Devotion, the butter for the discerning
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
निवडुनि दिलें नवनीत । संचित ते भोगीत ॥1॥
आतां पुढें भावसार । जीवना थार पाहावया ॥ध्रु.॥
पारखियाचे पडिलें हातीं । चांचपती आंधळीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे सेवन घडे । त्यासी जोडे लाभ हा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The butter has been separated and handed over. Those who have accumulated are now enjoying it. Ahead lies the essence of pure devotion, the resting-ground of life to be sought and found. What has come into the hands of the discerning, the blind can only grope at. Says Tuka, the one who partakes of this gains the true profit.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The butter has been separated out and handed over; those who have gathered it now enjoy it. Ahead lies the essence of pure bhava, the resting-ground of life, to be sought and found. What has fallen into the hands of the one who can tell true from false, the blind only grope after. Tuka says: the one who truly partakes of this gains the real profit.
What it means
Tukaram returns to the churning image: the butter, the real worth of devotion, has been parted from the rest and given to those who gathered with love, and they enjoy it. What still lies ahead is the essence of bhava, the firm resting place of life, which the seeker must look for. He draws a line between the discerning, who recognize this treasure when it comes to hand, and the blind, who can only fumble past it. The difference is not luck but seeing. Whoever actually takes and lives this devotion wins the only profit that counts.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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