1

Sundara the dhyana ubhe vitevaree l
Kara katavaree tevuniyam ll
Thulaseehara galam kase peetambara l
Avade niranthara hemchi dhyana ll
Makara kundalem thalapathee sravaneem l
Kanteem Kausthubamani virajitha ll
Tuka mhane majhem hemchi sarva sukha l
sreemukha avadeenem ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “Always let the beauty of Lord Vittala who is standing on a brick, keepping His hands on His hips, with a garland of Tulsi on the shoulders, yellow silk at the middle, shark shaped ornaments in the ear, the Kausthubha gem at the neck be in my meditation. I have got this best of bliss”.

2

Majya Vittobacha kaisa premabhava l
Apanachi deva hoya guru ll
Padhiyem dehabhava puravitha vasana l
Anthim them apanapasim nyavem ll
Magem pudhem ubha rahe sambhaleetha l
Aliya aghatha nivarave ll
Yogakshema thychem jane jatabharee l Vata davi kareem dharuniyam ll
Tuka mhane naheem visvasa jya maneem l Pahavem puraneem vicharunee ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “What is the feeling of love between me and Panduranga? He is my Lord who became my guru. (The feeling of love is that of the Lord & devotee and guru & deciple). He fulfills all my desires. He stands at the back and front to protect me. He saves me from the forthcoming troubles. He takes care of my day-today existance, guarding from difficulties. During exigencies His protective arm lifts and leads me to safety. Anybody having doubts regarding these can refer the Puranas”.

3

Dhanya aji dina l
Jhalem santhanche darshan ll
Jhalee papathapa thuti l
Dainya gelem utautee ll
Jhalem samadhana l
Payeem visamvalem mana ll
Tuka mhane ale ghara l
Thochi Diwalee Dasara ll

Jagath guru Tukaram Maharaj says, “Today is a fortunate day, as I had met with saints. By ther grace, gone are the heat of my sins, pains and poverty. My mind got relief and peace. The day, the saints visit our houses, is to be celebrated as Diwali and Dasara”

4

Hemchi dana dega Deva l
Tujha visara na vhava ll
Guna gayeena avadi l
Hechi majhee sarva jodi ll
Nalage mukthi ani dhana sampada l
Sntha sanga deyeem sada ll
Tuka mhane garbhavaseem l
Sukhem ghalavem amhamsee ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “O! Lod! Before you forget bestow me a boon. I sing your praise with love and you have given me every thing. I want neither liberation nor wealth nor prosperity. Only let me be in the company of saints always. For that sake I am ready to enjoy taking any number of births

5

Chala Pandhareesee javum l
Rakhumadeveevara pahum ll
Dole nivatheela kana l
Mana thethem samadhana ll
Santham mahantham hotheela bhetee l
Anandem nachom valavanteem ll
Thethem thirthamchem mahera l
Sarva sukhachem bhandara ll
Janma naheem re aneeka l
Tuka mhane majhee bhaka ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “Come on, let us go to Pandharpur, and see (Lord Vittal) the consort of Rakhumadevi. There our eyes and ears get filled. The mind gets peace. We meet saints and mahants (group leader of devotees). Let us all dance and roll our bodies on the earth (where saints had set foot). That place (Pandharpur) is the mother’s place for the holy places (or waters) and a store house of all bliss. I promise that the pilgrim to (Pandharpur) will not have next birth

6

Pavalom Pandharee vaikunta bhuvana l
Dhanya aji dina soniyacha ll
Pavalom Pandharee ananda gajarem l
Vajatheela thure sankha bheree ll
Pavalom Pandhareem kshema alinganeem l
Santha ya sajjaneem nivavilem ll
Pavalom Pandhareem para naheem sukha l
Bhetala ha sakha maya bapa ll
Pavalom Pandharee yerajhaea kuntalee l
Mavulee volalee prema panha ll
Pavalpom Pandharee apulem mahera l
Naheem samvasara Tuka mhane ll

Jagath guru Tukaram Maharaj says. “Start for Pandhari, the Vaiuntam on earth. Today is an auspicious golden day. Hear the joyous shouts and playing of conches & drums. Meet saints and devotees. Embrace them friendly. Meet (Vittalan) our friend, mother and father and there is no limit for this happiness. Our mother is waiting for our affection. Pandhri is our mother’s house where the cycle of birth and death ends”

7

Tumhi santha maya bapa krupavantha l
Kaya mee patheetha keerthi vanum ll
Avathara thumham dharaya karana l
Uddharave jana jada jeeva ll
Vadhavaya sukha bhakthi bhava dharma l
Kulachara nama Vttobachem ll
Tuka mhane guna chanthanache angeem l
Thaisee thumhee jageem santha jana ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “ O! Saints! You are my kind parents. How can I, a low person, tell your praise? The cause of your incarnation (as saints) is to liberate the souls of innocent people. By propagating Vittala’s name you have nourished blissfull devotion, moral values, and observances as per one’s qualification. Your quality is that of sandal on the body (impartng fragrance)

8

Vittala tala Vittala dindi l
Vittala thondeem uchchara ll
Vittala avaghya bhandavala l
Vittala bola Vittala bola ll
Vittala nada Vittala bheda l
Vittala chanda Vittala ll
Vittala sukha Vittala duhkha l
Tukaya mukha Vittala ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “Vittala is the cymbal, Vittala is the tambura. Recite Vittala. Vittala is the wealth. Vittala is the music, Vittala is its variations. Vittala is the tune. Vittala is the pleasure, Vittala is pain*. I chant Vittala”.
* To be near Vittalan is pleasure. To be away from Him is pain

9

Nama sangeerthana sadhana paim sopem l
Jalatheela papem janmanthareemcheem ll
Na lagathi sayasa javem vananthara l
Sukhem yetho ghara Narayana ll
Tayeemcha baisoni kara eakachiththa l
Avadeem anantha alavava ll
Ramakrishnahari Vittala Kesava l
Manthra ha japava sarvakala ll
Yavina aneeka asatham sadhana l
Vahathase ana Vittobachee ll
Tuka mhane sopem ahe sarvamhuni l
Shahana tho dhanee ghetho yethem ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “To attain liberation, the way of Nama Sankirthana (singing His glory) is the easiest. It burns all the accumulated sins of the previus births. No need to go to the forest and exert. It could be done in the comfort of your house, where Lord Narayana lives. Sit at a quite corner, concentrate your mind and with love chant (His name), countless times. Always you chant the manthras - Ramakrishnahari, Vittala and Kesava. I promise in the name of Vittoba that there is no other sure and immediate means (to atan liberation). Intelligent people follow this easy way

10

Anika dusarem maja naheem atham l
Nemilem ya chiththa pasooniyam ll
Panduranga dhyaneem panduranga maneem l
Jagrutheem svapneem Panduranga ll
Padilem valana indriyam sakalam l
Bhava tho nirala naheem kona ll
Tuka mhane nethreem kelee olakhana l
Thatastha them dhyana vitevaree ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says, “In my mind I have decided not to contemplate on any other than Panduranga. While awake I meditate on Panduranga and in dream I have Him in my mind. I have controlled all my sense organs in such a way that they concentrate on Panduranga. I do not know anything else (except Panduranga). My eyes had learnt to meditate on Vittal who is standing on a brick at the riverbank


11

Magatha bhikari jhalem thujhe dhwareem l
Deyim maja Hari krupadana ll
Prema preethi nama uchitha karavem l
Bhavem sanchharavem hrudaya majeem ll
Sarva bhavem sarana alom Panduranga l
Krupalu thum jaga majeem eka ll
Thapathrayem majhi thapavilee kaya l
Sheethala vhavaya paya thujhe ll
Sambandheem janavada pidalom paropari l
Antharalom duri thujashee thenem ll
Thuka mhane atham thujha sharanangatha l
Karavem sanatha mayabapa ll

Jagathguru Thukaram Maharaj says, “O Hari! I have come to your gate as a begger and beg you, give me your grace as alms. I recite your name with love and joy, do unto me what you deem fit. Stroll in my heart with affection. Panduranga! To me, you are the only generous person in the world and hence I had taken refuge in your feet with my body, speech and mind. My body is being burnt by three kinds of heat [Caused by destiny (Adidaivika), the five elements (Adibhouthika) and own deeds (Adyathmika)]. Cool them off. Take me away from caring for my kith and kin, which I do under pain of being questioned by the world. My dear mother and father! I am at your feet and make me (sanatha as opposed to anatha) as one who belongs to you.


12

Atham tari jaya jaya jaya l
Dharee sadguru che paya ll
Jyamukheem naheem nama smarana l
Janmuni kele kaya ll
Thvam jaree kele koti anyaya l
Harathila sadguru maya ll
Dasa Tuka mhane nama smaranem l
Biksha maguni khaya ll

Jagathguru Tukaram Maharaj says. “Let us go now itself and hold the guru’s feet. Why at all a person takes birth, if he is not reciting Hari’s name? Even if you had commited ten milion sins, as a mother, guru destroys them. As a slave I beg (Vittal) to give me alms of His name to eat”. (to recite)

Thuka Miracles...

'Thukaramaachi Gatha'

Tukaram Ambiye was his complete name. He was a treader by profession. Initially, theirs was a well to do family. He was married and had a son from his first wife. Soon there was a terrible famine and he lost everything during that time, so much so that his wife and son died during that time. There was no money, so relatives shunned him. His second wife, by name Aavli (alias Jijabai) was from Pune. She was very short tempered. All these difficulties and sufferings took a toll on him and he developed detachment towards worldly matters. He cleaned the Vitthala temple from Dehu and lit the light there and started to serve anyone who did Keertana (Harikatha) there. He also studied the literature of his predecessors like Jnaneshwar, Namdev etc. Once in a dream, a brahmin by name Babaji Chaitanya (Lord Panduranga) gave him the gurumantra "RamaKrishnaHari". Thus, his spiritual life began. He started to chant this name continuously. Since he did nothing for earning the living, his wife started to fight with him. But Tukaram was now, so much immersed in Panduranga that he was beyong caring. He also got inspiration to write Abhangas about Panduranga. He sought solace in a nearby hillock by name Bhandara Dongar where he meditated upon His holy feet. The compilation of his Abhangas is known as Tukaramachi Gatha.

Tukaram suffered many ordeals in his life time due to the presence of powerful brahmins of his time. One such person was Rameshwarbhat, who believed only in ritualistic devotion and chanting scriptures. He could not understand Tukaram's pure devotion to Lord Panduranga and was very upset. Also, he felt it was blasphemous for Tukaram to write in Prakrit (Marathi) instead of writing in Sanskrit.

The brahmins of his time felt that it was blasphemous for a treader (shudra) to write about Lord. Hence a court case was foisted on him. When the judge asked him whether he had actually written those Abhangas himself, Tukaram told him that he was mere mortal and it was Panduranga who inpired him to write. The judge ordered tonsuring his hair and subsequent procession on the donkey. Tukaram was not perturbed at all. The procession was taken in Dehu. Tukaram asked the people to take the procession along the road leading towards his house, so that his wife too could watch her husband being honoured. Among his adverseries, there was one, by name Mumbaji, who immersed his works in the river Indrayani. Tukaram was pained.

Thukaram sat near the river, in a temple, fasting for 14 days. After 14 days, the book, Thukaramachi Gatha surfaced on water unaffected!!!

The entire Gatha, came afloat, without a letter being wiped off. The onlookers were stunned to see this miracle.
The Lord of Pandareepuram saved Thukaram's Gatha -the entire collection.. what more can the LORD do for his Devotee??

....................

The Lord ate with Thukka

Because of the serene of Thukaram , Panduranga gave company for Thuka when he ate.

The news spread that Lord Vitthala eats in the company of Tukaram. In order to confirm this, the brahmin priests from nearby place, Chinchwad, who were a great devotees of Lord Ganesha invited him. When Tukaram went there, they arranged an extra plate near Tukaram for Lord. However, Tukaram insisted that they arrange two extra plates, one being for Lord Ganesha too. The priests were annoyed thinking that how could Lord Ganesha would eat. Just then Lord Ganesha Himself told that as Tukaram was blessed by Lord Panduranga (Vishnu), all other Gods too blessed him automatically. The priests were stunned. All the people around watched, the two plates getting empty, without anyone being seen. Thus, they realised the greatness of Tukaram's devotion....

Tukaram Brings Speech to a Dumb Boy

While on a journey to the sacred spot where the Mula and Bivara rivers join, Tukaram brought yet another miracle. He went to the house of a brahmin while begging for food in Ranjanagav. He happened to arrive at the brahmin's house just as the brahmin was performing an agnihotra yagna, a sacrifice of grain and ghee into a fire, accompanied by prayers.

The brahmin was very pleased when he saw Tukaram, understanding that his prayers had been answered. He served Tukaram some food, and then said to him, "I have a son who is eight years old. But, he has never spoken a word. Because of that, the sacred thread ceremony has been delayed since he can't repeat the Gayatri mantra. Tukaram had the boy brought in.

He gestured for the boy to come near him, and he said, "Say Vitthal. Vitthal." The boy said the sacred name, and began speaking. Tukaram stayed there overnight, and the very next day, they performed the boy's sacred thread ceremony

........................................

The Golden miracle

A brahmin was performing a sacrifice to end his poverty by fasting in from of Gnaneshwar's samadhi (tomb). To reward him for his intense determination, Gnaneshwar appeared to the brahmin in a dream. He told the brahmin to go to see Tukaram and bring back whatever Tukaram gives him.

So, the brahmin went to Dehu, found Tukaram and told him his dream. Tuka was disgusted. He couldn't understand why the Lord was making his life more difficult by sending this person to see him. But, he knew that only Gnaneshwar understood His own actions.

He then told the brahmin to go to Lohagav, find a coppersmith named Shivji, and silently take whatever he was given. The brahmin did exactly as he was told, and explained the circumstances of his arrival to Shivji. Shivji didn't know what to make of it. However, it so happened that Shivji planned to have a large outdoor dinner at his home for the local brahmins that very night. So, he invited the brahmin to partake of the feast.

After all the brahmins had eaten, pan was served, and everyone felt very satisfied. Shivji then asked the visiting brahmin to come into his house. When the brahmin came inside, the coppersmith picked up four iron harrows (wheelless agricultural implements used to smoothen ploughed land), placed them on the brahmin's head, and said, "Go at once to Dehu and show these to Tuka."

To get back to Dehu, the brahmin had to go by two mountains, named Kanhe and Reke. The brahmin was getting tired from the long journey, so he dropped three of the harrows on the ground, and continued walking with the remaining harrow atop his head. The brahmin found Tukaram sitting by himself and approached him. Tuka asked whether Shivji had given him any alms. When he showed Tuka the harrow, it turned from iron into gold right before their eyes. Tuka then said to the brahmin, "This gift is from Gnaneshwar. Tell no one about this and carry on with your life." The brahmin left with the gold and went straight to the place where he had dropped the other three harrows. He searched the place thoroughly, but they were nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, managing to feel satisfied with what he had, the brahmin returned home.

.......................

Thukka and Revelation of Supreme Knowledge

A devotee of Jnaneshwar Maharaj wanted to become knowledgeable, so he went and prayed Jnaneshwar fervently during the era of Saint Thukaram. Jnaneshwar Maharaj appeared in the dream of the devotee and asked him to go to Tukaram. Thus, the devotee came to Dehu, met Thukaram and told him about his wish and his dream. Thukaram wondered why was the man sent to him by Jnaneshwar, perhaps there might not be any education in his destiny. However, he gave the devotee a coconut and 11 abhangs of his. The devotee felt that the abhangas were in Prakrit (Marathi) and not useful to him and left everything there and left. At the same time, a foolish man, a nephew of a well known personality working in Shivaji's kingdom, arrived at Thukaram's door. This foolish man was sent by someone to Thukaram, so that the former became little worldly wise. The foolish man though illeterate was however, pious and had great faith in God.

Thukaram again gave the same 11 Abhangas and the coconut to him. He gladly accepted both, ate coconut, read and re-read the abhangas and went to Shivaji's kingdom to meet his uncle. When he went there, his uncle was explaining the meaning of some Sanskrit verses to audience, but left a couplet without expounding. The nephew went in time and stopped him and asked him why he left the couplet unexpounded. The uncle, shocked and jokingly asked him to expound the same couplet, which the nephew did immediately to the satisfaction of all. His uncle did not believe him and showed him a letter written in chaste Sanskrit and asked him to read it which the nephew immediately did. Later they came to know that it was a miracle wrought by Saint Tukaram.

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Thuka's journey to Heaven

On the day, when Thukaram was supposed to leave for Vaikuntha, he asked his wife, Aavli to join him so that Lord could bless her for her cooperation. She thought that Vaikuntha must be some nearby village, so she asked him to visit it himself as their buffalo was about to deliver the calf!

From the distance, Tukaram could see Lord Panduranga seated in the aerial car in all His glory. At that moment he sang his last Abhanga, "Aamhi jato aamuchya gava, Aamucha Ram Ram Ghyava" (I am going to my own place, please accept my Ram Ram). When he boarded the goldern aerial chariot, people went and informed his wife. By then the aerial chariot was already airborn! Aavli, though short tempered, was very faithful and devoted to her husband, could not tolerate the separation from her husband and fell down dead.

Such wonders happen to devotees who surrender themselves completely to the Lord.. and are constantly integrated and aware..

Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes.....

More on Thuka's life....

A brief survey of Thukaram's life and his circumstances give us an idea of the universality of his experience at this-worldly level which, in his poetry, acquires other worldly dimensions.

Thukaram was the second son of his parents, Bolhoba Ambile ( or More) and Kankai. Bolhoba had inherited the office of the village Mahajan from his forefathers. Mahajans were a reputed family of traders in a village, kasba or city appointed to supervise certain classes of traders and collect revenue from them. Thukaram's family owned a comparatively large piece of prime agricultural land on the bank of the river Indrayani in Dehu.

Several generations of Thukaram's ancestors had farmed this land and sold its produce as merchant-farmers.Though, technically regarded as Shudras by Brahmins, they were by no means socially or culturally backward. being traders by profession, they learned to read and write as to maintain accounts of financial transactions. This was presumably the kind of education Thukaram had. The rest was his own learning from whatever sources he had access to. Considering the situation of the small village of Dehu, it is exciting to speculate on the sources of Thukaram's wealth of information and the depth of his learning.The early death of his parents and the renunciation of worldly life by his elder brother thrust upon Thukaram the role of the head of his extended Hindu family at a fairly young age.

As mentioned earlier in another context, Thukaram was married a second time as his first wife was chronically ill. He had six children and had to raise a younger brother as well. Before he was twenty-one, Thukaram had to witness a series of deaths from amongst his loved ones including his mother, his father, his first wife, and children. The famine of 1629, during which he lost his wife, was a devastating experience for Thukaram. The horror of the human condition that Thukaram speaks of comes from this experience. After the famine, Thukaram lost all urge to lead a householder's life. He showed no interest in farming or the family's trade. Presumably the famine, but also some other circumstance of which we have no details, seems to have reduced Thukaram first to penury and then to final humiliation of bankruptcy. He was unable to repay debts he had incurred and the village council stripped him of his position as Mahajan and passed strictures against him. He incurred the displeasure of the village Patil(Headman).

Thukaram became totally withdrawn. He started to shun the company of the people. He began to sit alone in a corner and brood.Soon, he started going off into wilderness for long spells. Meanwhile, his wife had to fend for herself and the children as Thukaram paid little attention to his household responsibilities. The Ambiles (Mores) of Dehu had been devoted Varkaris for several generations before Thukaram. Lord Vithoba of Pandharpur was their family deity. There was a shrine of Vitthal built by an ancestor of Thukaram on land owned by the family in Dehu. A series of traumatic events in his personal life not only made Thukaram introspective but also made him turn his attention to the deity in whom his forefathers had placed their unswerving faith. Their ancestral shrine of Vitthal happened to be in a state of disrepair at this time and Thukaram restored this shrine even though his immediate family was reduced to abject misery.

He now began to spend most of his time in the shrine of Vitthal or its precincts, singing songs composed by earlier poet-saints in praise of the deity. He totally disregarded the pleas of his wife and the counsel of his friends and virtually stopped working for a living. He became a dropout and perhaps an object of pity or contempt among many of his fellow-villagers. His wife and some of his fellow-villagers saw this as a form of madness because Tukaram was lost to the world and had broken away from its routines and practical bonds. However, his total devotion to Vitthal and his compassion for everybody and all forms of life slowly won him the admiration of people.

Some time at this juncture, Thukaram had a revelatory dream in which the great saint-poet Namdeo and Tukaram's deity Vitthal appeared and initiated Thukaram into poetry, informing Tukaram that his mission in life was "to make poems". "Poems" of course meant "abhangs" to be sung in praise of Vithoba as Namdeo himself had done. The dream made reference to a pledge made by Namdeo to Vitthal that he would compose "one billion abhangs" in His praise. Namdeo had obviously been unable to achieve this steep target in his lifetime and he therefore asked Thukaram to complete the task. This dream or revelation which he saw while in state of trance was so vivid that Thukaram was convinced of its "reality". This changed his life. He had found his true vocation.

The divine revelation that he was a poet did not cause Thukaram to go into ecstasy. Instead, he began to suffer from anxiety, doubt and pangs of conscience. One of Thukaram's characteristics was his absolute honesty and accountability to himself. He would not tell a lie even in a poem. The knowledge that his task in life was to write poems in praise of Vitthal made Thukaram a restless and troubled soul. He had never experienced God. How was he going to praise some –thing he had never experienced himself? He had been a honest trader. He vouched for the quality of every item he sold. He bought goods only after critically testing them. He did not cheat anyone in any transaction. Nor would he allow himself to be cheated. Thukaram treated poetry as a serious business from the outset. To him, all poetry was empirical and so was religion. Experience or "realization" was the crucial test. In one of his poems, presumably written at this juncture, Thukaram says in effect, "Whereof I have no experience, thereof I cannot sing. How can I write of You, O Vitthal, when I have not personally experienced Your being?"

Yearning for an experience of God became the chief theme of poetry for Thukaram in his first major phase of work. Meanwhile, he continued to record his poems the human conditions as witnessed by him and also his experiences just prior to his realization that he was to be a poet of God. Having become a poet, Thukaram continued to go off for long periods of time, away from the hub of human life and society, to meditate and seek enlightenment.

Two hills in the vicinity of Dehu were his favourite retreats. The first is the Bhandara hill, where, in a small cave which is a relic of Buddhist times, he composed many of his abhangs. The second is the Bhamchandra hill, where, some years later, he meditated for a full fifteen days before experiencing mystical illumination and beatitude. This event is distinct from another instance of initiation by a guru during a trance that Tukaram has described elsewhere.

In this latter event, Thukaram was dream-ing that he was going to a river for a dip when he was suddenly confronted by a holy man who placed his hand on Thukaram's head and gave him the mantra, "Ram Krishna Hari" to chant. This holy man told Thukaram that his name was "Babaji" and that he was a lineal spiritual descendant of the gurus Raghav Chaitanya and Keshav Chaitanya. When Thukaram was given this mantra, he felt his entire being come alive. He experienced a fullness of being he had never before felt.

Though Thukaram was only about thirty years old at this time, he had been writing poetry for nearly ten years. In his poetry, Thukaram had depicted with great honesty his own past life and his anguished search for God. With his recent mystical enlightment, his poetry acquired a magical quality. His songs began to attract people from distant places.

The younger poetess Bahinabai came to Dehu all the way from Kolhapur just to witness Thukaram's divine performance of his poetry in front of the image of Vitthal in the shrine near his ancestral house. Though Bahinabai's account of her visit to Dehu refers to a period just a few years before Thukaram's disappearance, from her description we get some idea of the charismatic influence of Thukaram upon his contemporaries throughout Maharashtra.

The water-ordeal that has been referred to earlier had already taken place before Bahinabai's visit to Dehu. The miraculous restoration of his manu-scripts that had been consigned to the river for thirteen days was surely a major factor contributing to the legendary status which Thukaram acquired in, his lifetime. Bahinabai has described Tukaram singing his abhangs as "Lord Pandurang incarnate". "Whatever Thukaram writes is God," says Bahinabai.

Thukaram disappeared at the age of forty-one. Varkaris believe that Vitthal Himself carried Thukaram away to heaven in a "chariot of light". Some people believe that Thukaram just vanished into thin air while singing his poetry in front of an ecstatic audience on the bank of the river Indrayani in Dehu. Some others as I have said, speculate that he was murdered by his enemies. Still others think that he ended his own life by drowning himself into the very river where his poems had been sunk earlier. Reading his farewell poems, however, one is inclined to imagine that Tukaram bade a proper farewell to his close friends and fellow-devotees and left his native village for some unknown destination with no intention of returning. He asked them to return home after their having walked a certain distance with him. He told them that they would never see him again as he was "going home for good". He told them that from then on only "talk about Thuka" would remain in "this world". This, in short, is the story of Thukaram's life as it emerges from his own poems.

One can see from it that from absolutely ordinary origins and after having gone through experiences accesi-ble to average human beings anywhere. Thukaram went on an extraordinary voyage of self-discovery while continuing to record every stage of it in detail in his poetry. His poetry is a unique document in human history, impeccably centered in the fundamental problems of being and defining poetry as both the being of language and the language of being: the human truth.

Life, in all its aspects was the subject of such poetry. Thukaram himself believed that he was only a medium of the poetry, saying, "God speaks through me." This was said in humility and not with the pompous arrogance of a god-man or the smug egoism of a poet laureate. The saints are perhaps inaccurately called so because the Marathi word "sant" used for them sounds so similar. The Marathi word is derived from the Sanskrit "sat" which denotes being and awareness, purity and divine spirit, wisdom and sagacity, the quality of being emancipated and of being true.

Thukaram sees the relationship between God and His devotee as the relationship between God and his devotee. Tukaram is not proposing the absolutely external existence of God, independent of man. He knows that it is the devotee who creates an anthropo- morphic image of God. He know that in a sense it is a make-believe God entirely at the mercy of his creator-devotee using a man-made language.

Thukaram is interested in a godlike experience of being where there is no boundary bet- ween the subjective and the objective, the personal and the impersonal, the individual and cosmic. He sees his own consciousness as a cosmic event rooted in the everyday world but stretching infinitely to the deceptive limits of awareness.

"Too scarce to occupy an atom," he writes, "Thuka is as vast as the sky."

Stay tuned for more Musical Divine Vibes...................

Vaarkaari Sampradaya

Varkaari Sampradaya

‘Varkaari’ is one who makes a "vaari", which in Marathi means, "round trip" or "pilgrimage" or "regular visit to a place and return from it"; a Vaarkari is vowed and committed to undertake, twice every year, a pilgrimage to Pandharpur to attend the Ashadhi and the Kartiki festivals of Vitthal; this is scrupulously observed by every Varkari, Varkaris also avoid eating meat, refrain from intoxicants and stimulants, and follow certain other regulations and codes of conduct.

Vaarkari sampradaya was Samaaj seva (service to the community) and Hari sankirtan (group worship through music) according to Thukaram.

Sant Thukaram proved to the world with his own life that one does not need to abandon the life of a householder to climb to the highest rung of the spiritual ladder. The caliber of this saint was that of one ever ready for " jyoti sey jyot milana". In other words the individual, the jiva was enlightened enough to merge with the Divine Light, which he indeed concretized.

Bhakti poetry as a whole has so profoundly shaped the very world-image of Marathi speakers that even unsuspecting moderns cannot escape its pervasive mould. But Thukaram gave Bhakti itself new existential dimensions. In this he was anticipating the spiritual anguish of modern man two centuries ahead of his time.

He was also anticipating a form of personal, confessional poetry that seeks articulate liberation from the deepest traumas man experiences and represses out of fear. Thukaram's poetry expresses pain and bewilder-ment, fear and anxiety, exasperation and desperateness, boredom and meaninglessness - in fact all the feelings that characterize modern self-awareness.

Thukaram's poetry is always apparently easy to understand and simple in its structure. But it has many hidden traps. It has a deadpan irony that is not easy to detect. It has deadly paradoxes and a savage black humour. Thukaram himself is often paradoxical: he is an image-worshipping iconoclast; he is a sensuous ascetic; he is an intense Bhakta who would not hesitate to destroy his God out of sheer love. Thukaram knows that he is in charge of his own feelings and the meaning of his poetry. This is not merely the confidence of a master craftsman; it is much more. It is his conviction that man is responsible for his own spiritual destiny as much as he is in charge of his own worldly affairs. He believes that freedom means self-determination.He sees the connection between being and making choice. His belief is a conscious choice for which he has willingly paid a price.

Thukaram is therefore not only the last great Bhakti poet in Marathi but he is also the first truly modern Marathi poet in terms of temper and thematic choice, technique and vision. He is certainly the most vital link between medieval and modern Marathi poetry. Thukaram's stature in Marathi literature is comparable to that of Shakespeare in English or Goethe in German. He could be called the quintessential Marathi poet reflecting the genius or the language as well as its characteristic literary culture. There is no other Marathi writer who has so deeply and widely influenced Marathi literary culture since.

Thukaram's poetry has shaped the Marathi language, as it is spoken by 50 million people today and not just the literary language. Perhaps one should compare his influence with that of the King James Version of the Bible upon speakers of the English language. For Thukaram's poetry is also used by illiterate millions to voice their prayers or to express their love of God.

Thukaram speaks the Marathi of the common man of rural Maharashtra and not the elite. His language is not of the Brahmin priests. It is the language of ordinary men such as farmers, traders, craftsman, labourers and also the language of the average housewife. His idiom and imagery is moulded from the everyday experience of people though it also contains special information and insights from a variety of sources and contexts. Thukaram transforms the colloquial into the classic with a universal touch. At once earthy and other-worldly, he is able to create a revealing analogue of spiritual life out of this-worldly language. He is, thus, able to prove how close to common speech the roots of great poetry lie. Yet his poetry does not yield the secret of its seamless excellence to even the most sophisticated stylistic analysis. He is so great an artist that his draughtsmanship seems to be an integral part of a prodigious instinct, a genius.

Thukaram's prolific output, by and large, consists of a single spiritual autobiography revealed in its myriad facets. It defies any classification once it is realized that common thematic strands and recurrent motifs homogenize his work as a whole. In the end what we begin to hear is a single voice - unique and unmistakable - urgent, intense, human and erasing the boundary between the private domain and the public.

Tukaram is an accessible poet and yet his is a very difficult one. He keeps growing on you....

The post also grows..Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes...................................

Thuka and his Maarga..

Thukaram had sung innumerable kirtans on Bhagavãn and he was quite popular among the common crowds.

Once a great Brahmin scholar, was giving a discourse. Finding a lot of people moving past his place he enquired of those few who sat listening to him, “Where are all these people going?”

They said that these people were going to listen to Thukaram. Every night Thukaram used to sing his simple kirtans and now and then stop to discourse on it. All the villagers would gather round to listen to him. This would go on until three in the morning. During the day, at work, all of them would sing Thukaram’s kirtans that were very simple and devotion filled.

Hearing this the scholar was furious. He met Thukaram and said, “You are a Vysya and not a Brahmin. Only a Brahmin can impart ‘upadesa’ (advice). I am a learned Brahmin. I know all the Shastras. You should stop your discourse from now.” Anyone else would have argued with the Brahmin. But, Sadhus are humility personified.

Therefore Tukkaram said, “Sir! I am sorry. But, I have never offered any ‘upadesa’ to any one. All my kirtans only praise the Lord. They describe the Lord’s beauty and ‘gunas’. However, you are a learned Brahmin. As such you know better. Tell me what should I do?” The Brahmin said, “Bundle up your kirtans and throw them into the Chandrabhaga river. And from now onwards stop singing your kirtans.” Thukaram bundled all his kirtans and threw them into the Chandrabhaga. He experienced deep pain as if he had pushed into the river a child of his whom he had brought up lovingly. He then sat on the banks of the river without food or sleep.

After three days, when the Pandãs (priests) in Pandaripur temple opened the doors of Lord Panduranga’s sannidhi they found a wet sack on the head of the Lord. It was dripping with water and the Lord’s garments were totally wet. Wonder struck they took the sack from the Lord’s head and opened it. They found innumerable writings with the stamp of ‘Thukaram’ in them. They realized that it was the kirtans of the Sadhu who visited the temple from Dehu Road. They immediately took the kirtans to Thukaram.

When Thukaram saw them with his writings, he asked them, “It is I who had thrown them in the river. Why did you retrieve them?”

The Pandãs explained, “No! We did not retrieve them from the river. We found them on the Lord’s head this morning when we opened the door to perform ‘prabodanam’. Since they all carry your stamp we realized that they are all your kirtans. We, therefore, came to return them to you.”

Thukaram’s joy knew no bounds as he realized that Panduranga had accepted his kirtans.
He asked the Lord, “If you approve of them why this delay in bringing them to me, Oh! Lord! I have been sitting here without food and sleep these for the past three days.”

The Lord said to him, “Thukaram! They were so wonderful that I have been reading them for the past three days!”

Learning about the incident, the Brahmin scholar came running to Thukaram and fell at his feet. “I did not realize your greatness. Please forgive me for the wrong done.” Thukaram shrunk away pleading, “You are a Brahmin and a great scholar. You know all the Shastras. How can you fall at my feet? Please do not fall at my feet.” Such is the humility of Sadhus.

Once during a discourse many people were placing lot of offerings. A devoted lady from a very wealthy family deeply desired to offer something but her husband was a miser. He would certainly not permit any offering. Without her husband’s knowledge she brought a small old brass pot that was in use in her home. She hid it in her saree ‘pallu’ and with lot of embarrassment gave it to the man who was receiving and offering the gifts from the people.

Seeing such a wealthy lady offering an old ‘in-use’ brass pot he decided to mar her name in public. He, therefore, wrapped it up neatly in a cloth and announcing the name of the lady said that she was offering a golden pot. The lady felt deeply embarrassed and was in tears. She was at a loss to know what to do. Thukaram recognized the lady’s ‘hrudaya’ (heart - the feeling of her heart). He took the cloth bundle from the man and returned it to him. On opening the bundle the man found a golden pot inside and not the old brass pot!

Such is the compassion of Sadhus.

Tukkaram said to Bhagavãn, “It is said that one who sings Your Name reaches Vaikunta. But, I desire to reach Vaikunta with this physical body. It is only in this physical body that I have sung Your Praises since my birth. Moreover, only if I leave for Vaikunta in this physical body will people believe it. They will not know and would refuse to believe that I have attained Vaikunta if I leave in my ‘sukshma sariira’ (subtle body).” Bhagavãn complied with his request and informed him the date and time when He (the Lord) would come down to the earth and take him to Vaikunta.

People gathered around Thukaram on the prescribed date and time to watch him leave for Vaikunta. On the appointed date and time Thukaram sat with his ‘tamboora’ singing the Praises of the Lord. Bhagavãn came down in a ‘vimãna’ and took Thukaram to Vaikunta in his physical body.

In later years when Thukaram’s grandson was performing discourse people questioned him, “Is it true that your grandfather attained Vaikunta in his physical body?”

The young man prayed to the Lord,

“If it is true that my grandfather attained your Lotus Feet in his physical body then let this ‘tamboora’ (one of the ‘tambooras’ used by Thukaram) leave for Vaikunta even as people watch it.”

Immediately the ‘tamboora’ floated up towards Vaikunta...

The Abhang follows as:

'Anuraneeya Thokadaa thukaa- Aakaasha yevadaa..

Giluni saandiley galeyvara- Bhava brahmaa Aakaara..

saandili thripudi- deepa udzjalalaagati.....'

Which means...

Smaller than the smallest atom, All embracing as the heavens, Tuka views the world objective -Name and form as all delusion -Realising its true natureSerpant like, he drops his cover, Far is left the triple range, Which the soul has just passed o'erLight the jar of dull clay brightens! Shining in that light doth Thuka Live on earth to serve the mankind..

Let us soak ourselves in more Abhangs and understand the meaning, sing, relish, realise, appreciate and make attempts to follow the Sant...

Thuka and his new job....

Whenever Thukaram returned home his wife used to offer water to wash his feet. But, one evening his wife was not at home when he returned. When she came home after some half-an-hour he asked her, “Where have you been?” She said hesitatingly, “The children at home have to be fed. You are unable to attend to the family needs. Therefore, I earn through cleaning the dishes in few houses.”

The shocked Thukaram said to her in an apologizing tone, “From tomorrow do not go anywhere. I will try to get some job and earn something for the family.” He went to some houses in the village to ask for some work. But, the moment he entered a house he was welcomed with honour and affection. They washed his feet and offered something to eat.

When he told them the purpose of his visit they were aghast. They said, “Swami! You are a great Sadhu. How can we make you work for us? It is verily a sin. We will provide you with all your needs but do not say that you wish to work for us.” But, Thukaram would not accept a single paise or grain from anyone. Since every one knew him in the village he went to the Harijan colony where none had seen him. There he managed to get the job of guarding a field.

Thukaram was happy to have secured this kind of a job, which posed no block to his Namasankirtan. He happily said to his employer, “I will take good care of your field.”

He sat on the wooden platform that had been placed on a tree and singing the Name of the Lord watched over the field. Soon he lost himself in the thought of Bhagavãn. Birds, goats and cows entered the field. To Thukaram every one of them seemed to be Panduranga. He said, “Oh! Panduranga! Come! Come! Have a feast. Eat to your fill. All are verily yours!” All of them had a great day and that evening when the owner came to the field he was aghast to find everything lost. The whole field was in havoc. The furious man caught hold of Thukaram and shook him up. He shouted angrily, “What have you done? I asked you to guard my field from animals and birds. I have lost everything. You have to make up for the loss.” Thukaram, who was now out of his trance, realized what had happened and deeply regretted the negligence on his part. He said, “Sir! I have nothing with me to pay you. If I did, I would not have sought this job from you. I am sorry for what has happened.” The employer said, “Well! Let us go to the king and ask for justice.” The horrified Thukaram said, “No! Let us not go to the king.” Thukaram was not afraid of the king.

Shivaji was his disciple and if they went to him this good man who had offered employment to him would have to face the wrath of the king. He wished to avoid this situation. He, therefore, said to him, “You may beat me as much as you want for the wrong done.”

The employer tied up Thukaram to a tree and slashed him with a whip. Thukaram exclaimed, “Vittala!” The angry employer barked, “Are you the great Thukaram that you call out ‘Vittala’?” Thukaram said, “I am Thukaram.” The employer was horrified to learn that it was the great Sadhu Thukaram whom he had employed and had now tied to a pole and whipped. He fell at Thukaram’s feet and pleaded, “Master! What a great sin I have committed. Please say that you have forgiven me; otherwise my whole family and the generations before and after me will stand cursed for my misdeed.” Thukaram hugged him and said, “You have not done any wrong.” The man said, “Your Lotus Feet have touched this field. What has been lost now will soon be gained in hundred folds. I have nothing to worry on this account.” He then filled a cartload of sugarcane from another field of his and offered it to Thukaram.

Riding the cart of sugarcane Thukaram reached home. He said to his wife, “I have earned a cartload of sugarcane today.” She said, “What can we do with this sugarcane? Please take them to the market and sell them so that we can buy food for our children.” Thukaram turned the cart towards the market. Children are fond of sugarcane. Thukaram had hardly gone a few yards when children came rushing to the cart singing loudly, “Ramakrishna Hari! Vittala! Panduranga!” The Name of the Lord was enough to distribute the sugarcane to the children. With just one sugarcane left in the cart, Tukkaram returned home. Thukaram’s wife asked him, “Have all sugarcane been sold out? Where is the money? Let us buy food for our children.” Thukaram said to her, “Oh! No! I have not sold them in the market. Children came running to the cart singing the Lord’s Name. I could not help distributing it to the children who joyously cried out the Lord’s Name.”

His wife could take it no more. She lost her temper. She was deeply distraught that her children had to go without food for another day. She picked up the last sugarcane in the cart and beat Tukkaram’s back with it. The sugarcane split into two halves. Thukaram smilingly pointed out to her, “See! How great Bhagavãn is! He has used your hand and my back to split the sugarcane into two equal halves so that we do not quarrel over our share.” Coming back to her senses, his wife fell at his feet and said with tears, “How can you smile even at this moment. Don’t you feel angry? How is it that you do not lose your temper at any point of time? What have I done in my anger? Please forgive me.” Tukkaram consoled her.

He said to her, “How happy is our life! Everyday, every moment we enjoy the Name of the Lord. Sadhus visit our home frequently. There is Nama sankirtan every day.”

.. Thuka relished Naamasankeerthan more than anything... Lets us chant atleast a single name of the Lord whenever possible and climb the ladder of Bhakthi....

Stay tuned for the Divine Musical Vibes............

Thuka and his family....

Thukaram was born in a Vysya family. A householder, with wife and children, he left the burden of his family on Lord Panduranga. He was forever in the thought of and singing the Praises of the Lord. Bhaktas of this caliber try to follow the dharma ordained to their caste though without much success. This is because their mind does not come down from the Lotus Feet of the Lord to worldly affairs. Thus, Thukaram would now and then open his shop and try to do the business of selling provisions that was the dharma of his caste.

One day Thukaram’s wife somehow managed to fill the boxes with various provisions and asked Thukaram to conduct business. He opened the shop and sat behind the counter. Soon a man came singing ‘Hari! Hari!’ He had gopi chandan mark on his forehead, tulasi mãla around his neck. The highly pleased Thukaram said to him, “Take anything that you need and as much as you need.”

The man said, “I have no money on me.” Thukaram said, “No! No! There is no need for any payment. You are uttering the Name of the Lord! You are a Sadhu. Please yourself.”

The man filled his bags and went away. And so did many others finding Thukaram behind the counter. Soon all boxes were empty. Thukaram’s wife came to the shop and was highly pleased that her husband had done a quick business. She asked him, “How much business have you done today?” and looked into the cash box. There was not a coin there. Shocked, she questioned Thukaram.

Thukaram said, “Oh! Madwoman! Would anyone sell provisions to those who utter the Name of the Lord? Many came today singing the Name of the Lord and I gave it all to them without charging a paise.” The poor lady went back into the house not knowing what to do. She was deeply concerned about her children who had not a morsel of food to eat.

‘Ãshãda Ekãdasi’ was fast approaching and Thukaram decided to visit Pandaripur for the occasion. On ‘Ãshãda Ekãdasi’ lakhs and lakhs of Sadhus from all over the country gather in Pandaripur. His wife said to Thukaram, “Please arrange for some food and clothing for the children before you leave for Pandaripur.” Thukaram said to her, “This family is not mine. Nor is this my house. They are all Panduranga’s. He will take care of it.”

Uttering these words he set out to Pandaripur. He had hardly gone a few feet when he found a big group of Sadhus, singing the Praises of the Lord, coming up the street. He rushed to them and enquired, “Where are you all coming from? Are you all proceeding to Pandaripur? Have you all had your bath and food?” The Sadhus said that they had come the previous evening and had not yet had any food. Thukkaram at once invited them home. He said to them, “My home is close by. Please do come home; have your bath and have food and rest. You may then proceed to Pandaripur. I will also accompany you all.” So the 100 or so Sadhus followed Thukaram to his home.

Just a few minutes earlier he had disowned the home and family. But, now he had brought the 100 Sadhus to ‘his’ home. He called out to his wife and said, “Sadhus have come home. Prepare food for them.” The poor lady was baffled. But, being used to the ways of her husband, she somehow managed to get something and cooked for all the Sadhus. The Sadhus performed Nãma Sankirtan. The whole house was lit up with the presence of the Sadhus singing the Name of the Lord. They stayed in Thukaram’s home for three days. The Nama Sankirtan performed by these Sadhus filled Thukaram’s heart. He did not feel any need to visit Pandaripur.

Once the Sadhus left their home, his wife asked Thukaram, “I informed you that there was not a grain at home but you disowned the family and home and left for Pandaripur. But, you returned as quickly with so many Sadhus. How did you bring so many of them home when you knew that there was nothing at home?”

Thukaram said, “It is only your presence that encouraged me to invite them all home.”

Living with Bhagavãn is easy. There is no wonder in Sita having lived with Rama or Rukmini having lived with Krishna. To marry a Bhakta and live with him is a task beyond all imaginations. Bhaktas are birds that fly very high. It is very difficult to comprehend their moods and behaviour (as they are steeped in the thought of God)

Am sure you would relished this post..more to come ..

Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes....................................

Shivaji and Sant Thukaram

The lives of great saints are by itself a great lesson for the seekers of Bhakthi and Gyaana. The life of Sant Thukaram has been very deeply soaked with pearls of wisdom for one and all. Let me share with you a few of Thukaram’s experiences…

Shivaji and Sant Thukaram

Chatrapati Shivaji was once resting on the banks of a river on his way back from a victorious war. He found peepul leaves with kirtans on them floating down the river. He read them and realized that the kirtans must have flowed out of a great Mahatma. Just by mere reading one can realize if a kirtan or a sloka has flowed out of a great Mahatma through Bhagavãn’s grace or has been composed by a man.

Shivaji followed the leaves that were floating down the river and reached Sanjanghat where Samarta Ramdas lived. The Mahatma welcomed Shivaji, “Come!” as if he were awaiting him. Offering a seat to Shivaji, the Mahatma said, “You must have your food here.” The king said that he was not alone as he was returning from a war. He had stopped his huge army some distance away. Samarta Ramdas assured him,

“I am very much aware that a King would be accompanied by his army. Food will be offered to all including the elephants and the horses.” The Mahatma then instructed his ‘sishya’ (disciple) to remove the huge boulder covering the cave nearby and the sight within astounded Shivaji. The cave contained huge amount of various kinds of dishes including the food needed for the elephants and horses. The King and his huge army were sumptuously fed within no time. Though one should never question a Guru, the astounded King asked the Mahatma, humbly, “Master! A great King that I am, it is not possible even for me to prepare this amount of food for a large number of people in such a short notice. How has this been possible for you?”

Samarta Ramdas told him, “At Dehu Road lives a Mahatma by name Tukkaram. Go and place your question before him. He will give you the explanation.”

On returning to his Kingdom, Shivaji forgot all about meeting Thukaram, as he had to attend to numerous works concerning his Kingdom. After some years while moving with his army he found a signboard bearing the name ‘Dehu Road’. He remembered his meeting with Samarta Ramdas and his words about Thukaram. He immediately went to Dehu Road and enquired about the place of stay of Thukaram.

The people there said, “Thukaram is a great Mahatma who keeps singing the praises of Lord Hari always. You will find him sitting on the mud pyol of a small hut that is his home.”

Stopping his army at a distance, Shivaji walked all alone to the home of Thukaram. He found Thukaram in humble circumstances. Sitting on the pyol of his hut and playing the ‘tamboora’, he was singing the glory of the Lord. Shivaji bowed down to him and introduced himself.

Thukaram said, “Oh! You are the great Chatrapati Shivaji. I am glad to meet you. Please be seated. You must please have your food here.”

Shivaji, at once said, “Master! I am not alone. I have left my huge army some distance away.” Thukaram said, “I know that a King does not come alone. There is enough for all!”

Shivaji was wonderstruck. What he saw there was a small hut made of mud walls. There were some little children whom he guessed to be Thukaram’s children, wearing torn trousers. There were just a few mud pots inside the hut. The sun’s rays were streaming inside the hut from the innumerable holes in the roof. Thukaram brought a small measure that contained wheat flour. He gave a pinch of it to Shivaji and everyone of his huge army, including the elephants and the horses. Immediately, every one of them felt satiated that it seemed as if they would not need any food for another ten days!

Shivaji thought to himself, ‘Samarta Ramdas is a single person. He provided us all with a real sumptuous meal. But, Thukaram is a householder living in utter poverty. He gives just a pinch of wheat flour and it fills us all as if providing nourishment for ten days. What is this miracle?’ He then hesitatingly and humbly asked Tukkaram, “Master! How has this been possible for you?” Tukkaram at once said, “There is a great Mahatma by name Samarta Ramdas. Go to him, for, he has the explanation for this!”

What does this mean? It means that only a Mahatma can understand another Mahatma.

Since his visit to Thukaram, Shivaji was unable to eat or sleep. He felt guilty when food was served. He felt guilty when he went to lie on the soft silken bed. Samarta Ramdas and Thukaram were like his two eyes. He was reminded of his Guru Thukaram and his children. He was deeply disturbed about the condition under which they lived. They neither had a proper roof over their heads nor a square meal a day. He decided to offer gold and grains to his Guru. Carrying a big block of gold and cart full of food stocks, Shivaji set out to meet his Guru.

Meanwhile at Thukaram’s home he instructed his wife,
“Shivaji is coming to see me. I do not desire to meet him. I am leaving for the forest. Do not tell him my whereabouts.” Tukkaram then went away to the nearby forest taking his ‘tamboora’ with him. Soon Shivaji arrived at Thukaram’s hut.

Shivaji asked Thukaram’s wife, “Where is my Guru?”
Shaken by the appearance of the King the timid lady blurted out, “He does not desire to meet you and has left for the forest. Please do not tell him that I had informed you about his whereabouts.”

Ordering his army to stay there, Shivaji went all alone into the forest to meet Thukaram. Thukaram turned his face away as Shivaji went up to him. Pained and with tears in his eyes, Shivaji asked sorrowfully, “Master! you have always welcomed me smilingly and spoken to me. Even a single word uttered by you is like a drop of water that an extremely thirsty man receives. Any amount of talk by any number of people is like the water of the ocean that serves no purpose for the thirsty. Why do you turn your face away from me today?”

Thukaram asked him curtly, “Is there not a difference in your visit this morning? What have you got with you?”

Shivaji said humbly, “I have brought gold and grains for cooking food.”
Thukaram, “Why?”

Shivaji explained, “I find it difficult to eat or sleep when you and your family suffer, living in a simple hut without proper food and clothing.”

Thukaram exclaimed, “Oh! Is that so? How long have you known me?”

Shivaji replied, “For the past two months or so.”

Thukaram, “Well! Your relationship with me has been only for the past two months. Yet you feel sorry and compassionate towards my living condition.

(Lord) Panduranga knows me since my birth. How would He feel to see me living in the condition that I am? It is he who has placed me in such a condition. You may feel that my family and I are suffering. But, we do not feel so. We are very happy. Do not deem only material comfort as happiness. If it were so then all those who have huge wealth must be happy. But, they are not. Do not think that we are unhappy. Nama sankirtan is the wealth in my possession.

Take back all that you have brought.”

Shivaji pleaded with him, “Please accept them for my sake.”

Thukaram said, “Do you know how this sounds? It is like placing a plate of beef and asking me to accept it. Just take them all back with you.”

Shivaji pleaded with him again, “Please accept them. You may do charity with it. Do something good for the people of this place.”

Thukaram would not listen to this. He said, “I am not here to help anyone. I am a Sadhu always lost in the thought of the Lord. You are a king and it is your duty to help the people. You carry on your duty.”

Thukaram called out to all the people of the village and asked Shivaji to distribute the food materials to them. He possessed such deep dispassion that he did not reserve even a grain of it for his family. Would Shivaji leave such a Guru? He took tight hold of this Guru.

Such is the glory of Mahans....

Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes..........................................

Maaja Thuka...

Sant Thukaram has been one of the greatest inspirations for me in my path towards the Lotus Feet of the Lord...

Sant Thukaram's devotion to the deity at Pandharpur was unique. Vittala was his real family, therefore he would affectionately call him Ba or Ayi( Mother). His songs have the flavour of simple saguna upasana. For that reason the farmer, the housewife, the cobbler and the tailor could sing these as they toiled. Simple language with greatest truths..

To those who know little about Sant Thukaram let me brief about his life..

Thukaram was born in 1608, in the small village of Dehu in the West Indian state of Maharashtra to Bolhoba and Kanakai a couple belonging to the lower Sudra class. He had two other brothers. Despite their lower class status the family was well to do and enjoyed good social standing in the village. Tukaram's troubles started with the illness of his father, due to which he had to start supporting his family at the tender age of thirteen. Shortly thereafter, both his parents died. Thukaram's problems only mounted; death of his family members and economic hardship seemed to plague him.

Thukaram was married twice, his first wife Rakhumabai died due to starvation during a famine, his second wife Jijabai or Avali as she was called, was much younger than his first had been and had little patience with his devotion and for God and she nagged him continuously. He had three sons. Thukaram was initiated without any intermediaries as the other saints usually were. He dreamt that he was initiated by the Lord Hari himself dressed as a Brahman.

Thukaram continuously sang the praises of the Lord, he sang it in the form of abhangs which he wrote. These were in his mother tongue Marathi. The abhangs express his feelings and philosophical outlook. During his 41 years, Thukaram composed over 5,000 abhangs. Many of them speak of events in his life, which make them somewhat autobiographical. Yet, they are focused on God, Pandurang, and not Thukaram. His abhangs became very popular with the masses of common people. It was this very popularity that caused the religious establishment (the high caste Brahmins) to hate and persecute Thukaram. as, he was causing them to lose their power over the people.

There are many miracles attributed to Thukaram which i shall discuss with you in the coming days...

Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes...............................................