Discipline, walling off desire
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वासनेच्या मुखीं अदळूनि भीतें । निर्वाहापुरतें कारण तें ॥1॥
या नांवें अंतरा आला नारायण । चित्तसमाधान खुण त्याची ॥ध्रु.॥
सर्वकाळ हा चि करणें विचार । विवेकीं सादर आत्मत्वाचे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जों जों भजनासी वळे । अंग तों तों कळे सन्निधता ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Erect a wall before the mouth of desire; allow only what is needed for sustaining life. This is the sign that Narayana has entered within: the settling of chitta is His mark. At all times, with discernment, be attentive to the nature of the Self. Says Tuka, the more one turns toward devotion, the more one feels God's nearness.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Build a wall before the mouth of desire; allow only what is needed to sustain life. This is the sign that Narayana has come within: the settling of the heart is His mark. At all times make this your reflection; with discernment, stay attentive to the nature of the Self. Tuka says: the more one turns toward devotion, the more one feels God's nearness.
What it means
Tukaram gives a plain discipline: dam the mouth of desire, and let through only what bare living requires. He then tells how to know it is working: when the heart grows quiet, that settled stillness is itself the sign that Narayana has entered within. The work is constant, a steady, discerning attention to the Self rather than a single act. The closing line states the reward as a direct ratio: the more one turns toward devotion, the nearer God is felt to be. So restraint is not bleak self-denial here but the clearing in which God's presence becomes tangible.
Renunciation
The case for letting go of worldly attachments and turning wholly to God.
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