Indian Antiquary Vol 11

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 73

MARCH, 1882.]
TUKÅRÅM
59
The reader may, perhaps, complain of a lack may speak elsewhere. Meantime, the question of arrangement in the abhangs here subjoined. before us is not-whence comes the creed ? I have already said that the same confusion but,--what is it P Let Tukârâm himself be ita appears in all existing copies of the poems, interpreter. whether in print or manuscript; and as my
TRANSLATIONS OF SELECT ABHANGS object is to present the poems as we find them
OF TUKÂRÂM. current among the people, I do not seem justified in giving an arbitrary classification
Jani Nardyana ghade antardyathat would necessarily leave on the mind a
If when God thou seekest, thou a hindrance different impression from that produced by
fearest the study of the poems in their popular order,
In thy best and dearest, or rather disorder. But it may be of use to
Cast them from thee! mention certain subjects to which Tukaram
If to child or riches thy fond spirit clingeth, very frequently recars. The great subjects of
Lo! to thee it bringeth his thought are the following:
Only sorrow. 1. The glory of Vithobâ, and other mani. festations of Vishņu.
Pralhad even a father, Vibhishan a brother, 2. Glory of Pandharpûr, and the river
Bharat realm and mother
Disregarded. Bhima. 3.
Tukâ says, One refuge, Hari's feet, ne'er faileth; Importance of bhakti, or devotion. 4. Comparative uselessness of ceremonial | Nothing else availeth,
All but pains thee. observances.
2 5. Value of morality. 6. Glory of the True Guru.
Kd re ndthavísi kripáļu devási7. Glory of the saints.
Why art thou forgetting God, the greatly 8. Religious equality of all true bhaktas.
gracious, 9. In justice to Tukârâm, however, we onght
Who the world so spacious to add that there are in his writings occasional
Sole supporteth? gleams of monotheistic thought, which are all the For the new-born nursling who the milk more remarkable because of their surroundings. prepareth ?
10. Again, althoughnofollower of the Vedan- Mother, child-each shareth ta philosophy, he sometimes expresses himself in
His great mercy. the language of pantheism,-his pantheism
In the fierce hot season when the leaflet being no coldly reasoned out creed, but a longing springeth, for identification with the deity whom-at
Who the moisture bringeth times, at least-he identifies with the universe.
Which it drinketh ? Perhaps I had better add that, although
Has not the Everlasting given thee still Takárâm is the most popular expounder, he is
protection ? by no means the author, of Vithoba-worship. Keep in recollection Tukaram is the disciple of Namdev a, who
All His kindness! lived at Pandharpur; and through the latter
World-sustainer call Him-of all good the we reach Ji ândeva,' the learned expounder
giver of the Bhagavad Gitá. He was also ac- Think, says Tukâ, ever quainted with the Bhagavata Purana, as ex
Of Him only. plained by Eknath of Paithan, a writer of
3 much authority. These were the chief sources Bhave gávé gitaof Takârâm's ideas; although influences from Sing the hymn with true devotion, northern teachers, especially Kabir, and ap- Cleansed from evil wish and notion; parently, also from the Vaishnavas of Bengal, God to find if thou desirest, contributed in part to the formation of his creed. Small the labour thou requirest, But of the history of the worship of Vithob I Pride from out thy spirit chasing,
This name is pronounced Dâyândêv by the Marathas. • This metre is very frequent in Tukaram.