Sant Tukaram

[Guest guest]

Pranams,

Sant Tukaram composed some of the most beautiful poems

(called abhangs) rich in advaitic thought.

His musings on bhakti are the most elevating.

A small sample

 

a.

Existence is lifeless without realization of the Lord,

 

Even as a corpse, though adorned with jewels.

Futile are words that speak not of the Lord,

Even as the jokes of a frivolous clown.

Practice bereft of the Lord is nothing but deception,

Like the beguiling softness of a serpent's skin.

What more need I say? O Tuka,

Truly luckless is one devoid of devotion.

___________________

 

b.

Thou art more kind than mother dear,

More soothing than the rays of moon

Thy love an ever flowing tide,

Sinks deeper than a common stream

I know of none that equals Thee -

Thou best of all immortal Gods

I wave my name above Thy head,

And part it at thy holy feet.

Ah! Sweeter than sweetest things,

And mightier than all the elements,

Those rulest O'er the Universe,

And seest that it goes all right,

In silence do I lay my head

upon thy feet , and pray "Forgive"

_____________________________

c.

Tuka is less in size than an atom, yet is as large as

space.

I have swallowed and passed the body

That has the form of this illusory worldly existence.

I have swallowed and passed the Group of Three*

(gunas)

And the light shines in my body.

Says Tuka, "Now nothing remains of me,

Except sufficient for benevolent deeds."

 

 

 

Hari OM

Shyam

 

> Bhakti

> should always

> culminate in Jnana just as Jnana shoulkd always

> lead to Bhakti! Adi

> Shankara Bhagvadapada also says worship is bhakti

> (bhajanam

> bhaktih) and defines ananya bhakti as non-experience

> of anything

> other than Vasudeva.

>

> OM Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya!

>

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