhari full of it. In giving and taking, there is profit for all; for the fortunate and the wretched alike, the bhava is the same. No one who comes to this counter leaves empty-handed, even if they do not know what they need. Says Tuka, now I am at peace. I will hold no other thing in my chitta.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have found the true capital and tied it in my purse, the kind that never runs the trade to a loss. The rare goods have come to my house; I have filled my speech with them and stored them up. In the giving and taking there is profit for everyone; for the fortunate and the wretched alike, the bhava is the same. No one who comes to this counter goes away disappointed, even if he does not know what he needs. Tuka says: now I am at peace. I will hold nothing else in my heart.
What it means
Tukaram uses the language of a merchant to speak of God's Name and devotion. He has found capital that never depletes and that never lets the trade fall into loss; the precious stock has come to his house, and he keeps it stored on his very tongue, in vaikhari. This is a trade that profits everyone who comes, rich or poor, because what counts is bhava, the same loving feeling in each. No one leaves this counter empty, even the one who does not yet know his own need. Having found it, Tuka rests and refuses to hold any other thing in his heart.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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